Course Profile Literacy Skills:
Unit 4: Going Places
Time: 30 hours
Unit Developers:
Valerie Irvine, Beatrice Stevens, Cathy Costello,
Barry McKillop
Development Date:
July, 2000
Activity 1 | Activity 2
| Activity 3
Students explore the colours and flavours conveyed by language, and the rich culture of destinations in the past and present, foreign and Canadian, through poems, song lyrics, and a novel which reflect the experiences of those who have travelled. Using their prior knowledge, they learn to evaluate information, separating fact from fiction. Following discussion and exploration of the purposes of travel, students develop and use research skills using print and electronic sources to plan a “virtual” vacation. They research in cyberspace to discover information about accommodations, tourist attractions, and restaurant menus, recording items of interest to create a narrative in the form of a travel diary (using first person voice). An additional or alternative writing form is poetry that may be inspired by pictures of and information about travel destinations. The emphasis in this unit is on making an appropriate research plan, locating information in a variety of sources, and using reading strategies such as setting a clear purpose for reading, skimming for general meaning and scanning for specific information. Students also assess the relevance of what they are reading to their purpose and topic, clarify new and useful vocabulary, and practise various note-taking strategies. Revision of written work emphasizes the correct spelling of specialized vocabulary or unfamiliar words, and the use of effective punctuation.
Strand(s): Reading Skills, Writing Skills
Overall Expectations:
REV.01, REV.02, REV.03, REV.04, WRV.01, WRV.02,
WRV.03, WRV.04, WRV.05.
Specific Expectations:
RE1.01, RE1.02, RE1.03, RE1.04, RE1.05, RE2.04,
RE3.01, RE3.02, RE4.01, RE4.02, RE4.03, RE4.04, WR1.01, WR1.02, WR1.03, WR1.04,
WR2.01, WR2.02, WR2.03, WR3.01, WR3.02, WR3.03, WR4.01, WR4.02, WR4.03, WR4.04,
WR4.05, WR5.01, WR5.02, WR5.03, WR5.04.
|
Activity 1 |
Exploring the Themes of Travel in Poetry and Song (plus Unit Overview) |
300 minutes |
|
Activity 2 |
Travel Themes in the Novel |
975 minutes |
|
Activity 3 |
Virtual Vacation |
525 minutes |
· The teacher must work in co-operation with the teacher-librarian to find and select resources for the theme of travel. Poetry and song lyrics are needed for Activity 1 and 2 and books, illustrations and maps are needed for the novel unit in Activity 3.
· The teacher will design his/her own virtual vacation package as an exemplar to share with the students.
· The teacher must book computer time well in advance of this unit to ensure that students have several opportunities to do Internet research during the various activities for this unit. The teacher may wish to pre-select some appropriate sites.
· The teacher will ensure that students understand the school policy for use of the Internet and the consequences of not following its terms.
· The teacher may wish to alert the local travel agency or agencies to the fact that a group of students may be requesting brochures on travel destinations.
· The students will be familiar with the form and organization of informational texts.
· The students should be familiar with some techniques for Internet research.
· Students will know and understand the school policy for safe and appropriate use of the Internet.
· The unit supports a wide variety of learning styles and familiarizes the student with print in the form of poems, song lyrics, and the novel.
· The Library/Resource Centre and the computer lab and the expertise of the teacher-librarian and the lab technician are important elements in the success of this unit.
Assessment and evaluation in this unit include:
· observation checklists which allow the teacher to adjust the pace and scope of activities and to provide individual intervention;
· rubrics, perhaps co-created with students, to provide opportunities for students to understand components of assignments and to identify goals and areas requiring assistance;
· clear assignment descriptions and checklists to assist students in understanding and completing assignments;
· peer-editing to provide audience feedback and raise consciousness of students to application of language conventions to create clear communication;
· Record of Learning entries to document key student learning;
· Portfolio of Written Responses entries to record student self-image as a learner.
Andersen, Neil, et al. Literature and Media 10.
Scarborough: Nelson Thomson Learning, 2000.
ISBN 0-17-618709-X
Archer, Lynn, Cathy Costello, and Debbie Harvey. Reading and Writing for Success. Toronto: Harcourt Canada Ltd., 1998. ISBN 0-7747-0197-8
Bell, William. Forbidden City. Toronto: Seal Books, 1999. ISBN 0-7704-2813-4
Beveridge, Cathy. Cultures in Transition. (The Senior Issues Collection). Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, 1995.
Duncan, Barry, et al. Transformations. Toronto: Harcourt Brace, 1996. ISBN 0-7747-0168-4
Hilker, Douglas and Sue Harper. Elements of
English 10. Toronto: Harcourt Canada, 2000.
ISBN 0-7747-0594-9
Major, Kevin. Hold Fast. New York: Dell Publishing, 1978. ISBN 0-440-93756-6-325
Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. Ontario Curriculum Unit Planner, Version 2.0. Toronto, 2000.
Wowk, Jerry and Carol Mayne. Travel and Tourism. (Senior Issues Collection). Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1995. ISBN 0-07-551704-3
Time: 300 minutes
In this first unit activity, students make predictions about and explore the purposes of travel through poetry and song. Through guided reading of the selections provided, and some of their own choices, they discover that people travel for adventure, to gain knowledge about other cultures, to find wealth and employment, for holiday, enjoyment and relaxation, and for safety or refuge. To better appreciate the rich language and rhythm of poetry, students participate in shared (choral) reading of poems and write in their Portfolio of Written Responses, some in the form of pattern poems. They may also prepare visual representations of travel destinations, and the purposes of travel, for a bulletin board display at the end of the activity.
Strand(s): Reading Skills, Writing Skills
Overall Expectations
REV.02 - demonstrate an understanding of the elements of a variety of contemporary texts, with a focus on short plays, short stories, novels, poetry, and newspaper and magazine articles and opinion pieces;
REV.03 - explain the use of specific elements of style in a variety of contemporary texts;
REV.04 - use a variety of strategies to understand words encountered in texts;
WRV.01 - investigate information and ideas for written work, using a variety of print and electronic sources;
WRV.02 - demonstrate an understanding of the forms of writing appropriate for specific purposes and audiences, with an emphasis on using the forms to communicate information clearly and accurately;
WRV.03 - organize information, ideas, and supporting details in written work;
WRV.04 - revise drafts of written work, collaboratively and independently, with an emphasis on improving content, clarity, and coherence;
WRV.05 - edit, proofread, and publish written work, using correctly the grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation conventions of standard Canadian English, as specified for this course, with support of print and electronic resources when appropriate.
