A Multigenre Research Project

Clara Barton Examples by Robin Henry

A multigenre research project is

• Similar to standard research papers– Select a topic/interest– Conduct research

using standard methods

– Collect information– Process information– Present through

writing

• Different than standard research papers– Writings of different

genres/creative pieces– Writer is personally

engaged– Presented orally

through packaging

Creative Pieces

• Collages• Obituaries/Birth

announcements• Diary entries• Phone call transcripts• Interviews• Poems• Crot• Double voices

• Fragments• Labyrinthine

sentences• Lists• Repetitions• Memos• Business letters• Friendly letters• Manifesto

You are only limited by your imagination!

Topic Possibilities are endless!

Civil Rights

Movement

The Beatles

Walt Disney

Steven Spielberg

Tiger Woods

Bill Gates Iraq War Autism

Barbie History of TV

Poverty Ben Franklin

Clara Barton

Lucille Ball Oprah and many, many more!

Planning Through Mapping

• Make a semantic map of your plan for your multigenre report.

• Place your topic in the center.

• Surround your topic with the genre writings you plan on using.

Next you will see the semantic map plan I made for my study of

Clara Barton.

Clara Barton Semantic Map

Clara Barton 1821-1912

Language Arts•Create a two voice writing showcasing Barton’s arrival on the battlefield.•Write an obituary for Clara Barton.•Write a birth announcement for Clara Barton.•Interview Clara Barton.

The Arts•Make a collage of events and places from Barton’s life.•Create a headstone for Clara Barton’s grave.

Math•Research the number of people helped in 2008 by the International Red Cross. Create a chart for representation.•Compare the differences in Barton’s teacher salary with that of today’s novice teachers. Write words problems.

Science•Compare a nurse’s medical kit from 2009 with the kit Clara Barton would have used during the Civil War.•Research medicine available during the Civil War.

Social Studies•Make a list highlighting the importance of non-profit organizations, such as The Red Cross.•Create and make map of Clara Barton’s Civil War efforts.

I hope you noticed in the previous slide the subject was used in genre writings across

the curriculum!

Genre: Birth Announcement

Birth Announcement

Captain Stephen and Sarah Stone Barton are pleased to announce the arrival of a new daughter, Clarissa Harlowe Barton, born on Christmas Day, 1821 in North Oxford, Massachusetts. Clara is the fifth child of Captain Barton, who is known for farming, horse breeding, and as the captain of the local militia.

  Clara’s siblings include Dorthea (Dolly) age 17 years old,

Stephen age 15 years old, David age 13 years old, and Sally age 10 years old.

Genre: Math problems

Teacher Salary Comparisons

 

• Facts: Clara Barton was employed as a teacher as a young teen. Her salary was approximately

1840 (Massachusetts) -$300, plus Boarding Round.

• Today’s beginning teacher’s approximate salary is

2009 (Massachusetts) - $35,421.

• Make a word problem showing the salary comparisons.

• What is the annual rate of change for the teacher’s salaries in Massachusetts from 1840-2009?

• Example:– $35421 - $300 = $35121 salary difference – 2009 – 1840 = 149 years– $35121 / 149 years = $ 234.71 salary increase per year

 

Genre: Death Notice

Death Notice Clara Barton died 12 April, 1912 at her home outside Washington, D.C. in Glen Echo, Maryland. Her remains will be returned to the city of her birth, Oxford, Massachusetts, for burial. Services will be conducted locally by Rev. William E. Barton of Chicago, and assisted by Rev. Percy H. Epler of Worcester.

  Clara Barton was an educator and a nurse. Most of all,

she was instrumental in the origin of the American Red Cross. She is survived by several nieces and nephews.

Genre: Interview

Clara Barton on the Red Carpet

An interview by Barbara Walters for ABC’s 20/20Written by Robin Henry

• Interview Transcript:• Walters: Welcome Miss Barton to 20/20. We are honoring you tonight as a special guest. I

am honored to be with you this evening as we bestow on you the title “Angel of the Battlefield”. We hope to take a few moments before you walk down the red carpet to receive your honor. What has made you worthy of this honor?

