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E-Zines and Passion Projects

Contributing to a Class E-Zine

Learning Module

Abstract

In this Scholar project, grade 6 students contribute an information report about a topic they are passionate about to an online class e-Zine. They explore topics, audience, purpose, features of online information reports, and then draft, give feedback, revise and publish their reports.

Keywords

Information Report, Structure, Language Features, Online, Interests, Purpose, Audience.

1. What is your Passion?

For the Student

Learning Intention: To share  what interests you most in the world.

This learning module focuses on passion projects. These are projects about the things that interest you the most in the world. They could be related to music, dance, art, animals, sport, computer games, books, school, treading, writing, playing games, travel, places, science, technology.... the list is endless. 

Comment: What is one thing that interests you in the world? Explain what you like most about it. You can also add a weblink to a site, videoclip ,image, or infographic that provides more information about your interest.  Look at what other students have written and open up the links they provide. You can comment on ones that interest you by starting with @Name (adding the student's name). Then continue to add other ideas of what people in your age group might be interested in.

Fig. 1: So many interests!

 

For the Teacher

This Learning Module was designed using the Learning by Design  framework (Kalantzis and Cope) which is based on Multiliteracies theory.

Scholar is a web writing space for learners of the social media generation. Scholar engages learners through its focus on peer interaction and formative feedback. 

This Learning Module focuses on  students creating an information text for an e-Zine, harnessing learner identity and developing their expertise to create a digital text.

The aim of this initial Update is to introduce the Scholar environment to students and to value their prior knowledge. Also by creating a weblink to more information about their topic in the Comment, students are focusing on something linked to them and their identities.

Working in Scholar promotes:

  • collaboration - connecting students with different levels of expertise
  • students as knowledge creators, sharing their prior knowledge and new knowledge
  • creating and sharing multimodal texts - modern communication involves visual, audio, gestural, spatial, and language modes
  • recursive feedback through comments on other students' comments, learning from and with each other
  • differentiation - all students are able participate, regardless of their starting points
  • metacognition - reflection about what makes quality writing
  • writing for real purposes and audiences - real world contexts
  • agency - students become autonomous learners

Scholar Updates

Each activity in a Learning Module is called an Update. Updates are delivered from the Learning Module in the Scholar Bookstore to the activity stream of the Community. Students who are members of that community can then access them. For more information on using Scholar, see Scholar Tutorials. 

Creating Student Profiles

When students log into Scholar, they create their "blips". Creating their profiles is a great opportunity to discuss cyberbullying and how students should represent themselves and communicate in online environments. 

CCSS Standards 

Main CCSS Focus: W.6.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

SL.6.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

SL.6.1c: Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to other' questions and comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed.

SL.6.1d: Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify their own views.

 

2. Exploring e-Zines

For the Student

Learning Intention: To find and read an e-Zine about a topic that interests you.

There are many e-Zines about many different topics. Youngzine is an e-Zine that  covers varied topics too. Watch the video on World's oldest crocodile snaps up birthday cake which is included on the Youngzine website.

 

Media embedded July 1, 2015

Comment: Read and view articles on the Youngzine site. Which ones interested you? Explain why. Comment on the comments of other students, especially if you are interested in similar topics.

 

 

For the Teacher

In this Update, students look at an e-Zine which covers a range of topics and provides models for the information reports that students will write in their Passion Projects.  The focus here is to immerse students in reading, viewing and commenting on a range of articles on the Youngzine site.

CCSS Standards

RI.6.10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary non-fiction in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. 

SL.6.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

SL.6.1c: Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to other' questions and comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed.

SL.6.1d: Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify their own views.

3. What is an e-Zine?

For the Student

Learning Intention: To identify the features of an e-Zine.

Look up What Is an e-Zine? and  e-zine (Electronic Magazine) Definition.

Look at Youngzine again. Think about: Who is the audience and what is its purpose? How is an e-Zine the same and different to a website? Do you navigate it in the same way?

Comment: List the topics that Youngzine covers and any features you can see. Keep adding to the list, trying not to repeat what other students have listed. Open up some of the articles to find even more features. If you can find other e-Zines, add a link and list any other features you discover. When you have run out of ideas, comment on whether you think Youngzine is a good e-Zine for people in your age group. Give reasons for your opinion.

 

Fig. 3: You could sign up for an e-Zine about your favorite books or authors.

 

For the Teacher

In this Update, students look at definitions of an e-Zine and consider the audience, purpose and features of Youngzine. By identifying these features, they are looking more closely at Youngzine. This will support them to in writing their own articles/information reports.

Features that students might list:

  • Different topics - science and technology, arts, world news, the environment, etc
  • Multimodal features (videos, images, audio)
  • Quizzes and Puzzles
  • Weblinks to other articles and information
  • General interest topics as well as current affairs

CCSS Standard

W.6.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

 

 

4. Communicating my Passion Project?

For the Student

Learning Intention:To understand how to get people interested in reading about your passion? 

Consider your passion. What would make someone interested in reading about it? Would it be because of:

  • The topic?
  • Your expert knowledge with lots of facts and details?
  • Your creativity?
  • Your presentation and use of multimedia?
  • The topic's relevance to other young peoples' lives?
  • Its humour and fun?
  • Its importance?
  • The quality of the writing - easy to follow and understand?
  • Other?

Comment: What do think are the three most important things to consider to get people interested in reading about your passion? Give reasons for your opinion. Then comment on other students' comments, explaining why you agree or disagree with them.

Fig. 4: Minecraft is a big passion for many people.

For the Teacher

In this Update, students determine the importance of factors that will impact on reader interest. In doing so, they are developing a theory that connects the features they identified in Update 3, and how they are represented in an online text such as an e-Zine. Further, they are thinking more deeply about the audience and purpose of their e-Zine. It prepares them for the Update that follows, where they are assigned their project.

CCSS Standard

W.6.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

5. e-Zine Project

For the Student

Learning Intention: To start my writing project and to use the rubric to identify what is important to include.

Project Name: Passion Project: Information Report for a Class E-Zine

Description: Create an informative/explanatory report for a class e-Zine called "Grade 6's Passion Projects". Your report should provide information or an explanation of a topic that you are passionate about. Include multimedia.

Check your Notifications and select the "Work Request". The link will take you to Creator where you can start writing. Clicking on the "Work Request" is very important so that the work that you create is connected to the project that your teacher has set up.

You should look in the "About This Work" to find out more information about the project, change its title, create an outline for your work using the "Structure" tool, and check the timeline. You can even have a dialogue with your teacher.

For what you need to do in order to write a good informative/explanatory report, go to "Feedback". In "Reviews", open the "Rubric". Keep the rubric open and refer to it as you write.

When you are ready to submit, click “Submit Draft” below the work. This is the version of your work that will be sent to others for feedback.

Comment: Do you have any questions about how Scholar works? Make a comment in this update. If you think you have an answer to another student's question, please answer it - be sure to name the student you are replying to in your comment by starting with @Name.

Fig. 5: e-Zine authors are experts on their topics!

For the Teacher

In this Update, students are assigned their projects to write an information report for a class e-Zine. Students may start on their projects immediately. Then, over successive lessons, assign Updates 6 and 7. These will be more relevant once their projects are underway, enabling them to reflect on what they have done, extend their ideas, and generally improve on their reports. 

As students begin to draft their reports, encourage them to use the Structure Tool to organize some of their main ideas. The Structure Tool supports students to develop an initial structure for their r, including notes based on their background knowledge. As they continue to research their topic, they add more notes, refine the elements of their text, and draft new versions, transforming their notes into well written text.

Students should also refer to the rubric as a guide as they write in Creator. If necessary, look through the rubric with students.

For first time users of Scholar, the following Overt Instruction Updates from the Writer's Toolkit: Strategies for Writing in the New Media may be useful to add to Community:

  • How to Write in Scholar
  • Using the Rubric and Checker
  • Planning Using the Structure Tool

Refer to the Analytics to monitor how students are progressing with writing and their reviews.

CCSS Standards

W.6.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

W.6.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.

W.6.6: Use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

6. How is an information report written?

For the Student

Learning Intention: To analyze a model of an information report for an e-Zine.

Read Secrets of the Talking Parrot and analyze its structure and language features. Continue to refer to the information report as you complete the survey.You can discuss each question with a partner as you complete your own survey. That will help you when you have to write your own information report.

Comment: After analyzing Secrets of the Talking Parrot in the survey, do you believe it is a well written information report? Provide reasons for your opinion. Then comment on other students' comments, explaining why you agree or disagree with them. 

 

Media embedded July 16, 2015

 

For the Teacher

In this Update, students analyze a model/mentor text through a survey. Encourage discussion as students complete the survey as this will scaffold their understanding of the structure and language features of the text, supporting them to write their own texts. 

