Group Presentations on Africa

Students worked together using a variety of nonfiction sources including DOE social studies trade books and the internet, to research a geographical element of Africa.  They practiced using nonfiction text features to locate information, as well as using features such as photographs and maps to enhance comprehension. They used the information they collected to organize and draft their own nonfiction text with topic sentence and supporting details.  They then made a plan to present their work.
Group work can be challenging, especially early in the year, as most students are used to working individually.  They also don't always have the language to dialogue and problem solve effectively.  Added to this are a heterogeneous set of skills including reading comprehension and writing accuracy.  In spite of the complexity of the task, students did an excellent job learning, as well as presenting and reflecting.  Here is a sample:

Here is some feedback to enable growth: