This one-month project involves 6th grade students documenting their local San Pedro community. Students will work in teams to plan and capture images, drawings, and video that represent different areas of San Pedro. Each student will also write a descriptive essay about their experience. The goal is for students to create a walking tour that brings their town to life for outsiders. Students will learn writing strategies, public speaking, and collaboration skills. They will present their documentation of San Pedro through an art or media presentation and submit individual descriptive essays.

1. PROJECT OVERVIEW
Name of Project: San Pedro Community Project Duration: 1 month
Subject/Course: 6th grade Language Arts Teacher(s): Ms. Gonzalez Grade Level: 6th
Other subject areas to
be included, if any:
Project Idea Students work as a team to document the different places that represent the San Pedro community. The teams will plan
Summary of the issue, prepare and execute a strategy to document their community through images, drawings, video etc. Each individual in
challenge, investigation, the team will document their experience through a descriptive essay.
scenario, or problem:
Driving Question How can creating a walking tour of San Pedro make your town come alive for outside visitors?
Content and Skills
Standards to be Writing 1.0 Writing Strategies: Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays. The writing exhibits students' awareness of the
addressed: audience and purpose. Essays contain formal introductions, supporting evidence, and conclusions. Students progress through the stages of
the writing process as needed.
2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics): Students write narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive texts of at
least 500 to 700 words in each genre. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the research,
organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0.
T+A E T+A E
21st Century Skills Collaboration x Other:
to be explicitly taught and
assessed (T+A) or that
will be encouraged (E) by
Presentation x
project work, but not
taught or assessed: Critical Thinking: x
Presentation Audience:
Group: Art or media presentation of San Pedro
Culminating Class:
Products and
x
Performances
School:
Community:
Descriptive essay Experts:
Individual:
Web:
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 1
Other:
PROJECT OVERVIEW

2. PROJECT TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE
Project: San Pedro Community Project Course/Semester: Fall ELA 6
Knowledge and Skills Needed By Students Scaffolding / Materials/ Lessons To Be Provided
to successfully complete culminating products and by the project teacher, other teachers, experts,
performances, and do well on summative assessments mentors, or community members
What is a descriptive essay and its elements Writing process and examples of descriptive essays
(teacher)

How to write a descriptive reflection Journaling lessons and practice (teacher)

Public speaking ability Lessons on public speaking (expert- National champion
speech coach), mock presentation by instructor, peer
 assessment using rubric of practice presentations


© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 2

3. PROJECT CALENDAR
Project: San Pedro Community Project Start Date: Fall
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
Project Week One
• DI- • DW • Team time- • Writing • editing
Descriptive examples planning Strategy lesson plan
writing (DW) review time Practice • apply
lesson • Team • Lesson • Begin DW strategy
• Analyze DW composition -Specific rough draft (ies) to DW
essays • Entry writing • Team time • team time
• Introduce activity strategy to process and review plan,
reflective • journal address scheduling process and
journaling • journal • journal scheduling
• journal
Project Week Two
• public • continue DW • writing • team time • team time
speaking writing strategy/edit reflection reflection
lesson process ing practice • DW • DW editing
• team time rough draft • team time- • Public • Public
schedule/act • public reflection speaking speaking
ivities speaking • public practice practice
• journal exercise speaking • journal • Journal
• journal practice
• journal
Project Week Three
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 3

4. • team time
project
composition
• DW and
editing
• Public
speaking
practice
Project Week Four
• Presentation
• DW final
draft
© 2008 Buck Institute for Education 4

5. © 2008 Buck Institute for Education 5