Specific Expectations
RE1.01 - read a variety of self-selected and teacher-assigned contemporary texts for different purposes with an emphasis on locating important information, identifying main ideas and supporting details, extending personal knowledge, and responding imaginatively;
RE2.04 - use knowledge of the elements of poetry, with an emphasis on form, rhyme, rhythm, and imagery, to understand and interpret poems;
RE3.01 - describe how particular words and phrases in a text help communicate ideas, feelings, and information effectively;
RE3.02 - explain how authors use simile, metaphor, personification, and foreshadowing to communicate thoughts, feelings, and information;
RE4.03 - use context to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
· This activity requires the teacher to collect materials for students’ use to make displays of places and purposes of travel (construction paper, markers, glue sticks, scissors, travel posters, brochures, and back issues of National Geographic or other travel magazines).
· The teacher prepares a selection of poems and song lyrics around the theme of travel which are revealing of destinations and purposes of travel. Examples are suggested, but teachers are encouraged to draw on what they have available, or their personal favourites.
· The teacher creates questions for guided reading of the poems.
· The teacher and the students co-develop a rubric for the assessment and evaluation of the bulletin board travel display.
· The teacher obtains maps (in colour) of the places mentioned in the poems/songs, e.g., a coloured map of Jamaica or a map of the West Indies.
· If possible, the teacher may collect samples of fruits and vegetables or other objects mentioned in poems/songs about Jamaica or similar exotic travel destinations.
· The teacher may provide a tape or CD that has an example of a song about his/her choice of travel destination, (e.g., “New York, New York”, “Kokomo”, or similar song).
· The teacher provides chart paper, markers, and glue.
· The teacher anticipates and provides the meaning for new and unusual culture-specific words found in the poems. Students may also be able to provide these meanings.
· Students are familiar with poetic form and songs (although they may not have paid much attention to lyrics).
· Students have travelled, wish to travel or know someone who has travelled.
· The teacher must begin with what is familiar to students, and thus makes connections with what students experienced as they explored their community during Units 2 and 3.
Part A: The Rich Language of Poetry
1. The teacher provides students with the opportunity to view, touch, and discuss a variety of print materials about travel and travel destinations, displayed around the room, e.g., books, magazines, travel brochures, maps, album covers, CD jackets, and posters.
2. The teacher then asks students to think about places that they have travelled, near or far. Whether they have travelled or not, the teacher also asks students which parts of the display caught their attention. The teacher encourages students to share the places they have travelled, or would like to travel, and the reason(s) why, and summarizes some of this information in a chart on the board, e.g., Name of Student/Destination/Reason or Purpose.
3. The teacher shares poems and songs with students: e.g. “Jamaica Market” by Agnes Maxwell-Hall, (Hilker, Elements of English 10) and the lyrics to “Jamaica Farewell” by Harry Belafonte (or similar poems and songs). The teacher may pre-teach some unfamiliar vocabulary from these selections, perhaps by displaying some of the items mentioned, e.g., mangoes, gingerroot, ackees, or by asking if any students know these terms. Alternatively, the teacher may wish students just to listen to the sounds of the new words in the poetry, and to comment on their reaction/attraction to those sounds.
4. The teacher models an expressive oral reading of “Jamaica Market” and reads, or if possible, plays the Belafonte song (available on Belafonte CDs, e.g., Belafonte at Carnegie Hall, or Calypso). The teacher asks students, “What is your general impression of Jamaica from hearing these pieces? How do you get that impression?” The teacher then invites the students to work in small groups to list words, images, sounds, colours, and shapes from the poems/songs that talked to them about the attractions of destinations, and the purposes of travel. The teacher may use a group work checklist to do a formative evaluation.
5. The students use markers and chart paper to record the images, sounds, colours, and shapes. Students are encouraged to use a collage effect, placing words and images at random or in interesting clusters and using several colours of marker, rather than a chart form, to create a type of poster. Each student in the group then adds a statement about his/her personal attraction (or concern about, since not everyone enjoys travel) to the place described in the poetry. Each group shares its poster, and they are mounted on the bulletin board or blackboard. The teacher helps students to sum up by asking them generally, “Why might you visit Jamaica or a place like it?” The answer would likely have to do with vacation – relaxation, enjoyment, entertainment through observing and participating in a different, seemingly more exotic (and for Canadians, warmer) way of life. The teacher might also wish to introduce the theme of appearance versus reality, especially if some students are from the Caribbean who wish to share their perceptions of tourists, or details which present a more rounded and real picture of such vacation destinations.
6. The teacher then reads aloud “Northwest Passage” by Stan Rogers, (Andersen, Literature and Media 10) or, if possible, plays the song. The teacher asks students to think of how the images in this poem are in contrast to the poems about Jamaica, and reads the poem again. Students are asked to share words or lines, which present very different images from the images of Jamaica.
7. The teacher calls the students’ attention to some of the names in the poem, e.g., Davis, Kelso, Mackenzie, and David Thompson, and asks if any student knows who these people were. The students are encouraged to make predictions about these people based on the content of the poem, i.e., they were explorers. For homework, the teacher assigns a name to each group, asking each member to consider the line where the name is mentioned, e.g., “In the footsteps of brave Kelso, where his ‘sea of flowers’ began”, to research brief information on that name, and to write a paragraph on that explorer.
Part B: The “Music” of Poetry
This activity, engages students in shared reading of a poem. Students are encouraged to read a poem or song, listen to the sounds of the words and look at the pictures the poet creates through the music of the poetry, and then to use their own voices to convey what they have discovered. In their conversation with the poet, they ask questions of the poet, make comments and express the feelings that the pictures create in them. They work individually or in pairs and each student records his/her side of the “conversation”.
1. The teacher
provides time for the homework groups to meet and share information. Then each
group reports to the rest of the class on their research. The teacher may read
or play this poem/song once more, and then asks students to consider how the
reason for travel highlighted in this poem/song is similar to, or different
from, the reasons they gave for wishing to visit
2. The teacher models the reading of “Jamaica Market” once more, asking students to pay attention to the way punctuation (brief pauses for commas, longer pause for periods) is used to shape the reading. Following the reading, the teacher asks students to choose a line where they felt punctuation had a particular influence. Or the teacher may point out how there are over 30 commas in “Jamaica Market” asking students what effect this use of punctuation has on the reading and understanding of the poem.
