The Talking Walls Project
and
Maine's Guiding Principles

The unit aligns wonderfully with the guiding principles which Maine has identified as the "building blocks for successful and fulfilled adulthood in the 21st century." Maine's guiding principles are in black and descriptions are in purple. The specific way in which this unit exemplifies the crucial student skills is typed in parenthesis in orange. This unit gives students the opportunity and challenge to meet this principles at a ten-year old's level, preparing them to expand their understanding and skills as they grow and develop.

Each Maine student must leave school as:

1- A  clear and effective communicator.
    In this unit students use oral, written, and technological modes of expression.
  [interviews, discussions, writing, and web page building]
    They read listen to and interpret messages from multiple sources.
  [class discussions, intergenerational interviews, and research sources]

2- A self-directed and life-long learner.
    In this unit students demonstrate the capabity to undertake independent study.
  [choosing a "wall" and researching information]
    Students find and use information from libraries, electronic data bases and other resources.
  [while researching their chosen wall]

3- A creative and practical problem solved.
    In this students identify patterns, trends, and relationships that apply to solutions to problems.
  [observing the basic need of cultures to share and communicate basic and deep felt emotions and information,and the patterns in the ways differing communities and cultures choose to communicate]

4- A responsible and involved citizen.
    In this unit students recognize and understand the diverse nature of society.
  [discussions about the difference in what each culture chooses to value and document]
    Students also recofnize the power of personal participation as it affects a community.
  [working together in small groups on web pages, and as a two class team to build a web site of value to other school communities]

5- A collaborative and quality worker.
    In this unit students demonstrate reliability, flexibility, and concern for quality.
  [working within the time frame and requirements of this project, yet creating quality work which also demonstrates individuality]

6. An integrative and informed thinker.
    In this unit students apply knowledge and skills in social studies, technology and English language arts.
  [applying knowledge of good writing, writing mechanics, and technology skills to describe one aspect of different cultural communities, and their geographic location and relationships]
 

Click here to return to "Talking Walls" Project homepage.

Click here to return to "Talking Walls" Project teacher pages.

Click here to see how this project connects to specific Maine Learning Results' performance indicators.