Process
Stage 1: Research Your Country
You will research your nation using a mind map created in Mindmeister. This background information will help you accomplish your tasks.
1. Type “7hums- research-your nation” in the center node. Share the mind map with your partners and your teacher.
2. Write the name of your nation in the center node. Then create 8 connected nodes naming each node with one of the ESPRAT+G categories for studying social studies remembering to also list a node for history. Find the categories below with some questions for you to answer. Add each of these questions to its category node. Then use the Note tool for each question to record your answer. Remember to record each of your sources directly into each note as you will produce a bibliography.
3. As you do your research on each of the categories think of more questions to add to your categories.
4. You will then work to answer the questions using your skills of analysis, synthesis, evaluation and creation to then write up your grant proposal.
Categories: History, Economics, Sociology (culture), Political (Government), Religion, Arts, Technology & Science, and Geography.
You will need to think of questions to research and add them to your mind map adding new nodes to the category nodes. Here are some questions to get you started. You need to come up with many more questions. As you analyze the information remember to think which people, events & actions led to certain outcomes (Cause & Effect). Keep thinking about how the Gates’ money could be used to advance your nation especially in changing some of the negative causes that would then lead to new and positive effects.
History>
1. Describe two major events in the history of your nation that affected the culture, economy, technology development, etc. today.
2. What were the original tribes that inhabited your nation? Where did and do they live now?
3. How were the borders created? How do the borders affect the tribes?
4. How was your nation affected by outside countries?
5. Research and fully define the words “colonialism” and “imperialism”.
6. How did colonialism affect your country?
Economics (Human, Natural & Capital Resources)>
1. What are the “human resources”? How are they used?
2. What are the “natural resources”? How are they used?
3. What are the “capital resources”? How are they used?
4. How easy or difficult is it for businesses and individuals to get loans?
5. How does corruption affect opportunities for small business to get a start?
6. How much of the population benefits from the various resources?
7. What are the main parts of your country’s economy?
8. What are the main jobs people have?
9. How well do the people live?
10. What are the main causes of poverty in your country?
Sociology>
1.What is the education system? Go into detail concerning K-12 and higher education opportunities.
2.What is the literacy rate? What percentage have university degrees?
3.What is the culture of your nation giving specific examples of the food, music, literature, art and language?
4. How can any of these examples of culture be funded to advance your nation?
5. Fully describe the culture of the tribes within your country. What are important roles and in which classes are they in your nation’s society?
6. Who are the “movers and shakers”? How did they get to their positions?
7. What influence do the individuals in the main roles have on the culture and society?
8. How has corruption become a part of the culture in your country?
Political (Government)>
1. What is the history of government and the current government in your country?
2. Why do they have their current form of government? How did it come into being?
3. How well does the government work to take care of the country and majority of people? (Examples: drinkable water, good education system, healthcare, electricity to all homes all the time, good roads, etc.)
4. Does the government have enough money each year to take care of its responsibilities? (i.e., education, roads, national defense, etc.)
5.How does the government take care of social spending needs vs military spending?
6. Is there a large bureaucracy in the government that makes it difficult for people and businesses to get permits, information, licenses?
7. How does a large and corrupt government bureaucracy hurt a nation and its people?
8. Where does the government get money for its budget from? Think within and outside the nation.
9. How responsible is the government in using the money it has?
10. What percentage of the population has HIV/AIDS?
11. How does the government work to fight poverty and disease (examples, tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS)?
12. Which tribes or religious groups (sects) have the most power?
13. What is life like for those tribes or religious groups not having much power?
Religion>
1.What are the religions the people follow?
2.What is the history of the religions? Who led their development?
3.What place do the religions have in society today?
Arts>
1.What are some of the main ways people share their creativity and culture (e.g., dance, music, etc.)? Offer specific descriptions of each.
2.How do the arts influence life in your nation?
3.How does life influence the arts in your nation?
Technology & Science>
1.Where does your nation stand in having modern transportation systems (i.e, airports, road systems, public transportation, etc.)?
2.Where does your nation stand in having modern communication systems (i.e, phone, Internet, cable TV, etc.)?
3.Are there pollution problems? How is the government possibly using technology/science to deal with these problems?
Geography>
1. How has geography affected the culture and economy today?
2. Are there weather patterns that affect the way people live? (examples, seasonal monsoons, dry season, etc.)
3. How can the geography be used to advance your country?
What questions did you come up with during your research? Add them to your notes and work to answer them!
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Current Events>
Use online news agencies and newspapers to stay on top of cultural, geographical, governmental and economic actions/events in your country.
Visit the Web sites of international aid providers like the World Bank, Oxfam, the Gates Foundation, USAID, etc.(see Wikipedia for directory) to see what projects they are working on. They also provide vital data about economic, health, education, etc. issues in Third World nations.
*You will be writing several blog posts on current events of your nation as well as reflections about your research.
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Research Check In>
1) Your teacher will be reviewing your progress by checking your mind maps. Comments will be listed in your mind maps and you will have a consultation with your teacher to support your efforts.
2) Now that everyone has completed their research, you will work with a partner to prepare to teach a lesson of your answers to some of the research questions. You will draw from a hat a set of question numbers (e.g., 1-5, 6-10, etc.) that you and a partner will design your lesson around. Your classmates will be taking notes to improve their answers for the questions each team presents. The audience also will share their insights to assist everyone to improve their understanding.
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Stage 2: Research China
Your team will read articles that explain why the economic miracle occurred in China. Look for possible ways to apply strategies used in China in your African nation.
