Situational Analysis

This enrichment unit was designed for Year 8 foreign language students, at a single sex secondary school and its focus was to cater for the special needs of gifted and talented students within the seven mixed ability classes. Its aim was to provide students with an opportunity to research information on their chosen culture, to extend their understanding and then to present their findings to an audience of their peers.

Drawing on information based on a number of devices and from a variety of formal and informal sources (Davis & Rimm, 1994), detailed student profiles were developed to assist with the planning of this unit. The following tools were used to construct these profiles.

A) Standardised achievement tests for comprehension and vocabulary.

B) Teacher made tests.

C) Checklist, such as the Renzulli-Hartman Scale and Frasier's Traits, Aptitudes and Behaviours (Queensland Department of Education, 1994).

D) Anecdotal information drawn from parents, students and previous school records.

In summary, a substantial number of students with the following characteristics were identified. Firstly, this group of students were self motivated and demonstrated the capacity for independent work. Secondly, they demonstrated quick mastery and retention of information. Thirdly, these students appeared to have ability to abstract and reason critically. These students also appeared to think rapidly and demonstrated an advanced understanding. Finally, they appeared sensitive and intuitive towards others with a mature sense of justice.

In line with the Queensland Policy Statement on the Education of the Gifted (1993), this research unit incorporated further identification opportunities within the curriculum. By providing stimulating activities that challenged the imagination and by catering for a variety of learning styles, it was intended that this unit would provide opportunities for students to 'bubble up' (Ryan, 1991) and display any talents they possessed.

 

Rationale

The rationale behind this unit was based on a desire to cater for the specific needs of the gifted and talented students within these classes. Therefore, the unit drew heavily on Bloom's taxonomy, Taylor's Multi-talent totem pole model (Dalton & Smith, 1986; Raboczi, 1989), Gardner's multiple intelligences theory (Lazear, 1991, 1992; Chapman, 1993) and Treffinger's model for increasing self-directedness (Raboczi, 1989; Hill, 1992: 28). It was also mindful of Maker's model for enrichment, where the content, process, product and learning environment are modified to cater for the gifted (Maker, 1982).

 

Objectives

Content. Students will:
• Know more and understand more about their chosen culture.
• Know more about the different levels of thinking (Bloom's Taxonomy).

 

Process and skills. Students will be able to:
• Improve their ability to locate different types of resources.
• Acquire information from a variety of sources using effective note-taking and questioning skills.
• Demonstrate skills and behaviours necessary for self-directed learning.
• Improve their ability to analyse critically their own thinking.
• Identify key points and main ideas.
• Apply information to new situations.
• Break information into parts and them relate it back to the whole.
• Synthesise information into parts and then relate it back to the whole.
• Evaluate information.
• Improve their problem-solving ability.
• Present information in a variety of formats (written, pictorial, audio-visual, oral, cartoons, drama, role-play or model making).

 

Affective. Students will:
• Appreciate their chosen culture a little more.
• Co-operate and share in group activities.
• Appreciate the opinions and talents of others.
• Nurture any particular talents they possess.

 

Organisation of Teaching and Learning

This enrichment unit emphasised the role of the teacher as a facilitator of learning. Consequently, this unit encouraged self-direction, self-selection and self-pacing of student work through the implementation of contracts. Contracts were used as a tool to promote goal-directed behaviour and encourage independence. Furthermore, the contracts were used to enhance self-esteem and student confidence, and to promote co-operation within the class and respect for others. Finally, contracts were used to promote critical and creative thinking, and to generate problem solving opportunities (Dalton & Smith, 1986). To this end, students negotiated with their teachers which tasks they would complete, and when they would present their completed products. Further to this, students were encouraged to reflect on their own participation in the unit through metacognitive activities. This process of critical analysis was aimed at enhancing the quality of the overall learning experience.

However, to facilitate this independent work, teachers needed to organise mini skill lessons.

