SUBJECT: English
GRADE: High School
TECHNOLOGY: Word Processor, Internet
BY: Alicia Atsma

Target Grade/Subject:

Eleventh Grade/American Literature. Class Period Length: 90 minutes. Class Description: 28 students-capability range approx. 4th to 11th grade. Lower income, African-American majority (few home PCs). Diverse behavioral/social issues (ADHD, interpersonal conflict, etc.) Class enjoys computer lab-see it as a treat, and work with a relatively high level of focus and appropriate behavior.

Objectives:

• In preparation for next week's reading of Steinbeck's play Of Mice and Men:
• Students will examine and take notes (on word processor) from Web files: personal narratives and stories about the Depression/Dust Bowl.
• Using word processor, students will create a brief fictional character narrative including: age, gender, physical description, geographical information (where character is from, where living now). Note: narrative may be written in past or present tense. Minimum required length: one paragraph, 5-8 complete sentences.
• Students will use at least six descriptive verbs and six descriptive adjectives.
• Students will utilize Spell Check and Grammar Check to correct errors.
• Character names will serve as titles, in bold type, for each narrative.

Materials:

• Computers and printer at computer lab-make appointment with lab assistant.
• Book-marked Web files-lab assistant puts these on my Web page for lab access.
• Rubric defining assignment.
• Lab observation checklist.
• Printed version of each student's completed work.

Lesson Description:

Class Discussion (anticipatory set)-describing an emotional event. (15 mins.)

• Discussion of personal narratives and narrative language:
• Individual stories-class volunteers or teacher-modeled.
• How does memory/recall alter historical fact?

Hand out rubric for lab assignment. Go over all points and define where necessary. (10 mins.)

Go to computer lab-brief instruction by lab staff in proper use of equipment, Web sites, Word Perfect. (Not their first lab visit). (5 mins.)

Writing Assignment: (45 mins.)

• Students will examine and take notes (on WP) from Web files containing Depression/Dust Bowl narratives and images. As students read narrative files, teacher will observe, assist, comment.
• Students can discuss each other's findings informally as they work.
• Students must allow 10 minutes to print out their work. (10 mins.)

Evaluation:

• In lab, teacher will observe and assist students as needed, assessing on-task behavior levels using an observation checklist.
• Teacher will later read students' fictional character narratives to confirm that required information is included and that spelling and grammar errors have been corrected.