Milestones

a project for Passive Voice

If you’re unfamiliar with WebQuests, read this introduction first.

Students select an aspect of society that has developed over the ages, then write about its progression. Since the focus is on why each event is important (and not on who caused it), those milestones should be expressed with the PASSIVE VOICE. Students will also comment on the state of their topic now and speculate on its future.

 

Choose Your Topic

Students should chose an area that they are interested in. Hopefully, they already know some things about the topic. Examples include:

    • Methods of Transportation
    • Long-Distance Communication
    • Exploration
    • Military Technology
    • Methods of Spreading Information
    • Styles of Entertainment
    • Production & Distribution of Goods

 

Select the Milestones

What are the most significant advancements in that field? Students could brainstorm some ideas if they already know the topic well; otherwise use the internet to get some ideas. Students then select the five advancements they think are the most interesting. Write down each using the Passive Voice.

For example, if my topic is Methods of Spreading Information (including stories), my five points might be as follows:

      1. Information used to be passed down orally from one generation to the next.

      2. Some important information was recorded on parchment, but there were few copies, and few people were able to read them.

      3. Once the printing press was invented, more copies of written texts were published and literacy gradually increased.

      4. In the 20th Century, information was broadcast over radio and through television, making its delivery instantaneous.

      5. For the past few decades, all sorts of information has been uploaded and shared over the world wide web.

In addition to listing each milestone, students should write another couple of sentences about its impact or on how the new status quo was different from the old. Or, perhaps, explain a limitation that calls for the following point (like I did with #2 above). Again, student may have to do a bit of research before writing this stuff down. Each of the five points should have its own paragraph.

 

What Now? What Next?

After writing five things about the past, students should write two things about the present. Perhaps one is how it’s good for society and the other is how it’s bad. Or perhaps one discusses why things are better than ever but the other highlights the limitations we still face. It’s up to the students. This is also the area in which students can express their own opinions.

Using the Passive Structure may not make sense here, depending on what the students want to express. However, as you review how they describe the current situation, look for opportunities to use Passive Adjectives.

Finally, write one thing about the future. This is not a place for personal speculation, but is instead a continuation of the webquest. What do experts believe will be the next advancement in the field? Again, the main point should be expressed in Passive Voice and should be supported by a couple details.

In the end, compare the full reports between students who researched the same topic. Did they choose the same five past achievements? Do they have similar assessments of the current state of things? Discuss with your class.

Check out Insights’s Passive Forms Series to view our videos on Passive Voice and related topics.  In these videos, we share innovative teaching methods to make it easier for students to understand and remember grammar points.

Go beyond the videos with printouts, slideshows, bonus notes, and much more by joining with Insider Access or by downloading a Grammar Guidebook.  Visit our About Insider Access page to learn more!

Get more with Insider Access

INCLUDING

Advanced Features in Student Projects

search and filter

planning info

AND

Extra Video Content

more How-to-Teach grammar videos*

with intros, instructions, and summaries

*compared to free resources

AND

Exclusive Supplemental Resources

slideshows

posters & handouts

bonus notes

Class-Wide

This Day in History

Throughout the year (or semester), students take turns writing headlines for something that happened on that day, but for any year in the past. These headlines are displayed on the classroom wall.

Read More »
Year-Long

Merit Badges

Students create earnable badges for their classmates as the year goes on to reward one another for their accomplishments in the classroom.

Read More »
Class-Wide

Scout Patches

Students create fun, challenging, and silly patches or merit badges, inspired by the ones that Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts might earn through their accomplishments.

Read More »
Class-Wide

Crime & Justice

Re-enact a criminal case: craft the situation around a fictional robbery, conduct an investigation, and put on a mock trial. This project works best with multiple classes.

Read More »
WebQuests

WebQuest: Vampires

Vampires have been all the rage in fiction for the past couple decades.  As different authors and film-makers have made their own stories, many have made changes to the classic lore.  Let’s compare and contrast vampires from different stories.

Read More »

Share This Post