Multi-Genre Project
By: Jarod Hawk
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Prologue
Genre 1- ABC’s of Disabilities
Genre 2- Shopping List to Achieve My Goals
Genre 3- Diary
Genre 4- Bumper sticker
Genre 5- Making Ice cream
Genre 6- Poem- Living with a Disability
Genre 7- Pop Song- Stand up for Yourself
Genre 8- News 8 Quick Facts
Genre 9- Text Set
Genre 10- Before-During-After Lesson Plan
Table of Contents:
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Jarod Hawk
Multigenre project
February 20, 2009
Prologue
The topic I choose to do for this project was
Learning Disabilities. I am very interested in going
into Special Education so I thought this project would
help me in my future degree as a teacher. My mom is
a huge influence in my life and she teaches students
with disabilities. There are a lot of misconceptions of
what the term disability actually means so I am
hoping that this project is able to answer that
question. Many people think that being disabled
means that you can’t complete an assigned goal. I
beg the differ on this, and being disabled means that
you excel in a different area
Prologue:
. Many disability students are proficient in other areas across the
curriculum. My two concentration areas are Science and
Language Arts. I was able to find many books that deal with
disabilities for Language Arts. I want my students to see that
having a disability is not always a bad thing. Many students with
disabilities grow up to make huge differences in society. I also
did this project because I wanted to look at various disabilities
and find out what books could help those students. I want to
learn more about various special needs students and find out
what I can do to help those students.
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I want my students in my classroom to see that everyone is
equal and that any goal is achievable if they only put their mind
to it. I have always been around students with disabilities
because of my mom and I love sitting back and observing. It can
take the smallest difference that day that can make that student
light up and glow. My classroom will be welcoming to all types of
students and will not be segregated against. Hope you enjoy my
project!
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Prologue Continued
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http://jarodhawk.weebly.com/multigenreproject.html
ABC BOOK OF SPECIAL
EDUCATION
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Shopping List to achieve my goals:
What do I need as a student with disabilities, to
achieve my goal of succeeding in school?
What is a student with a specific disability?
This is a disorder in one or more of the basic
psychological processes involved in language,
written or spoken, that may cause the student not
able to listen, think, speak, write, spell, or do
other calculations. Examples of this would be:
brain injury, dyslexia, perceptual disabilities, and
aphasia.
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List:
Ability to set high goals
A teacher that is willing to help in any way possible to achieve those
goals.
Doing everything in my power to get good grades
Willing to stay after school to get more help if needed
Not letting my impairment get in the way of showing myself that I can
do it!
Eggs for protein to keep my body strong.
Finding books with my teacher that will help me enjoy reading
leisurely.
Never letting anybody tell me that I can’t do it.
Learn to enjoy Math and find out the reasoning behind answers.
Knowing that my disability is just an obstacle that I have to overcome
to succeed in life.
A Gallon of milk to help my bones grow stronger everyday.
Vitamins to help keep my immune system full proof.
Learn to use technology to help me with assignments.
Most important, HAVE FUN LEARNING! 
Shopping List Continued:
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Notes:
I am all about promoting healthy eating habits.
I also think that students need to see that they can
achieve their goals. By setting high goals, students
can see that their life is important. Many students
with disabilities feel sometimes that they don’t have
what it takes in life to be worth something and I am
here to tell them that it isn’t the case. I was
shopping the other day at Giant Eagle and it inspired
me to write a reference of what I wanted to achieve
that day with my shopping goals. This list relates to
my shopping experience because it was structured.
All students need to have their goals prioritized and
structured.
Notes on Shopping List:
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Dear Diary,
1/20/09 I feel like everybody is staring at me. I feel like everybody is judging me. My parents tell
me that I am special but I feel like I don’t want to be special anymore. I am middle school now
and I feel like I am too special compared to everybody else. I am in my own classroom with other
students like me and I feel like I do not get to see everybody else. I want to be like everybody
else! I feel like this is more of a burden than a special ability.
2/16/09
Dear Diary,
It has been a while since I have wrote to you because things have been going so well
lately! I am been really busy hanging out with friends. I have learned that I am very happy with
my disability because I have learned to deal with it. I was created for a reason by God, and I feel
like I should be given a chance to show everybody what I can do. I may have a wheelchair, but I
can play basketball, and play outside still! My parents have signed me up for ballet, and I have
learned many new moves that I want to show my family. I actually have a ballet recital coming up
soon! I can’t wait! I would love to say thank you to all of the people that have helped me. My
teacher especially has showed me that I can achieve my goals in life no matter what. If you put
your mind to something, you can do it! I have even made a few friends outside of my class! We
are all going to hang out this weekend. I want to go far in life so I will do anything I can do to
make that happen.