Based on the Survey results, post the following Overt Instruction Updates from the Writer’s Toolkit: Strategies for Writing Informative/Explanatory Texts to Community if you believe students need to focus on this aspect of writing at this time. Alternatively, individualized or small group support may be provided through structured mini-lessons. 

  • Transition Words
  • Structure of Informative/Explanatory Texts

Alternatively, individualized or small group support may be provided through structured mini-lessons.

CCSS Standards

W.6.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

W.6.2a: Introduce a topic; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

W.6.2b: Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. 

W.6.2c: Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.

W.6.2e: Establish and maintain a formal style.

W.6.2f: Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the information or explanation presented.

7. Cohesion in Texts

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand how to use transition words to make your writing more cohesive.

 Transition words are words that help you to make your writing more cohesive. Transition words are also called signal words as they provide a signal to the reader about how the text is developing and they link ideas within a paragraph. They also help you to make a transition from one paragraph to another and show a logical progression in the thesis or argument you are presenting.

Firstly, read our model text, Secrets of the Talking Parrot. With a partner, identify all the transition words you can find.

Then look at the following paragraph. you can refer to  the words in the table, Transition Words and their Different Purposes.

Transition Words and their Different Purposes:

Sequencing ideas or showing time  Adding information Clarifying ideas  Showing cause and effect Showing condition/alternatives
Firstly, First of all, To start with, Second, Third, In short, Then/Next, To sum up/ summarize, Finally, To conclude, In conclusion, Consequently, Afterwards, At the same time, Meanwhile, Later/Earlier, Until then In addition, Apart from that, Again, Too/Also, Furthermore, Above all, What’s more, As well as, Likewise, Another, Moreover, Similarly, The most important, For example, In the same way In other words, I mean, To put it another way, For example, For instance, To be more precise, Or, rather, In particular, In fact, As a matter of fact, That is, Namely, To illustrate Therefore, Then, Consequently, As a consequence, As a result, For that reason, Accordingly, Because of this, In that case In that case, Otherwise, If not, However, Nevertheless, On the contrary, Despite this, Besides, On the other hand, Even so, Anyway, Instead, Though, Despite this, In contrast

Transition words are different to conjunctions which join clauses in compound and complex sentences.

Now focus on the following paragraph from The Secrets of the Talking Parrots.

Although there have been multiple studies on parrot intelligence and their ability to copy sounds, they were not very specific or reliable. Past tests only acknowledged differences between certain parts of the brain. Furthermore, the only parrot that was extensively studied for structural differences was the budgerigar, a small type of parakeet.

Comment: Post a comment in which you replace some of the transition words with others from the above table or write a new paragraph with other transition words. Then, look at two other students' paragraphs and comment on the purpose of the transition words they have chosen, e.g. sequencing ideas or showing time, adding information, clarifying ideas, showing cause and effect, showing condition/alternatives.

Fig. 7: African Grey Parrot

 

For the Teacher

In this Update, students do a close analysis of a paragraph from the model text, Secrets of the Talking Parrot, to learn about word choices to create cohesion in a text.

CCSS Standard

W.6.2c: Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.

8. Different Perspectives

For the Student

Learning Intention: To explore other perspectives on my passion project and add information to my report.

When you are passionate about a topic, you can become a little biased. It's good to consider other points of view/perspectives on the topic. This will also provide more information that you could add to your report.

Draw up a Pros/Cons/Question (PCQ) Chart and complete it for your own passion project. You should have at least  4-5 perspectives. Here is an example based on the Secrets of the Talking Parrots. 

Perspective Pros Cons Questions

Alex 

(the parrot)

 I am well fed and cared for. I am caged and do not have freedom. When will people stop asking me boring questions?
Researchers This research can help us to understand how the brain works. In this research it is difficult to determine which behaviors are learned and which are innate. Can data from animal research be applied to humans?

Animal 

Activists

 This research, if undertaken humanely, could be a model for animal research. To look at the structure of the parrots' brains, animals have to be killed; the research is cruel and inhumane. How can we ensure that animals are treated humanely in research?

Educators

 This research could help us understand how language is acquired; it could also help with teaching children with autism. Teaching children like parrots is repetitive and boring; it is not the best type of learning. Is research on children more informative for educators than research on animals?
Teenager This research increases my knowledge about research on the brain; it also raises my awareness of animal issues. No "cons" that I can think of. Will this research help me to understand how to train a pet such as a dog?

After completing the PCQ, this student might now look up more sources about animal activism, animal rights, and other research on the brain and learning.

Comment: Comment on the value of exploring different perspectives when writing an information report. Comment on other students' comments, stating whether you agree or disagree with them, and/or pose a question.

Fig. 8: Is anime you passion?

For the Teacher

This Update focuses on critical thinking skills. Through exploring the advantages and disadvantages of a topic/interest/passion from a range of perspectives, students develop their understanding of other issues. This will also enable them to expand on some of their ideas in their own information reports.

For accountability, students may submit a completed PCQ Chart to "Submissions" in Community.

CCSS Standards

W.6.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

W.6.2b: Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.

 

9. Give Feedback and Revise

For the Student

Learning Intention: To give feedback on other students’ works and then revise my own.

Check your Notifications for Feedback Requests: You have received a Feedback Request. Click on this link to take you to the work you have been assigned to review. Go to Feedback => Reviews => Review Work. Rate the work on each criterion and explain why you gave the work that rating. Make in-text comments at Feedback => Annotations. Make an overall recommendation at Feedback => Recommendation.

Submit your feedback once it is finished at About This Work => Project => Status. You will not be able to submit your review until all requirements set by you teacher have been met. These may include a Review, Annotations, and/or a Publication Recommendation.

For more information, see Reviewing a Work and Submitting a Review and Annotations.

The next stage of the writing process is to revise your own work.

Check your Notifications for a Revision Request: You have received a Revision Request. Click on this link to take you to the most recent version of your work. Then go to Feedback => Reviews => Results to see the reviews and Feedback => Annotations to see in-text comments. Once you have incorporated all of the feedback (Reviews/Annotations) from your peers, click “Submit Revision” below the work.

You can also write a self-review, explaining how you have taken on board the feedback you received.

For more information, see The Revision Phase.

Comment: Do you have any more questions about Scholar at this stage? Make a comment in this update. If you think you have an answer to another student's question, please answer it - be sure to name the student you are replying to in your comment by starting with @Name.

Fig. 9: Is sport your passion?

 

For the Teacher

 

This update covers two stages of the writing process in Scholar: Review and Revision.

The following Overt Instruction Updates from The Writer's Toolkit: Strategies for Writing in the New Media may be useful to add to Community. They may be used with first time users or it may be appropriate to introduce them in a second writing project so students learn about the features of Scholar over time.

  • Constructive Feedback: Annotations - this guides students in how to provide specific feedback through Annotations.
  • Constructive Feedback: Reviews - this describes types of feedback such as critical, cheerleader and constructive feedback.
  • Revision Phase - this focuses on how to use the feedback students receive to improve their writing, and includes writing a self review. Many students go through the peer review process and then do not revise their work. Writing a self review in which they explain how they have/have not used their feedback is important to develop students' metacognition further.

Refer to Analytics to monitor how students are progressing with their writing 

CCSS Standards

W.6.5: With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

W.6.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

L.6.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing.

L.6.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation and spelling when writing.

10. Publish and Reflect

For the Student

Learning Intention: To identify what is successful writing.

Check Notifications to see if your work has been published and whether works that you provided feedback on have been selected for publication. Published works may be viewed on your profile in Community.

Comment: Read two - three other people’s published informative/explanatory texts. Write a comment about the most interesting thing you learned from reading them. This might be ideas you hadn’t thought of or interesting evidence such as facts that you didn’t know. Also comment about one thing you have learned about writing informative/explanatory texts. Mention the creator and title of the work, and make a link to that page so the person reading your comment can jump to the page quickly.

Fig. 10: Is art your passion?

 

For the Teacher

This Update focuses on the publication and reflection phases of a writing project.

Notifications of publication are provided to the creator and all reviewers.

This reflection activity promotes student metacognition about what makes quality writing by reading and reflecting on other students’ writing. Ask students to look over other people’s published works - have them read at least two or three works. Ask them to comment on something interesting they learned from reading other students’ work.

Refer to the Analytics to see how students have performed.

CCSS Standard

W.6.6: Use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing, as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

11. Acknowledgements

Title: Image by Geralt (Source); Fig. 1: Image by levelord. License: CCO Public Domain (Source); Fig. 2: Youngzine (Source); Fig. 3: harry potter by MachoMachi (Source): This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License; Fig. 4: Minecraft Screenshot by Jo Kay: (Source); Fig: 5: Image by John Fischer (Source); Fig. 6: Science Nation: Talk to the Animals (Source); Fig. 7: African Gray Parrot (Source); Fig. 8: Anime by fumi2477 (Source); Fig. 9: Sport Pictogram (Source); Fig. 10: Caution of Illuminati by fabioaugusto 106. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License (Source).