Firstly, teachers needed to introduce the students to Bloom's Taxonomy so that informed choices could be made when later they contracted themselves to the various tasks. This lesson became the responsibility of the classroom teacher and so a model lesson was jointly constructed and distributed amongst all of the foreign language teachers (see below).

Secondly, it was felt that Year 8 students would require research skills lessons. These lessons would need to focus on information retrieval using inquiry methods. They would also need to develop further the students' ability to acquire information from a variety of different sources, and they would need to teach the schools' approach to constructing bibliographies. These research skills lessons became the responsibility of the Teacher Librarian.

Thirdly, due to the open-ended nature of the contract teachers believed that their students would require time management and organisational skills. These skills became the responsibility of the Resource Teacher. Finally, due to the divergent range of possible products, teachers believed that mini genre lessons should be made available to students where necessary. These became the joint responsibility of the Resource Teacher and the Foreign Language Teacher. Co-operative learning strategies were used for some of these skills lessons to develop group membership and to develop further the social skills of the students involved.

 

Content
Ganapole's Designing an Integrated Curriculum for Gifted Learners (1989) provides us with an organisational framework from which to evaluate the content of this enrichment unit.

Firstly, this research unit provided students with the opportunity to engage in a variety of learning activities. Through listening, speaking, reading and viewing, students were given the opportunity to research information and extend their understanding of their chosen culture.

This enrichment unit also provided students with the opportunity to express themselves creatively. The open-endedness of the tasks encouraged creativity, as did the diverse range of tasks that students could select from. The following compositer list provides an overview of the possible ways that students could present information on their chosen culture.

Students could:
• recite: a poem; expressions; single words.
• construct: a family tree; a game; a puzzle; a papier mache map; a chart.
• write: a 'war cry'; a report; an explanation; an article; an acrostic.
• design: a tourist brochure; a uniform; a menu; a survival guide.
• collect: an anthology of poems; a sample of ...
• demonstrate: a sport; a skill.
• retell: a story.
• invent: a new national costume.
• write and perform: a radio commercial; a rap song; an interview.
• construct: a sound track; a cartoon strip; a travel poster.
• prepare: an authentic dish.

This enrichment unit also worked to develop the research and study skills of the students involved. It was appropriate to teach these skills within the meaningful context of this research unit (Dalton & Smith, 1986: 86) as they were necessary tools to enhance the independence of the learners. Consequently, students were taught how to locate information, acquire information, interpret information and to report and present information.

Finally, this unit provided opportunities for both social interaction and independent, self-directed work. Students were provided with the alternative opportunity to work co-operatively with their peers, and to work independently at self-directed tasks.

 

Resources
This enrichment unit aimed to provide and develop resources that would challenge researchers to go beyond textbooks. Consequently, students were encouraged to access human resources and to conduct interviews. These were recorded and used by the interviewer and her peers. They were encouraged to access fictional accounts, and so links were made to the Year 8 English wide reading program, RIB-IT. They were also encouraged to locate and access a wide range of book and non-book materials. For example, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, films, audio and video tapes, maps, charts, art prints, records, original documents and letters. The Teacher Librarian worked with the classroom teacher and the Head of Department to ensure that these resources were pitched at different reading levels to provide challenge to all members of these mixed ability classes. At the end of this enrichment unit all resources generated or acquired by students were donated to the library for use by the entire school community.

 

Evaluation of Student Learning/Products

Due to the very nature of this unit, teachers were challenged to implement various forms of evaluation techniques. Therefore, feedback from self evaluation, peer evaluation and teacher evaluation was used to generate summative results. These results represented part of the students' final assessment of their overall success to date, and were communicated to parents via our computerised reporting system.

As this enrichment unit was designed with the specific needs of the gifted and talented student in mind, it was deemed appropriate to use self evaluation and peer evaluation to gauge its effectiveness, for, like Dalton and Smith (1986), we believe that learning to evaluate self and others constructively is an important skill for gifted students to foster.

