The Young Apprentice‘For a better tomorrow read today’

Grade: 5 and 6 (ages 10-13)Key Learning Area: English and ICTTopic: Literacy, Problem Solving and Creative thinking

OverviewThe aim of the program is to promote students engagement in literacy learning and purposeful communication through ICT and to engage students in active learning through ICT and its application to other curriculum areas. Our intended outcome is to enhance literacy levels of students participating in the program and to cater for student individual abilities and learning levels. This Information Technology based program enhances student learning as it provides opportunity for teachers to cater for students individual ability level.

Project DescriptionLets get down to business…“The Young Apprentice” students create their own product that is useful and creative and they market their product to an audience. Students design their product, design and make the packaging and labels, create a company name and logo, create a company catch phrase or song, write a letter to a company advertising the product, create a business card, make a short film advertisement and present all the information to an audience to an audience using Microsoft PowerPoint to link all aspects of the project. Students research at each aspect and consider questions such as who are they selling to? How are they going to sell the product? How are they making themselves known to consumers? Does the product look good? Is it going to appeal to the consumer? Etc.

Key Learning Area Outcomes

Victorian Essential Learnings (VELS) Domains and VELS Dimensions and Standards Level 4

Victorian Essential Learnings (VELS): English: Reading: Dimensions and Standards: Read, interpret and respond to a wide range of literary, everyday and media texts in print and in multi-modal formats.Students reflect on the way imagery, characterisation, dialogue, point of view, plot and setting contribute to the meaning of written and multimodal texts.

They describe how texts are constructed for particular purposes, and identify how socio-cultural values, attitudes and beliefs are presented in texts.Writing: Dimensions and Standards: At Level 4 students produce, in print and electronic forms, a variety of texts for different purposes using structures and features of language appropriate to the purpose, audience and context of the writing.They use simple figurative language and a range of vocabulary, punctuation, grammar and visual images.Speaking and Listening: Dimensions and Standards:At Level 4 students plan, rehearse and make presentations for different purposes.They adjust their speaking to take account of context, purpose and audience, and vary tone, volume and pace of speech to create or emphasise meaning.

Victorian Essential Learnings (VELS): CommunicationListening, viewing and respondingThey describe the purpose of a range of communication strategies, including non-verbal strategies, and evaluate their effectiveness for different audiences.Presenting Students use a range of presentation formats to summarise ideas and organise information logically and clearly to meet the needs of audience and purpose. They identify the features of an effective presentation and adapt elements of their own presentation to reflect them. Using criteria provided, they evaluate the effectiveness of their own and others' presentations.

Victorian Essential Learnings (VELS): Design, Creativity and TechnologyLearning Focus Students contribute to the development of design briefs by posing questions about and identifying situations, problems, needs and opportunities for the creation of useful products.Investigating and designing At Level 4 students do research, collect data and generate ideas in response to design briefs. They use a range of strategies to develop ideas that contribute to new design briefs.They identify evaluation criteria from design briefs and use them to justify design choices.

Victorian Essential Learnings (VELS): Information and Communications Technology ICT for visualising thinkingAt Level 4 students apply ICT tools and techniques to explore processes, patterns and cause-and-effect relationships, and to test hypotheses in a range of new situations.ICT for creatingAt Level 4 students independently use a range of skills, procedures and functions to process different data types and produce accurate and suitably formatted products to suit different purposes and audiences. Students select relevant techniques for minimising the time taken to process data, and apply conventions and techniques that improve the appearance of the finished product. Students modify products on an ongoing basis in order to improve meaning and judge their products against agreed criteria. Students create and maintain an up-to-date, logically structured bank of digital evidence of their learning.

Victorian Essential Learnings (VELS): ThinkingReasoning, processing and inquiryThey collect relevant information from a range of sources and check it for accuracy. They distinguish between fact and opinion. They use the information they collect to develop concepts, solve problems or inform decision making.CreativityAt Level 4 students generate imaginative solutions when solving problems. They demonstrate flexibility in their thinking in a range of contexts.Reflection, evaluation and metacognitionAt Level 4 students use a broad range of thinking processes and tools, and reflect on and evaluate their effectiveness

Application Microsoft Word, PhotoDraw v2, PowerPoint, Movie Maker 2, Publisher, Sound

recorder and Windows Media Player. Students also need access to digital cameras, a microphone device, and a video recorder or web cam. Students are Students are able to make connections between Microsoft programs and transfer knowledge able to make connections between Microsoft programs and transfer knowledge across programs.across programs.

Additional Technology Students also need access to digital cameras, a microphone device, and a video Students also need access to digital cameras, a microphone device, and a video

recorder or web cam.recorder or web cam.

Teacher NotesFollow the student tasks. Teachers may need to plan for the use of equipment such as digital cameras and video cameras.

Objectives: The objective is to engage students in this practical communication project involving The objective is to engage students in this practical communication project involving literacy and ICT. literacy and ICT.

Objectives include: Objectives include: ••To foster creativity in student’s use of ICT. To foster creativity in student’s use of ICT. ••To develop skills in using a range of ICT tools. To develop skills in using a range of ICT tools. ••To develop cohesive linkages in more than one literacy.To develop cohesive linkages in more than one literacy.••The object is also to get students to use the language skills of listening, speaking, The object is also to get students to use the language skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing and viewing. reading, writing and viewing.

Outcomes: Outcomes: The outcome is for each group of students to design, produce and market a specific The outcome is for each group of students to design, produce and market a specific product to an audience using a range of ICT and literacy tools. product to an audience using a range of ICT and literacy tools.

Outcomes includes:Outcomes includes:••Student creativity demonstrated in a wide range of products designed. Student creativity demonstrated in a wide range of products designed. ••Students employing and combining visual literacy skills and written literacy skills to Students employing and combining visual literacy skills and written literacy skills to produce a PowerPoint presentation which also involving film making. produce a PowerPoint presentation which also involving film making. ••Throughout the project students read, view, write, discuss, evaluate, summaries and to Throughout the project students read, view, write, discuss, evaluate, summaries and to reach conclusions pertinent to their project. reach conclusions pertinent to their project.

Student ActivityStudents complete the following 10 tasks.

1. Design the Product Design a product that is useful and has not been made before. Think ‘Outside the Square!” You can design your product to involve future technology. Use your imagination and Be Creative! Draw your product and design it using Microsoft PhotoDraw or another drawing program. Draw and label your product. Keep drafts for the folder. Research similar products: Look at similar products the next time you are at the shops or look it up in the paper, magazines, advertising mail or the Internet. Find out about your competition!

Who are they selling to? How are they making themselves known to consumers? Keep all information and research in your folders for discussion.

2. Design the Packaging Create the product and the packaging using different materials. Consider the shape and size.

Does your product look good? Is it going to appeal to the consumer?Are there any issues with your product that need to be considered? Asks someone outside your group to give you feedback on these questions. Discuss these questions within your group.

3. Answer QuestionsWhat is your company name? What is your company phrase? What is your product for and what does it do? Who are you going to sell your product to? What age group or type of person? E.g. babies, adults, car drivers etc. How would you sell the product? Where are you going to sell it? Is your product appealing to look at? Why? What makes your product better than similar products? Complete all answers to questions in Microsoft Word or PowerPoint and keep the answers for the presentation.

4. Labels

Create labels for the product using Microsoft PhotoDraw, Paint or another drawing program, to go both on the product and packaging. The Labels need to tell something about the product, you need to list the parts of the product and what they are used for. The labels also need to sell the product. Are there any warnings that need to be made? E.g. Not for children under 5 years of age.Research Look at labels of similar products. What do their labels say?

5. Company Logo

Draw a picture or symbol to represent your company using Microsoft PhotoDraw or another drawing program. You can make it animated using Flash or Stop motion pro if you choose. This needs to be creative and capture the attention of the audience.

6. Business Card

Make a business card to give to potential clients using Microsoft Publisher or PhotoDraw. ResearchLook at business cards to see what they include and how to make your card get the attention of potential clients. Discuss in your group what information you are going to give on your card and what makes your card unique from others and looking professional.

7. Create a company Catch Phrase or Song

Create a company catch phrase or song and record it (to play in the presentation) using the microphone and sound recorder. Make it catchy and short, it needs to be remembered (think of advertisements on television)Don’t plagiarise another company’s catch phrase. Make up your own!

8. Make an Advertisement

Make a short film advertisement using the digital video camera Microsoft Movie Maker to create an advertisement for your product. It needs to be approximately 30 seconds long and include your product and the catch phrase or song. Is your presentation interesting/? Is it telling information about your product? Is your presentation creative? What music will you use? Does your advertisement need a voice over? Research: What advertisements on T.V, what makes them interesting, funny creative, etc? Consider camera angles, music and sounds etc.

9. Write a Letter to a companyWrite a letter to a company convincing them to buy your product. Use Microsoft Word to write the letter. Research Look at business letters and how they are set out. Follow the same format to make your letter look professional.

10. The PresentationPresent your product including all the 10 tasks to an audience using Microsoft PowerPoint (link work from other programs to the one presentation or copy and paste all work into the PowerPoint presentation) You can use drama and other visual aids to help engage your audience.

Consider these points: How are you going to engage your audience? How are you going to make the talk interesting? What visual aides are you going to use? How are you going to convince the audience that your product is the best? How are you going to use your voice? Are you going to use any drama or element of surprise to make your presentation interesting to watch? Are you going to give out any cards or promotional material? How is your presentation going to stand out? ExtensionAnimationICT extension activities include making the logos animated using Macromedia Flash or Stop motion pro.

Assessment

Assessment of students work is based on completion of all tasks, creativity, teamwork, and the folios, application of new skills learnt, the final product and presentation. Students are also assessed for reporting according to the Victorian Essential Learning Standards.