During February, eighth-grade students at Gentry Middle School embarked on a project to bring the story of a notable Black person, past or present, to the forefront. Individually, students chose the person or group they intended to research for the project.
English/Language Arts (ELA) teachers Christie Robertson and Kaela Rodgers presented their students with a unit on research that not only taught them research skills but sparked an interest in the importance of the contributions of black people who impacted American history many years ago as well as those who continue to impact history today.
Robertson said, “Through research, students discovered past cultures as well as historical events and became more aware of how black people like Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Martin Luther King impact our lives today.”
Initially, students summarized and paraphrased the information learned and created a Works Cited page that reflected the newly-learned research techniques. Students created slideshow presentations to organize and create interest in their subject. The slide shows were then used to introduce their chosen subject to classmates.
The final product, the podcast, pulled the project together and allowed students to publish their new knowledge. Robertson said, “Podcasting has become a popular way for people to share and learn information. We thought it would be a different way to showcase student learning.”
The students enjoyed creating podcasts and using QR codes to share with classmates. Student Skye Turner said she enjoyed listening to the podcasts to hear what others had discovered through their research.
“Podcasts are a great way to make what could be dry research compelling and real,” Roger said. “Many students listen to podcasts on their own time, so the concept is familiar and enjoyable. Recording also forces students to think about proofreading and what a topic sounds like to others.”
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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