Thesis/Problem/Question

4- Students posed a thoughtful, creative question(s) that engaged them in challenging or provocative research.

3- Students posed a focused question(s), involving them in challenging research.

2- Students constructed a question(s) that lends itself to readily available answers.

1- Students relied on teacher-generated questions or developed a question(s) requiring little creative thought.

Information Seeking/Selecting and Evaluating

4- Students gather information from a variety of quality electronic and print sources. Sources are relevant, balanced and include critical readings relating to the thesis or problem. Primary and secondary sources were included.

3- Students gathered information from a variety of relevant sources- print and electronic.

2- Students gathered information from a limited range of sources and displayed minimal effort in selecting quality resources.

1- Students gathered information that lacked relevance, quality, depth and balance.

Analysis

4- Students carefully analyzed the information collected and drew appropriate and inventive conclusions supported by evidence. Voice of the student writers is evident.

3- Students products show good effort was made in analyzing the evidence collected.

2- Students conclusions could be supported by stronger evidence. Level of analysis could have been deeper.

1- Students conclusions simple involved and restating information. Conclusions were not supported by evidence.

Synthesis

4- Students developed appropriate structure for communicating product, incorporating a variety of quality sources. Information is logically and creatively organized with smooth transitions.

3- Students logically organized the product and made good connections among ideas.

2- Students could have put greater effort into organizing product.

1- Students work is not logically or effectively structured.

Documentation

4- Student(s) documented all sources, including visuals, sounds, and animations. Sources are properly cited, both in-text/on-product and on Works-cited/Works- Consulted pages/slides. Documentation is error free.

3- Student(s) effectively communicated the results of research to the audience.

2- Audience has difficulty following presentation because student jumps around.

1- Student(s) clearly plagiarized materials.

Product/Process

4- Students present information in logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow.

3- Students present most information in logical sequence which audience can follow.

2- Audience has difficulty following presentation because students jump around.

1- Audience cannot understand presentation because there is now sequence of information.

Organization

4- Students present information in logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow.

3- Students present most information in logical sequence which audience can follow.

2- Audience has difficulty following presentation because student jumps around.

1- Audience cannot understand presentation because there is no sequence of information.

Subject Knowledge

4- Student demonstrates full knowledge (more than required) by answering all class questions with explanations and elaboration.

3- Student is at ease with expected answers to all questions, but fails to elaborate.

2- Student is uncomfortable with information and is able to answer only rudimentary questions.

1- Student does not have grasp of information; students cannot answer questions about subject.

Graphics

4- Student’s graphics explain and reinforce screen text and presentation.

3- Student’s graphics related to text and presentation.

2- Student occasionally uses graphics that rarely support text and presentation.

1- Student uses superfluous graphics or no graphics that do not support text.

Mechanics

4-Presentation has no misspellings or grammatical errors.

3- Presentation has no more than two misspellings and/or grammatical errors.

2- Presentation has three misspellings and/or grammatical errors.

1- Student’s presentation has four or more spelling errors and/or grammatical errors.

Eye Contact

4- Student maintains eye contact with audience, seldom returning to notes. 3- Student maintains eye contact most of the time but frequently returns to notes. 2- Students occasionally use eye contact, but still reads most of the report. 1- Student reads all of report with little to no eye contact.

Elocution/Speaking

4 Students uses a clear voice and correct, precise pronunciation of terms so that all in the audience can hear and understand.

3- Student’s voice is clear. Student pronounces most words correctly. Most of the students in the audience can hear and understand.

2- Student’s voice is low. Student incorrectly pronounces terms. Audience can not hear or understand most of presentation.

1- Student mumbles and incorrectly pronounces terms, and speaks too low. Audience cannot hear or understand all of presentation.

Connections to National and Michigan Stated Standards

The following connections include both the correlations to the No Child Left Behind (Grade Level Content Expectations) and the state of Michigans Education Frameworks.

http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-28753---,00.html

₅th

Grade Reading Standards

Word Recognition

R.W.S.05.04: Students will know the meanings of words encountered frequently in grade-level reading and oral language contexts.

R.WS.05.05: Students will acquire and apply strategies to identify unknown words or word parts, and construct meaning by analyzing derivatives, defining meanings of affixes, and applying knowledge of word origins.

Vocabulary

R.WS.05.07: Students will, in context, determine the meaning of words and phrases including symbols, idioms, recently coined words, content vocabulary, and literary terms using strategies and resources including analogies, content glossaries, and electronic resources.

