Research
Process
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Student
Directions
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Form Your Team
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You will work in teams assigned by your teacher. You will work together throughout the project and
will be responsible for helping each other. |
 Task
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Essential Question:
What does America mean to you? |
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Process & Product
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Task
1: Background For Everyone
Before you can imagine a new holiday, your team needs to research an existing federal holiday. Each group
should choose a
different holiday to research.
Choose
a federal holiday
Your group is to make a presentation to teach the class about the
holiday you researched. You will make your presentation as a
PowerPoint slide show. Each group member will be responsible for creating
at least one slide.
Your group's
PowerPoint should include at least:
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One
title slide with your FIRST names and today's date |
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One
slide describing when the holiday is celebrated and how the
history of the holiday. |
| One slide that shows what
symbols
(if any) represent the holiday |
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Two
slides describing the customs and traditions of the holiday |
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One slide with
Works Cited
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Task 2: Create Your Paper
Hand
The next step is to create your
paper hand.
- Carefully
trace your hand with pencil on to a piece of white, flesh-colored,
or tan construction paper. You can go over the pencil line with
a fine dark marker.
- Create your design in pencil in
your art journal or another piece of paper. Your design should
include visual symbols that depict the USA and the holiday itself.
These symbols should represent in some way how people celebrate
this holiday, the history of the holiday, perhaps the time of year
of the holiday, etc. Remember - your hand may be given to a student
from another part of the world who never heard of the holiday.
Your hand must visually represent and communicate what this holiday
is all about.
- When you are satisfied with your
design, you may begin work on your hand. You may use any art medium
you wish - crayon, markers, colored pencil, paint, collage. DO
NOT USE GLITTER!
- Last step: On the back of the hand,
write the name of the holiday, and then answer one or both of these
questions:
- What does this holiday mean
to you?
- What do you like about this
holiday?
Task 3: Propose a New
Holiday
CLICK
HERE TO VIEW A SLIDE SHOW ABOUT WHAT AMERICA MEANS TO SOME PEOPLE!
Next, you are to brainstorm with your group and come
up with a proposal for a new holiday. You will present your
proposal with your team to the rest of the class at the Holiday Selection
Rally.
Your class will then vote (on our blog) to decide which holiday proposal
best represents the spirit of America.
Your new holiday proposal should consist of a
narrative (a persuasive
argument to present at the Holiday
Selection Rally convincing people why your
holiday best represents the American spirit) and one
of the following:
| Poster: A Campaign Poster to bring to
the Holiday Selection Rally to
publicize, educate, and promote your choice of holiday.
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The
final poster should be created on 11"x14" oaktag
and designed in bold colors, using markers and collage. (Another
option could be to design your poster in PhotoShop.) Use
this
handout to help you think about what you want to put
into your poster. |
| Be sure that your holiday is clearly
represented. It should be clear to viewers what the purpose of your
holiday is. What is your message? |
| Be sure to include a
Symbol of
U.S. Government on your project. |
| Your poster should be creative and
free of spelling and grammatical errors. |
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Each team
member will then write their own persuasive argument. The
argument should persuade and convince others why this holiday
is so important and meaningful. These persuasive
arguments will be recorded on Voice Thread. |
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Extra Credit:
Write a letter
to your state Senator or Congressperson proposing your federal
holiday.
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You can use the links below:
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Assessment
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Your team will be evaluated on your
PowerPoint, your oral presentation, your poster or stamp, and
on your ability to work as a group.
Additionally, Searingtown
students will be required to post a reflection in our ICT
Blog. Students will reflect on the project and select
their best piece of work to highlight in their reflection. |
Gather Your Information |
Use a variety of resources to
research the federal holiday chosen for your PowerPoint presentation.
You may use books from the library and electronic links which can be
accessed by clicking
on the "holidays" button
at the top of this page to get started. |
Organize |
| Analyze: Print out
this
note-taking organizer to take notes on your federal holiday for
your PowerPoint. Keep track of your resources! Use this
bibliographic form to stay organized. |
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Apply:
Use the information you have gathered to create your
PowerPoint.
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Synthesize: Use
what you have learned about federal holidays to design a new holiday.
Jump start your thinking by looking at the questions below.
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Research Questions
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Click here
for some questions to help you imagine your
new federal holiday. Remember the essential
question:
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Essential Question:
What does America mean to you? |
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 Conclusion
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Holiday Selection Rally Share your
presentations with your classmates.
As you listen to each team's presentation, think about
how effectively their proposal captures the spirit of America.
It is now time to vote but you may not
vote for your own team!
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Poll (coming soon)
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