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Software Application(s):  Kidspiration, PowerPoint Photo Album

Directions: This lesson may take several days to complete.

(Scott-Foresman, All Together) Unit 3  Vocabulary:
English: job, needs, wants, tools, goods, service, volunteer, trade, transportation, first, next, last
Spanish: trabajo, necesidades, gustos, herramientas, bienes, servicio, voluntario, transporte

Activity: Creating a Marshmallow Man
The students will work in small groups (3-5 in each group). No group will have all of the materials that it needs to create a marshmallow man. Each group will have only one type of material. They'll have to figure out a way to get what they need from the other groups (hopefully, by trading/bartering materials). They'll need to use their powers of persuasion and decision-making. They'll have to make choices based on needs and wants.
Materials:  (Give each group, depending on the size of your groups, the option of creating one or two marshmallow men. You will need enough supplies to create about 10 marshmallow men.)
You'll need sacks or baggies for each group's supplies, about 40 large marshmallows, about 30 miniature marshmallows, about 70 toothpicks, 10 miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, 8-10 decorating gel tubes (for cakes & cookies), about 40 whole cloves (1 container), and a container or two of cake/cookie sprinkles, 5 solid color paper plates (1 for each group), at least one digital camera, 10-15 floppy disks [Each disk may only hold 4 photos, depending on your image size. Decrease the Image Size in the File menu to 640x480 to get the largest number of photos on a disk. However, keep in mind that small photos decrease in quality when enlarged for a slide show.]
1. Divide your class into five groups:  Large Marshmallows, Small Marshmallows, Toothpicks, Gel Tubes, Accessories (Peanut Butter Cups, Cloves, & Sprinkles). Give each group a paper plate for a work/display surface and their assigned supplies. Tell them their assignment: Each group must create one or two marshmallow men. [Do not tell them HOW to make marshmallow men or what materials they will need. You may tell them what materials each group has. That's all! By the way, it's okay if some of them choose to create a marshmallow woman; just don't give them the idea yourself. Wait to see who "thinks outside of the box." If they ask you if it's okay ... "What a creative idea! Creativity adds spice to life!"]
2. Have students identify the problem and discuss options. Make predictions about possible consequences of various options. (List in Word, Inspiration, or on Chart Paper. This list may be added to your photo album later.) Allow about 20-30 minutes for trading/bartering and creating marshmallow people. While the students are trading and creating, have them take digital photos each step along the way. [Remind them to use the camera carefully.]
3. Discuss/debrief the process, identify strategies that worked and those that didn't work as well, and identify the steps they used to create a marshmallow man. (Record these comments on chart paper along with the student's name who made the comment. These comments may be used in your photo album later.)
4. Engage the students in a Kidspiration activity, Want and Choices*,  in the computer lab while you save the photos in My Documents or in Student Share in your grade level folder.
5. Open PowerPoint. PowerPoint 2000: Go to File/New and select Photo Album. PowerPoint 2002 (XP): Go to Insert/Picture/New Photo Album.
6. Create a photo album, The Making of a Marshmallow Man by inserting your photos. (Using Photo Album Directions*) Recommended options once you've inserted your photos: Click on each picture, one at a time, and click the Add a New Text Box button. Do this for each photo that you've inserted. Then, in Picture Layout, select 2 pictures (this will give you a picture and a text box on each page). Put a check next to Captions below all pictures. Select your photo shape in Frame Style and browse for the type of background you want your album to have in Design Template. Click Create.
7. Tada! Highlight the word 'Photo Album' and type in a fun title instead.
8. Work with each group individually to complete the photo album while the rest of the class works on a Kidspiration activity, Go Together*; Wants, Needs, Transportation, and Tools*; or Trading Partners*.
9. Have each group select one slide of the photo album that they want to write about. You could help them type in the text box and the caption, and let them add their names at the end of the slide or next to their comments.
10. Print mini-books for each student by going to File/Print. Then, where it says Print What, select Handouts, and choose 4 or 6 slides to a page (Choose 4 to make a bit larger book than 6. The print will be somewhat easier to read). Fold each page vertically down the middle, back to back. While folded, cut each page into horizontal strips between the photos, leaving the strips folded down the middle. Now, take the folded strips and place them in order, one on top of the other, to create a mini-book. "Bind" your mini-book by stapling along the left edge and covering the stapled edge with colored tape.
Make one for each student.