Peer evaluation was also judged to be an appropriate tool for gauging the effectiveness of this unit. The peer evaluation tasks challenged students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of Bloom's taxonomy. Therefore, this evaluation sheet also provided feedback on the success of the content, process, skill and affective objectives of the unit.

It was deemed essential to acknowledge formally the intrinsic value of this enrichment unit and so it was designated as a summative task by the Head of Department. Therefore, it was necessary for teachers to evaluate formally the skills that students had mastered, as demonstrated by the process through which they completed their products. Consequently, teacher evaluation related to the content, process and skill objectives of the unit. This evaluative information on student abilities was reported formally to their parents. Consequently, reporting comments tried to reflect these objectives. As a result teachers, students and parents recognised that the rationale underpinning this unit was regarded as important.

 

Reflections on Implementation

What is interesting is that all students appear to have gained from the opportunity to work within these same structures. The flexibility offered through individual contracts, the open-endedness of the tasks, and the chance to present their findings in a variety of ways catered for the individual needs of all students. The mini skill lessons also allowed students to work at their own levels. In the same way structuring tasks according to Bloom's Taxonomy provided students with an opportunity to experience success and also be challenged at appropriate levels. The peer evaluation and self evaluation sheets coupled with the metacognitive reflection sheet encouraged all students to deepen their own understanding of the skills covered by the unit.

It is also interesting to note that when given access to these stimulating activities and the encouragement to respond in an individual way that reflected Gardner's concept of multiple intelligence (Lazear, 1991, 1992), unexpected students 'bubbled-up' and their talents shone through. As an example of this, consider the response of one student when posed with the challenge, 'Defend your position on banning birthdays' (Special Events Activity Card). This student chose to present a fascinating role play to a select group of her peers. She took on the persona of an Aged Chinese Gentleman. An elder within his community, he used the craft of story telling and lyric poetry to convince his audience of the absolute necessity for birthdays because of their intrinsic connection with the respect held for the senior members of Chinese families.

At a critiquing session held by the teaching staff at the end of this unit, it was generally agreed that the models chosen had successfully fulfilled the identified needs of the gifted and talented students within these mixed ability classes. There was no doubt that the unit catered for the diverse needs of these classes, as students were able to work at different levels and on different tasks. As one student reflected in her self-evaluation, 'It was great! We were all working hard on different things.' The use of individual contracts was a fairly radical step for some of these teachers, as prior to this, all students had completed the same tasks at the same time. Teachers however, generally felt enthusiastic about this idea after the positive experiences generated by this unit.

There was also consensus that this enrichment unit provided opportunity for students to work at higher levels of thinking. However, it also became obvious through discussion that even though the opportunity was provided, not all students were able to grasp the complexity of these tasks. For example, some students failed to demonstrate an appreciation of the underlying levels of thinking which would lead to the successful completion of higher level tasks.

It was also agreed that the unit made a genuine effort to value abilities within a variety of Gardner's Seven Intelligences (Chapman, 1993; Lazear, 1991, 1992). This proved to be one of the most exciting aspects of the unit. An enthusiasm for learning was generated within the classroom that was experienced by both teachers and students. One student expressed this in a peer evaluation form by writing, 'I thought it was great that [student name] could do a rap to show the class what she knew about Japanese food.' Teachers, however, felt that students needed a great deal more guidance to effectively work within each of the intelligences. One teacher cited the example of a student who wanted to draw her information from a travel poster and yet she obviously did not have the skills to interpret such a resource.

This enrichment unit also challenged both teachers and students to recognise the need to develop skills for independence in learning. Many students responded eagerly to the open-ended nature of the tasks. Many students however, floundered in this same open-endedness, requiring individual monitoring and guidance. As one student reflected, 'I found it difficult to work out all the parts that I needed to do to finish my radio play.' Still other students actually found themselves uncomfortable with the choice and flexibility offered by the unit. As one student reflected, 'I thought the choices were O.K. But I like knowing what the teacher wants and this time I didn't have a clue.' For these reasons it was generally felt that students needed more experience and opportunity to develop these skills further while teachers needed other strategies to facilitate this for students.

Overwhelmingly, teachers felt that all students developed varying degrees of knowledge, understanding and appreciation for their chosen culture. The enthusiastic way in which students participated in the unit demonstrated that these objectives had been met. This was clearly illustrated by the following student's comment, 'It [the enrichment unit] really made learning fun.' Further confirmation was also provided by students' written and verbal requests for more opportunitites to participate in similar activities. As one student reflected, 'What I would really like is to work on a program like this for 6 months a year.' I believe that this student is demonstrating a commitment to task that needs to be responded to through an independent research project.

It was also agreed that all students improved their understanding about the different levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. One student shared her insight by reflecting, 'Before we learned about Bloom's Taxonomy I didn't realise that there were different levels of thinking.' One of the most successful aspects of this unit was related to the objective of encouraging students to present their findings in a variety of ways. 'I liked being able to do lots of practical things ... it [this unit] wasn't boring work like in the other classes.' These comments clearly suggest that this student valued the opportunity to express her knowledge in a different way.

 

Future Directions
While the overall results from this unit were promising, the unit itself was certainly not perfect. However, one student evaluation in particular gave teachers the incentive to continue to explore the possibilities raised by this unit. 'I thought that it [the enrichment unit] really made learning fun!' This simple reflective comment made a genuine impression on the teachers involved with this enrichment unit.

Access to resources was a difficulty encountered by students as they attempted to respond to the open-ended tasks set down by the activity cards. A major issue was the lack of diverse resources that reflected the needs of the different intelligences. As a long term plan, students are being encouraged to work cooperatively with the library to extend the collection to reflect their needs. Consequently, student generated materials are being donated to the collection and the Teacher/Librarian has been made aware of the deficit.

Another consideration for the next year's implementation of this enrichment unit would be to find more real life audiences for the products generated (Maker, 1982: 188, 216). One possibility is to access the 'International Fair' that is held in Term Three each year. This would provide students with the opportunity to share their findings, through displays and performances, with a wider audience of parents, students, staff and general community.

Future directions also include the concept of extending the rationale into a Year 8 reading response task. Possible improvements at this stage include the idea of jointly constructing the tasks through brainstorming sessions with the students themselves (Garrick, 1990: 330). It is felt that this may also give students the confidence to negotiate their own tasks as they will be more familiar with the model.

References

Chapman, C. (1993) If the Shoe Fits ... How to Develop Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. Melbourne: Hawker Brownlow Education.

Dalton, J. & Smith, D. (1986) Extending Children's Special Abilities: Strategies for Primary Classrooms. Melbourne: Ministry of Education, Victoria.

Davis, G.A. & Rimm, S.B. (1994) Education of the Gifted and Talented. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Ganapole, S.J. (1989) Designing an integrated curriculum for gifted learners: An organisational framework. Roeper Review, 12 (2), 81-86.

Garrick, B. (1990) Catering for children with special ability: An eclectic approach. In S. Bailey, E. Braggett & M. Robinson (Eds), The Challenge of Excellence: 'A Vision Splendid'. Melbourne: AAEGT. pp.330-337.

Hill, K. (1992) Unit: Young Einsteins. TalentEd, 37, 28-33.

Lazear, D.G. (1991) Seven Ways of Knowing. Melbourne: Hawker Brownlow Education.

Lazear, D.G. (1992) Seven Ways of Teaching. Melbourne: Hawker Brownlow Education.

Maker, C.J. (1982) Curriculum Development for the Gifted. Texas: Pro-Ed.

Queensland Department of Education (1993) The Education of Gifted Students in Queensland: Policy Statement. Brisbane: Queensland Department of Education.

