Explorers

Introductory information

Author
Pia BERG
E-mail
Institute
Karlstad University, Faculty of Arts and Education, Sweden
Target group
  • Upper (senior) level of Compulsory School, year 7-9, age 13-16
  • The materiel can also be used at Upper Secondary School with some moderation, age 16-18
Subjects
Art, Biology, Geography, History, Mathematics and Technology
Aims
  • Content Based Learning – to study a content area of interest to gain language acquisition in English as L2 or FL integrated with L1 languages in a heterogeneous group with many mother tongues
  • To work interculturally with projects on the theme Explorers from different cultures and different times in history up to present time.

Key competences

Communication in language(s)
  • Writing a blog
  • Oral communication in groups
  • Oral and written communication between groups
  • Giving oral presentations
  • Putting into practice the skills necessary for understanding different languages and use them interactively
  • Communication skills in the mother tongue and in foreign languages
Learning to learn
  • Learn how to develop language skills
  • Learn how to find information
  • Learn how to learn FL in a small group within a specific area
  • Learn how to work in groups
  • Learn how to work with projects
  • Learn how to plan and give a presentation
Digital competences
  • Search for information
  • Create a blog
  • Create a wordle
  • Create own didactic materials on the Internet
Social and civic competences
  • working with others/working in groups
  • active listening competence
  • negotiate and come to a conclusion / problem solving
  • communication and debating skills
  • research capability
  • critical and creative reflection
  • intercultural competence, respect for other cultures
  • be aware of diversity and cultural identities in and outside Europe
  • knowledge of contemporary events, as well as events in national, European and world history
Timing of the overall activities
  • 4 weeks of preparation (combining all involved subjects): 5 x 40 minutes
  • A fair during week 5
  • Assessment and evaluation during week 6 – the pupils will get individual response

Worksheets

Introduction

Notes for the teacher

Teachers from the different subjects (Art, Biology, History, Mathematics, Technology and Languages) will present the outline of the project. The students discuss about explorers in their respective languages. The teachers write the keywords on the whiteboard, creating mind maps, while the groups are presenting their short summaries. There will be one mind map for each language.

Go through all the words and make sure they are all written in the different languages on the whiteboard. Each student will read his/her words aloud and the class will read after him/her in chorus. The teacher explains that we have created one mind map for each language on the whiteboard and that is how we will be working within this project. These languages will be our “working languages”. The students copy the mind maps in their exercise books.

Timing
40 min
Material required
Excercise books, pens or pencils
Grouping
and
Focus on content
Introducing the theme of the project
Focus on language(s)
  • Pronouncing words in different languages and using the languages of the class
Worksheet 1
Material for Teachers
Material for Students

Explorers: Project plan

Notes for the teacher

The teacher will give a short presentation about the four explorers the students will work on. Answer the 4 questions: Who?, What?, How? And Why?

Timing
80 min
Material required
Planning and evaluation grid and assessment grid, Excercise books and pencils and pens, computers
Grouping
Worksheet 2
Material for Teachers
Material for Students

Travel guide

Notes for the teacher

Each group will make a presentation about the travels and present them with the help of a map. They will calculate distances and the time it would have taken to travel. They discuss how they would travel nowadays and how long it would take them. They can either draw a map or make a powerpoint presentation. They are to present it in their blog as well, so that they can get feedback. They are to put together a traveling guide using their explorer’s travels.

Timing
80 min
Material required
Planning and evaluationgrid and assessment grid,Excercise books and pencil or pens, computers
Grouping
Focus on content
Planning and going through the outline of the whole project
Worksheet 3
Material for Teachers
Material for Students

Preparing for the fair

Notes for the teacher

All the previous activities result in a big fair. During this fair the students will present the results of the project they have been working on.

Timing
The fair will be held during week five of the working period and there will be one presentation during daytime for compulsory school, year 4-6, and one in the evening for family and friends. Invitations have to be sent out during week 4 or earlier if possible
Grouping
Worksheet 1
Preparing for the fair
Material for Teachers
Material for Students
Worksheet 2
Presentations
Material for Teachers
Material for Students

References

http://blog.com/
http://www.wordle.net/
http://www.smartschools.ph/SmartSchools/SmartTools/PreparingForScienceFair.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Linnaeus
http://home.swipnet.se/fel/main/blomur/blomur.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb_IO-SzLgk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opWd01DuW28&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghpSUeoujxA&feature=related
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christer_Fuglesang
http://www.rymdforum.nu/?id=1095
http://sverigesradio.se/sida/default.aspx?programid=2751
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/../shuttlemissions/../interview_fuglesang.html
http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Battuta http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Sqo7THZNh0&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILlWWU4gp5A&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0iIOtMHH6s&feature=related
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_Heyerdahl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elb0-4PRClE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGooopCTmpg&feature=related