Informational Text

R.IT.05.01: Students will identify and describe informational text patterns including compare/contrast, cause/effect, and problem/solution.

Comprehension

R.CM.05.01: Students will connect personal knowledge, experiences, and understanding of the world to themes and perspectives in text through oral and written responses.

R.CM.05.02: Students will retell through concise summarization grade-level narrative and informational text.

Metacognition

R.MT.05.01: Students will self-monitor comprehension when reading or listening to text by automatically applying and discussing the strategies used by mature readers to increase comprehension including predicting, constructing mental images, visually representing ideas in text, questioning, rereading or listening again if uncertain about meaning, inferring, summarizing, and engaging in interpretive discussions.

₆th

1. Creativity and Innovation

Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:

a.

apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.

b.

create original works as a means of personal or group expression.

c.

use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.

d.

identify trends and forecast possibilities.

2. Communication and Collaboration

Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:

a.

interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.

b.

communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.

c.

contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

3. Research and Information Fluency

Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:

a.

plan strategies to guide inquiry.

b.

locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.

c.

evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.

4. Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving & Decision-Making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:

a. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.

5. Digital Citizenship Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:

a.

advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.

b.

exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.

c.

demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.

6. Technology Operations and Concepts

Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts,

systems and operations. Students:

a.

understand and use technology systems.

b.

select and use applications effectively and productively.

c.

troubleshoot systems and applications.

d.

transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.

Lesson #2 Walter P. Reuther - A Pictorial Perspective

This lesson connects and focuses upon social studies and technology. Students will conduct research on Walter P. Reuther’s life, using the Walter P. Reuther Library’s website. Students will then create a PowerPoint presentation or multimedia production focusing on speeches and images located in the Photo Gallery at the Walter P. Reuther Library’s website. Students should focus upon a particular component of his life and how that particular life experience(s) shaped his character. Students can also use other websites, including the UAW’s and we have also provided under the resources section, websites that can be used to conduct a student web quest, in order to help them to conduct research, design their work and develop their project further.

Background

The second of five children, Reuther was born on September 1, 1907, in Wheeling, West Virginia. He learned about social issues in family debates moderated by his father, Valentine, an active member in the Brewery Workers union. Walter Reuther recalled, "At my father’s knees we learned the philosophy of trade unionism. We got the struggles, the hopes and the aspirations of working people every day." The younger Reuther developed a commitment to address social problems through union and political action.

The Reuther family was very intellectual, but could not afford to keep teen-age sons in school. At the age of 16, Walter had to leave Wheeling High School and become an apprentice toolmaker. His first job wan singularly unsuccessful- he was soon discharged for labor agitation. The ceiling on wages in Wheeling was around 40 cents per hour and Sunday work was mandatory. So after three years, Reuther left for Detroit and the increased day wages of the automobile industry there.

After working a 13-hour night shift at Briggs for 85 cents an hour, young Reuther talked his way into a job at the Ford Plant as a tool-and-die man for $1.10 an hour. The evening hours of the job left him free to pursue high school studies by day. Being an aggressive and determined young man, Reuther not only completed his high school coursework, but enrolled in Wayne State University where he studied social sciences for three years.

When Reuther arrived in Detroit, the automobile center was definitely and powerfully an open-shop city. Automobile management was violently anti-union and in any case the A.F.L. craft unions were not set up to organize automobile assembly-line workers. In 1926, as today, Detroit was almost a single-industry city - the city devoted to the manufacture of the automobile.

These frictions did not make it easier to organize a labor-union movement in the automobile industry. But young enthusiasts like Reuther were inspired by the depression and the New Deal to agitate for unionization at Ford and at other big plants. The outcome of such projects was inevitable. In 1933, when unemployment gripped the entire nation, Reuther was fired from Ford for union agitation.

It is significant to note that Walter and his brother Victor seized this opportunity to take the grand tour of the world! In England, they visited coal pits and textile mills as well as auto plants; they were shaken by the Nazi hold on their father’s native Germany; they went to work with enthusiasm in Russia.

Walter Reuther’s education was considerably broadened by his travels abroad. When he returned to Detroit, he returned with a purpose: to make unionization his lifetime work. He obtained a job with General Motors and threw his heart into the campaign to organize the automobile workers.

