Can+We+(I)+make+a+difference? 

Karen S. Willis World Hunger: Can We ( I ) Make a Difference? Course: Teaching of Writing in Secondary Schools: Write for Change Unit Length: Six Week Unit  Level: Eighth Grade



" I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of God, I will do." by Edward Everett Hale Description: The “Write for Change” unit has been created for 8th grade students during their second trimester. Christmas holiday has ended with a new year ahead. The focus of this unit is dually purposeful for the students. We will study hunger around the world,causes of hunger, who controls food sources around the world and statistics involving hunger. Our writing project will be multi-genre and allow us to delve into research and information with individual choices. Every student in 8th grade may chose to read one of the following books: //The Boy That Harnessed The Wind, No Room at The Table, or The Invisible Thread//. We also have several books available for a lower reading level included //Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen, and Dreading Thursday//. Once a week on Fridays during this 6 week period, students and faculty will have book groups during Study Hall 6th hour. Mondays and Wednesday will include 20 minutes of individual reading each week. WAC:  The units will expand to include Math, Social Studies and Science classes. WIth all teachers participating, we will study hunger statistics in Math class, geography of hunger in Social Studies and nutrition in science class. With writing in each subject, we will bring the students together writing, learning and participating in ideas to solve a local and a world problem.

Student Objectives: The Student will create a multi-genre project with a minimum of 4 different types of genre. The Student will understand the political nature of hunger caused by war, environment and lack of financial means. The Student will participate in the Book Clubs by reading and discussing their book.  The Student will help create and be involved in some type of service project. The project will be chosen by the class with participation required. __LESSON PLANS FOR SIX WEEKS__

Week One: Teacher will discuss the objectives of the 6 week unit. The Multi-genre project will be explained. At least 4 different genres must be used for the project. The student must focus on world, national or local hunger. Click here for “Man in the Mirror” video. Students may use all the different genres discussed first semester. http://youtu.be/PivWY9wn5ps

Monday: Students will listen to the Michael Jackson song “Man in the Mirror”. They will read the lyrics out-loud in small groups. Then they will discuss the following questions: What is the message of "Man in the Mirror"? The song focuses on the efforts of an individual to improve himself and change the world. Self- reflection, inner agony and personal improvement are topics to be discussed in the small groups. What is the individual's responsibility to society? What is the student’s responsibility to society? Can we change the world by changing ourselves? What is the power of one person to create change? What is poverty? What does it look like in our community? What does world community look like to me? What are some of the causes of poverty? Writing time: Students are given free writing time to work on whatever writing project that they chose to work on. Tuesday: Students will discuss hunger questions with small group. Hunger statistics, causes of hunger and poverty (war & political unrest), and how our world is dealing with hunger are some of the topics for the groups. Mini Lesson:Introduction of two genres for the project: Poems & Letters Writing time: Students are given free writing time to work on project or personal reading Wednesday: Free write and research day. IPad/ Computers will be brought into the class from the tech lab. Each student can sign in with their personal password and save their writings on the School network. They will have the opportunity to research world hunger or work on their project.

Thursday: Another writing day! But with Mini Lesson about narrative/ argumentative essays for the multi-genre project. Teacher will confer with each student regarding their projects.

Friday: Overview review of week. What did each student learn? We will go around class and share our findings concerning poverty. Sharing some of our writings out-loud will allow the students to get some feedback concerning their work. Second week:

Monday: Click on Pay It Forward clips.

http://youtu.be/5ZTm-iYUpm4 http://youtu.be/Cgq8nDBcufo Review the pay it forward idea with the students. First, allow pairs to discuss what pay it forward means to them. Then make groups larger by combining pairs for sharing. Class discussion with sharing from each of the groups. Tuesday: Writing day with research time available. Spend whole class writing and working on projects or personal writing. (Teacher confers)

Wednesday: Mini Lesson: Newspaper article/Interview for project Writing and Research time available. (Teacher confers)

Thursday: Class will bring their writings for the project to class. Pairs will discuss and edit their writings for the project. Reading aloud to each other, the students will confer with each other for most of the hour. Each Student will complete a peer edit review paper for their partner. Fifteen minutes prior to class ending, we will come together and discuss hunger and whether we are surprised by anything we are learning in our research. Students will take the hunger/poverty quiz from the Loaves and Fishes web site. Click on link livepage.apple.com

Friday: Speaker: Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes Representative will spend the day in the classroom with each hour. She/He will share with the students how the organization makes a difference in the Kalamazoo area. Sharing what they could do individually, she will share how other students have chosen to get involved at Loafs and Fishes. After school meeting with team teachers:

How is it going in their classrooms? Do they feel that the continuity of subject is helping the students process their writing and content material? What should we change about the plans? When will we begin to share the projects with the school? What is the teacher's consensus of our final school service project? Week Three:

Writing and Research week. Monday thru Thursday, we will write, read, research and confer about our projects. Friday: We will discuss ideas for our class project concerning Hunger. First in small groups of 4 and then as a classroom, we will discuss how individuals can make a difference in the world today. We will reread Evert Hale’s poem! Week Four: Monday: We will discuss what they are learning about hunger in their other classrooms. How much writing are they completing in those classes? What do they like about focusing on the same main subject during most of their day? Discussion will be followed by more writing, research and more reading time!

