Toni+M.+Fields+Assessment+Journal+4


 * Assessment Journal 4**


 * Context and Structure:** After studying Africa in social studies class students were knowledgeable about the value of storytelling in African culture.  To make students aware of the importance and creativity of African folklore and storytelling a group project was assigned.  This project came out of the teachers edition of their social studies textbook World Explorer: Africa.  In groups of two students were expected to take part in a storytelling experience by memorizing and sharing an African folktale out loud with the class.


 * Implementation and Results:** The project was presented to the whole class and afterwards students were allowed to get with a partner of their choice. They were told that they needed to choose one of the various examples of African folklore that was provided to them on the front table to memorize and retell to the class.  The rubric was distributed and students were asked to look it over so that they would know how they were going to be assessed.  Students began by reading over their folktale and afterwards deciding how they would retell their story to the class.  Some groups determined the most important parts of the story so that they would be sure to include those things in their retelling.  Partners split up the story so that while one student was telling a segment, the other student would act it out.  Students divvied the story up so that each person had an equal amount to memorize.  Students were given the weekend to memorize their parts and finalize their projects before they had to share with the class.  Before the storytelling began students were given five minutes to get with their partner and run through their story.  Afterwards students sat quietly in their seats while each group got up in front of the class and shared their folktale.  Most students did very well and met the standard which was outlined on the rubric.  Some students had trouble remembering their lines and it was apparent that some groups did not divide the work evenly.


 * Reflection:** I thought this lesson was very effective and I am glad that the students got to experience it.  They seemed to enjoy acting out these African folktales and listening to their classmates stories.  This lesson was well planned and allowed students to take a constructivist approach to learning.  Different learning styles were met because students not only got to recite a story, but also act it out.  I learned many techniques from this lesson that I will bring to my own teaching.  I liked how students got to creatively act out the story and come up in front of the classroom.  This project provided an opportunity to make students stronger oral speakers and more confident in themselves.

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