3. The teacher
reads “Jamaica Market” or “
4. Following these two readings the teacher asks students how punctuation and using the voice to best effect with the words influence the way students can “see” the pictures and meaning of the poem. Students list other things that catch their attention in poetry: repetitions (e.g., refrains or choruses in songs), comparisons, rhymes, images, and sounds.
5. The teacher divides students into groups, and shares selected poems/songs on travel destinations, for example: “And I Remember” by Afua Cooper, “Where I Come From” by Elizabeth Brewster, “Provincial” by Miriam Waddington, “Morning on the Lievre” by Archibald Lampman, “Ozymandias” by Percy Shelley – one poem per group.
6. To begin, each student reads the poem silently. Then the group chooses one person to read it aloud within their group. Then a second person reads the poem aloud, and students discuss the features of each reading, which made the poem powerful and meaningful, and their reactions to/thoughts about the poem. These readings and discussions may influence the shaping of the choral reading.
7. The teacher then explains what a shared or choral reading is, providing a handout describing the task and sharing a checklist or rubric which will be used to evaluate the presentation of the shared reading. Groups can say words, phrases, or lines with single voice, two or three voices, or whole group. Female voices or male voices may be better for some words, phrases, or lines. The aim here will be to use the punctuation, the words/images and voice to really bring the rich pictures of their poem alive. Following the choral reading, each group will explain why they read the poem in the way they did to help the rest of the class reach some understanding of their poem.
8. Students prepare a choral reading of their group’s poem. During this preparation stage, students engage in a lot of discussion about what the poem means and conveys, through their exploration of how they should say it.
9. Each group practises and then shares its reading of the poem with the whole class, followed by a brief explanation of why they read it the way they did. The teacher uses the rubric or checklist created to do a summative evaluation of the choral reading.
10. The teacher asks each student to pick the poem which “spoke” to him/her the most. Each student writes about the chosen poem, writing especially, questions, which he/she would ask the poet if that, were possible. The teacher should forewarn students that this particular assignment will be seen by one other person of their choice, so that students can write with the knowledge that they will be sharing it.
11. The teacher encourages each student to attempt a “dialogue journal” by allowing one other person to see and respond to the Portfolio of Written Responses entry written for homework. In this way, students can compare their responses and the meaning found by each. Each student writes a response in his/her partner’s Portfolio. The teacher may bring closure to this activity by asking students, which of their questions for the poet received answers, and what questions still cause them to wonder.
Part C: A Different Point of View on Travel
1. The teacher shares lyrics to the song “Vincent” by Don McLean, and explains how everyone experiences travel and poetry differently. The teacher may share an anecdote about response to a poem such as “Child at Winter Sunset” or similar. (While others saw the bird as dead and useless and said that the poem was about the child’s first experience with death, one person told about a peacock’s tail that was displayed “as a most beautiful piece of embroidery.”) Preferably, students have an opportunity to listen to Don McLean sing his song about Vincent Van Gogh. The teacher asks:
· Who is Vincent?
· What kind of “travelling” did he do?
· What feeling do you get about Vincent as you listen to this song?
· Why do you think that Vincent is a tragic figure and his journey a sad one?
· What was the legacy from Vincent’s travels in his mind?
2. The teacher closes with a comment about some people being able to travel in their minds to give us a different perspective even on what may be very familiar.
3. The teacher divides students into groups and shares two more poems, for example, “RV’s” by Tom Wayman, and “On Holiday” by Shaunt Basmajian, plus a chart where each student can record his/her response to the two poems, e.g., titles on chart would read: Name, Response to Poem 1, Response to Poem 2. Students read the poems in their groups, first silently, and then choose one person to read each poem aloud. Students think and write their individual responses to each poem on their personal copy of the chart, and then share their responses to create a group chart to record their responses to each of the poems. The teacher may use a group work checklist to evaluate student participation and contributions.
· The teacher leads a discussion using the following questions:
· How do these poems provide a different perspective on travel?
· Which lines or images made you stop and think the most about the other side of travel?
· In your groups, what different perspectives were presented on these poems?
4. Individually, students write a Portfolio of Written Responses entry that describes how their impressions of the whole topic of travel have changed as a result of sharing the three poems.
Part D: The Long Term Effects of Travel
This final part of Activity 1 can be used as a challenge to engage students in more sophisticated, guided exploration of a longer poem about travel. “Ulysses” is a difficult poem, but it is mentioned at the very beginning of Forbidden City, and thus, it makes a nice transition piece to the novel study. It also raises the theme of travel as a change agent, altering a person’s perceptions forever. Through prediction and carefully constructed questions, the teacher guides students through this poem, inviting them to respond at the conclusion of the study.
1. The teacher selects and shares two poems, such as “Sea Fever” by John Masefield “Ulysses” by Alfred Lord Tennyson or “The Ships” by J.J. Bell.
2. As a more simple introduction to the theme presented in “Ulysses,” the teacher reads aloud the poem “Sea Fever” by Masefield, and asks students the following questions:
· Why does the narrator say, “I must…go down to the sea again”?
· Which phrases or images convey the attractions of travel on the sea?
The teacher asks if any students feel the same way as the narrator in the poem, or if they have known anyone with “wanderlust” – the strong desire to travel and not to stay in one place.
3. The teacher asks students if they know the story of Ulysses (or Odysseus, his Greek name), and ensures that students know in brief the details of his ten year participation in the war over Helen of Troy (considered the most beautiful woman in the world at the time), and his ten years of wandering and adventure. The teacher mentions the word “odyssey” which comes from the name Odysseus, and asks students to infer the meaning of the word based on the story they have just heard.
4. The teacher asks students to make predictions about how Ulysses would feel, arriving home after 20 years away, and records these predictions on the board. The teacher pre-teaches some of the unusual or difficult vocabulary students will encounter in the poem by distributing a prepared vocabulary chart including the word, and a space for the meaning of the word. The teacher supplies some meanings (e.g., for “mete,” “dole” and “lees”), and students use dictionaries to look up other specified words. The teacher assures students that they will be able to use the context of the poem to infer the meaning of remaining words.
5. The teacher reads the poem aloud, and then, assisted by students who may do some silent rereading, divides the poem into segments or “chunks,” for example:
· the introduction, lines 1-5;
· chunk #2, memories of travel, lines 6-23;
· chunk #3, thoughts about position, power, duties, and the succession of his son and heir (lines 33-43);
· chunk #4, resuming travels to satisfy the “wanderlust” and to have more adventure (lines 43-62);
· chunk #5, stock taking – Is it worth the time and trouble? What purposes will travel still serve? (lines 63-71).
6. The teacher leads students through an examination of the poem, reading each chunk, and then using a prepared list of questions such as the following:
· Were your predictions right about how Ulysses would feel arriving home after 20 years of travel?
· What words in the first five lines help you to understand that Ulysses is not happy to be home?
· Looking at lines, 6 to 23, what does Ulysses miss about his travels?
· What does the arch symbol in lines 19-21 convey about the attractions of travel?
· Why does Ulysses feel confident that he could leave again? (Chunk #3)
· What attractions of travel are evident in Chunk #4?
· What does Ulysses feel he will prove by travelling once again? (Chunk #5)
7. Students write a response entry with their thoughts about Ulysses’ wanderlust. Do they feel the same or differently? Would Ulysses be doing the right thing in travelling again?
8. Working individually, students prepare posters which show either in pictures or drawings, and in words, the answers to the following questions:
· What would be your purpose for travel? Will you represent one purpose or several on your poster?
· Which poem(s) helped you to realize this? Put titles of poems on your poster.
· Where would you like to go and what would you like to see and do? Use symbols or pictures and words (country or city names) to represent destinations.
· How has this examination of poems and songs helped you with your choice of a travel destination, and a purpose for travel? Was it the language, the sounds, the images or ideas, or a combination of some of these? Write the images or the “sound” words/phrases you liked best on your poster.
The teacher provides markers and chart paper, as well as the travel brochures displayed at the beginning of this activity. Teacher and students co-design a rubric or checklist to evaluate this product. (See any of the teacher’s guides listed in the resources for assistance with issues and criteria.)
Formative
· informal teacher observations using Learning Skills checklist.
· graphic organizers such as charts mentioned
· group work and presentation skills checklist
Summative
· Portfolio of Written Responses entries
· group work checklist
· checklist or rubric for choral reading
· checklist or rubric for the poster
· Consider language, physical, visual and auditory impairments when grouping students.
· Allow more time for students whose IEP suggests this accommodation would facilitate greater success.
· Provide models and samples of work as exemplars for students who have difficulty visualizing the final product.
· Provide checklists, planning calendars and step-by-step sequencing for students with time-management and organizational problems.
· Expand expectations and opportunities for enrichment when appropriate, e.g., further exploration of the travels of Ulysses, a more challenging piece for choral reading.
· For students for whom English is a second language, or who are language impaired, a peer tutor may read the text of the poem several times to individuals or a small group, or they may use taped text.
Andersen, Neil, et al. Literature and Media 10.
Scarborough: Nelson Thomson Learning, 2000.
ISBN 017-618709-X
Archer, Lynn, Cathy Costello, and Debbie Harvey. Reading and Writing for Success. Toronto: Harcourt Canada, 1998. ISBN 0-7747-197-8
Belafonte, Harry. Belafonte at Carnegie Hall. Scarborough: BMG Music.
Beveridge, Cathy. The Senior Issues Collection: Cultures in Transition. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1995. ISBN 0-07-551692-6
Charlesworth, Roberta A., and Dennis Lee. The New Anthology of Verse. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1989. ISBN 0-19-540641-9
Cutteridge, J.O. Nelson’s West Indian Reader.
Nelson Caribbean, 1981. ISBN 0-17-56606-9, and
ISBN 17-566007-7
Wowk, Jerry and Carol Mayne. The Senior Issues Collection: Travel and Tourism. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1995. ISBN 0-07-551704-3
Time: 975 minutes
Through study of a novel such as Forbidden City by William Bell, students continue to explore the theme of travel both to appreciate a new culture and to strengthen their understanding of the elements of the novel. Particular emphasis is placed on how setting affects plot, character, and theme. The reading of the novel is organized around the theme of the journey and its four stages: preparation, journey, accomplishment, and transformation. To reflect this theme, reading assignments should be chunked accordingly. A guided reading approach provides students with opportunities to use and assess reading strategies such as predicting and confirming, skimming and scanning, making inferences, drawing conclusions and making judgements about a character’s values. Based on their reading, students complete an exercise on prediction, use graphic organizers to assess and interpret information for personal responses and a summary of events, practise paragraph development for a variety of purposes and edit and proofread their work. The culminating task for this activity is a Verbal-Visual essay, which requires students to demonstrate their understanding of the elements of the novel.
Strand(s): Reading and Writing
Overall Expectations
REV.01 - demonstrate an understanding of a variety of contemporary texts;
REV.02 - demonstrate an understanding of the elements of a variety of contemporary texts, with a focus on short plays, short stories, novels, poetry, and newspaper and magazine articles and opinion pieces;
REV.03 - explain the use of specific elements of style in a variety of contemporary texts;
REV.04 - use a variety of strategies to understand words encountered in texts;
WRV.02 - demonstrate an understanding of the forms of writing appropriate for specific purposes and audiences, with an emphasis on using the forms to communicate information clearly and accurately;
WRV.04 - revise drafts of written work, collaboratively and independently, with an emphasis on improving content, clarity, and coherence;
WRV.05 - edit, proofread, and publish written work, using correctly the grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation conventions of standard Canadian English, as specified for this course, with the support of print and electronic resources when appropriate.
