Students create a brochure or web page to convince UN member countries to become involved in internationalism.
Instructional Support
A number of possible tasks are provided in this suggested activity. It is not intended that you work through all of the tasks, but rather select those tasks and resources that will best meet the learning needs of your students. The focus should be on ensuring that students have the background and support to be successful with the skill that is the focus for assessment (communicate information).
Setting the Context for Learning
- Select a variety of websites based on student interest. As students engage with the websites, ask them to determine which they prefer and to consider what features make certain websites more effective than other ones.
- Select a variety of brochures based on student interest. As students examine the brochures, ask them to determine which they prefer and to consider what features make certain brochures more appealing than others.
Communicate Information
- Remind students that the purpose of communication in this context is to persuade the audience (in this case, representatives of countries) of the benefits of becoming involved in international affairs. Share with students an example of persuasive writing. Grades 6–8, Student Model—Summer: 15 Days or 2 ½ Months? is a sample persuasive piece that could be used. As a class, identify the techniques and language used by the writer that encourage the audience to agree with a specific point of view.
- As students begin working on the final part of the summative assessment task, communicate information, assemble an assortment of brochures and websites for students to examine.
- After students examine the assembled brochures, brainstorm with them a list of qualities of an effective brochure. Qualities might include the following:
- balances visuals and text
- provides concise and relevant information
- engages the reader.
Students will likely generate additional qualities that can be added to the list.
- After students examine the assembled websites, brainstorm with them a list of qualities of an effective website. Qualities might include the following:
- balances visuals and text
- provides concise and relevant information
- engages the reader.
Students will likely generate additional qualities that can be added to the list.
- After brainstorming, encourage students to see the similarities between the lists that they generated. This is an opportunity to encourage students to focus on the communication aspects of creating their products, and to not become consumed by the technical aspects of the medium they have chosen.
- Post in the classroom the lists of qualities that students brainstormed so that students may refer to them throughout the project.
Formative Assessment
Throughout this suggested activity, you will support students in achieving the following skill that is the focus for assessment:
The following formative assessment opportunity is provided to help students unpack and develop the focus skill for assessment. Feedback prompts are also provided to help students enhance their demonstration of the focus skill for this activity. Formative assessment support is not intended to generate a grade or score.
Formative Assessment: Assessment for Learning Opportunity
Communicate Information
Engage students in a self-reflection about the effectiveness of their communication. Use the feedback prompts below to provide structure in guiding students through this formative assessment opportunity.
Feedback Prompts:
Did I persuade my audience by …
- using language skillfully?
- providing concise and relevant information?
Did I engage my audience by …
- balancing text and visuals?
- using visuals that support my message?
These feedback prompts can be posted on an interactive white board or bulletin board, or incorporated into a feedback tool that can be copied for student use. Samples of tools created for a similar skill within a different formative assessment context may be found in the Social Studies 20-4 Formative Assessment Summary 
.
Linking to the Summative Assessment Task
- As students communicate information through the suggested activity Getting Your Message Across, they will have completed the Summative Assessment Task: Committing to Internationalism
.
- Students should consult the assessment task and the assessment task rubric to ensure that they have provided the information required.
- Encourage students to use the feedback received through the formative assessment opportunity to make enhancements to their work in progress.
- If necessary, continue to use the feedback prompts from the formative assessment opportunity to coach students toward completion of a quality product.
- If student performance does not yet fall within the three levels described in the summative assessment task rubric, work with the student to formulate a plan to address the student's learning needs.
Suggested Supporting Resources
Textbook References
Student Basic Resource—McGraw-Hill Ryerson, Understanding Nationalism:
- Pages 202–206 What Motivates Nations and Nation–States to Become Involved in International Affairs?
- Pages 210–211 How Do the Motives of Nations and Nation–States Shape Their Responses to the Rest of the World?
- Pages 214–217 What Are Some Understandings of Internationalism?Show more
- Pages 266–270 What Are Some Contemporary Global Issues?
- Pages 271–272 Internationalism and Poverty
- Page 276 Internationalism and Climate Change
- Page 278 Internationalism and Human Rights
- Page 279 Internationalism and Conflict
- Page 280 How Effective Is Internationalism in Addressing Contemporary Global Issues?
Teaching Resource—McGraw-Hill Ryerson, Understanding Nationalism:
- Reproducible 3.9.4 Nation–States and Involvement in International Affairs
- Reproducible 3.9.6 Possible Responses to International Affairs
- Reproducible 3.9.7 Reading PhotographsShow more
- Reproducible 3.9.8 Picturing Internationalism
- Reproducible 3.9.9 How Canada's Involvement with Other Countries Affects Me and My Community
- Reproducible 3.10.1 How Canada's Foreign Policy Decisions Affect My Life
Web Resources
Web Links for Online Sources:
Knowledge and Employability Studio (Social Studies):
Videos:
Distributed Learning/Tools4Teachers Resources:
Critical Challenges:
