PowerPoint Short Story Report

Subject Area: Reading

Grade Level(s): 7-8

Duration of Activity: 5 class periods

Description of Activity:

The students will make a Microsoft PowerPoint report from a short story read in class.

Objectives:

• The student will summarize and paraphrase a short story identifying the six story elements: characters, setting, plot, conflict, solution, tone/mood.
• The student will create a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that illustrates knowledge of the contents in a selected story.
• The student will utilize visual aids to completely understand and describe a story.
• The student will analyze characters (physical characteristics, character traits, and relationships) in a selected story.

Materials/Equipment:

• Literature textbooks and periodicals with short story sections
• Computers with Internet access
• Printer
• Microsoft PowerPoint or other presentation software
• LCD Projector or cart with projection device and NetTV or large-screen computer
• Handout 1: Outline for Story Report Presentation
• Handout 2: Story Map
• Handout 3: Microsoft PowerPoint Assessment Rubric
• Handout 4: Microsoft PowerPoint Directions
• Handout 5: Rubric for Multimedia Presentation (download from the Web at http://www.ga.k12.pa.us/curtech/WEBQPRE/assesspp.htm) (Alternative to Handout 3 above)

Prerequisites (skills or background needed):

• Knowledge of the selected short story
• Prior knowledge of literary terms such as: setting, characters, plot, conflict, solution, and mood/tone
• Basic knowledge of how to use Microsoft PowerPoint presentation software

Procedure

Teacher Component: The teacher will

1. allow students to help each other find stories by establishing cooperative learning groups of 4 to 6 students depending on class size. Group members can also serve as editors for each other’s work.
2. explain Handout 1: Outline for Story Report Presentation of the presentation. The outline gives an example of all the slides necessary and describes the content that should be used in completing the presentation correctly.
3. provide sources for students to review for short stories to read independently. These sources can be standard literature books or periodicals. Each student will select a short story to read.
4. plan time for students to read their stories during class time.
5. require students to complete Handout 2: Story Map individually in class.
6. distribute Handout 3: Microsoft PowerPoint Assessment Rubric for students to use as a guide while preparing the presentation. The handout will explain the requirements of the project.
7. review the steps in creating a PowerPoint presentation by visiting the Web Site PowerPoint in the Classroom / http://www.actden.com/pp/
8. distribute Handout 4: Microsoft PowerPoint Directions which will give students a guide for completing the presentation.
9. give students time to create their presentations independently. They may seek advice and feedback from the members of their cooperative group.
10. guide students in creating their presentations by making suggestions or helping with troubleshooting.
11. assess the Microsoft PowerPoint Presentations according to the guidelines listed on the selected rubric.

Student Activities: The student will

1. arrange themselves in cooperative learning groups for 4-5 students.
2. review Handout 1: Outline for Story Report Presentation in order to understand the requirements of the project.
3. read a short story of their choice.
4. use Handout 2: Story Map to organize the ideas they gathered through reading the short story.
5. review Handout 3: Microsoft PowerPoint Assessment Rubric to gain an understanding the presentation requirements.
6. complete the steps needed to create the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation according to the requirements.
7. modify Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation on selected short story according to feedback provided by the teacher and peers.
8. ask and answer questions about their presentations.
9. present the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation on the short story to the class.

Accommodations:

• Pair students according to their writing, thinking, and creative abilities to peer coach each other during the planning process.
• Have students write their ideas as a homework assignment so class time can be reserved for discussing, compiling and working with the ideas.

Extension Activities:

• The students could use word-processing software to compose sample quizzes on their short stories.
• The students could write their own short stories and share them with the class. Peer editing could be accomplished by using word-processing software in the writing and editing stages of the short story creation.
• A spreadsheet or database of short story elements could be established for use by future classes. Fields would include such things as source of the story, author, title, setting, characters, summary of plot, and comments by the student who read the story.

Integration:

• Language Arts
• Technology

Assessments:

1. Teacher observations of work habits, cooperative behavior, and questioning will be used throughout the lesson.
2. Handout 3: Microsoft PowerPoint Assessment Rubric or Handout 5: Rubric for Multimedia Presentation. Both of these are designed as formal assessments to measure the use of technology and oral presentation skills.

URLs:

• PowerPoint in the Classroom
  http://www.actden.com/pp/

Curriculum Frameworks

Mississippi:

Seventh Grade & Eighth Grade

2. Speak coherently and listen effectively to exchange ideas and opinions for a variety of purposes and audiences. (S, L)
   1. Show increased proficiency in self evaluation and begin peer evaluation of presentation skills such as voice quality, articulation, body language, and stage presence.
   3. Use Standard English in oral presentations with increasing proficiency and complexity.
3. Complete projects and tasks in an organized and coherent manner. (R, W, S, L, V)
   3. Follow logical sequence/multi-step directions to complete a product.
   4. Demonstrate increased proficiency, complexity, and independence in completing a product.
5. Develop self-monitoring skills to work independently and cooperatively. (R, W, L, S, V)
   1. Assume a given role in a group, such as reporter, recorder, etc.
   2. Assess and monitor individual contributions to the group’s effort.
9. Read independently with fluency and for meaning using a variety of strategies. (R, W, S, L, V)
   1. Use comprehension and reading strategies (skim, scan, predict, infer, draw a conclusion, modify or confirm original prediction, understand, compare, contrast, etc.) to respond to literary selections and to enhance fluency and meaning.
   2. Adjust reading strategies according to purposes.
   3. Use prior knowledge to identify commonalities between personal experiences and story elements.
   4. Use word recognition strategies and resources (phonics, contextual clues, reference guides, etc.) to gain meaning from print.
   5. Model by reading aloud (students and/or teacher).
   6. Read materials for information, communication, pleasure, and to perform a task, using various strategies.
10. Read, analyze, and respond in written and oral language or other art forms to increasingly challenging literature and other resources. (R, W, S, L, V)
    1. Paraphrase important details from multimedia resources.
    3. Describe story elements such as setting, plot/events, characters, motivation, mood, problems/conflicts, solution, theme, denouement, and conclusion.

National Educational Technology Standards (NETS):

4. Use content-specific tools, software, and simulations to support learning and research. (3, 5)
5. Apply productivity/multimedia tools and peripherals to support personal productivity, group collaboration, and learning throughout the curriculum. (3, 6)

TerraNova:

05 Identifying Reading Strategies (Level 11-21/22)
Demonstrate awareness of techniques that enhance comprehension, such as using existing knowledge, summarizing content, comparing information across texts, using graphics and text structure, and formulating questions that deepen understanding.

Write responses that interpret and extend the use of information from document and forms, and that demonstrate knowledge and use of strategies.

06 Introduction to Print (Level 10-12)
Demonstrate knowledge of sound/symbol and structural relationships in letters, words, and signs.

Write responses that show knowledge of letters and words.

07 Sentence Structure (Level 11-21/22)
Demonstrate an understanding of conventions for writing complete and effective sentences, including treatment of subject and verb, punctuation, and capitalization.

Demonstrate an understanding of conciseness and clarity of meaning in combining two sentences.

09 Editing Skills (Level 11-21/22)
Identify the appropriate use of capitalization, punctuation, nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in existing text.

Demonstrate knowledge of writing conventions and sentence structure through identifying and connecting errors in existing text and in text written by the student.

Link and Feedback to Author(s):

Shiquita Williams-Sutton, Chambers Middle School, Arcola, MS
swilliamssutton@yahoo.com