Specific Expectations
RE1.01 - read a variety of self-selected and teacher-assigned contemporary texts for different purposes, with an emphasis on locating important information, identifying main ideas and supporting details, extending personal knowledge, and responding imaginatively;
RE1.02 - use and assess strategies before, during, and after reading to understand a variety of contemporary texts, with an emphasis on setting a purpose for reading, making predictions about content, skimming and scanning, using prior knowledge to understand text, predicting and confirming while reading, discussing main ideas and supporting details, rereading sections, and summarizing key points;
RE1.03 - use knowledge of the organization of texts to locate relevant information;
RE1.04 - make inferences, draw conclusions, and make judgements based on implicit and explicit information in texts;
RE1.05 - compare their own interpretations of texts with those of others;
RE2.03 - use knowledge of the elements of the novel, with an emphasis on events, character, setting, and theme, to understand and interpret novels;
RE3.01 - describe how particular words and phrases in a text help communicate ideas, feelings, and information effectively;
RE4.01 - preview vocabulary before reading;
RE4.02 - use word-identification strategies while reading;
RE4.03 - use context to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words;
RE4.04 - use print and electronic dictionaries, thesauri and reference texts to clarify the meaning and pronunciation of antonyms, synonyms, homophones, homonyms, specialized language, and commonly confused words;
WR1.01 - describe and use strategies to generate ideas and explore topics for writing;
WR1.04 - assess information to determine its relevance, sufficiency, and accuracy;
WR2.01 - demonstrate an understanding of form in written work, with an emphasis on narratives, summaries, reports, letters, and short essays;
WR2.02 - describe the form, purpose, and intended audience for each piece of writing;
WR2.03 - use the appropriate person and level of language for a specific form, purpose, and audience;
WR3.01 - construct complete sentences to present information and ideas, using a variety of sentence types;
WR3.02 - organize sentences about a topic into coherent and unified paragraphs;
WR3.03 - organize paragraphs into coherent and unified narratives, reports, letters and short essays;
WR4.01 - revise drafts to strengthen the content;
WR4.02 - revise the organization of drafts to improve clarity of thought and expression;
WR4.03 - revise drafts to improve coherence;
WR4.04 - revise drafts to ensure consistent use of the appropriate person and level of language to suit the form, purpose, and audience;
WR4.05 - use print and electronic dictionaries, thesauri, and reference texts to select precise and appropriate vocabulary and find alternative phrasings for awkward constructions;
WR5.02 - describe and use strategies to edit, proofread, and correct written work;
WR5.03 - identify and use appropriate and effective techniques and formats to publish written work;
WR5.04 - edit and proofread written work, identifying and correcting errors according to the requirements of grammar, usage, spelling and punctuation.
· For the novel study a guided reading approach is used. Essentially the teacher shows the students what questions to ask of themselves as readers and of the author to gain meaning from the text. The focus is to empower students to become independent and able to make their own strategy choices when reading. In class discussions, therefore, it is important for the teacher to be the “guide on the side”, gently leading, but not dominating the discussion.
· Activities in this unit have been designed to develop the theme of the journey in a travel novel. To illustrate some of the activities, examples are given from William Bell’s Forbidden City. Written in journal form, the novel explores the experiences and observations of the teenage narrator as he is swept up in the events leading to the student demonstrations and subsequent massacre at Tian An Men Square in 1989 in Beijing, China. The structure of the novel follows the theme of the journey and the story is told from the teenage narrator’s point of view. The teacher should create a classroom atmosphere of sensitivity to other cultures, especially, in this case, the Chinese culture, its customs and concerns.
· Prior to the novel unit, the teacher, with the assistance of the teacher-librarian, assembles maps, pictures, posters, articles and travel books on the locale and culture portrayed in the novel for a bulletin board display.
· In preparation for the guided reading lessons, the teacher examines the novel to determine the four chunks that reflect the theme of the journey.
· The teacher devises a reading schedule for the novel that will be posted in the classroom.
· The teacher obtains large sheets of Bristol board and markers for creating two classroom charts.
· The teacher obtains post-it notes and prepares a worksheet for the prediction exercise. This worksheet is essentially in the form of a chart, or a side-by-side journal. The page is divided vertically; post-it notes go on one side, and confirmations are written on the opposite side.
· The teacher prepares a reference sheet on the elements of the novel, including definitions and notes on how each element is developed in the novel.
· The teacher develops a graphic organizer such as a Venn diagram, or a quadrant chart for comparing characters’ reactions to a key issue in the novel. (See the Ontario Curriculum Unit Planner for various organizer templates.)
· The teacher develops a note-making organizer to guide students when summarizing information about key plot events and a checklist for peer editing the first draft of the summary.
· The teacher collects magazines, newspapers, travel brochures, construction paper, markers, and glue in preparation for the culminating activity, a Verbal-Visual essay.
· The students can read and understand text written for young adult audiences.
· The students can define and interpret elements of literature such as setting, plot, character and theme.
· The students can use an organizer to record relevant information.
· The students know how to write a summary. (See Appendices Unit 2 for procedure.)
Part A: Introducing the Novel
Time: 75 minutes
1. The teacher reviews the reasons why people travel as discussed in Activity 1, telling students that they will be engaging in a novel study involving one of the reasons for travel.
2. In a whole class discussion, the teacher elicits from the students their ideas about the characteristics of a good novel. The teacher records their responses on a chart and displays the chart in the classroom as a reference for future discussions. The teacher reviews the elements of plot, character, setting and theme with students and distributes a reference sheet with definitions and examples.
3. The teacher distributes copies of the novel and conducts a guided reading lesson to introduce the text. The teacher asks students to make predictions about what might take place in the novel based on the cover, and, in particular to predict the reason(s) for travel. The teacher then asks students to find text features that might help them to find certain information. For example, in Forbidden City, students will find the prologue, dated journal entries of varying lengths, Chinese lettering, maps, an afterward, and a pronunciation guide for Chinese names. The teacher advises students that the novel will be read in four chunks that reflect the journey the main character undertakes and provides a reading schedule for the novel which is posted in the classroom.
4. The teacher introduces the assignment on making and confirming predictions that will cover the first reading chunk, the “Preparation” stage of the main character’s journey. Students are given post-it notes to predict what they think will happen in the story at different points as they read silently. When students complete their daily reading, they place their post-it notes on the assignment sheet in their notebook and write a brief entry on whether or not their predictions were confirmed.
5. The teacher reads part of the first chapter to the class. (e.g., In Forbidden City the teacher reads the Prologue and part of the first journal entry.) While they are listening, students begin the process of recording their predictions on the post-it notes. Students finish reading the first chapter on their own and continue reading for homework. The teacher should stress the need to maintain the reading schedule throughout the novel study so that students are prepared for class discussions and assignments.
