This is the first time I had seen this class in a month, so I have had to modify my aims for this unit of work on propaganda quite considerably.

My overall aim is to create a descriptive algorithm and a creative algorithm for Propaganda posters.

My aim for this first lesson was for them to identify values that the Propaganda posters had through a sorting task, and then identify the parameter to which these belonged.

I had selected images form second world war propaganda from a variety of counties, which in groups of three they were to sort in as many different ways as possible. Each group then had to read out their categories until all the categories had been called out and their was a winning group. We then wrote out the values and grouped them together on circles, which were our different parameters.

This was so much more successful than my attempts to work with the younger age group. This is partially due to the maturity of the group but also because they have worked with ENV in science and are open to discussions about whether something is a parameter or a value. From the list of values I could see that they had identified all the main aspects that I had hoped they would see, for example exaggeration, contrast, manipulation, as well as the more obvious things like use of flags and weapons

Comments  

# Susan Granlund 2011-05-21 01:17
This sounds like a really interesting topic and interesting lesson. I've been inspired by your posts to use more pictures in sorting tasks, also for linguistic aims, and especially for children.I also like the idea of grouping things physically in different ways (for example on cirlces), rather than just writing on a board.
# Larisa Sardiko 2011-05-22 10:14
An inspiring idea for me, too, thank you, Gillian. A question: 'Pupils had to read out their categories' - by categories you mean parameters or values?
# Gillian Boniface 2011-05-23 20:03
Thanks Susan, I find that letting them move things about helps keep them engaged in the task.

Larissa, I am still rather confused by what is a parameter and what is a value, so I would say what I meant when I said catagories would be the values, we then grouped the values into parameters.
# Alexander Sokol 2011-05-28 16:10
Gillian, would you also spend some time reflecting the students' ability to work with parameters and values (at a purely meta-cognitive level?). I like the idea of sorting here but I wonder if there's also space for a follow-up when they reflect on what they've been doing at the level of the tool rather than the level of a particular task? Do you see what I mean?
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