Objective(s) Students will research using the Internet. Students will write a friendly letter and business letter. Students will read for personal interest. National Standards Language Arts: read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions of human experience. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes. Technology: Select and use appropriate tools and technology resources to accomplish a variety of tasks. Summary Students will research life on the Titanic using the Internet and related literature. And, they will take on the persona of a Titanic passenger. From that point of view, students will write journal entries and letters. Technology and/or Materials Needed
Implementation Time Frame Approximately ten 45-minute class period Activities Prepare a list of Titanic passengers and write on the chalkboard, overhead transparency, or link to this website. Click here for a list of names: Titanic passengers. Introduce the unit by asking students if they have heard of the Titanic. Complete a graphic organizer, a web or KWL chart, sharing prior knowledge on the Titanic. Explain to students that they will be learning different aspects of life aboard the luxury liner in the next few weeks. First, students will choose a passenger or crew member and take on that identity. They will research that person to be able to understand his/her role on the ship. Provide students a list of websites that will be a good starting point for their research. Simultaneously, students will read various literature selections. Also, students will write journal entries using their Titanic persona. Also, students will write two letters (with addressed envelopes) to two people while "aboard" the Titanic. The first letter will be a friendly letter to a friend or family member who is not aboard the ship with them. Students will tell of their journey, the activities aboard, and people they have met. The other letter will be a business letter, specifically a letter of complaint. This complaint could be about something they didn't like aboard the ship. If the individual student has chosen someone who survived the Titanic journey, they may write the letter after the sinking. This option will vary from student to student. Lastly, students will create a collage of their journey. It should express their experience on the Titanic in pictures and symbols. Students can use magazine cutouts, hand drawn pictures, or images printed from websites. Extension of lesson: Students may view clips or entire movie: "A Night to Remember" or "Titanic". Assessment Students' letters can be assessed for correct format, content, evidence of research, and language usage. Resources and Related Links |
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