Author
Kelly McKee
Evanston Township High School, Illinois
History Department

Course
Latin American Studies — Explores the history and rich cultural legacy of Mexico, Peru, Brazil and other Latin American Countries. Covers the literature, art and music of Latin America as well as its geography, ethnic diversity, social classes, political and religious institutions. The growing importance of this region in world affairs and its special historical, cultural and economic history with the United States is studied

Objectives

1. To introduce students to the Organization of American States (OAS) including its purpose, origin, status, etc.
2. To engage students in analytical thinking by studying current issues of the Americas.
3. To integrate technology as both a learning and presentational tool.
4. To introduce students to on-line research skills and reliability of Internet sources.
5. To expose students to the concept of NGO’s and explain how they have made an impact in the Americas and the rest of the world.

Materials
• Internet access
• Library access
• Computers equipped with PowerPoint

Microsoft Word documents
• OAS Project Overview - 1 per student
• OAS Essay Guidelines - 1 per student
• Country Selection Handout - 1 per student
• Research Handout 1 - 2 per student/pair
• Research Handout 2 - 1 per student/pair
• Slide Show Format Handout - 1 per student
• Narration Handout - 1 per student/pair
• NGO Handout - 1 per student/pair
• Process Grade Contract - 1 per student

Background
For more information on the OAS, see http://www.oas.org/

Time Required
1. One week for research, outlining, essay writing, rewriting.
2. One week for designing and creating PowerPoint slide shows.
3. One week for presentations.

Procedure:

Day 1

• Introduce the Organization of American States
• Go over the OAS Project Overview and the OAS Essay Guidelines (Due Day 8)
• Have students fill out the OAS Country Selection Handout

Day 2

• Assign students their country, based on their choices, but ensuring a variety of topics in the class
• Go over Research Handout 1 (Due Day 4)
• Library time for research

Day 3

• Go over Research Handout 2 (Due Day 5)
• Computer Lab time for research

Day 4

• Introduce the concept of a non-governmental organization (ngo)
• Brainstorm issues that OAS countries need to address
• Have students choose the issue their NGO will work on
• Have students fill out NGO Handout (Due Day 6)

Day 5

• Class time to work on research sheets and essay

Day 6

• Class time to work on essay

Day 7

• Introduce the Slide Show Format Handout
  and Narration Handout (Due day of presentation)
• Only students whose essays have been approved by the teacher may begin work designing their PowerPoint presentations
• Class time to work on essays and slide show designs

Day 8

• Class time to work on slide show designs

Days 9-10

• Computer lab time to create PowerPoint Presentations

Days 11-15

• Presentations

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated based on completion of handouts, essay, PowerPoint design and presentation using the Process Grade Contract form.