Packaging Improvement Project: Lesson #1 (Days 1 - 9)

Essential Question: How can packaging be improved?

Introduction:

Students will analyze packaging that frustrates them and propose a solution to improve the package. Students will post their ideas on a web-based application called VoiceThread.

Learning Outcomes:

• Students collaborate and use technology to complete a high quality final product.
• Students offer meaningful peer feedback to improve projects.
• Students self-assess to improve final product and group work skills.

Classroom Time Required:

• 9 forty-five minute classes

Materials Needed:

• Handouts: (3) Brainstorming Guide, Packaging Improvement Project Guide, VoiceThread Checklist
One per student
• Handouts: (1) Group Work Assessments (Personal and Peer)
One 1/2 sheet per group member
*Tip: Photocopy the “Personal Assessment” (page 1) on a different color of paper from the “Peer Assessment” (page 2). You will only need one “Personal Assessment” 1/2 per student. For the “Peer Assessment” (page 2) You will need enough copies for every group member to complete one about each of his/her other group members.
• Handouts: (1) Peer Assessment: “Best of Nomination”
Three per student
• Handouts: (1) Certificate: “Award of Excellence”
Copy for each group member as needed


Technology Required:

• Digital projector, screen, and computer with Internet access
• Computers with Internet access (one computer per group)
• Headphones with built in microphone (one pair per group)
• Each group will need access to a digital camera


Pre-activities:

• Complete Packaging Lesson 2: Purpose of Packaging and Packaging Lesson 3: Motivation to Buy.

• Assign students to groups of two or three.

• Purchase VoiceThread educators account.*

• Create username and log-in for each student.*
• * Allow one hour to complete these tasks.
• Teachers can purchase an educational account for $60 per year. Please go to http://voicethread.com/about/k12/ for more information.

Lesson:

Day 1 - Brainstorm

1. Have students sit with their project group members.
   • Each group will create one VoiceThread Project. 

2. Use the Brainstorming Guide to introduce the idea behind the project.
   • Follow the directions on the Brainstorming Guide. Parts of the Brainstorming Guide are to be completed individually and parts are to be completed with partners in their pre-assigned groups. 

3. By the end of class student groups should choose which specific package they want to study for their project 

4. Each group should complete the last page of the Brainstorming Guide titled “Product Request Form”.




Day 2 - Introduce the Project


1. Use the Packaging Improvement Project Guide to introduce the project details. 

2. Assign due dates for each section as you read through the Project Guide. 

3. Using a digital projector, show one example of a VoiceThread.

   You can show any example published on the public site. Be sure to preview the VoiceThread before showing it to students.

When viewing the VoiceThread, point out features, tools, and terminology that students will be able to use. 


   For example: 


   • slides

   • comments both oral and typed

   • different types of visuals - pdfs, word documents, photographs, PowerPoint slides, jpegs, etc.

   • drawing tool 

4. Assign steps one through three on the Project Guide. 

5. Let students work in their groups. Yesterday groups selected their imperfection, now they must focus on how they hope to improve the packaging.

Day 3 - Design Improvement

1. Let student groups work on steps one through three of the Project Guide. Rotate from group to group. Make whole class announcements to monitor the time and keep groups on task.



   Students should upload all photographs to the computer. 


2. Students should finalize their ideas and drawings for step two: “suggested packaging improvement.”



   If available, students may prefer to use a computer to create their improvement slide.




Day 4 - Write Narratives

1. As a class, read step five of the Project Guide. 

2. Pass out the VoiceThread Checklist to each student. Discuss the specific details requested for each slide. 

3. Have student groups work on step five of the Project Guide. Each group should develop a written “script” or narrative. 

4. Let student groups work on step five of the Project Guide. Rotate from group to group. Make whole class announcements to monitor the time and keep groups on task.
 


Day 5 - Refine Narratives

1. Remind the class of key points from the VoiceThread Checklist. For example: keeping the narrative engaging and persuasive. 

2. Students should refine the narrative script for each slide and continue to make edits. Have students check off items on the VoiceThread Checklist as they complete them. 

3. Students should match a visual (photograph, illustration etc.) to each slide. Students should address the visual in their narrative. For example, “As you see here in the picture...”

4. Students should rehearse their scripts out loud. 

5. Continue to have student groups work on step five of the Project Guide. Rotate from group to group. Make whole class announcements to monitor the time and keep groups on task.



Day 6 - Log-in to VoiceThread

1. Students complete step four of the Project Guide by logging in to VoiceThread for the first time.
   • Pass out usernames and passwords.

   • Walk each student through the log in process. 

2. Students create their project’s “Title Slide” according to step four of the Project Guide.

3. Students should also complete the first part of step six today: “Upload all photos and visuals to their VoiceThread project.”
   • When uploading photos to the VoiceThread project, students should be logged in under one account. There will be only one VoiceThread per group. To access the project’s visuals students will have to be logged in as the same group member each time.
   • Group members can leave comments logged in as themselves or they can share the microphone and stay logged in under the main student’s account. 

4. Students continue to rehearse their slides.
   • Students should practice using the microphones to record and listen to their work.


   • Groups may take different approaches to narrating their project. Some groups may have one person narrate each slide. Other groups may decide to pass the microphone back and forth so everyone narrates each slide.
5. Have students use the VoiceThread Checklist to make sure they have included all important details of the project.

6. Continue to have student groups work on step five and six of the Project Guide. Rotate from group to group. Make whole class announcements to monitor the time and keep groups on task.

Day 7 - Rehearse and Record


1. Students continue to rehearse and record their slides. By the end of class all narration should be recorded on the appropriate slide.
2. Be sure students use the VoiceThread Checklist to verify that they included all important details of the project.

3. Continue to have student groups work on step five and six of the Project Guide. Rotate from group to group. Make whole class announcements to monitor the time and keep groups on task.


Day 8 - Wrap-up, Assess

1. Using the final page (page 4)of the of the VoiceThread Checklist titled “Final Checklist”, have groups self-assess their project for completion. 

2. Students should make improvements as needed.

3. An important step of this final checklist is verifying that each group has properly “shared” their project. Once the project is “shared” other students can view it and leave comments. 

4. Projects must be completely finished by the end of class. 

5. Rotate from group to group. Make whole class announcements to monitor the time and keep groups on task.

6. With 15 minutes left in class begin the Group Assessment.
7. Students complete the Group Work Assessments (Personal and Peer) for each member of the group. For more details read “Assessing Group Participation” under the “Assessment” heading below.

8. Provide a quiet time for students to assess each other. Encourage privacy and anonymity.
9. Do not accept assessments without thoughtful explanations written on the back of each paper. 

10. Collect all project materials including assessments and checklists.


Day 9 - Viewing Other Projects

1. Handout the Peer Assessment: “Best of Nomination” to each student.
2. As a class, go over how to use this tool and the importance of being a thoughtful peer assessor.

3. Assign each student three different projects to watch.<
   • Be systematic to ensure that every group project is watched by numerous people. 

4. Send students to the computers to complete the Peer Assessment form while watching their assigned projects. 

5. Collect and review the Peer Assessment forms.
   • Arrange the forms by project. Look for trends. Use these forms to find the most nominated projects. 

6. At a later date, award the group members of most frequently nominated projects with the Certificate: “Award of Excellence”. Student names will need to be added to the certificate before they are printed. 
 





Assessment:

During group work continuously monitor the room and ask probing questions to each group to informally asses student understanding of the project and effectiveness of the group dynamics. Intervene and redirect when necessary.

Assessing Group Participation:

At the end of the project, have each student complete the Group Work Assessment “Personal Assessment” 1/2 sheet. Then, have each student complete the Group Work Assessment “Peer Assessment” 1/2 sheet for each of their group members. Be sure to have students elaborate on the back of the assessment. Make piles by name and staple piles with the self assessment on top. Each group member should end up with one self-assessment and a peer assessment from each of their group members. Read the comments for each student. Highlight important points and make written comments on the self-assessment sheet.

Assessing the Product:

After watching each project write a summary for each group. E-mail the summary to each of the group members. In the summary be sure to address meeting deadlines, using rubrics/checklists, and quality of the content. Reviewing the Peer Assessment: “Best of Nominations” for each project will be a good reminder of the projects strengths and weaknesses.

Modifications:

Offer additional teacher guidance to students who struggle with breaking apart long term projects. Offer consistent support and closer teacher guidance to groups as needed.