Reuther welcomed the opportunity to take his share of the tough and dirty work of union organization in Detroit. In the 1937 struggle to organize the Ford plant, Reuther took part in the infamous "battle of the overpass," where he was severely beaten by Ford Service Men. This beating he described later in some detail to state the following:

"They picked me up about eight different times and threw me down on my back on the concrete. I was on the ground they kicked me in the face, head and other parts of my body.... I never raised a hand. After they kicked me down the stairs, they started to hit me at the bottom of the stairs, hit me, and slugged, driving me before them but never letting me get away."

For Reuther, this brutal experience was suffered in the line of duty, as he felt that it was his responsibility to fight for the rights of those who could not fight for themselves. Incidents such as this were by no means isolated incidents in 1930’s Detroit.

Walter Reuther’s exceptional ability became more and more evident, as his local grew in membership from 78 to 30,000 members over the course of one year.

As a full-time labor organizer, Reuther helped organize a multitude of strikes for union recognition. He was prominent in the sit-down strike at the Kelsey-Hayes wheel factory, which was a tremendous success, and participated in the General Motors sit-down strikes of 1936 - 1937.

There was great resistance to Walter Reuther’s efforts. In 1938, gunmen barged into Reuther’s apartment in an attempt to kidnap and murder the labor leader; however, their plans were foiled by the presence of a small group of Reuther friends and relatives.

On April 20, 1948, Reuther returned home late, as he often did, from meeting at the UAW headquarters. While eating a warmed-over dinner in his kitchen, he turned to answer a question from his wife. At that moment, gunfire erupted and he was injured by a shotgun blast to his right arm. Had Reuther not turned, the shots would have killed him. Reuther’s assailants were never caught. After months of recuperation, Reuther eventually regained limited mobility of his severely damaged arm; however, it pained him for the rest of his life.

Just before World War II, with almost half of the nation’s auto-manufacturing capacity idle, Reuther received national attention for his plan to use factories in Michigan and elsewhere to build 500 military aircraft a day. Although technically feasible, the plan was never implemented because automakers resisted what they considered an attempt to dictate their production. During the war, however, industry did produce aircraft, tanks and other war materials in unprecedented amounts.

Impressed with Reuther’s aircraft proposal, which complemented his Arsenal of Democracy programs, President Franklin D. Roosevelt would frequently consult Reuther on wartime production problems. Being passionate about his work and his cause, Reuther turned down an appointment with the high-profile War Productions Board to stay with and support the labor movement.

By 1945, Reuther was recognized a labor leader of national stature when he led a strike against General Motors.

After Reuther was elected president of the UAW in 1946, he began to guide the union down a new path and pledged to work for "a labor movement whose philosophy demands that it fight for the welfare of the public at large."

Under his leadership, UAW members won unprecedented benefits, including enhanced job security, cost-of-living adjustments, vacations and health-care insurance. Supplemental unemployment benefits (SUB), introduced in 1955, helped to ease the economic burdens caused by the cyclical nature of auto work.

SUB allowed laid-off workers to continue receiving a paycheck, which equaled 95 percent of their regular take-home pay. Reuther hailed SUB as "the first time in the history of collective bargaining that great corporations agreed to begin to accept responsibility" for their workers during times that they were laid-off.

Reuther strongly believed that automakers had obligations beyond making money for their stockholders. They also had a duty to their employees and, ultimately, to the American public.

Walter P. Reuther was one of America’s great labor leaders. He was also living proof that one person can make a difference. Reuther was president of the United Automobile Workers union (UAW) between 1946 and 1970. Under his leadership, the American and Canadian members of the UAW obtained their fare share of the enormous wealth they produced and were able to restore dignity to the industrial work they performed. Reuther’s work however, went well beyond contract negotiations and union organizing.

Reuther believed that the labor movement was a social movement, that unions had the power to improve the lives of all working-class Americans, and the potential to change the world for the betterment of all. As president of the UAW, Nationally and globally, Reuther advocated for workers rights in countries and places as far away as Japan, Mexico, the Middle East, and Europe. Reuther supported the civil rights movement, environmental causes, public housing projects and health care improvements. He also promoted international relations and political reform at the local, state and federal levels.