Queensland Department of Education (1993) The Education of Gifted Students in Queensland: Resource Document. Brisbane: Queensland Department of Education.

Queensland Department of Education (1994) The Zigzag Project 1993-1994: Achievement: Up from Under. Brisbane: Queensland Department of Education.

Raboczi, C.M. et al. (1989) Special Needs Support Series: Extension and Enrichment Book 3. Using Teaching Learning Models. Brisbane: Queensland Department of Education, Brisbane South Region Advisory Committee on Gifted and Talented Children.

Ryan, T. (1991) The 21st Century Classroom Kit. Brisbane: Headfirst.

Model Lesson

Teaching Bloom's taxonomy (the concepts) to your class.

Context:

I'm going to present you with some difficult work now. Some of you will understand it and some may not because this is work which university students do. We are going to talk about different levels of thinking.

1. Teacher: Henry the VIII was King of England.
say that [student name] You are repeating
say that [another student name] information only.

This is the lowest level of thinking - KNOWLEDGE
I'm sure all of you can do this.

2. Teacher: What does King mean? (seek student response)
What does VIII mean ? (seek student response)
What is Henry? (seek student response)

This is the next level of thinking. Here you are demonstrating that you UNDERSTAND each part of the sentence. You couldn't work at this level without first being able to work at the lower level. (Higher levels presuppose ability in the lower levels.)

3. Teacher: Introduce concept of monarch/empress/ruler/etc. Name other Kings, Queens etc. What are the similarities ? (Encourage students to transfer the knowledge they have now to new or familiar situations.)

At this level you are transferring your knowledge and understanding to APPLY it to a new situation. Again, see how you couldn't do this without first being able to do the lower levels of thinking.

4. Teacher: King Henry VIII closed down the monasteries. Why? (Check understanding of vocabulary.)

At this level you need to break down and examine the things you know about King Henry VIII and about monasteries.

You then need to transfer this understanding to this new situation. Therefore this is the level of ANALYSIS. Most grade 8s will be working at this level. (Again, reiterate the fact that ability at this level presupposes ability at the lower levels.)

5. Teacher: How would things have been different if King Henry VIII had never been born?

This level of thinking is called SYNTHESIS because you are combining the lower levels of thinking to create your answer.

6. Teacher: Was this a good thing? (Consider how there is no right or wrong answer; how students are being asked to make a judgement and to argue their case. Point out how the answer will be new to the student.)

At this level of thinking you need real ability because again there is no right or wrong answer. You are creating, predicting an answer; however, you must be able to justify your thinking. This level of thinking is called EVALUATION; some will feel comfortable working at this level but some may not.

[Teachers will have listed the different levels of thinking on the blackboard.]

I need you now to be honest with yourself. You decide the level at which you would have a little bit of difficulty in working.

[Once you have explained the reading cards students should refer to this self-evaluation and complete as many exercises at this level as is possible.]

CONTRACT

I, OF . . . . . . . . . . . . . , CONTRACT MYSELF TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING TASKS:

KNOWLEDGE

 

 

 

COMPREHENSION

 

 

 

APPLICATION

 

 

 

ANALYSIS

 

 

 

SYNTHESIS

 

 

 

EVALUATION

 

 

 

STUDENT INSTRUCTIONS:

Complete all activities from the knowledge and comprehension levels and then select one activity from each of the other levels.

KNOWLEDGE
1. Make a list of the main special events celebrated within your chosen country.
2. Make an acrostic about one of the events.
3. Make a facts chart about one of the events within your chosen family.

 

COMPREHENSION
1. Make a collage showing special aspects of one of the events.
2. In your own words retell what it was like to be part of a special event.
3. Explain the meaning of five words from your chosen language which could relate to a special event.

 

APPLICATION
1. Prepare a dish which could be part of your special event or celebration.
2. Make up a list of questions to ask a participant who has been involved in a special event.
3. Make a sound track which reflects a special event or celebration.

 

ANALYSIS
1. Make a chart which reflects the common characteristics of three special events.
2. Find a poem which you think links well with your special event or celebration.
3. Write and perform a radio commercial to promote a special event or celebration.

 

SYNTHESIS
1. Invent a machine which would play an important part in your special event or celebration.
2. Design a space to house your special event or celebration.
3. Write about your feelings in relation to your special event or celebration.

 

EVALUATION
1. What changes to your special event or celebration would you recommend?
2. Defend your position on 'banning birthdays'.
3. Predict within your special event or celebration what will still occur in one hundred years. Justify / Give supporting arguments for your prediction.

KNOWLEDGE
1. Make a chart showing 'The Arts'.
2. Recite a poem from your chosen culture.
3. From your chosen language, find the word which means:
(a) music (b) painting (c) books (d) dance/ballet (e) singing.

 

COMPREHENSION
1. Make a collage showing a particular form of 'The Arts'.
2. Explain the meaning of five words from your chosen language which could relate to 'The Arts'.
3. Describe a person who is famous for his or her achievements in one of 'The Arts'. (Draw pictures if you like.)

 

APPLICATION
1. Make up a puzzle / game using a particular form of 'The Arts'.
2. Make a papier mache map to include buildings which are famous for 'The Arts'.
3. What questions would you ask of a famous person from the Arts? List five.

 

ANALYSIS
1. Write a biography of a famous person from 'The Arts'.
2. Find a poem which you think links well with one particular Art form. Explain why you have chosen this poem and why you think it can be connected to this form of 'The Arts'.
3. Write and perform a radio commercial to promote one of 'The Arts'.

 

SYNTHESIS
1. Design a space to house your particular form of 'The Arts'.
2. Write about your feelings in relation to your form of 'The Arts'.
3. What would happen if books were banned in your country?

 

EVALUATION
1. Do you believe that 'The Arts' are valuable? Defend your position.
2. How effective are 'The Arts' in reflecting the culture of your particular country?
3. You are migrating to the planet Pluto. You can only take one form of 'The Arts'. What would you choose and why?

KNOWLEDGE
1. What are the most popular sports played in your chosen country?
2. Make a collage showing leisure activities of your chosen country.
3. Make an acrostic relating to leisure or sport using the initials of the country.

 

COMPREHENSION
1. Demonstrate how to play a popular sport from your chosen country.
2. Re-tell in cartoon-strip form the life story of a famous sports person.
3. Make a chart showing when the different leisure activities occur throughout the year.

 

APPLICATION
1. Make a list of five questions that you could ask if you were a visitor wanting to become an active supporter of the local club.
2. Write an article for the Dolly magazine which illustrates how teenagers spend their leisure time in your chosen country.
3. Design a board game based on leisure and sport activities in your chosen country.
4. Design a travel poster which reflects the leisure and sporting activities of your chosen country.

 

ANALYSIS
1. Prepare a report about how leisure activities in your chosen country are similar to leisure activities in Australia.
2. Write and perform a radio commercial to promote a leisure activity for your chosen country.
3. Using information from Your Student Writing Guide, prepare a bibliography of the materials used to complete this activity card.

 

SYNTHESIS
1. What would happen if sport was outlawed in your country?
2. Write a 'war cry' for your chosen sport.
3. Design a multi-purpose uniform to be worn by both men and women for sports and leisure activities.

 

EVALUATION
1. How effective are leisure and sporting activities in maintaining a healthy lifestyle?
2. You are migrating to the plant Pluto. You can only take one sporting or leisure activity. What would you choose and why?
3. What changes would you recommend to improve your chosen sport or leisure activity?

KNOWLEDGE
1. What is the word for 'family' in your chosen country?
2. Make a facts chart which describes the 'average family' in your chosen country.
3. How do you say Mum, Dad, Grandma, Grandfather in your target language?

