Virtual Voyage Teaching Guide

AIM:
The purpose of this lesson is for students to use web-based resources and integrated technology skills to become acquainted with a francophone country, to gain real-life experience in formulating travel plans (working within a budget), and to present researched information both in written French and orally (to an audience) in French.

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RATIONALE:
The Internet is being used in everyday life with greater frequency.  Many people make travel plans and arrange entire vacations exclusively by computer.  Also, the Internet brings people visions of places they would never have dreamed of visiting otherwise.  This makes the use of a foreign language and the study of those countries in which the language is spoken that much more important.  Additionally, having to present information in various forms reinforces knowledge gained in the gathering of the information.

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GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
This lesson meets ISBE (Illinois State Board of Education) Standards in the use of  technology to gather and synthesize information and to communicate the results of same.  This lesson also allows students to reinforce their knowledge of various software and skills in conjunction with their foreign language skills.

This lesson specifically meets State of Illinois Foreign Language Standards:
28.B.3b        29.D.3          29.E.2       30.A.1a
28.D.3b        28.D.5a        29.E.3       30.A.3c
 
Specifically, upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Use search engines (Netscape or Internet Explorer) to gather resources
• Attribute their sources
• Use the Internet to make airline, ground transport and hotel reservations
• Identify francophone countries
• Research and present their research of a francophone country
• Convert time and currencies
• Use software (PowerPoint, Word, etc…) to format and present information
• Analyze foreign situations
• Create an travel plan that fits within their budget
• Use appropriate French (especially future and conditional tenses) to present information

AUDIENCE AND PRE-REQUISITES:
This lesson is intended for the high school student who has:

1. Completed two to three years of French instruction
2. Keyboarding skills
3. Basic knowledge of  Internet research, Word and PowerPoint
 

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SUBJECT-MATTER:
This lesson focuses on:

• technology integration: use of the Internet to research a francophone country, use of word-processing and presentation software
• real-life skills: working within a budget, creating an itinerary, making various reservations, interacting with non-English speakers in their language
• French language skills:  navigating French-language Internet sites, preparing a written country report in French, oral presentation in French of their research, use of appropriate French grammar and new (or revisited) vocabulary.

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN:
This lesson offers the students an opportunity for choice and for optimal self-directed learning time.  Students will choose their country of focus from a prepared list of francophone countries.  Students will have a provisional budget of $3,000 and within such must arrange travel, accommodations and tourism using both pre-selected and student-navigated Internet sites.  Students will research the history, geography, culture (including time and currency conversions) of their selected country and then present their findings in a written report in French.  Students will create a meaningful cover page for their report and use PowerPoint (or other presentation software) to orally present their country and travel plans to an audience (i.e. foreign language peers or native foreign language e-mail pals).

The teacher will need to determine the technology skill level of the students, offering instruction or refresher lessons in word processing, Internet navigation and presentation software if necessary.  The teacher will need to present or refresh various vocabulary and grammar skills (travel vocabulary, future/conditional tenses, etc…).  The teacher will assist the students in the selection of their country and in the gathering of resources (providing useful, active links).  The teacher will provide for adequate computer/lab time and provide peer presentation audiences.
 
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MATERIALS:
This lesson requires computers/lab with Internet access, word-processing and presentation software, paper for the written reports, access to projection facilities (for PowerPoint presentations), and a receptive audience for the presentations.  Printable student assessment rubrics and list of links can also be found in the teaching guide.

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ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION:
The various aspects of this lesson can be individually graded and/or the completed lesson graded as a whole.  The student rubrics offer one suggestion for the grading of the written report and criteria for the itinerary.  The student rubrics also offer a multi- layered performance assessment of the presentation (self-, peer- and teacher evaluation).  This lesson can also form part of student portfolios (i.e. the report and presentation written to disk or CD, the paper copy saved in a physical portfolio, the presentation video taped, etc…)

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LINKS:
Illinois State Board of Education
ISBE Foreign Language Standards
Francophone Countries
 

STUDENT RUBRICS:
Project Evaluation
Peer Evaluation
Self Evaluation
 

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Go to Student Virtual Voyage Lesson

Go to Mme Delaney's Homepage
 
 

PAGE LAST UPDATED 19 JULY 2000