• Barton: I am honored to be here this evening. I must give thanks to my father for this honor for his patriot blood always ran warmly in my veins.

• Walters: Did you discuss your plans for helping in the battlefield with your father?• Barton: No I did not. I felt well and strong and young. I was young enough to go to the front. I

thought if I can’t be a solder, I will help the soldiers in some way. I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can feed and nurse them.*

• Walters: Someone shared with me a story about a bullet in your dress. Would you kindly share that story with this audience?

Interview continued•Barton: I was giving water to an injured soldier when a ball passed between my body and the right arm which supported him, cutting through the sleeve and passing through his chest from shoulder to shoulder. There was no more to be done for him and I left him to his rest. I have never mended that hole in my sleeve. I wonder if a soldier ever does mend a bullet hole in his coat? *

•Walters: That gives us something to think about. Let’s take a break. When we return, more with the Angel in the Battlefield, Clara Barton.•Walters: Thank you for returning to ABC’s 20/20. We are talking with Clara Barton this evening. Miss Barton, who was your designer for this evening?•Barton: My dress is simple. I usually wear a bonnet, dark skirt and red bow while out in the field. Tonight I have worn one of my Sunday dresses.•Walters: Tell us a little about your hair.•Barton: My hair is to my waist. I am very vain when it comes to my hair. I wear it parted in the middle and braided on each side. My hair must always be clean and neat. My bonnet takes care of that.•Walters: Miss Barton, we know that you have never married. Are there any men in your life?•Barton: None that isn’t married.•Walters: Okay. That answer would make another good program. This is Barbara Walters for ABC’s 20/20 signing off from our visit with Clara Barton, the Angel of the Battlefield .

Genre Double Voice Writing

The following slide is an example of double voice writing. The setting is the Battle of Antietam, Maryland during the Civil War on September 17, 1862. Nurse Clara Barton cradles a wounded soldier’s head in her lap while tending his wounds. Her words are in red and his words are in black.

Genre: Double Voice Writing• Dear soldier, let me sucor your injuries. Let me take care of your wounds. Let me be

your family of support. Do not listen to the shots being fired around us.• Madame, please help me. I do not want to die. I want to go home and see my wife.

Help me please. Help me to live.• Please sir. Lie still while I tend to your wounds and give you water to sip. I will

bandage your wound, then we can retreat to the medical wagon.• Madame, can you not see the battle is coming closer to us? I do not want to die.• My kind man, please be patient. The bandage is almost complete. Please lie with

your head in my arms so that I can help you.• (Shots are fired.)• Oh my dear man, you have been shot. Here you lie in my lap, yet I cannot feel your

breath. I can no longer do anything for you except to close your eyes and say a brief prayer for your soul. Amen.

• (Looking downward, Clara notices the bullet pierced the sleeve of her dress prior to killing the soldier she cradled in her arms.)

Editing and Revisions

• All genre writings should be edited and revised as needed.

• All genre writings should be peer edited.

Packaging

• Packaging a multigenre project creates unity and understanding of the project.

• Packaging relates the writings to one another.

• Packaging helps the audience to understand the author’s purpose.

Packaging Examples

Clara Barton writings can be packaged in a nurse’s bag or first aid kit. A timeline of events in Barton’s life from her birth announcement to her death notice can be used to connect the writing genres.

Evaluations

• Evaluations can be completed by– Peer evaluations– Rubrics made by students– Rubrics made by the teacher– A multigenre report card– Other created ways.

Thank You!

I hope you learned something about multigenre reports through this power point presentation. Following you will find the source I used for this information. If you want to borrow my book, please let me know.

Thanks, Robin

Source

• Putz, Melinda (2006). A teacher's guide to the mutligenre research project. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.