 

COMPREHENSION
1. Collect your own anthology of poems about the family.
2. Who do you think would make most of the important decisions in your chosen family and why?
3. Write and perform a 'rap song' based on the family.

 

APPLICATION
1. Make a collection of pictures to demonstrate the role of women in your chosen family.
2. Make a puzzle or game using ideas based on your studies of the family.
3. What five questions would you ask if you were a home-stay in that family?

 

ANALYSIS
1. Using information from Your Student Writing Guide prepare a bibliography of the materials used to complete this activity.
2. Construct a family tree illustrating your family.
3. As an Australian teenager, what problems or advantages could you see living in the family of your chosen country? Write a report for the Dolly magazine.

 

SYNTHESIS
1. Write a song or poem about the 'average family' of your chosen country.
2. Have a person-on-the-street interview with the 'mother' of your chosen family.
3. Design a survival guide for an Australian exchange student home-staying with your chosen family.

 

EVALUATION
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a woman within that society?
2. Prepare a case to present your view about why your chosen family's values may be different from your own.
3. Discuss how would you handle being a child within your chosen family.

KNOWLEDGE
1. What does 'geography' mean?
2. Name the capital city of your chosen country.
3. Who is a tourist?

 

COMPREHENSION
1. Make a collage showing some special landmarks of your chosen country.
2. Explain the meaning of five words from your chosen language which could relate to special landmarks.
3. Collect your own anthology of poems about travelling and seeing special sights.

 

APPLICATION
1. Make up a puzzle / game using famous landmarks from your chosen country.
2. Make a papier mache model of your favourite tourist spot from your chosen country.
3. What questions would you ask if you were a tourist visiting a famous landmark? List five.

 

ANALYSIS
1. Write and perform a radio commercial to promote one famous landmark.
2. Using information from Your Student Writing Guide prepare a bibliography of the materials used to complete this card.
3. Write a report about why or how this landmark of your choice became famous.

 

SYNTHESIS
1. Design a tourist brochure to promote the famous land marks of your chosen country.
2. Write about your feelings in relation to your favourite tourist spot or landmark.
3. What would happen if all tourists were banned from Australia?

 

EVALUATION
1. Make a booklet about five rules you see as important for tourists to obey in your chosen country.
2. Predict whether your favourite landmark / tourist spot of your chosen country will still be there in one hundred years. Justify / Give supporting arguments for your prediction.
3. What changes would you recommend to protect your favourite landmark or tourist spot of your chosen country?

KNOWLEDGE
1. Name three special foods from your chosen country.
2. Draw one particular form of clothing from your chosen country.
3. From your chosen language find the words which mean:
(a) dress (b) cooking (c) hat (d) shoes (e) restaurant.

 

COMPREHENSION
1. Make a collage showing some special food or clothing from your chosen country.
2. Explain the meaning of five words from your chosen language which could relate to food or clothing.
3. Write and perform a rap song based on food.

 

APPLICATION
1. Prepare a dish from your chosen country.
2. Write an article for the Dolly magazine which illustrates how teenagers dress in your chosen country.
3. Make up a puzzle / game using food or clothing as the theme.

 

ANALYSIS
1. Write and perform a radio commercial to promote your favourite food of your chosen country.
2. Find a poem which you think links well with either food or clothing. Explain why you have chosen this poem and why you think it can be connected to these things.
3. Design the cover for a popular teenage magazine of your chosen country. Place the emphasis on traditional dress and food.

 

EVALUATION
1. You are migrating to the planet Pluto. You may only select one food from your chosen country. Which one will you choose and why?
2. Judge the nutritional value of the diet of the average person of your chosen family.
3. What changes to your country's dress would you make and why?

©TalentEd is located at the School of Curriculum Studies, University of New England, Armidale, Australia.

This page updated: 23 January 2006 Webmaker: Howard Smith. hsmith4@une.edu.au