Diary:
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Notes:
I was at Borders and I came across the book Ann
Frank called Diary of Ann Frank. I remember reading this
book and I thought about writing a few diary entries for my
multi-genre project. Ann Frank went through many
obstacles in her life during the Holocaust. This relates to
that book in the way that many students feel like an
outcast from “normal students.” I hate when people say
“normal students” because I feel that everybody has
certain qualities that are more proficient than others. I felt
kind of emotional during writing this because it just makes
me think about how fortunate I am. People are always
complaining about something in life and they need to think
about the less fortunate. It is just sad that students with
disabilities feel like an outcast sometimes.
Diary Notes:
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Disability- An ABILITY to achieve your goals!!
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Notes:
I created this bumper sticker for the word disability. I made
up this definition for the word disability because I feel that these
students have an ability to do something else. I have been in
many special needs classrooms and I have learned a lot from
other students. Many students with disabilities such as Autism
have other areas that they are proficient at. The movie Rainman
reminded me of this when the character counts the toothpicks on
the floor. He was highly intelligent and was able to count every
one of the toothpicks without even thinking.
BUMPER STICKER
Bumper Sticker:
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Science Experiment: Making Ice cream ( A positive way!)
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Materials:
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Vanilla
A cup of positive attitude to have fun!
Sugar
½ cup of milk
¾ cup of don’t let obstacles lead you a stray.
Half cup of Ice
2 Tablespoons of thinking caps
½ cup of rock salt
Engage with other classmates
Big/Small Zip lock bag
Writing utensil and worksheet to record observations
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* One student from each group of four will form an assembly line at the beginning of the
experiment. Teacher will have students open up their small bags and the teacher will put
in the sugar, vanilla, and milk in the bag. The students will then place their small bag in a
larger bag filled halfway with ice. The students must close the bag and mix for 2 minutes.
After the 2 minutes, one of the students from each group will come back up and the
teacher will put in the rock salt. The students must then mix their bags for 10-12 minutes
to create the ice cream. It is important to not get salt in the smaller bag because they will
be eating the ice cream at the end. This is a fun science activity for all students!
Notes:
I decided to do this genre because of my Lake Middle School experience. I was
able to watch an experiment on making ice-cream in my science class and it was very
interesting. The students were all engaged and it was a lot of fun. I had one student that
has Autism and he had a lot of fun with the experiment. My teacher had to pay certain
attention to him because he would sometimes get offended by other people. He couldn’t
tell if people were being mean towards him. He was very energetic and had a lot of fun
with the experiment. My teacher had to pay certain attention to him because he would
sometimes get offended by other people. He couldn’t tell if people were being mean
towards him. He was very energetic and had a lot of fun making the ice-cream though.
Science Experiment:
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Poem:
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Living with a Disability
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Living with a Disability can be tough at times.
I stand up strong and not let people stand in my way.
I always try to look for positive signs.
I am here to be a strong person and I am here to stay.
My teacher always tells us that we all have creative minds.
Even though I might not be able to see,
I still make images that are full of life.
The darkness will never overcome me.
If it did, it would be like stabbing me with a knife.
Being a strong willed person is the key.
I try and never let people see me when I am down.
Life is too short to be sad about things.
I read a good book using brail so I don’t feel bound.
I also listen to my mother as she sings.
Living with a Disability keeps me awake and sound.
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Notes:
This poem is about living with disabilities. I am
reading various poems by Lord Byron and William
Wordsworth right now. One poem I read by Lord
Byron was called She Walks in Beauty. I decided to
use this as my inspiration for this poem. I was
reading about what Lord Byron considered Beauty
and it was mainly the inside of a person. Students
may think that they are different but they are
different in a good way. They stand out in a good
way also. I think that it would be very hard to have a
disability but I also think that a disability should just
make that person try harder to attain his/her goals.
Poem Notes:
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Lyrics: Pop Song
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Stand up for yourself.
Have you ever felt lost?
Have you ever felt like no one is there?
When the truth was told.
You were the last one to know.
You were left out in the cold.
And all you did was fold.
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You have to stand up, stand up
You have to defend your goals.
You have to stand up, stand up
Your life is all you have!
You must stand up for yourself.
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Have you ever felt little?
Have you ever felt like the walls are closing in?
When your so called friends all left
You were crying inside.
You were all alone.
And all you did was fold.
