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8th Grade  Project 13 weeks

Wave Wonders: Exploring Communication and Manipulation

Annelise B
Updated
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.7
SL.8.2
WHST.6-8.7
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.6
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.8
+ 11 more
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Purpose

Students will embark on a dynamic learning journey exploring communication's historic and modern complexities through 'The Crucible.' The project intertwines subjects like science, history, and theater to uncover how information is conveyed and manipulated. By dramatizing scenes, engaging with propaganda, and building interactive timelines, students will develop a nuanced understanding of rhetoric's power and evolve their critical thinking and communication skills. This immersive experience seeks to equip students with tools for evaluating media and effectively expressing ideas amidst today's information landscape.

Learning goals

Learning goals for this project include understanding how information has historically been communicated and manipulated in the U.S., evaluating the impact of propaganda, and exploring modern tools for critical analysis. Students will develop skills in research, performance, and multimedia production, using historical context and rhetorical techniques to address current issues. They will build competencies in collaboration, critical thinking, and effective communication through hands-on activities, reflection, and engaging with community partners. The aim is to empower students to critically reflect on the evolution of communication tools and their societal implications.

Standards
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.7 - Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
  • [California] SL.8.2 - Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.
  • [California] WHST.6-8.7 - Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.6 - Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.8 - Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.9 - Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.7 - Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2 - Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.4 - Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6—8 texts and topics.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7 - Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
Competencies
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.

Products

Throughout the project, students will craft a class zine, acting as a playbill, which compiles propaganda speeches, posters, and materials reflecting historical and modern use of rhetoric. They will also produce a multimedia documentary chronicling the rehearsal and performance of 'The Crucible,' capturing student reflections and insights into communication themes. Both the zine and documentary will be key components of the exhibition, providing a tangible and immersive exploration of the project's essential question. Additionally, students will contribute to an interactive timeline linking historical communication techniques with modern digital media, offering a dynamic interpretation of information's evolution and manipulation.

Launch

To launch the project, students will participate in an improv class at the local theater company where they will later exhibit their work. This dynamic, hands-on session will engage students in spontaneous communication exercises, helping them to experience the intricacies of dialogue and persuasion firsthand. Through improvisation, students will explore the themes of the essential question, setting the stage for their deeper dive into propaganda, rhetoric, and historical influences on American communication.

Exhibition

Students will organize a dynamic showcase at the local theater, performing scenes from 'The Crucible' alongside their curated propaganda posters and speeches. This multimodal exhibition invites community members to engage with the students' creative work, deepening their understanding of historical and contemporary communication. The event will also feature a viewing of the multimedia documentary capturing students' experiences, offering insights into their learning journeys and reflections on communication's impact.