Amplifying Voices: Home

Objective: Create an Original "Where I'm From" Poem *

Include:

• Original Poem - Where I’m From

    I'm from …

    I'm from …

    I'm from …

• Create at least 3 stanzas in your poem
• Creatively display your poem. Consider drawing and using markers
• Copies of photos of you in country of origin, if available
• Images from country to go with poem
• QR Code leading to music from the country of origin

*Credit goes to George Ella Lyon for the "Where I'm From" lesson and Maria Laws for sharing her enthusiasm, creative ideas, and lesson.

Prewriting - (LLHS, M. Laws)

Examples of "Where I'm From" Poems

Make Your Trifold Look Great!

• Important Information should be readable from a distance
• Consider using some bullets, numbering, and headlines to make it easy to read
• Title is short and draws interest
• Create some contrast using color, font, various sizes, etc.
• Use effective graphics
• Consider the location of items
• Consider including a big image
• Text is to the point

Click here to see some ideas on creating an effective trifold

Objective: Research Your Country of Origin

Include:

• Student Name
• Country of Origin
• Timeline of Country 1945 to Present (all major events must be included)
• Country Facts - population, government, current leader, languages, religion
• Research one major issue your country faces today - Is that issue being addressed?  If so, how?
• Map of Country, including border countries
• Works Cited posted on back of trifold (Create with NoodleTools)

Start your research using these databases:

CultureGrams

ABC-CLIO

Britannica

For a timeline, Google - Name of your country BBC Timeline

Type in for example: Brazil BBC Timeline

Objective: Interview your oldest relative who lived or lives in your country of origin. Find out about their life while living there. 

Include:

• Introductory paragraph about the person you interviewed.  Include their place of birth, age, and how they are related to you.
• Write up of their story
• Photo of person interviewed, if available

Interview Tips:

• Consider leading the interview so that there is a beginning, middle, and end to their story. (Not a list of facts.)
• Keep the interview short, 10 to 15 minutes. 
• If you record the conversation, get permission first.  (Remember, you will need to write it down later to put it on the trifold.) 
• Prepare interview questions ahead of time. Include these questions: 1. What are the major historical events that you experienced?  What is your strongest memory from that time period? 2. What kind of government did you live under?  What was the experience like?
• Ask simple questions, then listen.