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You have to stand up, stand up
You have to defend your goals.
You have to stand up, stand up
Your life is all you have!
You must stand up for yourself.
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Repeat chorus.
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Notes:
I created this song right after I heard
Kelly Clarkson on the radio. I wanted to
create a pop song on standing up for
yourself. I think that there are too many
people that let others run them over and I
think that they need to stand up for
themselves. It is as if the walls are closing in
on you and nobody is there to help you.
Many adolescents in general feel that
everybody is against them so it is important
for students to stand up for themselves.
Pop Song Notes:
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Quick Facts: News8 (Quick Facts)
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We are talking today on News8 that there are many misconceptions about
disabilities. We are here to talk about a few disabilities that students may have in
the schools. This news quick facts is brought to you by Dove. This goes out to all of
the teachers out there.
Autism is one very common disability that you may be faced with in school. This is a
disability that affects verbal and nonverbal communication. This also affects social
interaction, generally evident before the age of 3. You must be willing to keep a
consistent schedule with these students. They do not like to have interruptions in
their daily routines.
Some students may have a cognitive disability. This is when a child has belowaverage intellectual abilities that affect his/her behavior. You must be willing to help
the student with using various teaching activities to strengthen his/her cognitive
abilities.
Deaf-Blindness is very common in schools. Students will have trouble with
communication sills and teachers must introduce them to other students and be
there for anything that student may need. There are many technological advanced
that are out there that will help with this.
Some students at a younger age may have a speech impairment. This could be a
child stuttering, or a language impairment. As a teacher, you must create an
environment that is very comfortable for that child so they don’t feel bad.
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Notes:
I decided to do a News8 quick facts on
disabilities because it is important for the
public to understand various disabilities. I
think that there is a lot of information that is
out there that could be misleading. I saw
many sites that seemed that people just put
their personal stories on the website. That is
important but I also wanted to see what
doctors said about the disabilities.
Quick Facts Notes:
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Text Set:
Heelan, Jamee (2000). Rolling Along: The Story of Taylor and His Wheelchair.
Alanta, Georgia: Peachtree Publishers.
Taylor and Tyler are twin brothers and best friends. The twins are the same in many
ways but also different. Taylor has cerebral palsy while Tyler doesn’t. Taylor shows
us that wheelchairs help him become more independent in life. This book shows us
how to get used to the limitations of the wheelchair but also learning how to live
with those limitations.
Hent, D., & Quinlan, H. (1996). Extraordinary People With
Disabilities.New
York: Grolier Publishing.
This book brings together many stories of struggle, achievement, victory, and,
sometimes loss. There are many extraordinary achievers that have came from
unique backgrounds. A unique history comes alive for the ethnic, professional, or
social group in this book. Many extraordinary people have disabilities and still have
managed to make a difference in life somehow. Living with a disability is an ability
to do something in life.
Hill, E.S. (1999). Bird Boy. New York, New York: Douglas & McIntyre .
Chang lives on a houseboat on Chinas Li River with his parents and their cormorants,
great black birds trained to dive and retrieve fish for their owners. Chang has been
mute since he was born but he is able to make sounds that the birds understand.
He becomes really thrilled when his father allows for him to train a chick. He
becomes friends with a girl of a boy who has always tormented him. He grows along
with the bird as he trains the chick. This story will help children identify with various
disabilities.
Text Set:
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Lambke, T., & Lambke, B. (2006). I Just Am: A Story of Down
Syndrome
Awareness and Tolerance.Chandler, Arizona: Five Star Publications.
This is a story about a young man with Down Syndrome. Many people go through life
without wanting to learn from people that may be different. Bryan Lambke is a young man
that shares the same emotions and dreams as everybody else. He has Down Syndrome
and still manages to shoot for the stars. Bryan shares what it means to be normal to him
and what goes on in his head.
Lears, Laurie (2000). Ben Has Something to Say: A Story About
Stuttering.
Morton Grove, Illinois: Albert Whitman & Company.
This is a story about a boy named Ben who has a stuttering problem. Ben and his father
visit a junk yard every week and Ben tries to communicate with the owner. Ben wants to
take better care of the animal that is there and he finally speaks up to try to buy the dog.
The boy builds up confidence after this and he shares a special bond with the dog. This is
an inspirational story about a boy who goes from not being sure about himself to complete
confidence.
Niekerk, C, & Venter, L (2006). Understanding Same and Asperger
Syndrome.Erie,
PA: Skeezel Press.
