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=**Welcome to the Wiki showcasing**= =**Our Gaspe Home: Now and Forever**= A Learning and Evaluation Situation (L.E.S.)

Presented by Escuminac Intermediate School 2007-2008 Teachers: Charlene Hayes and Bill Dow Eastern Shores School Board Escuminac, Quebec

For this L.E.S., the student is asked to reflect on developing several competencies, in particular, her sense of citizenship as a Gaspesian and as a member of her community, and to develop a personal awareness of her family's heritage. We are joining forces with students in Secondary Cycle One and Secondary Cycle Two, Year 1 (Grades 7,8 and 9), integrating four subject areas: English, History, Art and Mathematics. We will learn more about our home and why our families choose to live here.

=**INTRODUCTION**= By Mr. Bill Dow

“I’m only thirteen and already I’m a published writer.”

Imagine for a moment that this is one of your students. She bubbles with enthusiasm, confidence, and overflows with a sense of accomplishment, not only her own, but her team’s as well. Or perhaps you prefer a more left-brain approach.

“A team is only as strong as its weakest link.”

Imagine. A fourteen-year old thinks of the bigger picture, and understands that everyone has a responsibility, a role to play, if the project is to be successful.

These students are empowered, so much so that this L.E.S. became theirs. Their energy drove it, shaped it, and brought it home.

They own their learning, and their swagger in our hallways and classrooms reminds us that we can’t let them down.

Just how did we get here? Once our classes were teacher-centered; now they were student-centered, and we were not prepared for the consequences. Like our students, we were amazed at how much real learning takes place when you let the student become the teacher.

For us, the “essential question” (also referred to as the “guiding question”), which is the starting point of any L.E.S., was this - “Gaspesians: Who Are We?

As teachers, it was essential that both the curriculum objectives and competency-based learning requirements of the project were met. The skill development of each student was evaluated based on these guidelines. The cross-curricular and subject-based competencies were chosen and a series of learning activities was created to lead the student toward answering the essential question and its sub-questions. The student was challenged through a series of “learning activities” to become better at the competencies (skills) that were being focused upon.

For this L.E.S., the student was asked to reflect on developing several competencies, in particular, her sense of citizenship as a Gaspesian and as a member of her own community, and to develop a personal awareness of her family’s heritage.

The student products of this L.E.S. consisted of the following: a song written by everyone who participated in the L.E.S., a music video of the song, several short videos (Gaspé moments), oral presentations, interviews (of family and community members), student photographs, and a [|book], the one product which engaged the majority of our time and effort.

In order that these products could be completed, a series of learning activities was set up. In class the students were given rubrics to cover writing, using a magazine format, interviewing, and presenting orally. The students went out into the community to ask questions of their family and others. The information was compiled and the articles were written on each of the subjects, to prepare them for inclusion in the book.

Our book, [|Our Gaspé Home – Now and Forever], was the culmination of several incredible weeks of energy and inspiration. Our students were transformed and so were we.

Was this because the project was so large in scope? No, we have duplicated this feeling – energy, excitement, a drive to learn – with other, less “showy” L.E.S.’s. We have seen our students’ feeling of empowerment working its magic again and again.

All of this because we had a plan and our students took it for their own. A student wanted to be a published writer, and another saw the power of one. Heck, they all did.

March 2007