Part B: Reading Chunk #1 – Preparation
Time: 150 minutes
1. The teacher leads a discussion about the cultural setting of the novel and records on chart paper what students already know. On a second chart the teacher records what students have learned about the culture from their reading so far, e.g., in Forbidden City, students learn about ancient and modern day China as the narrator adjusts to a new culture. The teacher posts the chart in the classroom and adds new information as students learn more about historical sites, customs and traditions from their daily readings. To heighten student interest in the culture of the novel, the teacher displays travel books from the library and brochures from travel agencies, and invites students to peruse them and share their observations as well as to contribute pictures, articles or items of interest to the bulletin board display.
2. Students continue to read silently in class and at home and to record their predictions and confirmations on the worksheet. When they have completed the first chunk of reading, they record what they have learned about the reading strategy of prediction in their Record of Learning. Students submit their worksheet (post-it notes and confirmations) to the teacher for formative evaluation.
Part C: Reading Chunk #2 – “Journey”
Time: 150 minutes
1. In class and at home students read the second chunk of the novel, exploring the journey undertaken. The teacher records new information about the culture in the novel on the chart in the classroom, e.g., in Forbidden City the teenage narrator becomes increasingly involved in the political issues and the student demonstration.
2. The teacher leads a discussion about the methods the author uses to highlight the key events in the novel. The teacher writes the elements of style on the board along with student-generated examples from the novel and students copy them into their notebook (e.g., in Forbidden City there is an escalation of events which culminates in the government's massacre of the students in Tian An Men Square). Suspense is created by means of short, sporadic journal entries, the choice of vocabulary, the variety in sentence structure and the narrator’s cryptic comments, which reveal his growing sense of foreboding and concern.
3. The students examine a major issue in the plot from different points of view. The teacher provides a graphic organizer, which allows students to record information about the issue and to compare the reactions of various characters. (See The Ontario Curriculum Planner for Point of View organizer.) Students use the strategies of skimming and scanning to locate relevant information and record their findings in point form on the graphic organizer (e.g., in Forbidden City the political situation is the focus. Students list the causes of the student demonstration and compare the reactions and responses of the Communist leaders and the student protesters).
4. In a whole-class discussion the teacher asks students to brainstorm a list of key events in the novel so far and writes their suggestions on the board. Using the wall chart on the characteristics of a good novel which students developed earlier, the teacher asks students to explain why the events on the board are important and how the author has made them dramatic (e.g., in Forbidden City students might write a response to the military’s attack on the student protesters in the journal entry for June 4 and comment on the techniques the author uses to convey the horror of the massacre).
Part D: Reading Chunk #3 -- Accomplishment
Time: 150 minutes
1. Students continue reading in class and at home to complete the third chunk of the novel. Following the theme of the journey, the third chunk focusses on the main character’s "accomplishment” of the goal set out earlier in the novel and the obstacles to be overcome in attaining the goal. From information gleaned in class discussion, the teacher adds new details about the cultural setting to the chart posted in the classroom.
2. The teacher reviews the elements of the summary in preparation for a summary that students will write of the events in the third chunk of the novel. The teacher instructs students to work in pairs to list the main events and the obstacles the main character must overcome. Using the strategies of skimming and scanning, students use a note-making organizer to record their information (e.g., in Forbidden City students focus on the narrator’s escape from the massacre at Tian An Men Square and his efforts to record the political events on video and to smuggle the videos out of the country).
3. Individually, students write a one paragraph summary which is peer edited using a checklist developed by the teacher. (See Appendix A in Unit 2 for a sample editing checklist.) Students make revisions to their work and submit the note making organizer, the first draft and polished draft of their summary for summative evaluation.
Part E: Reading Chunk #4 – Transformation
Time: 225 minutes
1. Students read the last section of the novel, which focusses on the “transformation” of the main character as a result of his/her travel experiences.
2. In a whole-class discussion the teacher poses a series of questions about the conclusion of the novel.
· How has the main character changed over the course of the novel?
· What evidence from the novel illustrates this change?
· To what extent are these changes the result of the travel experience?
· Does the last chunk of the novel form a satisfying conclusion? Why?
· Did anyone predict the outcome of the story? What other predictions did you make and confirm? What surprises did you get regarding your predictions?
3. As a follow-up to the prediction exercise that began the novel study, students write an entry in the Record of Learning evaluating their predictions, explaining which predictions were accurate, which were not, and why. They also evaluate the novel as a whole using the student-generated criteria on the classroom chart, adding any new ones they have learned from reading the novel.
4. As a culminating activity students produce a two page Verbal-Visual Essay as a means of demonstrating their understanding of the elements of the novel and expressing their interpretation of the work in a creative way. For the verbal component students select five quotations from five different characters with the page references and choose what they consider to be the five most crucial events in the novel. For the visual component of the essay students create a symbol for the novel and use a combination of drawings, pictures from magazines and newspapers and computer graphics to depict the setting. On the first page students arrange their symbol, five quotations from five different characters plus page references and visual elements to depict the setting. On the second page students write what they consider to be the five most crucial events in the novel and opposite each one they write a one sentence explanation for their choice. Students submit their Verbal-Visual Essay for summative evaluation.
Formative
· prediction exercise with post-it notes and comments
· two Record of Learning entries on prediction skills and evaluation of predictions and the novel
· graphic organizer for comparing points of view
· Portfolio of Written Responses entry on response to a dramatic event
Summative
· a summary of events (note-making organizer, peer-editing checklist, polished copy)
· a Verbal-Visual Essay
Barry, James. Global Reading Safari Teacher’s
Guide. Scarborough: Nelson Thomson Learning, 1994.
ISBN 0-17-603988-0
Bell, William. Forbidden City. Toronto: Seal Books, 1999. ISBN 0-7704-2813-4
Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. Ontario Curriculum Unit Planner, Version 2.0. Toronto, 2000.
To provide accommodations for the students, the teacher may:
· consult with IEPs (where relevant) for suggested accommodation/ modifications
· read aloud to students and/or encourage the use of peer tutors to read to students
· allow additional time, where necessary, for completion of reading activities
· encourage students to question for clarification and additional information
· restate key concepts in grammatically simple structures
· negotiate the required length and appropriate deadlines for written assignments
· avoid penalizing for spelling errors, unless spelling is pertinent to the assessment
· have the student use a computer for word processing, proofreading, editing, e.g., spell and grammar checker
Time: 525 minutes
Students are given an imaginary budget of $3500 per person to take a ‘virtual vacation’ to their destination of a lifetime. They use their research skills with print and electronic sources to discover detailed information about fares, accommodations, tourist attractions, restaurant menus, and so on. These details form the basis for a travel diary of a minimum of three entries to represent the two weeks of their virtual vacation. Students will use the journal approach of Forbidden City as a model for their written work.