Activity

Have students log onto the Walter P. Reuther Library’s website page containing both written and audio speeches of Walter P. Reuther at www.reuther100.wayne.edu/viewgallery.php . Encourage students to view all of the pictures in the Walter Reuther Photo Collection which are sorted by decade:

1900- (2 photos)

1910- (2 photos)

1920- (26 photos)

1930- (127 photos)

1940- (81 photos)

1950-(145 photos)

1960-(123 photos)

1970- (0 photos)

No Date- (128 photos) Then have students log onto the Walter P. Reuther Library’s website page containing both written and audio speeches of Walter P. Reuther at www.reuther100.wayne.edu/speech.php. Encourage students to either read or listen to one of the following Walter Reuther speeches:

Text- PDF Speeches

• 500 Planes Speech- 539.14
• New York Times Article 500 Planes Article- 539.15
• New York Times 500 Planes Draft- 539.15
• New York Times 500 Planes Final- 539.15
• Labor Day Address
• NAACP-1957
• Proposal to Franklin D. Roosevelt- 539-18
• Radio Debate- Prosperity Which Way?
• The Job Ahead
• The National Hour- 542.6
• UAW Khruschev Meeting
• Labor and the OPA- 542.6
• Presidential Campaign
• Address FEPC- 542.6

Audio- mp3

• Walter Reuther speaking at the 1966 UAW convention, Long Beach, California, May 16, 1966. (1 of 2)
• Walter Reuther speaking at the 1966 UAW convention, Long Beach, California, May 16, 1966. (2 of 2)
• Walter Reuther speaking to the new UAW members at Solidarity House, March 21, 1968. (1 of 1).

During class time encourage students to conduct a discussion about what they have seen, read and heard about as it relates to Walter Reuther, the UAW and the labor movement.

Discussion Questions

Ask students the following questions to encourage discussion:

• Who was Walter Reuther?
• Where was Walter Reuther born?
• What did Walter Reuther’s family do during dinnertime that encouraged him to pursue a career in the labor movement?
• Why did Walter Reuther decide to move to Detroit, Michigan?
• What life event prompted Walter Reuther to travel to a foreign country when his was a young man?
• What foreign countries did Walter Reuther and his brother Victor visit and why?
• What types of places and with what people/organizations did they visit?
• When Walter Reuther returned to Detroit from Europe, What was his ultimate goal?
• Describe what you have learned about the Battle of the Overpass.
• Which president consulted Walter Reuther about wartime production efforts and why was this president so impressed with him?
• What year was Walter Reuther elected as president of the United Automobile Workers (UAW)?
• Under Walter Reuther’s leadership, name at least unprecedented benefits that the UAW secured to improve working conditions for automobile factory workers and others.
• Describe Supplemental Unemployment Benefits (SUB) and its significance to laid-off workers.
• Name at least one thing that you admire about Walter Reuther and his accomplishments during his lifetime.

Have students create their own PowerPoint presentation utilizing the web resources at the Walter P. Reuther Library, as well as the web inks provided within the curriculum materials. Encourage students to utilize appropriate images, sound, animation, and a variety of font sizes- and most importantly ask students to be creative!

Evaluation & Assessment Rubrics

Originality

1- The work is a minimal collection of rehash of other people’s ideas, products, images and inventions there is not evidence of new thought.

2- The work is an extensive collection and rehash of other people’s ideas, products, images and inventions. There is not evidence of new thought or inventiveness.

3- The product shows evidence of originality and inventiveness. While based on an extensive collection of other people’s ideas, products, images and inventions, the work extends beyond that collection to offer new insights.

4- The product shows significant evidence of originality and inventiveness. The majority of the content and many of the ideas are fresh, original, inventive and based upon logical conclusions and sound research.

Provides Sufficient Evidence- Content

4- The content is written clearly and concisely with logical progression of ideas and supporting information. The project includes motivating questions and advanced organizers. The project gives the audiences a clear sense of the project’s main ideas. Information is accurate, current, and comes from a variety of primary and secondary sources.

3- The content is written with a logical progression of ideas and supporting information. Includes persuasive information from reliable sources.

2- the content is vague in conveying a point of view and does not create a strong sense of purpose. Includes some persuasive information with few facts. Some of the information may not seem to fit. Sources used appear unreliable.

1- The content lacks a clear point of view and logical sequence of information. Includes little persuasive information and only one or two facts about the topic. Information is incomplete, out of date and/or incorrect. Sequencing of ideas is unclear.

