ALEX Learning Activity

  

Out of My Mind: Learning About the Impact of Assistive Technologies Through Literature

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

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  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Erin Meacham
System:Homewood City
School:Homewood Middle School
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 1991
Title:
Out of My Mind: Learning About the Impact of Assistive Technologies Through Literature
Digital Tool/Resource:
EdWordle
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

In conjunction with reading Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, students will explore the world of assistive technologies and how they are impacting our world today. Students will begin by using EdWordle and create a piece of word art to show their understanding of the main character in the book. They will then explore how assistive technologies influenced our understanding of the main character through reading an informational article about assistive technologies. 

This activity was created as a result of the DLCS COS Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
Digital Literacy and Computer Science
DLIT (2018)
Grade: 6
28) Define assistive technologies and state reasons they may be needed.

Unpacked Content
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students will:
  • define assistive technologies.
  • state reasons assistive technologies may be needed.
Knowledge:
Students know:
  • that people have differing abilities and that technologies exists to aid users in overcoming challenges.
Skills:
Students are able to:
  • define 'assistive technology'.
  • explain reasons one may use an assistive technology.
Understanding:
Students understand that:
  • being different doesn't have to be a difficulty.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 6
3. Explain how authors use setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view to contribute to the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
3.
  • Setting
  • Plot
  • Characters
  • Theme
  • Conflict
  • Dialogue
  • Point of view
  • Prose
  • Poetry
  • Textual evidence
Knowledge:
3. Students know:
  • Authors of prose and poetry use literary elements, such as setting, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view, throughout a text to develop and drive the plot.
  • Poetry is a genre of text that uses distinctive style and rhythm to aid in the expression of feelings, while prose is written in ordinary language.
  • Analysis of a text should be supported with text evidence from the writing.
Skills:
3. Students are able to:
  • Identify the setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view in prose and poetry.
  • Explain how literary elements contribute to the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry.
  • Support their explanations of literary elements with textual evidence.
Understanding:
3. Students understand that:
  • Prose and poetry contain common literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view.
  • Literary elements contribute to the meaning of poetry and prose.
  • When they analyze a text, they should include text evidence to support their claims.
Learning Objectives:

Students will define assistive technologies.

Students will state reasons they may be needed.

Students will determine the characterization of fictional characters.

Students will cite textual evidence to support analysis.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
After/Explain/Elaborate
Activity:

As a reflection of reading Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, students will be instructed to create a word cloud (https://edwordle.net/) of at least 20 words that they would use to describe the protagonist, Melody. (For example, they could describe her as strong, brave, smart, etc).

Once they create their word cloud, as part of an informal presentation of their learning, the teacher could have students share their three favorite words to describe Melody and find a specific page, passage, or quote from the book that explains why they chose these particular words.

Then, the teacher will instruct the students to read the following article about Stephen Hawking and assistive technologies (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/stephen-hawking-as-accidental-ambassador-for-assistive-technologies/) having the students answer the following questions individually or with a partner on a separate sheet of paper:

1. How are Stephen Hawking and Melody similar?

2. How are Stephen Hawking and Melody different?

3. If Stephen Hawking or Melody did not have Speech Generated Devices (SGDs), how would their lives be different?

4. What has the book and this article taught you about assistive technologies? What are some examples of assistive technologies and why are they needed?

Once the students have read the article and answered the questions, the teacher will instruct the students to look back on their Wordle creations and highlight the words they used to describe Melody that they wouldn't have known about her without her speech-generating device.

As a reflection of this activity, the students could share any of the following: how many words they highlighted, what words they highlighted and why, or even what they learned from this experience.
Assessment Strategies:

-Teacher observations/notes

-Students' word cloud creations

-Reflection questions from the article

-Student presentation/discussion
Advanced Preparation:

Students must be actively reading or have already completed reading Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper.

Students will need access to a computer or device to create a word cloud and a printer to print them out. 

The teacher will need to print out the article or share the link with students beforehand.
Variation Tips (optional):

If there is no access to computers/technology, the teacher could show the students a Wordle, and have them create one by hand.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):
 
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: assistive technologies, characterization, digital literacy, Out of My Mind, Sharon Draper