One out of every 150 children in the United States is diagnosed with some form of autism,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This book allows for the
reader to see a glimpse into the life of Sam, an undiagnosed child. Sam acts a little
different than the other children. He is an easy target of bullying. His parents finally take
Sam to the doctor and they are told that he has Asperger syndrome. Sam ends up
participating in many school activities and he and his family get along better.
Text Set continued…
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Oliver, Clare (1999). Animals Helping with Special Needs. Danbury, Connecticut: Franklin Watts.
This book is part of a series that looks at many different ways animals help us in our daily lives.
The book addresses horse senses, puppy programs, assistance pets, making friends, swimming
with Dolphins, pets as therapy and many other topics. Animals can help students with special
needs in many ways. Children will learn the various ways that animals can help students get
through the day.
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Pincus, Dion (2000). Everything You Need to Know About Cerebral Palsy. New York, New York:
The Rosen Publishing Group.
Everything You Need to Know About Cerebral Palsy talks about what it was then and what it is
now. This book also talks about living with this condition and the specific treatments that are
available. It is important for children to look to the future and this book talks about that. There
have been many new discoveries that have helped children born with Cerebral Palsy.
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Powell, Jillian (2005). Like Me Like You: Sam Uses a Wheelchair.
Langhorne, Pennsylvania:
Chelsea House Publishers.
This is a story about a girl named Sam. She uses a wheelchair and has spina bifida. She talks
about her life and how she plays with her sister all the time. She has her own bathroom and is
able to use her chair to move around the house. She loves to go racing every two weeks with her
friends. She wheelchair races all her friends. She loves to participate in arts and crafts and other
sports. She may be different, but she is also the same in many ways to other children.
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Powell, Jillian (2005). Like Me Like You: Luke Has Down’s Syndrome.
Langhorne,
Pennsylvania: Chelsea House Publishers.
This book follows the day of a child who has Down’s Syndrome. Luke has a learning disability and
the reader gets to see how his family and friends cope with day-to-day situations. Luke learns
how to cross a street carefully and how to manage money for lunch. Luke enjoys playing sports
and being social with other children. This book shows that students with disabilities are very
unique and special.
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Text Set continued…
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Rogers, Fred (2000). Let's Talk About it: Extraordinary Friends. New
York, New York:
G.P. Putnam's Sons.
This book addresses many questions that children may have about students with special needs.
The book starts off with the common feelings that children may have when they first meet a child
with special needs. Rogers talks about how getting to know these children will be the first step in
appreciating them for who they are.
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Rotner, S., & Kelly, S. (2000). The A.D.D. Book for Kids.Brookfield, Connecticut: The Millbrooke
Press.
Many years ago, people didn’t know about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. This led to
many misunderstandings. Brain research promises have told us that there is a lot more to this
disorder. It is important to be educated about this disorder and to be nonjudgmental. There are
many pictures in this book to show that ADD is nothing more and nothing less.
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Schaefer, Lola (2001). Understanding Differences: Some Kids Use Wheelchairs. Mankato,
Minnesota: Capstone Press.
This book talks about somthem have a lot in common. Kate was a very curious girl and she
always was interested in everything. God makes all different types of children. Some may not be
as athletic or artistic but they are all created in a special way.e of the reasons that children may
have to wear leg braces and how they help them. Many kids wear leg braces because their
muscles or bones did not grow correctly. These leg braces help support their body. Kids who wear
braces do many of the things that every other child does.
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Shriver, Maria (2001). What's Wrong with Timmy. New York, New York: Warner Books Inc.
The main character in this story is Kate. She meets a boy named Timmy who is mentally
retarded. Timmy helps Kate learn that the two of them have a lot in common. Kate was a very
curious girl and she always was interested in everything. God makes all different types of
children. Some may not be as athletic or artistic but they are all created in a special way.
Text Set cont….
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Silverstein, A, Silverstein, V, & Silverstein, L (2001). Dyslexia.
Danbury,
Connecticut: Franklin Watts.
This book talks about Dyslexia and the importance of keeping your body healthy. Staying
healthy is very important in life. Dyslexia causes many problems with reading for children.
The chapters in this book talk about diagnosing Dyslexia, who has it, what it is, what can
you do, and various reading problems that are associated with Dyslexia.
Notes: I decided to go with this text set because I think that this is a great group of books
to learn about various disabilities. I think that students and parents need to be aware of
the disabilities around them. There are many misconceptions about different disabilities so
I want people to be better aware of what is around them.
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Text Set final page
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http://jarodhawk.weebly.com/multigenreproject.html
Before-During-After Lesson
THE END!