Conventions Olympics Inquiry Project

The idea behind the Conventions Olympics is to provide students with the opportunity to do in
depth research into a particular convention or set of conventions, and then teach the rest of the
class about their newfound specialty in a jigsaw style inquiry project. This could be done
individually or in groups depending on how you would like to structure things and how long you
would like to spend on this project. The way I have planned it out, there is quite a bit of work to
do for individual students and so I had them work in groups.

Here we go!

Each team is responsible for researching a particular aspect of conventions, i.e. commas,
dashes, quotations, pronouns etc. Once they are sufficiently comfortable with that convention
they teach the rest of the class. The way they present the information and teach the class
happens in 3 different ways. 1) A poster. Every good classroom needs conventions posters
anyway right? So let the students make them! 2) A presentation. Let them make a Prezi, or a
Power point, or even a website, whatever medium they want to use in order to present the
information. They then teach the rest of the class their concept in either one or a series of short
lessons. 3) Along with the presentation/lessons that they give to the rest of the class groups
will make worksheets to provide practice for their peers and to help everyone learn all aspects
being researched.

After that, you could have groups make a couple of quiz questions and have a quiz, or handle
finish up however you want to! My idea to solidify and continue learning conventions throughout
the rest of the year however would be to do little bits as bell-work. Each morning, or after
recesses students can do sentence corrections or writing prompts to practice general editing,
self editing, and using different conventions that may not be in regular use (i.e. colons).

The reason I called it the Conventions Olympics is because I worked this project into my
classroom management plan. I provided groups with lots of opportunities to earn points for their
token system and really pushed group cohesion and teamwork.

Here is a General Outline of how I structured my unit.

Class/Day Lesson General Proceedure Assessment

1 Intro Introduce unit. Explain Look at preliminary

assignments and plans for posters/
expectations. Go over research etc.
group work
proceedures. Break Exit slip, what is your
into groups, give groups plan for success.
convention How will each of you
assignments. contribute?
Brainstorm and
preliminary research.

2-5 Modelling. Model presentations, Feedback loops with

posters, and worksheets
Work Periods. so that students know
what to shoot for with
their work. Keep
exemplars available or
displayed so students
can refer to them.
groups to ensure quality
and depth in work.
Work with groups to
promote productive
group work (make sure
everyone is participating
productively)

Work Period.

6-? Feedback with groups. Continue working to wrap Continue with feedback
up posters, presentations, loops, focusing more on
Work Periods. etc. Groups that finish the presentations and
should start practicing their worksheet aspects.
presentation. Have them
video themselves and then
Group self assessments
analyze their performance.
Work with groups that are with rubric.
struggling to help them
wrap up. Go over marking
rubric with each group,
have them self assess.

?-End. Presentations. Have each group present Final Assessment on

during a different period. presentations, posters,
Group Worksheets. Along with presenting their worksheets etc.
power point and poster,
have them give out the
worksheet to practice.

Groups can mark the

worksheets that they hand
out. (Another option here
would be to gather up all
worksheets and give each
group a few different sets
of worksheets to mark to
again give students
practice with each
convention.
 Conventions Olympics Marking Guide
Category Total Score
1 2 3 Points
(30)

Presentation Speaker used a Speaker used a Speaker used a

- Delivery poised, clear, and poised, clear, poised, clear, and
audible voice less and audible audible voice most /3
than a quarter of voice about half of the time.
the time. of the time.
Presentation Less than half of Half of the Most of the
- Content the information information information
presented is presented is presented is /3
accurate and accurate and accurate and
understandable. understandable. understandable.
Presentation Presenters Presenters Presenters
- Questions allowed for and allowed for and allowed for and
answered few answered some answered all /3
questions from the questions from questions from the
audience. the audience. audience.
Poster - Poster is Poster is Poster is
Appearance disorganized, attractive, attractive,
difficult to read, professional professional /3
and contains looking, but has looking, and free
several mistakes. some mistakes. of mistakes.
Poster - Some of the rules Most of the rules All of the rules and
Content and guidelines and guidelines guidelines
provided are clear provided are provided are clear /3
and concise. clear and and concise.
concise.
Poster - Some of the Most of the All of the /3
Examples examples used examples used examples used
are relevant and are relevant and are relevant and
informative. informative. informative.
Category Total Score
1 2 3 Points
(30)

Worksheet Instructions and Instructions and Instructions and

- examples given examples given examples given
Instruction before questions before questions before questions
clarity on the worksheet on the on the worksheet /3
are not very clear worksheet are are clear and
or concise. somewhat clear concise.
and concise.
Worksheet Questions on the Questions on Questions on the
- Degree of worksheet are not the worksheet worksheet are well
Challenge well thought out are fairly well thought out and
and there is little thought out and have varying /3
or no variance in have some degrees of
difficulty. variance in difficulty.
difficulty.
Worksheet Less than half of Half of each Most of each
- Marking each worksheet is worksheet is worksheet is
marked fairly and marked fairly marked fairly and
correctly and and correctly correctly and /3
appropriate and appropriate appropriate
feedback is given. feedback is feedback is given.
given.
Group You participated You participated You participated
Participation constructively to constructively to constructively to
the group project the group the group project /3
about a quarter of project about most of the time.
the time. half the time.