Strand(s): Reading Skills, Writing Skills
Overall Expectations
REV.01 - demonstrate an understanding of a variety of contemporary texts;
REV.03 - explain the use of specific elements of style in a variety of contemporary texts;
REV.04 - use a variety of strategies to understand words encountered in texts;
WRV.02 - demonstrate an understanding of the forms of writing appropriate for specific purposes and audiences, with an emphasis on using the forms to communicate information clearly and accurately;
WRV.04 - revise drafts of written work, collaboratively and independently, with an emphasis on improving content, clarity, and coherence;
WRV.05 - edit, proofread, and publish written work, using correctly the grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation conventions of standard Canadian English, as specified for this course, with the support of print and electronic resources when appropriate.
Specific Expectations
RE1.01 - read a variety of self-selected and teacher-assigned contemporary texts for different purposes, with an emphasis on locating important information, identifying main ideas and supporting details, extending personal knowledge, and responding imaginatively;
RE1.02 - use and assess strategies before, during, and after reading to understand a variety of contemporary texts, with an emphasis on setting a purpose for reading, making predictions about content, skimming and scanning, using prior knowledge to understand text, predicting and confirming while reading, discussing main ideas and supporting details, rereading sections, and summarizing key points;
RE1.03 - use knowledge of the organization of texts to locate relevant information;
RE1.04 - make inferences, draw conclusions, and make judgements based on implicit and explicit information in texts;
RE1.05 - compare their own interpretations of texts with those of others;
RE3.01 - describe how particular words and phrases in a text help communicate ideas, feelings, and information effectively;
RE4.01 - preview vocabulary before reading;
RE4.02 - use word-identification strategies while reading;
RE4.03 - use context to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words;
WR1.01 - describe and use strategies to generate ideas and explore topics for writing;
WR1.02 - make research plans based on information needs;
WR1.03 - locate and record information from a variety of print and electronic sources;
WR1.04 - assess information to determine its relevance, sufficiency, and accuracy;
WR2.01 - demonstrate an understanding of form in written work, with an emphasis on narratives, summaries, reports, letters, and short essays;
WR2.02 - describe the form, purpose, and intended audience for each piece of writing;
WR2.03 - use the appropriate person and level of language for a specific form, purpose, and audience;
WR3.01 - construct complete sentences to present information and ideas, using a variety of sentence types;
WR3.02 - organize sentences about a topic into coherent and unified paragraphs;
WR3.03 - organize paragraphs into coherent and unified narratives, reports, letters and short essays;
WR4.01 - revise drafts to strengthen the content;
WR4.02 - revise the organization of drafts to improve clarity of thought and expression;
WR4.03 - revise drafts to improve coherence;
WR4.04 - revise drafts to ensure consistent use of the appropriate person and level of language to suit the form, purpose, and audience;
WR4.05 - use print and electronic dictionaries, thesauri, and reference texts to select precise and appropriate vocabulary and find alternative phrasings for awkward constructions;
WR5.02 - describe and use strategies to edit, proofread, and correct written work;
WR5.03 - identify and use appropriate and effective techniques and formats to publish written work;
WR5.04 - edit and proofread written work, identifying and correcting errors according to the requirements of grammar, usage, spelling and punctuation.
· This activity is scheduled for seven classes, but is best accomplished over a longer period of time. The ideal way to stretch the time so that students can complete a quality travel diary, is to “blend” the virtual vacation with the novel study, such that the two activities interweave at appropriate moments. For example, as the protagonist sets out on his journey, students could do the anticipation, and brainstorming of their own possible destinations. As the novel is being read, the journal-style entries can be de-constructed so that students can “observe” and note the elements of such entries, especially the rich details of another culture, its language, customs, food, and landscape. The idea here is to create the sense of a parallel journey so that students can list their beliefs, and make predictions about how their contact with another place and people may change their perceptions. The teacher will have to judge whether such blending of activities is appropriate for the particular group of students.
· The teacher prepares a handout outlining the stipulations and parameters of the virtual vacation, and a graphic organizer to assist students in gathering information for their vacation.
· The teacher gathers a variety of travel brochures, airfare schedules, and other travel information for students to use. Some materials from Activities 1 and 2 in this unit may be appropriate.
· The teacher collaborates with the teacher-librarian to locate travel guide books and periodicals which students may use for their research. The teacher schedules one period in the school Library/Resource Centre.
· The teacher schedules the major part of at least two class periods in the computer lab (where available) to facilitate student Internet research of information required for this activity.
· The teacher pre-selects two or three Internet sites, e.g., a bed and breakfast or hotel listing, a restaurant site with menu and pictures, a major city site in another country, to demonstrate to students the range of information which is available, and to give them a sense of sites to visit.
· The teacher chooses three journal selections from a “travel” novel such as Forbidden City. Two selections will be used for whole class deconstruction of the elements of a journal or diary entry. The other selection will allow students to confirm the elements and to note any variations, which may be possible.
· The teacher provides a model of a travel journal or diary which students may use as an exemplar.
· The teacher and students agree on a suitable date for peer editing the completed draft, and for submission of the finished draft. These dates should take into account the other novel study activities in this unit.
· Students use their knowledge of websites from activities in Unit 2.
· Students are familiar with techniques for skimming and scanning, predicting and confirming from activities in Unit 2.
· Students are familiar with research techniques from work in previous units.
· Students know, understand, and practise the school policy for appropriate and ethical use of the Internet.
Part A: The Destination of a Lifetime
1. In conjunction with the study of the travel novel, the teacher introduces the concept of a “virtual vacation.” Students may experience some of the excitement of the novel’s protagonist by choosing a destination, researching information about it, and planning a two-week vacation. The teacher distributes a handout on which the parameters of the trip are outlined and spends time reading and discussing this activity.
· Each student will have a virtual budget of $3500 to cover airfare or other transportation required during the trip, accommodation, meals, sightseeing or tourist attraction fees, and souvenirs for a period of ten days.
· Students must state their specific travel plans to visit their destination of a lifetime, e.g., dates, how long in each place.
· Students must list the type of accommodation and the associated fees.
· Students must eat at least two meals per day, with a minimum of one at a restaurant.
· Students must visit at least one tourist attraction or do one sightseeing activity per day that they are not travelling any great distance.
· Students must note and observe local customs regarding mealtimes, shop openings, and typical daily schedules.
· Students must become aware of any safety precautions necessary, or any legal considerations in their travels, e.g., the obtaining of a passport, if necessary, inoculations.
· Students must acquire mementos or souvenirs for themselves, one or more family members, and one friend.
The diary of their “virtual vacation” will include:
· a list of their expenditures for fares, accommodation, food, and souvenirs – not to exceed their budget;
· a list of their mementos or souvenirs with a statement for each item – what they bought for whom, and why;
· three diary entries of varying lengths;
· suitable pictures, maps, or sketches if desired.
Students will have one class to brainstorm their destinations, two to three classes to do print and/or electronic research and to take notes and plan their days, one class to draft diary entries from notes, one class to engage in peer editing and to make suggested revisions, and one class in which to present/browse their own and others’ travel diaries.
· Optional: Recognition may be given to the best travel diary as chosen by the class
2. Students work in small groups for about 30 minutes to peruse the travel brochures once again, and to brainstorm possible destinations. They must respond to the questions: Where do I want to go? Why do I want to go there?
3. During the final 15 minutes of class, the teacher leads a whole class discussion, summarizing on the board the possible destinations, and asking all students to share what they know about the possibilities which have been suggested and the reasons for going there. At the end of this lesson, the teacher asks students to write an entry in their Portfolio of Written Responses confirming their choice of a destination, stating the reasons why they have chosen that place, and recording initial thoughts about their travel plans, accommodations, sightseeing, etc.
Part B: The Joy of Planning
1. The teacher pre-teaches vocabulary which students may encounter during their research for the destination, for example, B & B, hostel, hotel, motel, inn, buffet, continental breakfast, American plan. The emphasis here should be on familiarizing them with travel-specific language, and the sometimes-subtle differences between certain types of accommodation or restaurants.
2. In the computer lab, the teacher asks students to work in pairs or threes at the computers, and to visit the same sites together. The teacher demonstrates two or three sites which may be typical of what students can discover on the Internet: a listing of hotels or bed and breakfast establishments for a specific country, province/state, or city; a restaurant site, e.g., Emeril’s in New Orleans which displays a menu and pictures of the dining room; and a provincial, state, or city site, e.g., Toronto.com. The purpose here is to walk students through some of the information, which they may be able to access on the web, such as city maps, lists of tourist attractions, hotels, or restaurants.
3. The teacher reminds students of reading techniques such as skimming and scanning to help them visit and evaluate the usefulness of sites quickly. Students can skim for the general sense of the information, or scan for specific details such as types of accommodation and prices.
4. Students continue to work in pairs for the major part of two classes to do Internet research on fares, accommodations, tourist attractions, restaurants, etc. for their particular destinations. They may use a graphic organizer to record details for their travel diary.
5. The teacher encourages students to use their knowledge of navigating graphical text to read brochures, airfare or train schedules, and other print information on travel destinations. Students continue their research, possibly for the major part of a third class using print materials only, including travel guidebooks. Students may research in the school Library/Resource Centre for this purpose. Students continue to record notes and details for their travel diary entries.
6. As students finish compiling their notes, they begin to draft a specific daily plan – Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and morning, afternoon, and evening activities. They may use an organizer for this purpose. This plan will form the basis for the draft of their travel diary entries.
Part C: The Travel Diary
1. The teacher distributes copies of three different journal entries from the travel novel, e.g., Forbidden City. Students read silently two similar entries (each describing one day or part of a day) designated by the teacher. In a whole class discussion the teacher helps the students to deconstruct the elements of a journal entry by asking the following questions.
· What is the same about the (structure of the) two entries? What is different?
· What do you notice about the time of day?
· What kinds of details are included?
2. The teacher then asks students to read an entry that summarizes activities of more than one day. In a whole class discussion, the teacher helps students to summarize the typical structure and details of a travel diary/journal entry for a single day and for more than one day. Some of these elements are:
· date (may name the day of the week, as well);
· use of the first person;
· use of the past tense;
· inclusion of 5 W’s – who, what, when, where, why – specific names and places;
· inclusion of significant dialogue;
· use of anecdotes – small stories – to add interest;
· details about food, local attractions, language, interaction with people;
· personal comments and observations about the “new” culture, food, accommodations;
· indications of daily schedule/activities;
· summary of significant events of several days (for entry covering two or more days).
The teacher asks students to notice also the varying length of the entries, and encourages them to organize their information carefully for greatest impact so that they don’t keep repeating similar details. The teacher creates a checklist based on the board summary for students to use in drafting their diary entries.
3. Students spend the remaining part of this period working on the draft of their lists and three diary entries. They work with their checklist to confirm that they have the necessary components in place. Where possible, students use word processing to produce a professional looking document.
4. Students come to class with their draft travel diaries completed, and spend about 45 minutes engaged in a peer editing activity. Each student asks two other students to read and comment on his/her travel diary entries. Students may attach the Ten Point Editing Checklist (see Appendix A in Unit 2) to their work to elicit comments and suggestions. Students spend the remaining part of this class working on revisions to their draft.
5. Students come to class prepared to submit their finished travel diary. The teacher asks them to take ten minutes to proofread two or more entries, and to make corrections to their text. The diaries will be evaluated based on a checklist or rubric, which may be co-designed with students.
Part D: Browsing the Diaries
1. The completed diaries are displayed across the board ledge or on desks or tables about the classroom, and students have an opportunity to browse and read each other’s work for about 40 minutes.
2. Optional method of browsing: students prepare and read aloud an excerpt from their diaries.
3. Optional: Students may vote by secret ballot for the best travel diary. The writer of the best diary is given special recognition.
Diagnostic
· problem-solving approach to diary entries
Formative
· checklist for travel journal/diary
· peer editing of draft
Summative
· checklist or rubric (which may be co-created with students) for diary/journal of virtual vacation
Bell, William. Forbidden City. Toronto: Seal Books, 1999. ISBN 0-7704-2813-4
Internet sites
Travel brochures and schedules
Travel guides
· The teacher may intervene with individuals during the research process to do re-teaching of research or reading skills (skimming and scanning).
· The teacher may extend the time for completion of some elements of the ‘virtual vacation,’ or may set mini-deadlines for those students who have difficulty organizing their work.