1. You will create a new node called “Factors in China” in your Mindmeister mind map. Drag this node off to one side.
2. The next step is to create nodes with each one giving a reason why China advanced economically.
3. Use the Note tool to give a full explanation for each reason. Remember to cite your sources.
4. Add an additional node entitled “Questions & Topics” where you will use the Note tool to record questions and topics that you want to learn more about.
5. Use the Resource section and speak to adults who have knowledge about the growth of China’s economy (hint: your parents, other relatives, and your teachers) to do your research.
6. Use your skills of analysis, synthesis, evaluation and creation to review the data from your research to learn why China had such economic growth the past 15 years or so. Remember to ask yourself questions to guide your thinking looking at the culture of the China. How has the government (and type of government) been so important in the process? What resources (human, capital and natural) have helped China advance?
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Stage 3: Possibilities & Problem Solving
1. Your team will create a new section of your mind map where you write in a node “Problems, Possibilities & Answers”. Drag this node off to the side to develop this new section. Use your skills of analysis, synthesis, evaluation and creation to review the data from your research to create solutions to the problems of your nation.
2. You will add nodes to the center node dragging them to the right where you list specific strengths of your country. Examples might be a great education system, large oil deposits, wonderful wildlife, etc. that can be built upon to advance the nation economically.
3. You will then add nodes to your diagram dragging them to the left side where you list the problems your country must overcome to advance economically. Examples might be: corruption, poorly managed capital resources, overpopulation, tribal warfare, etc.
4. Use the Note tool to for each strength describing how you would leverage it to advance the nation. Your team is to also use the Note tool to offer ways in how to overcome each problem. You need to be very specific about how the Gates’ money will be used. This means researching how much it costs to build an airport, a hospital, 100 kilometers of highway, etc. So do your best to put a price tag on any of your ideas whether they be dealing with negatives or making the most of positives.
5. Growth and Development Blog Post. To help us understand big issues, it helps to look at our own lives for experiences to gain understanding. Ask yourself, what do I need for my personal growth and development? Another way to look at this is to ask what can get in the way of personal growth and development? Reflect on these two questions, brainstorm your ideas and then write an essay to answer the question “what do I need for my personal growth and development?”. Create a Google Doc entitled “7hums-growth- your name”. Share it with one team partner and teacher. You will go through the writing process involving peer editing to create this important writing piece that you will publish as a blog post.
6. Grant Proposal. Each team is to download the Grant Proposal template (see attachment below), copy and paste it into a Google Document naming it “7hums- grant proposal- your nation” sharing it with your teacher. Start working on the rough draft of your Grant Proposal.
7. Promotional Slideshow Video. Create a new node in your mindmap naming it “Video” dragging it off to one side. Your team is to construct a storyboard listing each slide and its contents. Use specific data (e.g., numbers listing amount of natural resources, literacy rates, kilometers of roads, etc.) and include at least one graph to build your argument in why your nation is worth the Gates’ investment. You also will write a script for the narration of your video. As you are trying to persuade Mr. and Mrs. Gates, review the Resources section on Information & Persuasive Speaking. Also review the Promotional Videos section of the Resources page to give you examples as you design and create your promotional video. It must include narration in some parts while you can use music in others.
*Your teacher will share a lesson on story boarding and good design in multimedia presentation creation. Use the multimedia rubric attached at the bottom of the page to help you create your project.
*Your teacher will share a lesson on a theory about the levels of needs we need to have covered for us to really advance.
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Stage 4: Blog Post- The Negative Effects of Economic Advancement
You and an partner are to create a Google Document, name it “7hums-negative effects- your names”. Share it with your teacher. As you learn more about the dramatic changes occurring in China the past 15 years, you need to think about the negative effects of the growing economy. You are to work with your partner to answer the question in a shared blog post:
What might the human, ecological and cultural costs be for your African nation to experience the “economic miracle” that China has accomplished?
Use your Google Document to record your ideas and research as you gather insights from family as well as information from the various online databases and search engines in the Resources section.
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Stage 5: Presentation Building
Your research is complete. It is time to analyze your information and create the following:
Written Grant Proposal> Fully complete the three page grant proposal template (attached below then shared in your Google Docs) that builds the argument for Mr. and Mrs. Gates to provide the funding for your country to advance it economically. Review the rubric (see attachment below) to guide your effort.
Promotional Video> You need to finalize your video in which your team works to “sell” your nation to the Gates’ telling what your country has going for it and what the funds will be used for to help it advance. Your video should contain at least one graph that shares specific data about some aspect of your nation. It can also contain a graph of predicted future data if your country receives the funding and makes the changes you put forth in your proposal. Remember to include examples of your nation’s culture especially the visual (sculpture, painting) and performing (dance, acting) arts! It must include narration in some parts while you can use music in others. Review the rubric below to guide your effort.
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Ongoing Sharing> Use your blog and mind map to document what you are learning. You are also to read your classmates’ blogs to see what the other teams are learning.
Essential Questions Podcast>
Your team is to create one mind map entitled “7hums-EQs- your nation”. Share it with each other and your teacher. As you go through your research, you are to add your ideas and possible answers to the essential questions listed below.
Once you complete your research, the next step is to sit down together and discuss what you have on your mind map. Work together to fully answer each question. You are to then record a discussion where you talk with each other about your answers. Each team member’s ideas and voice should come through for each question.
You are to include the following in your podcast: •Intro music
•Clear introduction of your team name and members
•Clear statement of each essential question before you start answering it
•Full discussion and answer for each question
•Each team member is to lead out on at least one question
•Closing music
Essential Questions:
•Why are there “movers and shakers”?
•What needs to be in place for growth and development?
•How to know the truth?
•How did we get to this place?
Now go to Resources