After school meeting with team teachers: How is it going in their classrooms? Do they feel that the continuity of subject is helping the students process their writing and content material? What should we change about the plans? When will we begin to share the projects with the school? What is the teacher's consensus of our final school service project? Tuesday: Writing and working on project- free day for project. Teacher confers. Wednesday and Thursday: Continue working on Multigenre project both days.

Friday: We will discuss ideas for our class project concerning Hunger. First in small groups of 4 and then as a classroom, we will discuss how individuals can make a difference in the world today. We will reread Evert Hale’s poem! Students will begin to discuss what we mioght do as a service learning project. Someone suggests working with Loaves and Fishes to pack Friday backpacks for children who go hungry on the weekend. Someone suggests working at the soap kitchen at Ministry with Community. Someone else suggests a bake sale with the money going to a World hunger organization. Everyone decides to table it over the weekend.

Week five:

Monday: Share more projects. organize service project including transportation, time and signed notes from parents. Students have decided to go to Loaves and Fishes to put together weekend backpacks. Then we will deliver them to 5 different schools with the Adult volunteer. . Tuesday: Share more projects and free write.

Wednesday: Discuss writing thank-you notes to Loaves and Fishes for allowing us to be involved in their non-profit. Read book club books or work on multi-genre project.

Thursday: Review the expectations for the visit and work at L & F. Make sure everyone has turned in their notes. Call parents after school who have not turned in their students permission notes. Free Write with peer discussion groups.

Friday: Travel to Loaves and Fishes from 10:00 till the end of school. Every student from the 8th grade attends the service project. Those who are unable help the janitor at school work on the garden plaza and the landscaping project from the Reclaim the Earth group's plan.

Week six:

Monday: We will continue to share our projects in class and pick out some to be shared to the whole middle school on Friday. Last 15 minutes: free write.

Tuesday: Share our projects. last 30 minutes: free write.

Wednesday: Write and Read all day.

Thursday: Share projects in class. 15 min. free write.

Friday: School presentation of projects and four students discuss the service project at Loaves and Fishes in front of the whole Middle school.

Next week: Finish any project sharing. Discuss our next writing project.




 * The following is an explanation of how my unit engages students in reading challenging texts, undertaking outstanding and important writing, accomplishing more, exceeding the standards, and participating in a service project. **

The students will be reading their book club books and discussing them with faculty once a week for six weeks. The faculty will find a delightful educational experience listening to the students and participating in the book club atmosphere. Each of the books listed will serve to aid the student to delve into deep thinking and help them see the world beyond their world.

Through the Multi-genre project, each student will research and creatively enter the world of writing in their other classes. (Art, Physical Education, and Computers included) Through their investigation, they will learn about world hunger and local hun ger as well. With all core areas involved in the project, it will strengthen their writing and their knowledge base.


 * The following Core Standards were met and exceeded: **

The Reading standards were exceeded through our Book Club readings and discussions.

Reading Standards Analyze how recurring images or events contribute to the development of a theme or central idea in a text. Analyze how elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how plot and setting are integral to one another; how the setting affects characters). Explain the comparisons an author makes through metaphors, allusions, or analogies in a text and analyze how those comparisons contribute to meaning. Explain how a difference in the perspective or knowledge of characters and the audience (e.g., created through the device of dramatic irony) produces suspense or humor.

Writing Standards learned through the Multi-genre project and Mini-Lessons Cite a wide range of evidence throughout the text when useful to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. Provide an objective summary of a text, accurately conveying an author’ s view and specific points. Analyze how an author introduces, illustrates, and elaborates two or more significant ideas in a text, including how the relationship between the ideas is expressed. Again through our Multi-genre project with research, peer edit and presentation of project, we will address this standards. Produce writing in which the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach after rethinking how well questions of purpose and context have been addressed. Use technology, including the Internet, to present and cite information effectively in a digital format, including when publishing and responding to writing.

Concluding Comments: This unit allows the 8th grade to come together to study,read,write and serve the community together. It affords the staff the opportunity to come together to challenge, learn and listen to the students. Many of the students may want to continue to serve the community after this unit. If the school does not already have a volunteer student program, now would be a great time for the teachers to begin this service group.

Can we (I ) make a difference? Yes, we can!!! click here for final video. http://youtu.be/OoDY8ce_3zk