In this four-part project students discover their personal background and family heritage by interviewing parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles to gather information about their family's history. Students use the Internet as the main research tool, and the library and CD-ROM encyclopedias to obtain more information. Students use HyperStudio, a multimedia authoring tool to create a presentation stack for their class and make a formal presentation of their discoveries. Part I deals with prior knowledge, interviewing, composing, and word processing.

#4: Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes. #5: Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes. #7: Students conduct research on issues and interest by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience. #8: Students use a variety of technological and informational resources (e.g. libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

Students should know how to write a complete sentence and have basic knowledge of using a computer. Keyboarding skills are desired but not required.

Teacher introduces the unit, explains the activities, objectives, and final outcomes. Teacher conducts a class discussion on different cultures, and what is unique about a person’s background. Strategies include whole class instruction, collaborative discussion, and individual composing using the writing process, including peer review.

Lesson 1 of 4: 1. Drafting a Chart criteria : all columns completed with at least five entries for each section. Most of the following areas are addressed: music, people, places, art, poetry stories, historical facts. 2. Writing a rough draft essay criteria : Word processed. Sentences are complete. Essay is at least two paragraphs. Each paragraph contains content that has been extracted from the chart. More information may be included in the essay. 3. Writing a final essay criteria: Word processed, free of spelling and grammar errors, at least two paragraphs, content includes information about a specific culture’s music, art, poetry, stories or legends, famous people, historical facts. 4. Oral and Written Interview: Notes or audio tape of interview; word processed essay.

Lesson 1: there are seven sequential activities: Activity #1: Each student pairs up with a partner who has the same or close to the same ethnic background or culture. Students discuss their backgrounds and share what they know about their culture. During whole class discussion, students informally share their information to the class. Activity #2: Each student makes a chart with three columns: What I know about my culture, What I assume about my culture, and What I imagine. In the first column, students list everything they know about their background, culture, and ethnicity. Students include music, art, poetry, stories or legends, famous people, historical facts, and anything else that they know. In the second column students list all the things they assume (explain that this means what they think they know) about their background, culture, and ethnicity. Students should include everything they've heard even though they may not be sure about the information. In the last column students list anything they can imagine or predict about what they have listed in the first two columns. Students share with their partners what they have written, and compare their notes. Activity #3: Using the chart as a guide, each student writes two or three paragraphs which becomes "Part I: What I Know About My Culture." Students turn in their charts and a rough draft of their essay, which has been word processed and saved in their folder on the computer's hard drive and a floppy disk for backup. Activity #4: After essays are returned, students conduct a peer review of their essays. Questions they ask each other may vary, but should include questions of requesting clarity and completeness. This essay will become the first part of their multimedia presentation to the class. Students edit each other’s papers as part of the peer review. Activity #5: Students revise and edit their essays taking turns using available computers. Final drafts of essays are printed out and turned in, and the files saved for future use. Activity #6: Homework: Students interview a grandparent, parent, or older member of their family. Students ask questions about their culture, heritage, and background. Students may use a tape recorder if one is available, and bring it to class to transcribe the interview. Activity #7: Students bring in notes of their interviews (or the audio tape and recorder) and write or transcribe one or two paragraphs about their interview. Interviews are turned in for credit and returned for later use. NOTE: This interview will be included in Part IV, Creating & Presenting a Multimedia Stack.

Using word processing, printing and saving files. Computers with a word processing application, a printer, and LCD projector or scan converter and TV for teacher-directed instruction.