Unit OverviewMany of the interdisciplinary aspects of this project were designed as an iteration of previous projects in HTHNC 9th grade teams—particularly the creation of roller coasters as a Math/Physics and Multimedia product. As Humanities teachers, we discovered early in the year that we had the opportunity to study To Kill a Mockingbird, as many of our students had not read the novel in middle school. This anchor text in Humanities was used as an exploration of the creation of race and oppressive systems based on race in the United States, as well as an exploration of what it means to be an "upstander."
As students explored the idea of “upstanding” in To Kill a Mockingbird, they also researched, wrote, and recorded podcasts about historical figures who effected positive change in the world. These podcasts were crafted as companions to students’ roller coasters, which featured art and pull-quotes based on the lives of their upstanders. Students’ roller coasters were put in chronological order and created to pass a marble from one to the next, creating a timeline of upstanders throughout history. |
Project Handout |
Student Podcasts
Vitamin Peace
These students' work around John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "sit-ins for peace" pairs an upbeat sound with an evaluation of world peace that was—at least for me—surprisingly pessimistic. This podcast in particular pushed me to think about my role as a teacher in the cultivation and nurturing of hope in students' work. Check out the transcript of this podcast, too! |
The Chicano Movement
These students' work around the Chicano Movement, Reies López Tijerina, and Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzáles, showcases not only their study of these historical figures' lives, but also the infusion of "non-academic" assets in their work. This piece features music by a student who volunteered to write and help write music for a number of other student podcasts. It also displays the distinctness of students' voices, personalizing this snapshot student learning in a way that written work often misses. Check out the transcript of this podcast, too! |
What it Takes to Change the World
These students' work around Greta Thunberg is an especially poignant example of the importance of revising not only for content and written scripts, but also for speaking and hosting skills. While they took feedback on their first recorded draft and made their speech much clearer, these—and many other—students would have benefitted from more practice slowing down their speech. This podcast also implements outside voices effectively, as students use clips from Greta Thunberg herself to add different sounds to their work. Check out the transcript of this podcast, too! |
Notes from the other side of Conflict Coasters
As I reflect on this project, I have noticed three particular themes across students’ work, and have come away with ideas for my teaching practice going forward.
The first theme was that while students were proficient with audio editing and mixing, many spoke quickly and needed more support around the art of hosting a podcast. To that end, the next time I work with students to create podcasts, I will build in time for students to critique the first drafts of each others’ podcasts—perhaps even instead of drafts of each others’ scripts.
My second realization was that while students’ work with the novel was thematically connected to their podcasts, the fact that the two weren’t completely integrated led to increased stress. As the project neared its end, students increasingly felt pulled between two commitments: the novel and the podcast. In the future, I hope to time projects so that we can finish reading anchor texts with plenty of time to process and apply our thinking to products without the whiplash feeling many students had in this unit.
My final note at the end of this project is simply that I would have loved more time to check in with individual groups. Moving forward, I’m excited to implement structures and schedules in which I will have more time to consult with each group!
The first theme was that while students were proficient with audio editing and mixing, many spoke quickly and needed more support around the art of hosting a podcast. To that end, the next time I work with students to create podcasts, I will build in time for students to critique the first drafts of each others’ podcasts—perhaps even instead of drafts of each others’ scripts.
My second realization was that while students’ work with the novel was thematically connected to their podcasts, the fact that the two weren’t completely integrated led to increased stress. As the project neared its end, students increasingly felt pulled between two commitments: the novel and the podcast. In the future, I hope to time projects so that we can finish reading anchor texts with plenty of time to process and apply our thinking to products without the whiplash feeling many students had in this unit.
My final note at the end of this project is simply that I would have loved more time to check in with individual groups. Moving forward, I’m excited to implement structures and schedules in which I will have more time to consult with each group!