PDR 1

Running head: REIMAGINING STUDENT WORK SPACE
Professional Development Resource 1: Collaborative Learning
Ellen Dailey
Gardner-Webb University
REIMAGINING STUDENT WORK SPACE
The Lord of the Flies: Using Collaborative Learning to Explore Character Development &
Allegory
Objectives:
After this lesson students will be able to:
1. Work collaboratively to make sense of character development as it ties to major themes
in the novel.
2. Maintain academic, student led discussion of the text through responding to one another
ideas.
3. Use collected information via discussion thread to develop a final group presentation that
will be presented to the class and used by the whole class as a method of study for the
novel.
Rationale:
As I look to include more digital technology into a 1:world classroom setting, I am able to
transform previous individual thinking and understanding of texts in a way that is collaborative
and builds a strong academic conversation in the classroom through the use of digital
technology. Using the resources at my disposal, I will be able to use print texts with digital
interpretation. Turner and Hicks (2015), found that, “To develop Connected Readers, we must
sustain the practices of shared annotation and close reading” (p. 90). Through Connected
Reading and collaborative discussion, students are able to not only demonstrate their own
thinking process but also engage in academic conversation as they engage with and evaluate the
findings of their peers, thus creating a deeper understanding of the text..
Standards:
Link to TN ELA Standards for the 2017-2018 school year:
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/standards/ela/stds_english_language_arts.pdf
9-10.RL.KID.3 Analyze how complex characters, events, and ideas develop and interact over the
course of a text to impact meaning.
9-10.W.PDW.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other
information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
9-10.W.TTP.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to analyze and convey complex ideas,

concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection and organization
of content.
Materials:
1. Print copy of Lord of the Flies novel
2. Two shared google presentation per group, to be accessed via student-given Chromebooks
3. Post-it notes and/or daybook + writing utensil
4. The use of phone camera and/or built-in chromebook camera
5. Internet access
Assessment:
As far as grading is concerned with the group work slides, it will be monitored for participation,
but I agree with Beers, Probst, and Rief (2007) who found that, “This isn’t about grading as
much as it is an opportunity to hear students’ connections, struggles, questions, and ideas” (p.
222).
As a final assessment, students will be asked to identify a chronological series of 3 examples

from their group discussion that demonstrate the mental, physical, and/or emotional changes
their given character has demonstrated through the progression of the novel and consider:
● What is the result?
● What can we learn from the individual character’s experience?
● What comment/connection to society is be being made?
Students will then be asked to present these in groups to the class in an organized google
presentation that provides clear explanations for each choice.
Students will demonstrate the overall significance of the character to the novel and to society
when speaking on an allegorical level
Plan:
1. Divide students into reading groups of 3-4 based on behavior and academic
interest/achievement as to create balanced groups to foster motivation and collaboration.
2. Assign each group a major character [Simon, Piggy, Ralph, Jack, Roger, SamnEric] from
Lord of the Flies (LOTF)
3. Ask students to use either post-it note strategy OR daybook (both of which will be modeled
before beginning this assignment) to individually track the physical, mental, and emotional
changes of the chosen character as the novel progresses
4. Ask students to create a shared google presentation (including sharing with me)
5. On reading group work days (approximately every 3 chapters), students will take a picture of
examples from text (already previously identified using post-it or daybook) and each add 1
example to the google presentation using a slide per example
6. On the slide, students must identify in the “notes” box below the chapter, page #, and a brief
description of the context of the example from the text Ex: This example takes place when…
7. Each student must then use the comment tool to begin a discussion thread where they explain
why they chose the passage and what they see at work within it.
8. Students will use the comment feature to take part in discussion to answer the questions
a. What is the result?
b. What can we learn from the individual character’s experience?
c. What comment/connection to society is be being made?
d. Students may also pose questions for clarification, make connections to the real
world, identify struggles, or even voice opinions of the examples.
9. Each student will be asked on the group work days to provide one example on a slide as well
as comment at least once on each of their group member’s slides
10. Students will use information generated in the google presentation to complete unit
assessment (listed above)
References
Beers, K., Probst, R.E., & Rief, L.(2007). Adolescent literacy: turning promise into practice.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Turner, K.H. & Hicks, T. (2015).Connected reading: teaching adolescent readers in a digital
world. Urbana, Illinois: NCTE.

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Running head: REIMAGINING STUDENT WORK SPACE

Professional Development Resource 1: Collaborative Learning

9-10.W.TTP.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to analyze and convey complex ideas,

As a final assessment, students will be asked to identify a chronological series of 3 examples

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

world. Urbana, Illinois: NCTE.

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