This I BelieveAn NPR project

Mrs. Ilko’s Leadership Class2013-14

Creating a This I Believe Essay

Our next project launches our work in internet research and narrative writing.

We will be writing This I Believe Essays and submitting the best from our classes to National Public Radio.

This project will take approximately three weeks and involves writing an essay, and then creating a podcast.

Who Are You? Finding Out What is Important

What is an identity? What does it mean to have a strong identity?

Look up the definition of identity. Based on this definition, write your own. How would you describe your own identity?

Could we say that forming an identity is difficult? How could this be true?

Life’s Important Moments

People and events shape your identity. “This I Believe” project is not an

autobiography- it is a personal narrative, a story that focuses on a small piece of your life. It is about values we hold dear, the moments that teach us who we are. It is not a factual retelling or a timeline.

What is a value?

A value is a characteristic that is important to leading a fulfilling life.

What are some examples of values? Let’s list some of them together.

On the next page there is a list of values. You will be divided into teams. You have the rest of the period to define as many of those values in your column as you can by the end of the period. You may use your iPod for this project to define each word.

Some Values to Consider

Team

1 • Honesty• Integrity• Compassion• Love• Empathy• Respect• Faith• Knowledge• Leadership

Team

2 • Wisdom• Freedom• Creativity• Dedication• Loyalty• Success• Cooperation• Enthusiasm• Self-Control

Team

3

• Confidence• Skill• Sincerity• Reliability• Patience• Flexibility• Responsibility• Hope• Charity• Prudence

Day 2 Choosing a Value

Objective: Today I will define two value words using definitions and examples from my notes and create a Word Cloud graphic to illustrate their meaning and importance to my identity.

Some Values to Consider

Team

1 • Honesty• Integrity• Compassion• Love• Empathy• Respect• Faith• Knowledge• Leadership

Team

2 • Wisdom• Freedom• Creativity• Dedication• Loyalty• Success• Cooperation• Enthusiasm• Self-Control

Team

3

• Confidence• Skill• Sincerity• Reliability• Patience• Flexibility• Responsibility• Hope• Charity• Prudence

Identifying Core Values

Today we are going to choose one particular value. Look at the list again and find the value that represents you at this point in your life. There are many to choose from, but if you had just two words to describe yourself what would they be and why?

Write a response in your journal.

Discussing Values

Take out your homework from last night. Be prepared to define each of the words.

Write your own definition of each of the words as we discuss them.

Directions

Choose two values that represent what you truly believe in. There are many, so choose only the two most important.

Go to a dictionary website like www.dictionary.com

Creating a Word Cloud

Defining your values

For each value that you select, in your journal write a definition of your value in your own words and at least three synonyms for the word. (you can use the thesaurus on the dictionary site to help you.)

Once you have both of them written in your journal, go to www.wordle.net or www.abcya.com to create a word collage.

Once you have created your collage, check with the teacher and then you will be able to print.

Day 3 What do you Believe?

Here is a link to a podcast by Tony Hawk Read the article and listen to his essay. What do you notice?

Looking at the essay requirements

Click on the Write button above the Tony Hawk Essay. Scroll down to Requirements.

Read what is required of each essay and be ready to discuss. Together we will write bullet points in our notebook.

Create a list of possible topics for your own This I Believe Essay. Write them in your notebook.

This I Believe Sample Essays

Use your scanner and go to this section of the This I Believe website.

Essays as Mentor Text

Together we will find a few sample essays. Your job is to listen and read at least 3 essays on a topic that interests you to use as your own personal mentor text.

Write the title of the essay/podcast and the author and date published.

Write a gist sentence about the essay. Copy at least two sentences that you find

interesting.

Some Key Advice

As you begin your essay consider the following:

It’s all about you. Keep it personal. Timing is everything. Say what you do believe! Have fun!

Introductions

Copy the first sentence from your mentor essay.

Rewrite that sentence two different ways to begin your essay.

Create hooks that will interest the reader/listener. Consider a quote, startling statement or a carefully crafted question.

Juicy Details

This is the section of the essay where you tell your story. What is the key event that you want to discuss?

What lesson or value did you learn? How did it make you feel about it then? How have you used this lesson since when

you make decisions? How do you feel about it now?

Conclusion

Depending on the mood of your essay and the choices you make as an author, there are several ways you can conclude your essay.

Summaries are for book jackets only. Try not to summarize what you said.

Say bye-bye and this is why: It is easy to end your paragraph with “This is why… but much more effective option is to restate your opinion or main idea in a different way. Challenge your reader to think differently!

Partner Revision

Read your essay to at least 3 other students in our class. Together you should annotate on the essay with both positive feedback and suggestions for revision.

Remember this essay will become a podcast, and you will be using this time to read your essay aloud. This is a time to check for punctuation, where should you pause for effect? Voice raised? Volume differentiation..

Once you have revised 3 times, turn in your essay to the teacher for final review.

MAPS: Creating a Podcast

Listen again to the Tony Hawk podcast with these questions in mind:

How is the piece introduced? What details are given in the overview?

Does the reporter/narrator start talking immediately? Is there a musical segue? Background sounds?

Who is invited to talk? How does the narrator introduce new ideas or transition

to contrasting ones? Adapted From Troy Hicks pg. 88 Crafting Digital Writing

Garage Band: Our Choice to Record

We will spend today selecting appropriate background music for your podcast.

We will be using Garageband for our project. Here are links to a variety of tutorials on how to use Garage band. I will post them in Edmodo for easy access.

https://vimeo.com/36590006

Creating Our Podcast We will be spending 3 days creating our podcast. You will

need to find a quiet place to produce your podcast. Don’t forget to bring your earbuds from home .

We will be spending some time today reading our This I believe statements to create our introduction that will be added to the beginning of every students work. Be ready to come to my desk top to record.

Make sure you use our Podcasting Basics sheet and Prosody scoring guide as you create your podcast. Have fun!

I will also be opening my classroom before class, after school and during second lunch to provide quiet space to record.

Podcast Publishing News

Once you have revised, edited and uploaded your podcast to our class site you will then submit your essay and podcast to http://thisibelieve.org/submission/#_EssayForm=first

We will be inviting our parents to comment on line and come into our class to showcase our first project.

Your final podcast will also be posted on your individual blog site.

Meet Jazmine

Amir’s Blog

Mrs. Ilko’s Blog

Standards  W.7.3 – Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective

technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a

narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences,

events, and/or characters. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts

from one time frame or setting to another. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to

capture the action and convey experiences and events. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events. W.7.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and

style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.  W.7.6 – Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to

and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.

8th Grade Standards W.8.3 – Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective

technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a

narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop

experiences, events, and/or characters. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from

one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events.

Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.

Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events. W.8.4 – Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style

are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.  W.8.6 – Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the

relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

Citations/Credits www.thisibelieve.org The Digital Writing Workshop by Troy Hicks pg. 65-72 with a focus

on Dawn Reeds Curriculum and the MAPS for podcasting Crafting Digital Writing by Troy Hicks Chapter 5 Crafting Audio Texts This I Believe Middle School Curriculum. Copyright 2008 Podcasting Basics Recording Principals by Margit Boyenson Prosody Rubric created by Janet Ilko This I Believe Podcast Rubric adapted from Dawn Reed and Troy

Hicks The Digital Writing Workshop pages 70-71 http://www.edutopia.org/blog/common-core-in-action-writing-for-

audience-rebecca-alber