Text Elements, Graphics, Sound or Animation

4- The fonts are easy to read and point size varies appropriately for headings and text. Use of italics, both and indentations enhances readability. Text is appropriate in length for the target audience and to the point. The background animation assists in presenting an overall theme and enhances understanding of concepts, ideas and relationships. Original images are created using proper size and resolution, and all images enhance the content.

3- Sometimes the fonts are easy to read, but in a few places, the use of fonts, italics, bold, long paragraphs, color or busy background detracts and does not enhance readability. The graphics, sound and/or animation visually depict material and assist the audience in understanding the flow of information or content. Some original images are used and they have proper size and resolution.

2- Overall readability is difficult with lengthy paragraphs, too many different fonts, dark or busy background, overuse of bold or lack of appropriate indentations of text. Some of the graphics, sounds, and/or animations seem unrelated to the topic/theme and do not enhance the overall concepts. Most images are clipart or recycled from www. Images are tool large/small in size and are poorly cropped or the color/resolution is fuzzy.

1-The text is extremely difficult to read with long blocks of text and small point size of fonts, inappropriate contrasting colors, poor use of headings, subheadings, indentations, or both formatting. The graphics, sounds and/or animations are unrelated to the content. Graphics do not enhance understanding of the content, or are distracting decorations that create a busy felling and detract from the content.

Artful Design- Layout

4- The layout is visually pleasing and contributes to the overall message with appropriate use of headings, subheadings and white space.

3- The layout uses horizontal and vertical white space appropriately.

2- The layout shows some structure, but appears cluttered and busy or distracting with large gaps of white space or uses a distracting background.

1- The layout is cluttered, confusing , and does not use spacing, headings and subheadings to enhance readability.

Writing Mechanics

4- The text is written with nor errors in grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

3- The text is clearly written with little or no editing required for grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

2- Spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors distract or impair readability. 1- Errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, usage and grammar repeatedly distract the reader and major editing and revision is required.

Citations

4- Sources of information are properly cited so that the audience can determine the credibility and authority of the information presented. All sources of information are clearly identified and credited using designated citation format.

3- Most sources of information are properly identified using the designated citation format.

2- Sometimes copyright guidelines are followed and some information, photos, and graphics do not use properly designated citation format.

1- No way to check validity of information. Citation format is not used.

Organization

4- Students present information in logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow.

3- Students present most information in logical sequence which audience can follow.

2- Audience has difficulty following presentation because student jumps around.

1- Audience cannot understand presentation because there is no sequence of information.

Subject Knowledge

4- Student demonstrates full knowledge (more than required) by answering all class questions with explanations and elaboration.

3- Student is at ease with expected answers to all questions, but fails to elaborate.

2- Student is uncomfortable with information and is able to answer only rudimentary questions.

1- Student does not have grasp of information; students cannot answer questions about subject.

Graphics

4- Student’s graphics explain and reinforce screen text and presentation.

3- Student’s graphics related to text and presentation.

2- Student occasionally uses graphics that rarely support text and presentation.

1- Student uses superfluous graphics or no graphics that do not support text.

Mechanics

4-Presentation has not misspellings or grammatical errors.

3- Presentation has no more than two misspellings and/or grammatical errors.

2- Presentation has three misspellings and/or grammatical errors.

1- Student’s presentation has four or more spelling errors and/or grammatical errors.

Eye Contact

4- Student maintains eye contact with audience, seldom returning to notes.

3- Student maintains eye contact most of the time but frequently returns to notes.

2- Students occasionally use eye contact, but still reads most of the report.

1- Student reads all of report with little to no eye contact.

Elocution/Speaking

4-Students use a clear voice and correct, precise pronunciation of terms so that all in the audience can hear and understand.

3- Student’s voice is clear. Student pronounces most words correctly. Most of the students in the audience can hear and understand.

2- Student’s voice is low. Student incorrectly pronounces terms. Audience can not hear or understand most of presentation.

1- Student mumbles and incorrectly pronounces terms, and speaks too low. Audience cannot hear or understand all of presentation.

Connections to National and Michigan Stated Standards

The following connections include both the correlations to the No Child Left Behind (Grade Level Content Expectations) and the state of Michigans Education Frameworks. http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-28753---,00.html

₅th

1. Creativity and Innovation

Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop

innovative products and processes using technology. Students:

a.

apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.

b.

create original works as a means of personal or group expression.

c.

use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.

d.

identify trends and forecast possibilities.

2. Communication and Collaboration

Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual