Lesson Plan for Implementing NETS•S
(Open-Ended Exploration)
This template is for designing lessons that engage students in more open-ended explorations. For this type of lesson, the teacher is doing less designing of specific activities and more facilitating of open-ended student explorations. This template focuses on providing students with guiding questions that they will answer through research and the use of technology.
Teacher’s Name: Mr. W. Wollaston
Grade Level(s): 8th
Title of Exploration: Writing a Research Report
Curriculum Connection Content Areas: Language Arts and Social Studies.
November 19th,2010
Lesson 1 ( 1 day for 1hour)
Essential Question(s):
Unit: How do I prepare myself for a future career?
Lesson:
• Lesson One: How do note cards help me to organize my research?
• A lesson in source cards and note cards
Lesson 2 (2 days for 1 hour each)
Essential Question(s):
Unit: How do I prepare myself for a future career?
Lesson:
• How do text features help me discover information?
Lesson 3 (4 days of 1hour each)
Unit: How do I prepare myself for a future career?
Lesson:
• How do I use research and technology to support my writing?
• How do I determine reliable sources?
Lesson 4 (3 days of 1hour each)
Essential Question(s):
Unit: How do I prepare myself for my future career?
Lesson: How do I create an effective thesis statement?
Standards -
ELA8W3a, ELA8W2: a, c, f; ELA8LSV1: a-m, ELA8R1a, b (informational texts), ELA8W3,
SS8CG1: The student will describe the role of citizens under Georgia's constitution.
ISTE Standards for Students will this lesson address.
1. Creativity and Innovation
a. Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
b. Students: apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes
c. create original works as a means of personal or group expression
d. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues
e. identify trends and forecast possibilities
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats
c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems
3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks
d. process data and report results
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:
a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions
d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions
5. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology
b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity
c. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning
d. exhibit leadership for digital citizenship
6. Technology Operations and Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:
a. understand and use technology systems
b. select and use applications effectively and productively
c. troubleshoot systems and applications
d. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies
Brief Lesson Description:
• Lesson 1:
Students will be taught to create note cards to keep track of their research notes. These note cards will be graded for accuracy. (Formative assessment)
• Lesson 2:
The students will identify career information in informational text.
The students will also research their career using the computer and discover/answer the following details on their careers; do I need to complete high school? What subjects should I be taking in high school? How many years of college do I need? What colleges offer degrees in this area? Where are these colleges found? What is the cost of attending the schools of my choice? What are the starting and average salaries in this career area? What industries are currently employing persons in this particular field? What are the future job growth prospects for this area? Give clear description of the duties that would be expected of a person in this role. Am I currently on track to achieving this goal? All this information must be clearly outlined on student’s notes cards. Students will also have to find five to six still pictures of a person performing this job to use in a PowerPoint, ANIMOTO, and Photo Story 3, Windows Story Maker presentation or find a short video on this career.
• Lesson 3:
Students will maintain a running bibliography to maintain in conjunction with their note cards. (Formative assessment)
• Lesson 4
Class work Grade: Students will determine what they want to cover in the body of their paper and develop a thesis statement or ROAD MAP for their paper. Students will be given three days of class time to compile their note which at the end of that time , they should have produce a written paper clearly stating the information required from lesson three. In addition to their paper presentation to the class, students will be required to present some form of multi- media presentation based on their selected career of no less than one minute.
Assessment Rubric for lesson 4
Research Report Rubric for ______________________________________ Grade__________
ELA8W2: Student demonstrates competence in a variety of genres: Writing from Research
Standard Strong Meets Weak Meets Does Not Meet
Engages the reader by establishing a context. Introduction has a strong hook or attention grabber that is appropriate to the audience, creates a strong speaker’s voice, and generates reader interest. Introduction has hook or attention grabber that is appropriate to the audience, creates a speaker’s voice, and attempts to develop reader interest. There is no clear introduction.
Writer does not establish context, develop reader interest, or create voice.
Poses relevant and tightly drawn questions about the topic.
Questions cause a narrowing of the topic. Rich, full answers are required to answer the questions. Some of the questions cause a narrowing of the topic. There is a mixture of yes or no questions and questions that require rich, full answers. The questions are broad. Most can be answered with yes or no.
Conveys clear and accurate perspective on the subject. The writer’s perspective on the subject is clearly stated and supported with evidence from research. The writer’s perspective is stated and weakly supported with evidence from research. The writer’s perspective is unclear and is not supported with evidence from research.
States a thesis. Thesis statement is strong/powerful and clearly articulates the author’s position and/or perspective.
Thesis statement clearly states author’s position and/or perspective but lacks conviction or punch.
Thesis statement does not clearly state the author’s position (or is missing altogether).
Records important ideas, concepts and direct quotations from significant information sources, and paraphrases and summarizes all perspectives on the topic, as appropriate. Ideas are developed clearly and fully, effectively integrating and elaborating on specific textual evidence from a variety of sources. All details relate directly to the topic.
Topic is developed with supporting details, but some ideas are developed more fully than others. Little or no development of topic with supporting details –OR—most supporting details are completely unrelated to the topic.
Uses a variety of primary and secondary sources and distinguishes the nature and value of each. Appropriate primary and secondary sources are used. The reliability of the sources was evaluated.
A variety of sources is used. Some of the sources were evaluated for reliability.
A variety of sources was not used. The sources were not evaluated for reliability.
Organizes and displays information on charts, maps and graphs. Graphic features add or support the research presented in the writing. Graphic features weakly support the research presented in the writing. Graphic features are inappropriate or absent.
Provides a sense of closure to the writing. Conclusion not only summarizes the purpose of the writing but also provokes further thought in the reader. Conclusion adequately summarizes the purpose of the writing.
Conclusion does not summarize or is missing altogether.
Documents resources Resources are documented correctly. Most of the resources are documented correctly. Resources are incorrectly documented or not documented at all.
Job Fair Performance Rubric
ELA8LSV2 Elements Strong Meets Weak Meets Does Not Meet
Gives oral presentation or dramatic interpretations for various purposes Oral presentation is engaging and entertaining. Oral presentation is clearly delivered but lacks engagement. Oral presentation is boring or could not be heard.
Organizes information to achieve particular purposes and to appeal to the background and interests of the audience. Information presented is organized and appealing to the audience. Information is organized but lacks appeal to the audience. Information is not organized. The audience leaves the presentation confused.
Shows appropriate changes in delivery. Gestures, expression, tone, pace and visuals all add to the appeal of the presentation. Some gestures, expression, tone, pace and visuals are evident. Monotone delivery.
Uses language for dramatic effect. Language appropriate to the career and for dramatic effect is used in the presentation. Some language is used in the presentation. Not dramatic at all.
Uses rubrics as an assessment tool. This rubric is used to self-assess and to assess viewed presentations. This rubric is used to self-assess or to assess viewed presentations. Lost this rubric.
Responds to oral communications with questions, challenges, or affirmations. Listens to presentations and asks thought provoking questions or gives challenges and affirmations. Listens to presentations and asks a question or gives a challenge or affirmation. Halfway listens or does not respond to the presentations.
Uses multimedia for presentations Uses multimedia that adds appeal to the presentation. Uses some multimedia to add to the presentation. No multimedia is used.
Prerequisites
Previous content knowledge for students to apply to this assignment (What prior knowledge would you expect students to have and how would you build upon this knowledge?)
1. Community worker and what their job entails.
2. How to create a five paragraph essay.
3. How to decide what information is important and what is not based on my topic.
Previous technology knowledge for students to apply to this assignment (What technology skills would you expect students to have to complete this assignment?)For students to complete this project they will need to know the following.
1. How to navigate the web and locate relevant information
2. How to use Microsoft Word
3. How to produce a Power Point, Photo Story 3, or any other media presentation
4. How to use a search engines
Instructional Procedures
Lesson 1
Instructional Methods:
What’s in a Note Card? (Creating Source Cards and Note Cards)
• Before ever getting to the library for research, it is prudent to review the various expectations you, the teacher, have of your students while they are researching. Taking notes in an organized manner is of paramount importance when conducting research. Students must learn how to keep track of their notes and the references from which they gathered their notes.
• Activating Strategy: Have students think of 5 open-ended questions they would like to ask a partner. Ask them to write these questions down on a piece of paper. Divide students into partners. Tell them to read each question to their partner and listen for the response. They are not to write anything down during this interaction, but must remember everything their partner said. After 3 minutes, switch. The other partner will now ask his/her set of questions, remembering the answers. Call on several partner groups, and ask them to share their questions and answers. Did they remember every detail? Did they fall short? After this interaction, share the idea with students that when we write down and keep track of what we learn, we are much more likely to remember and use our learning in beneficial ways.
• Opening: Review the PowerPoint “Research Survival 101: How to Make a Note Card.” Ask students to take notes from the PowerPoint. For a little background on this lesson, refer to McDougal Littel Textbook, pages 1058-1059.
• Working Session: In order to prepare for this lesson you will need to create a packet of research information for the students. Run a classroom set of the following:
o Encyclopedia pages about a topic of interest (“dogs” is a good one). Be sure to copy the information itself, the copyright page in the front, the title page in the front.
o Reference book (other than an encyclopedia) about a particular topic. Be sure to copy the information itself, the copyright page in the front, the title page in the front.
o Non-fiction book with text features. Be sure to copy the information itself, the copyright page in the front, the title page in the front.
• Hand out three index cards per student.
• Have students review the information in front of them and complete their Source Cards for each of the sources. Remember to remind students to number their sources cards in sequential order. Have students turn to page 1058 in the McDougal Littel textbook for format guidance.
• Next, give students six more index cards. With these cards, students are going to write down key pieces of information from each of the sources you have given them (2 facts from each source). Be sure that students write down the number on their note cards which connect to the corresponding source card.
• Be sure to monitor your students closely during this time, and help struggling learners find facts that they can copy down.
• Upon completion, have students sort their note cards according to the source from which the created the card. Have them add the source card to the top of each stack to turn in for a grade.
Closing: Ask students to review what they have learned in this classroom session. What did they find was difficult to do? Do they understand the importance of having their note cards connect with their source cards? Be sure students understand how important it is to stay organized throughout their research experience.
Lesson 2
Instructional Methods
• Activating Strategy: Ask students to bring a S.S or Science Textbook to class or use MCDLIT “Over the Top” pages 896-901. Ask them to list all the text features/ questions they can find. Make a class list of their findings.
• Follow Teacher’s Guide page 173 from MCDLIT Standards Lesson File Book 2 Reading and Informational Text Resource Book. Use copy master page 177-179 to review the text features.
• Ask students to go back to the activating strategy. Can they discover text features they missed?
• Application into the Research of a Career Performance Task: Explain that students will create a presentation for their job fair within the classroom. Within their presentations, they will be able to place text features/ questions to help describe their career. So the question is, “What are the text features (questions) I can use to describe my career?”
• Pull up http://mappingyourfuture.org/planyourcareer/careership/. Choose a career together. Read the information about the career. Think about text features you could create to share the information. Design a text feature together.
• Give students time to search through texts and/or the internet to find information about their career. Check out Career Websites for research sites. Have students think about text features they could use to display the information they found. For example, could they make a chart, graphic or draw an illustration?
• Have students create a text feature using the information they gathered.
• Small groups: Ask students to share the text features they created. Ask the other students in the group to give commentary on how effective the text feature was in giving information.
• Assessment: Use Copy Master page 180 or 181 from MCDLIT Standards Lesson File Book 2 Reading and Informational Text Resource Book as a summative assessment.
Lesson 3
Instructional Methods:
• Activating Strategy: Ask students to write a career on the top of a piece of paper. Ask the students, “If I sent you to the library to conduct research on this career, where could you go to discover information?” Have students’ list resources they could use to conduct the research. Ask the students to share their lists.
• Take students to a computer lab. Use the Research Tips PowerPoint to help students learn and surf the resources. As you teach and navigate through the sites, ask students to take notes or give them a copy of the PowerPoint slides.
• Ticket Out the Door: Give students a colored piece of paper cut like a bookmark. Ask students to use the information they have learned to make a “Tip” card to take to the library.
Lesson 4
Instructional Methods:
• For some background on understanding thesis statements, go to http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/thesis.html . The information provided on this website is very good, and if you scroll down to the bottom, it lists many other excellent websites for a variety of writing needs.
• Students seem to struggle a great deal with writing a thesis statement, because they have to synthesize everything they have learned about their topic and consolidate all that information into one concise, meaningful sentence. This is difficult for anyone, much less an 8th grader! So this lesson breaks down how to write a thesis statement into doable, digestible steps.
• Activating Strategy:
o Ask students to get out a piece of paper.
o Tell them to list 5 things that they enjoy doing.
o Now tell them to choose one of those things and write 3 reasons why they enjoy the activity.
o Show them the following sentence graphic organizer:
_________________________ is a great _________________ because _____________________, __________________________, and _____________________.
Write the following sentence up on the board:
Swimming is an excellent sport because you can get good exercise, tone your muscles, and build stamina.
o Explain to students that the thesis statement must have a topic, an opinion/angle/attitude, and three main ideas that you plan to expand in the body of the paper. Show how the example on the board fulfills this requirement.
• Opening: Show the attached PowerPoint, entitled “Writing a Thesis”. Have students take out a piece of paper to complete the exercises on the PowerPoint slide. This will be for a class work grade. Engage students by asking them to share their responses throughout the essay.
• Working Session: Have students review the outlines that they completed from the last lesson. These outlines should convey what they want to address in the body of their paper.
• On the board, model the process outlined below before allowing students to attempt this on their own. Then give them the handout highlighted below and allow them to give writing a thesis a try.
• Ask students to brainstorm their topic in the following fashion (see “Brainstorming and Creating a Thesis” handout:
o Select a topic: becoming a teacher
o Ask an interesting question: What do you have to know and be able to do to become a teacher?
o Revise the question into a thesis: “Becoming an excellent teacher requires a full understanding of the requirements to teach, the demands on time and talent, and the desire for more than monetary fulfillment.”
o Remember, this thesis statement is a “working thesis.” As students continue their research, they may discover evidence that may affect or change the direction they want to take their papers. This is GREAT! Revision is all about decision!
• It is important at this time to roam around your room and assist kids as needed. You might also consider allowing them to work together in pairs to help each other.
Lesson Tools
Lesson 1
For this Lesson:
• PowerPoint presentation on Source Cards and Note Cards
• McDougal Littel Textbook
• Note cards (9 per student)
Vocabulary:
• source
• heading
• quote
• paraphrase
• summarize
Lesson 2
For this Lesson:
• Laptop, LCD projector,
• active whiteboards,
• computer lab,
• MCDLIT Standard Lesson Files Book 2 Reading and Informational Texts
Vocabulary:
• text features
• boldface type
• bulleted list
• caption
• footnote
• graphic aid
• heading
• key word
• numbered list
• lettered list
• review question
• sidebar
• subheading
• title
Lesson 3
For this Lesson:
Laptop, LCD projector, computer lab, cardstock paper cut into bookmarks.
Vocabulary:
• search engines
• web abbreviations
• sources
• reliability
Lesson 4
For this Lesson:
• “Writing a Thesis” PowerPoint
• “Brainstorming and Creating a Thesis” handout
• Sentence strips for struggling learners
Vocabulary:
• thesis statement
• topic
• opinion
• perspective
• main idea
Differentiation
Lesson 1
Differentiation:
• For struggling learners, be available to assist in pulling interesting facts from the reading. You might also reduce the number of note cards they have to complete by 50%.
For advanced learners, have students write a recap about the importance of research organization, and how organization positively influences end results.
Lesson 2
Differentiation:
Struggling students: Teacher will place students with similar career interests together. Ask them to read and create the text feature together.
Lesson 3
Differentiation:
Struggling students may need additional lessons to help them surf the resources easily.
Lesson 4
Differentiation:
• For struggling learners, review the process with them individually using sentence strips to reflect the three part thesis. Or pair them with a student who can do the exercise and have them share ideas through the process.
Encourage advanced learners to write a variety of thesis statements, creating a selection or variety of statements. Then have them choose the best one. You might also encourage advanced learners to use the language of the discipline they are investigating. Have them research the ethics behind the profession they have chosen, and include this aspect in their thesis statement.
Closure and Reflection
Students will provide feedback on the lesson using teacher’s blog. http://tappmiddleschool.typepad.com/wollaston/
Feedback may include but is not limited to the following questions:
1. What career presentation did you find most informative.
2. Name two new things you discovered about this type of career?
3. Are there any unanswered questions you have about this career? Please state.
A summary of the technologies that will use during this lesson
Planning Questions Instructional Strategies Word processing applications Spreadsheet software Organizing and brainstorming software Data collection tools Multimedia Web resources Communication tools
Which strategies will provide evidence of student learning? Providing feedback
x
Providing recognition x x
Which strategies will help students acquire and integrate learning? Cues, questions and organizers x
Nonlinguistic Representation
Summarizing and note taking x x x
Cooperative learning
Reinforcing Effort x x
Which strategies will help students review and apply learning? Identifying similarities and differences
Homework and practice x
Generating and testing hypotheses x
Career Website For students
Career Voyages
http://www.careervoyages.gov/
Career Cruising
http://www.careercruising.com/Default.aspx
College.gov
http://www.college.gov/wps/portal
Could This Be Your Life?
http://www.ncrctv.com/index.asp
Create Your Resume
http://www.myfuture.com/toolbox/createresume_all.html
Job Profiles
http://hiring.monster.com/indexProspect.Redux.aspx
Kids.gov
http://www.kids.gov/6_8/6_8_careers.shtml
The Funworks
http://www.thefunworks.org/
Occupational Outlook
http://www.bls.gov/search/ooh.htm Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/k12/index.htm
