Choosing a Portfolio Artefact2014 Edition

WHY is this lesson important?

WHAT is an artefact?

WHICH Social Studies concepts am I interested in?

HOW and WHERE do I find an artefact to match my interest?

WHOM can I approach for help?

WHEN should I have my artefacts chosen by?

Lesson Overview

Last year, your Portfolio was based on the “Family Tree” and the “I am..” assignments

This year, there will be more independent choice

BOTH your Portfolio entries will begin with YOU choosing an artefact!

WHY is this lesson important?

Working on a portfolio may not be easy! However it can be very rewarding.

Remember, creating a portfolio allows you to: Pursue your areas of interest Learn independently Work according to your own learning style Develop your potential

WHY is Portfolio work important?

Something ancient which was dug out of the ground?

Something rare and valuable?

NOT NECESSARILY!

WHAT is an Artefact?

The Oxford Dictionary defines an Artefact as:

An object made by a human being, typically one of cultural or historical

interest.

Etymology (word origin):

From the Latin phrase arte factum

ars (skill) + facere (to make)

WHAT is an Artefact?

Many objects can spark off interesting Commentary and Reflection

A picture of an ancient water vessel might prompt you to discuss the civilisation that made it

Using Artefacts

A modern plastic bottle could spark off reflections on pollution and wastage

Comparing the two will let you write about change and continuity in human technology

For Social Studies, we look out for Historical, Cultural or Social artefacts:Anything made by a person or

a group which gives information about the history, culture or society of its creator

and users

WHAT makes a good SOCIAL STUDIES Portfolio Artefact?

News articles from the past and/or present day

Books or Films Collections of items e.g.

photographs or stamps Physical Objects

Qn: What have my seniors chosen as artefacts in P5?

SOCIAL STUDIES Portfolio StructureAn Example

INTRODUCTION

TRANSITION FROM ENTRY 1 TO ENTRY

2

CONCLUSION

ENTRY 1

ENTRY 2

An Introduction,

Transition and Conclusion can

give you opportunities for Reflection

too!

SELF-SELECTED ARTEFACT

SELF-CREATED ARTEFACT

ARTEFACT ARTEFACT ARTEFACTARTEFACT

+ COMMENTAR

Y

ARTEFACT

COMMENTARY COMMENTAR

Y +

REFLECTION

COMMENTARY COMMENTAR

Y +

REFLECTION

REFLECTION REFLECTION REFLECTION

Possible Structures for Portfolio Entry

Your Portfolio Entries must be related to concepts and ideas which you learn about in Social Studies.

Refer to the handout “Concepts and Generalisations”

On the worksheet “Choosing a Portfolio Artefact – my own pathway”, list down ALL the concepts which you are interested in.

Share with the classmate next to you WHY you are interested in these concepts.

WHICH Social Studies concepts am I interested in?

You can: Search the Internet for articles Search the Library for books / films Find an object (or collection of objects) Create an artefact if you cannot find anything suitable Use your Creative Achievements Logbook (*only for

Entry 2)

REMEMBER that your artefact must : Have links to Social Studies concepts Generate many thoughts, reactions and opinions for

you

HOW and WHERE do I find an artefact to match my interest?

A single Object can tell us a lot about its owner! Look at your own pencil case. If someone were to

examine it, they might be able to tell: Who your favourite movie character is That you are creative (many different colour pens) That you like to be prepared (spare pencil lead and

stapler bullets) That you are a neat person (pens all face the same

way) Likewise, an Artefact can tell us a lot about past

civilisations.

Object-Based Study – Example 1

Object-Based Study – Example 2

One day, you find these two objects in the drawer of an old desk at home.

You have never seen them before and are not sure what they are.

Object-Based Study – Example 2

Both have moving parts but cannot move on their own.

You try to figure out what their purpose. Are they: Toys? Small machines? Holiday souvenirs?

Eventually you figure out (with help from your parents) that they are older forms of INFORMATION STORAGE

?

Using this cassette tape and floppy disk as your portfolio artefacts, you can reflect on: Change and Continuity – how do these items

compare to methods of storing information in ancient times, and to methods used in 2014?

Human Ingenuity – Why do we invent ways of storing information? What problems does it solve?

Object-Based Study – Example 2

Change and Continuity Man has stored information on clay tablets,

printed books, magnetic media, optical discs and now USB flash drives

Evidently the MATERIAL we use has changed, as well as the SPEED of making copies

Object-Based Study – Example 2

Change and Continuity However, though they look very different, all

these forms of storage are chosen for the same reasons

They are relatively DURABLE, CHEAP and PORTABLE

Object-Based Study – Example 2

Human Ingenuity By finding ways to store and copy

information, mankind no longer has to rely on speech and memory. Ideas can be preserved for many years.

This has allowed man to accumulate and improve on knowledge

Object-Based Study – Example 2

You could also reflect on the process of figuring out the importance and use of a strange object from the past.

What skills do archaeologists need? What difficulties might they face?

Object-Based Study – Example 2

Important: Making your own artefact can be very time-consuming!

If you wish to try this, do it for your second Entry.e.g. creating a poem, news article, poster, game, model or website

Remember that you are graded according to the quality of your COMMENTARY and REFLECTIONS, not how good your artefact itself is.

Creating your own Artefact

My Teacher My Friends (for ideas) My Family, especially my elders (for

interesting objects)

REMEMBER that YOU should do the searching – do not make others do it for you!

WHOM can I approach for help?

<Teacher to advise on timeline>

WHEN should I have my artefacts chosen by?