By: Nellista Bess Harris

Teaching Team: Darryl Harris, Nellista Bess Harris, Patricia Harris

School: John F. Kennedy HS, Paterson, NJ

Grade Levels; Grade 10 students in 2 classes of the smaller learning community.

Academic Focus/

Core Curriculum Standards:

Language Arts Literacy: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4

Social Studies: 6.2 ;

Career Education: 9.1B

Hurdles Encountered:

Hurdles Deciding on dates, assignments, scheduling of issues

Solution: Compromise and majority vote. Key core committee elected by students are responsible for other decisions.

With the institution of block scheduling and smaller learning communities, students have the opportunity to combine learning in many disciplines to complete a project. This service-learning project fills a vital need at JF Kennedy: seniors need information about academic responsibilities (college admission deadlines, process) as well as social demands (budgeting for school trip, senior prom, etc.). In an innovative plan, 10^th grade students, working collaboratively, explore these areas through on-line research, reading informational texts, interviewing faculty, seniors and graduates, comparing costs from previous years, investigating cost-saving opportunities. Each group of students is responsible for becoming experts in a specific area. The students write, edit, and publish two newsletters during the year that they distribute to the senior class. Not only does this project apprise seniors of responsibilities in a timely manner, but also it gives the 10^th grade writers a jumpstart for their own senior year, guiding them in choosing classes and activities, and helping them in planning fund-raisers as sophomores that will benefit them as seniors.

This is an on-going project over the year; one period bi-weekly with daily work at deadline time.

Project Scheduling: Class time

This is an interdisciplinary project. Although it appears to be an English project, it really could take place in any of the disciplines of the smaller learning community because it addresses the CC Standards.

Language Arts Literacy: Students demonstrate reading, writing, listening and speaking in all phases of this project because they must read a non-fiction text for comprehension, do Internet research, utilize interviewing skills in obtaining information and use writing skills in explaining and editing their work.

Mathematics: Students must ascertain costs of senior year activities, compare costs in different venues, provide a comparative cost study.

Social Studies: This is a civics lesson in action: helping one another.

Technology: Students demonstrate computer and publishing skills

Career Education: Training for employability takes place.

Consumer, Family & Life Skills: Students demonstrate self-management, problem solving,.

Character Education: Students illustrate responsibility, respect for one another, empathy and good citizenship.

Performance-based Education; Project-based learning activity with students deciding how to achieve goal.

Cooperative Learning; Students work collaboratively in groups, developing area of expertise.

Interdisciplinary Approach: Multi-disciplinary project

Growth outcomes should be two-fold: students develop pride in their work and a sense of achievement for being able to inform seniors about issues. The students also develop insight in 10^th grade about issues that often aren't addressed until much later.

Celebration: With the publication of each issue, a class celebration (food), and coverage by the school newspaper.

Recognition: Names on the masthead of the paper. Local media cover the publication.

Key Findings: It is hoped that students get turned onto learning that is truly connected with their life.

Many community organizations that provide discounts or giveaways get involved in the project.

Parents help in collating and distribute copies of the newsletter at PTO meetings.

Reflection Activities: Students hold discussion after each issue: What did we gain from this issue? What did the seniors gain? Final Reflective Paper: How did this project affect your attitude toward school? How did it involve you with the community? If you could change one aspect, what would it be? How did this project train you to be an effective citizen?

Means of Assessment: Each collaborative group hands in bi-weekly account outlining the work of the individual as well as that of the group itself. Every student and every group receives a grade based on a rubric.