Project Plan

Project title

Thanksgiving Day around the World

Essential question

What is the way of celebrating Thanksgiving Day around the world?

Level

Pre-Intermediate

Grade

7

Time

6 lessons (on average 25 minutes per lesson)

Aims

General aims

1. To produce the poster, PowerPoint presentation and spoken report on the project
2. To encourage creative and critical thinking skills, responsibility

Language aims

1. To practice all four language skills (reading, speaking, listening, writing)
2. To extend topic-specific vocabulary

Objectives

1. To work in collaboration with each other in friendly atmosphere
2. To find out the history of Thanksgiving Day
3. To find out the traditions of celebration of Thanksgiving Day in different countries
4. To compare the traditions of celebration of Thanksgiving Day in different countries

Students’ role

Teacher’s role

Timing

Preparation

- Students watch the video about Thanksgiving Day in the USA

- Students discuss the video with teacher

- After defining the essential question by teacher, they:

1) state objectives

2) create the project title

3) define the form of presenting results

- Shows students the video about Thanksgiving Day in the USA

- After watching the video teacher and students discuss the appearance of Thanksgiving Day in Kazakhstan

- Direct students to choose the essential question and introduces them to the Project-Based Learning

- Monitors students in formulating their project objectives

- Motivates students

20 minutes

Planning

- Students define possible sources of information

- Select ways of analysis

- Distribute responsibilities among teammates

- Defines assessment criteria of the project

- Discusses possible sources of information with students

- Monitors students in generating ideas through brainstorming/mindmapping

15 minutes

Investigation

- Search for the information about history and traditions of celebrating Thanksgiving Day in different countries

- Compare the gathered materials

- Analyze the problem(s) through brainstorming/discussing

- Make self-assessment

- Play the game in small groups: each group have its own set of images of traditions of celebrating Thanksgiving Day in different countries; students’ task is to define which country belongs this or that tradition

- Consults students

- Offers suggestions to solve problems

- Monitors the project’s progress

- Intervenes if students’ direction not practical

- Responds to requests from students

- Challenges the views being expressed through questioning

- Controls the game

20 minutes

+

Work outside the classroom

Conclusion

• Students produce:

1. the poster
2. the spoken report
3. the PowerPoint presentation on the project

• Make conclusions

Teacher is a neutral facilitator:

• enables students to explore a range of different viewpoints

40 minutes outside the classroom

Presentation

Students present the results of the project

• Controls the presentation of students
• Discusses with students the strengths and weaknesses of the presentation

10 minutes

Evaluation of the results

- Students discuss their impressions from the project

- Make peer-assessment

- Collects and analyzes feedback from students

- Makes assessment of the result of the project:

1. the poster
2. the spoken report
3. the PowerPoint presentation on the project

15 minutes