What am I Assessing? Process

Example

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Level: Advanced (fourth or fifth year in high school)

THEME: Can One Person Make a Difference?

Interpretive Task: Divide the class into groups of five or six students. Assign each group the name of a person or organization from the target culture that works to make the world a better place to live. For example, French students might investigate Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders). Students then research their person or organization on the Internet in order to find out the following information:

• How was this group founded and when and by whom?
• What are the goals for this group?
• Give examples of the work/successes of the group.
• What are the current projects of this group?

Interpersonal Task:
PART ONE: After students have gathered information about their organization, they will discuss with their group the information that they found in order to determine which details are the most important to share with others. When they have determined what information to share, they will move into a jigsaw activity sharing their information with others who researched different organizations.

PART TWO: Jigsaw activity: Form new groups of students so that the new groups are composed of representatives from each of the original research groups. In each new group, the students will share the information they learned about their organization. Other students in the group are encouraged to ask questions to gain more information about each organization.

Presentational Task: Based on the information presented in the group discussions (interpersonal task), students are to write an essay stating which organization they would support either financially or through personal involvement and why. They may also choose to write why they would not support any of the organizations financially or through personal involvement. The essay should include background information on the organization and reasons why the organization makes (or doesn’t make) a difference in the world.