Essay Poster Project 5

 

Outline

Day 3 I start class with playing pop music and just ask students to get out their bookmarks and brainstorming paper. Most are prepared. I check to make sure they have attempted the homework and written questions. I give feedback for them to further develop some sentences.

  IMG_4552               IMG_4553

My students have a difficult time categorizing ideas when using English. They get so caught up in choosing the correct verb tense or vocabulary word, they can’t see the forest for the trees. To help the students categorize their brainstorming ideas and then to further prioritize them, I ask students to connect ideas by drawing inclusive circles of similar ideas. This is really difficult for them. They have no where to start. I read some of theirs off, asking the student and the surrounding students if they think two ideas are similar or not. After each answer I elicit, I ask them to “categorize” another idea. “Does it fit with this idea or that? Why?” Light bulbs go off; students usually physically sit up straighter, almost jump out of their seats, when they “get it.”

IMG_4408
 

After working on this for about 15 minutes, I hand out a blank piece of A4 paper to everyone. Stopping the music, I ask the students to fold the paper to make five sections and demonstrate the
folding technique.

IMG_4555

I ask the students to write “introduction” in the top section and “conclusion” in the bottom. I then ask them to write their sentences from their diagram into the three sections making sure to put similar items only in each section.

IMG_4554
 

After another 10 minutes, I tell them they just completed step 3 of the writing process – outlining. I refer them to the book mentioned there are several ways to outline. I then ask them to write their essay for homework and give them guidelines by writing them on the board. They need to have five paragraphs. They need an introduction paragraph with a hook and a thesis statement. They need three supporting paragraphs. They need a concluding paragraph.

At this point many students are hooked into the process and have big gaps between what we have done and what I am asking them to do? Thesis? What’s a thesis? I give them some page numbers in the textbook to find out and practice. Hook? What is a hook? I tell them they need to find out and tell me tomorrow. I encourage them just to write what they think I want. I tell them to trust themselves and just try.

The rough draft is a tough homework assignment for them, especially as they only have one night to write it. My expectation is that all will attempt, but most will not finish. This is OK for our process. I have different levels of students and by this time I work with the students individually in class and encourage them to do what they can do. I was thinking that some of the students would shut down by this time if they were really not already advanced English language learners. I had prepared specific activities in the textbook for those who would be unable to meet the step goals.

Find other Project-based learning ideas at: Project Palooza Monday

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Portfolio for Maria Lisak, EdD

Welcome Maria H. Lisak, EdD's Portfolio -  Rooted in teaching, shaped by design, and guided by culture, my work bridges disciplines and invites deep connection. I design for transformation through authenticity, risk-taking, and reflection. I build frameworks that thrive in uncertainty and evolve with context. I create space for quiet thinkers, bold collaborators, and reluctant risk-takers to grow together. I cultivate learner ownership through guided freedom, shared goals, and mutual accountability. I bring structure and soul to suboptimal environments, using design as advocacy. I nurture learning as a meditative, collaborative, and cathartic adventure. I honor lived knowledge, emergent insight, and systems thinking as cornerstones of meaningful education. In my early years teaching English for Specific Purposes in South Korea, I walked into a classroom with no Wi-Fi, outdated textbooks, and learners who had been told they weren’t “language people.” Rather than accept the constrain...
Read more

Week 1: Thresholds + Intuition

Image
Week 1: Thresholds + Intuition Introduction This first week begins at the doorway — the space between what has been and what is coming. We enter not by force or intention, but by noticing. Thresholds are tender crossings: a pause, a flicker of light, the tremor before movement. You are invited to begin by lighting a candle and softening your gaze. Let your senses lead you — the scent of wax, the warmth of flame, the rhythm of your own breath. This week, we honor the wisdom that lives beneath words. Intuition is not a message to decode but a quiet current to lean toward. Each practice — candle gazing, body scanning, scent journaling — returns you to your inner compass. The affirmation, “I honor where I’ve been. I open to where I’m going,” anchors your awareness in both gratitude and possibility. Let this be a week of listening below the surface, of trusting what stirs gently in the half-light. Week 1 Practices  Candle Meditation Candle Video   Candle Gazing Worksheet Body scan...
Read more

Gaps and Opportunities in the South Korean Digital Content Creation Landscape

Gaps and Opportunities in the South Korean Digital Content Creation Landscape As the digital content creation industry in South Korea continues to expand—with the market projected to reach $2.69 billion by 2030 and growing at 15.9% annually—both the saturation of popular niches and the surging global demand for Korean cultural content create unprecedented opportunities for educators, students, and content creators alike. While many established South Korean content creators focus on language learning, travel, beauty, and lifestyle, significant gaps remain that present valuable opportunities for educational innovation and cultural bridge-building. This analysis explores seven notable gaps in the current South Korean digital content landscape, identifying areas where educators can develop innovative curricula, students can pursue meaningful research projects, and content creators can contribute to cross-cultural understanding. From interactive language learning that integrates cultural co...
Read more