Lesson Purpose:

1. Students will know and be able to identify which ethnic group is dominant in their class and also determine which group they belong to.
2. Students will be able to describe, identify and appreciate a sample of folklore that has been contributed to the U.S. by various ethnic groups.

Overview of Lesson:

Students will use the Big6 information problem-solving process to investigate the contributions of a self-selected ethnic group. This lesson takes place in the context of a larger unit which you can review. Students will be engaged using the unit engagement following the story of Benedetto Baldoni.

TEKS/TA:TEKS:

TEKS:
§113.2. Social Studies,5.14 (C)

TA:TEKS:
Use a word processor and multimedia presentation tool to share research findings.

Materials Needed for Lesson (including web sites):

• Curriculum Map
• Multimedia Scrapbook
• Folklore & Fairy Tales Web Site - http://www.muw.edu/~kdunk/folk.html 
• Folklore Search Engine - http://afsnet.org/directory/ 

Lesson Procedure:

Step 1. As a whole group, generate questions--recording them in a cluster web or map--that are broad and can be used to guide students in finding out about ethnic groups. 

Big Question: What contributions did your selected ethnic group make to American culture?

Some possible research questions that students may generate include: 

• What traditions, customs and or celebrations did your ethnic group bring to the United States? 
• What Language/specific words from your ethnic group do we use today? 
• What types of entertainment, recreation, or arts did your ethnic group bring to the United States?
• What notable Americans are members of your cultural group? 
• Why are these people important? 
• What types of food did the group bring to the United States? 
• Did your cultural group settle in any specific area of the United States? If so where?

Step 2. Divide students into groups that represent different ethnic groups. Students should work in groups to generate possible research questions. 

Step 3. Use the Big6 Assignment Organizer to help students identify what they are trying to find out, where they can find that information, and how they are going to share what they've learned with the rest of the class.

Step 4. Give students the Big6 data chart to take notes as they do their actual research.

Step 5. Create a Powerpoint presentation that includes the following:

• A title slide
• A list of references for graphics, sounds used in the presentation
• Two slides per student in the group that addresses a question they have done research on.
• One folktale from their ethnic group and an explanation of why this folktale best represents their ethnic group.

Step 6. Class will present their slide shows demonstrating what they have learned. Then, they will have a pot luck of cultural dishes that represent different ethnic groups.

Assessment:

Student research (represented by the Big6 Assignment Organizer and Data Chart) will be assessed for completeness and clarity. The products will be assessed using a multimedia rubric.