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 The Bread Oven Unit: Discovering a Quebec Bread Ovenby Van Carr, Foreign Language Teacher DOWNLOAD MSWorks File of this Unit Our Story Our story will take place over a several year period to study, design, build, and use a Quebec bread oven on our school grounds. The unit will include an inquiry into the French-Canadian population in Morrisville. After identifying a community member to interview, (many of which may be relatives) students will prepare and conduct their interview. Students will then share their stories.  We will examine the importance of bread in French society and throughout the world. Students will study the process of making bread and then study the French vocabulary to be used as the students bake their own bread. Students will be making bread while using solely French to communicate with their partners. Next we will study the evolving designs, uses, existence and impact of French bread ovens in France, Quebec, Vermont, and ultimately the community of Morrisville. History will be taught and discussed in French. We then will have a visiting history teacher discuss the subject in English. After having studied the Quebec bread ovens, students will discuss the relevance of such a project and specifically the reasons why this project may be worthwhile in our school and community. Once the decision to go forward has been made, students will be faced with a large number of challenges to solve. The class will break into different cooperative groups to start addressing the issues of: finding materials, making designs, getting permission, developing recipes, and running a business.  Eventually the building process will be underway and students will be working with local community members to complete an attractive oven on campus. The materials will come from the immediate area. The alders will come from the woods, the clay from local rivers, the wood from nearby lumberyards, and the metal doors welded from material found in salvage yards. The language of communication during the building process will be largely in French.The second year of this unit will be the use of our oven in the community. Decisions will be made upon how we wish to run our bread business. The students will develop a mission statement and begin running a small bread business. Local businesses will be contacted for guidance. The students will reflect upon the role of the oven and have a chance to realize their impact on the community. * This unit is in the sixth month of a two-year unit. I am fortunate to have the students for several years. French I, II, and III students will be involved. We will be able to study, plan, and build the oven this year. Next year we will be setting up the business, baking bread, and delivering it to the community. This unit is still a work in progress.  Interdisciplinary NatureIn addition to learning about the French culture, students will be engaging in many other academic disciplines. Social studies: The students will compare the different roles the ovens played in different places and time periods. Students will study the changing role of the bread ovens throughout French history during Feudalistic times, after the French Revolution, post World War II with the migration to the cities, in Quebec, and ultimately in our community. Math: Students will use math to make oven designs and estimate materials needed. Students will also use math for business purposes. English: Students will write an informational/persuasive paper when presenting the plans to the school board. Consumer Science: Students will become master bread makers. Technical Education: Students will use the C.A.D. design program to plan the project. The students will also use Power point to present to the board. Art: Students will be drawing the oven used during different times and places throughout history. Essential Questions Can a Quebec bread oven have a role in our community? What will that role be? How will the role of our oven be in comparison to other societal uses of bread ovens? Are students capable of building and using an oven to serve the community and run a profitable business? Who in this community will care about an oven? Who will benefit from the oven? Focusing Questions Has anyone ever heard of a Quebec oven? What is a Quebec bread oven? Who in the school and community can help with this oven? How do the qualities of a bread oven relate to the French-Canadian population in Morrisville? Standards: There are numerous standards that are imbedded within this unit, but the following will be taught and assessed. 3.16 Speaking Native Languages a. Students will be assessed on their efforts to interact using only French for cooperation. The assessed immersion activities will include the bread making process, part of the oral history report, the week of the oven building. The teamwork involved in designing a power point presentation, discussing accounting, ordering materials, and using technologies for design will be more lenient about using English. 2.2 Problem Solving Students use reasoning strategies, knowledge, and common sense to solve complex problems related to all fields of knowledge. a. Workgroups (recipe, materials & design, permission, and business) will work together to create a bread business. b. Students will be assessed on their successful use of different academic subjects to solve problems such as; proper mathematics to determine how much clay will be necessary to cover a surface area of the oven dome three inches thick. 3.10 Teamwork Students perform effectively on teams that set and achieve goals, conduct investigations, solve problems, and create solutions (e.g. by using consensus building and cooperation to work toward group decisions) . a. The students will be assessed with checklists to see if they have the appropriate plan and follow through to solve problems and create the oven and business. 3.17 Writing Native Languages a. There will be several task specific assessments including writings on how to make bread, reflections on our work, and relating the story of our work 4.1 Service Students take an active role in their community a. The students will be assessed on their oral interviews b. The community will ultimately assess students when they deliver baked goods. An elder at a nursing home may assess a student upon food delivery based on the level of: Courtesy, punctuality, dependability, and the level of effort to speak French if appropriate c. Students will be assessed in their active role in the class community. They will be rewarded for their involvement in a French potluck dinner and other opportunities to be involved with the community. 4.6 Understanding Place Students demonstrate understanding of the relationship between their local environment and community heritage and how each shapes their lives. a. Students will demonstrate an increased understanding of the school community. This will be assessed in an initial writing on their knowledge of the procedures of school change. Towards the end of the project students will write about the actual procedures. b. Students will keep a record of the community partnerships and connections made during this project. There will also be an assessment on the closing communication to recognize and thank all those involved in assisting this project. c. Students will describe in French writing how the environment is imbedded in the structure of the oven i.e. The clay, rocks, alders, and hearthstone. Goals 1. For students to use French in a real communicative means to accomplish a group goal 2. For students to study a product of Francophone culture which is reflective of French life 3. For students to cooperate and problem solve to complete the oven 4. For students to gain an insight to bread baking 5. For students to recognize and learn about the Canadian population in Morrisville 6. For students to learn about the process of change in school 7. For students to meet and work together with community members 8. For students to increase the beauty and educational level of campus 9. For students to return bread to the community Rationale • Address multiple standards • Provide authentic, personally-relevant learning opportunities for students and the community • Introduce students to the French/Canadian heritage that exists in the community • Increase school and community partnerships • Empower students to realize their ability to permanently and positively affect the community Culminating Activities As the project’s relevance carries on for such a long time, we will have several culminating activities. At the conclusion of building the oven, we will have a celebration with bread and flatbread pizza. We will invite all community members involved. As well we would like to invite parents, friends, faculty & staff to increase the knowledge of the oven. Each year homecoming will serve as a culmination of the students’ study and use of the oven. This will be a day where students will try to share the history and significance of the oven, provide wholesome food, and make a profit to be used for the trip to France. Assessment Plan The plan for assessing student progress will include rubrics for performance assessments, task specific and self-assessments. There will also be several assessment tasks to determine the existing knowledge. The unit will begin with • An assessment of students’ bread baking knowledge • An assessment of student’s knowledge related to the Canadian population in Morrisville and knowledge of bread ovens. • A discussion of the standards students will be working towards will be included as students think about questions around the bread oven (see #4 on the unit outline) • Students will engage in an initial discussion of potential culminating activities and uses of the bread oven. Unit Outline 1. Introduction to bread baking: A French immersion activity: After sharing students’ knowledge and experience about bread baking, we will study the vocabulary needed to cooperatively speak French and make bread. During the bread baking process the students will be assessed on their level of French speaking (Standard 3.16), the effort to make bread, and the respectful use of the consumer science room. Students will also write about the process of baking bread in a task specific assessment (Standard 3.17). 2. Interviewing and writing the stories of local residents of French-Canadian heritage. Students will be assessed according to a rubric and checklist on their pre-interview preparations, written report (French and English) and the presentation. There will be a "cultural heritage in Morrisville" rubric. Standard 4.1 Service. 3. Historical uses of bread ovens in societies from the 12th century. The students will take notes on the history of bread ovens in different societies. They will be introduced to this information first in French, then later in English with a history teacher. There will be a task specific assessment. Students will also draw imagined scenes of the oven in use in different times and places throughout history. Standard 4.6 4. The decision to make an oven on campus. The students will explore the questions around the process of initially planning to make an oven. We will discuss questions related to: why, what, how, where, who, when, how much. 3.10 Team Work Problem Solving Your workgroup set an action plan Give evidence You interviewed the appropriate people received feedback and acted upon the feedback Give evidence You identified and solved problems Give evidence You overcame setbacks Give evidence You created a successful end result Give evidence 5. Work groups becoming experts and solving problems. There will be various task specific assignments for each group to complete. There will also be several self-assessments for the groups. 2.2 Problem Solving 6. Connections with community members to serve as an advisory board in the planning, cooking, entrepreneurial, and building process. We will invite several local experts to speak on building bread ovens, baking, running a bread business, and meeting requirements to obtain permission. 4.1 Service 7. Presentation process. Students will use various technologies to assemble a presentation for the school board. 8. Final planning. All those involved will come together to work out a building plan and to coordinate schedules and verification of the required materials and tools. During the final planning Fantastique ! Bien Comme çi comme ça La prochaine fois Listening Did you listen attentively, take notes, and offer ideas Yes I listened attentively, took notes, asked questions when appropriate, and offered ideas. I felt a part of the team. Yes almost all of the time I listened attentively took notes, asked questions when appropriate, and offered ideas. I lost attention and I did not listen attentively, take notes, and offer ideas. I had to be reminded to pay attention. I was disruptive. 9. Building process. Students will work together with local experts to build the oven. The students will be speaking in French with each other. There will be a French immersion rubric (i.e. All French spoken =100%). There will also be a self-assessment relating to teamwork each of the four building days. Standard 3.16 French Speaking 10. Culminating celebration and first use of recipes. The recipe group will be assessed on their recipe book. Students will also write a reflective paper in French on how our local environment was used to make this oven. Standard 4.16 Understanding Place 11. Set up of business and meeting school financial requirements. Students will meet with appropriate school authorities, local business’s, and the bank to set up the business. Students will keep journals about their contacts and progress on their action plan. 3.10 Teamwork 12. A discussion of the use of the oven (i.e. As a fundraiser and donar of baked goods to community members) Students will develop a mission statement. 2.2 Problem Solving 13. The organization and use of the oven for school celebrations and as a part of our school lunch program. 14. Reflection of the role of our oven in our community compared with the oven’s uses in past communities. Students will write a reflective piece. Standard 3.17 French Writing.
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