This artifact synthesis is for the project at the end of the Scarlet Letter, but can fit any of the unit-end projects: The Great Gatsby, Great Expectations, Romeo and Juliet. This artifact is a description and explanation of the project for the end of these stories. The importance of catering to multiple intelligences was an integral part of my decision to use cooperative learning to teach those skills. This project allows for multiple intelligences, coooperative learning, brain-based learning, and decision making. It can also elaborate on the "each one, teach one" concept within the project groups. The artifact gave the students the expectations fo the project, issues they may face, and a list of options they may consider. The varous activies allowed them to demonstrate their knowledge in unconventional ways. They catered to multiple intelligences: posters of original artwork depicting scenes from the book; a class performance of scenes; a taped presentation; a rap presenting the entire story; a musical production; a model or diorama; or any other original option which I have approved. The project allowed the studens the choice to work in groups or as individuals, though I encouraged group work because of the importance that social skills play in cooperative learning.
All choices had to equal the work one might put toward a research paper. For any option, students had to do research and write a summary of why they chose the option, what they did for the project, and what they learned.
This type of assessment is in accordance with the Illinois State Learning Standards. The finished product represents knowledge, skills, reasoning, and the ability to create a product relevant to the unit. This is a fair and equitable assessment that involves multiple sources of data by the accordance of the standards.
Demonstrated Skills and Behaviors
The students demonstrated various skills during the completion of their projects. Students had to focus on time-management and organization. They had to decide how they were going to complete their projects entirely outside of class within a month. They had to understand how to research the information, create manageable chunks of labor, and assign roles to their group members. Each students had to be able to assume responsibility for some of the work, as the individual grade was an average of the group grade and the individual effort as demonstrated through a reflective discussion. This reflection encouraged metacognition for all of the students. They needed to work creatively or the projects would have become horrible burdens.
Teachers Are Committed to Students and Their Learning (NBPTS Core Proposition #1)
This artifact is multi-modal as it accommodates different learning styles. It allowed students a chance to choose options that let them demostrated their knowledge and understanding. It was easy to accommodate for special needs because each student could work to his or her own ability within the option.
