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//Action Project #1: Controlling Factors//

Important Message. READ FIRST!

This is a 4/5 week project called **Controlling Factors**. This project capitalizes on the popular best-selling novel **//The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins//**. It also builds on specific //English Language Arts and World History// state standards. The concepts you will cover in this project will include factors like the rise of the ultimate internal weaknesses of Roman Empire (e.g. the rise of autonomous military powers within the **Roman Empire,** under-mining of citizenship by the growth of corruption and slavery, gladiatorial games, and distribution of news) and the societal moral dilemmas that world leaders at that time faced. One of the major aims of the project is to have you draw parallels to similar themes in factual history and the fictional themes of the book **//The Hunger Games.//**


 * View the documentary trailer below. It is meant to engage you with the content, and to introduce key concepts from both the Hunger Games and the Roman Empire **

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 * Project Description **
 * 1) Read the book, The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
 * 2) Choose a variety of ways to study the Roman Empire
 * 3) Schedule Project Workshops/ complete a Project Form
 * 4) Determine a way to show that you can draw parallels to similar themes in the history of the Roman Empire and the fictional themes of the book The Hunger games
 * 5) Schedule and host a Project Showcase

Workshops

 * Assessment and adjustment: ** Throughout the process, we will meet to give and receive feedback and make adjustments accordingly during scheduled **workshops**. These workshop can be face-to-face or via Google+ Hangout. Through these scheduled workshops, I can track your progress to make sure you are not falling behind. Depending on what we find, we might go back and do more scaffolding, or schedule additional workshops.

Project progress and assessment results after every workshop will then be shared with your teachers to keep them in the loop.

** Suggested Academic Scaffolding **

 * Graphic Organizers, study guides || Scheduled Workshops || Project Calendar || Museum exhibits, content experts ||
 * Weekly Reading || Checklists || Textbooks, books || websites ||
 * Quizlet (digital notecards) || Blog(s) or journals (logs, video confessionals, etc) || Documentaries, video lectures || Discussions ||

Peer Review

 * Research and collaboration: ** Once the project is launched, it is up to you to pick a to work alone or pick a group of friends (students or adults) to work together to figure out what your final product/artifact(s) is going to be and how you will acquire the knowledge you need to complete it. I will provide workshops to go over concepts depending on your needs. We can also schedule Team-Workshops run by your team to teach each other and to reinforce your learning and build collaboration.

Team-Workshops can include student-led discussions about, for example, real moral dilemmas from events in history or fictional examples based on events in the book. Students can also prepare workshops on different Roman Emperors, leadership practices or reflection about events and characters in the book.

Showcase: How will you demonstrate mastery?
Alternative Output:
 * 1) ** Work-in-Progress Presentations **should be a common element in your learning. Our scheduled [|Google+ Hangout Workshops] are the perfect platform to invite a variety of people, including your teachers and/or special guests (speakers, classmates, family members etc). Verbal communication, public speaking, and other important nonacademic skills are honed in this process. This is also an awesome way to get your small audience involved in discussions, feedback and help you connect the dots based on their life experiences and opinions.
 * 2) ** Final assessment: ** Because we will be working closely throughout process, the final assessments tend to be relatively easy. Your work, up front, will be a clearly defined way to prove the multiple learning outcomes and criteria. The final assessment will be presented to your teachers (face-to-face or via recorded video) and if you so choose, to your classmates as well. My favorite way to present finished work is to host a **Showcase** **Night** (e.g. The Controlling Factors Showcase) at your home and invite your favorite people (include, invites, food, drinks, feedback cards, discussions, etc).

Resources:
[|7th & 8th Grade Social Studies Vocabulary Checklist] [|7th Grade English Language Arts Flash Cards]

Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCE's)

__**7th Grade World History and Geography Standards **__ 7.1 Students analyze the causes and effects of the vast expansion and ultimate disintegration of the Roman Empire. 7.1.1 Study the early strengths and lasting contributions of Rome (e.g., significance of Roman citizenship; rights under Roman law; Roman art, architecture, engineering, and philosophy; preservation and transmission of Christianity) and its ultimate internal weaknesses (e.g., rise of autonomous military powers within the empire, under-mining of citizenship by the growth of corruption and slavery, lack of education, and distribution of news). 7.1.2 Discuss the geographic borders of the empire at its height and the factors that threatened its territorial cohesion.

**GEOGRAPHY** G1 The World in Spatial Terms G2 Places and Regions G3 Physical Systems G4 Human Systems G5 Environment and Society G6 Global Issues Past and Present

**CIVICS AND GOVERNMENT** C1 Purposes of Government C3 Structure and Functions of Government

**ECONOMICS** E1 The Market Economy E2 The National Economy E3 International Economy

(5) (A) Analyzing scenes and their contribution to the success of the plot as a whole in a variety of works of fiction (B) Analyze differences in the characters’ moral dilemmas in works of fiction across different countries or cultures (C) evaluate the connections between forms of narration and tone in works of fiction 13 A-E Expository writing process personal response
 * ELA **