Multiple Days 2

 Passport Around the World

Suggested Level: High School                                                      Suggested Time: April-May

Promotion: Begin promoting this creative activity beginning in early April. You can create a display or banner promoting travel, inquiry, and creative expression. On a bulletin, ask students to write their ideal country to visit on a travel ticket cut-out. Have them write a sentence stating why they are interested in that particular area. 

Purpose: Engage learners by activating prior knowledge, using guided inquiry, to create inviting visuals to display their learning. 

                        

Learning Objective:  Students will choose a country to research facts about, including, but not limited to, historical context, world events, literature, key figures/events, and fun facts to create an informative visual representation of their key findings. 

Materials Needed: 

• makerspace section with: paper, crayons, popsicle sticks, cardboard in various sizes, markers, tri-folds or posters, Chromebooks, and any other hands-on material they could use
• cardstock paper for a base
• glue
• cotton balls
• document camera and screen or smartboard
• paper 
• pencils
• travel and passport cutouts 
• camera/printer for passports

Instructional Process

Instructional Day 1: The school librarian will introduce diverse cultures and provide examples of authors, texts, and historical images to briefly capture the audience. You can even begin with an interactive game that will activate prior knowledge of countries and cultures, such as a quick game of Kahoot. You can activate their prior knowledge and inquiry by asking: 

• What is one country or region in the world that you have always wanted to visit? Why?
• If you could travel back in time, where would you go and what would you do?
• Are there any important historical figures that you like to read about? or any you would like to know more about?

Hand out blank sheets of paper,  and jot down ideas for a country of choice, along with important dates, events that may have taken place there, different customs, foods, entertainment, or important people from that specific country. Your paper should be displayed from a document camera. This would allow students to see you do a think-aloud while planning what you could possibly research and why. 

Closing for the day: Ask students to write down an area of interest that they will search for the following class day. This would also be a good time to model how to find pertaining library resources. They will need to find resources to explore and create a visual representation to share with the class. 

Instructional Day 2: Guided Inquiry Day! Guide students towards a model lesson on how to find resources. It would be beneficial to have a Pathfinder for student use. This will make it much easier for students to have a starting point. 

Give the task: They are to work collaboratively with a partner to decide on a country that they would like to learn more about. They are to find resources in a variety of formats, that will provide them with relevant information. They must look for historical events, key figures, fun facts, worldly connections, people, popular travel destinations, etc. 

 

Actively monitor the students and offer guidance as needed.

Closing: As students to begin narrowing down their information and begin planning how they will showcase the information. 

Instructional Day 3: Makerspace Day! Take student "passport" pictures as they come in. This will be a token for completing the whole lesson. 

Guide students to the maker's designated area or tables. Remind them that they can use any, some, or all of the resources offered in the makerspace area. Actively monitor and assess their learning as they collaborate with their partners to create visual representations. Offer guidance or feedback for all learners.

Closing: Have the students share their work with the class. This can also be done as a gallery walk. Invite students to leave their group work to display around the library. This would be great to show other classes they kind of activities that could be done. 

Remember to take pictures to promote in and around the campus! Don't forget your school library site!