8th Grade Language Arts

Research, Papers, Projects, & Presentations

Name: _______________________Teacher: ______________________Period: _______________________

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What are our objectives for this unit?

Students will be able to select and refine a topic for research. Students will be able to utilize the West Junior High Library Media Center with the

purpose of researching a specific topic. Students will be able to locate important/relevant information from resources and

take handwritten notes. Students will be able to cite resources formally. Students will be able to create a Power Point slideshow that visually displays their

research. Students will be able to present their visual display of research to an audience using

proper public speaking techniques.

Students will be able to evaluate their peer’s presentations.

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State Standards and Assessment Anchors Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening State Standards addressed in this

assignment: 1.1 Learning to Read Independently 1.1.8 A, B, F, G, H. 1.2 Reading Critically in all Content Areas 1.2.8 A. 1.3 Types of Writing 1.3.8 B. 1.5 Quality of Writing 1.5.8 A-G. 1.6 Speaking and Listening 1.6.8 A, C, D, E, F. 1.8 Research 1.8.8 A-C.

Reading Assessment Anchors addressed in this assignment: R8.A.2 Understand nonfiction appropriate to grade level.

• R8.A.2.3 Make inferences, draw conclusions, and make generalizations based on text.

• R8.A.2.4 Identify and explain main ideas and relevant details. R8.B.3 Understand concepts and organization of nonfictional text.

• R8.B.3.1 Interpret, describe, and analyze the characteristics and uses of facts and opinions in nonfictional text.

• R8.B.3.2 Distinguish between essential and nonessential information within or between texts.

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Behavior and Expectations When in the West Junior High Library Media Center, all library rules apply. No running or childish behavior. No gum, candy, snacks, etc. No loud voices or inappropriate conversations. I expect you to work hard at all times on this assignment because our time is

limited in the library. I expect you to treat the desktop computers, laptop computers, and all other

resources with extreme care. I expect you to be responsible and hand in your materials on the assigned due

dates. If you are playing games on the computer, you will get a zero for the day. Failure to meet these expectations will result in a failing grade.

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Research, Papers, Projects & Presentations: Deadlines and locations

Part One: Research Library: 10/02, 10/03, 10/04, 10/05, 10/06, 10/10, 10/11. Handwritten notes are due on 10/11.

Part Two: Research summary paper/Project Lab 216: 10/12, 10/13, 10/16, 10/17. Your Research summary paper and a “handout” copy of your Power Point are

due 10/17. Part Three: Presentation

Lab 216: 10/18, 10/19, 10/20. Classroom for presentation make-ups: 10/23.

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Research: Guidelines Students must use four resources for their research.

Two book resources (one must be a REFERENCE BOOK!) These books can be found by logging onto Athena and finding them in the West Junior High Library Media Center. Type in your topic and search for books.

One periodical (magazine, newspaper article, journal article) resource. This can be found by using Mrs. Plutto’s webpage.

One internet resource (Ask Jeeves, Google, ask.com and online encyclopedias are not acceptable!) A credible internet resource can be found using Mrs. Plutto’s webpage.

Students must take handwritten notes of the information from their resources.Your notes must be presented to Mrs. Bartko before you can start your slideshow.

You will not be permitted to copy and paste information. This is plagiarism and academic fraud, and will result in a failing grade/suspension!

Students must cite their resources in proper bibliography format. You must give credit to the people who wrote your resources!

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Research: Topics Adolph Hitler biography The Nuremberg laws The Night of Broken Glass Judaism World War II

Causes Results Warfare U.S. involvement

Anne Frank biography and accomplishments General George C. Marshall biography and accomplishments The Holocaust Concentration camps America in the 1930’s America in the 1940’s The Nazi Party History of Germany 1900-1950

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Research: How do I choose a resource? How do I choose a resource? Some sources are more useful than others. Before

you use a source, make sure that the 4 R’s apply. 1. Relevant- Does your source have information directly related to your topic? 2. Reliable- Can you trust your source to be accurate and objective? 3. Recent- How up-to-date is the information? What is the copyright date? Even a

historical topic, such as “artists in the Renaissance” should have some recent sources. New information is continually being research and published.

4. Representative- If your topic is controversial, you need to find sources with opinions and information on both sides of the issue.

Once you have selected four strong resources, you can start taking your handwritten notes.

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Research: How to take handwritten notes Handwritten notes show that you can look at your resources and pick out the

important information that you want to include in your projects and presentations. How do I know what is important? Well, if your purpose to inform your

audience about a certain topic that they are unfamiliar with, then the important information does the following:

Explains the topic clearly by highlighting the most interesting and relevant facts.

Sparks the audience’s interest. Is very clear, easy to understand, and specific to your topic.

What do my handwritten notes have to look like when I turn them in? You must have at least fifteen facts from each source. You must have at least sixty facts total! You must have bibliographic information from each source.

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Research: How to create a bibliography

Write down all important information about your resources as soon as you find them.

Books: look on the copyright page in the front, behind the book’s title page. Articles: look at the beginning and end of the article, and at the top and

bottom of the article’s pages. Internet: look at the URL address, and at the top and bottom of the webpage.

When creating the Power Point, you will make your last slide of the slideshow the bibliography slide. Title it, “Bibliography.” Put your citations in alphabetical order.

To create the bibliography on the computer using a citation wizard, take the following steps:

Go to http://easybib.com At the top of the page is the citation wizard. Choose book, article, or internet source. Follow the steps to plug in your source's information. Copy and paste each citation to your project’s bibliography.

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Research: How to create a bibliography cont.

You can follow the format of theses sample citations, if you choose not to use a citation wizard. Book with one authorExample Chen, Roman. The Olmec: Mother Culture of Mesoamerica. New York: Rizzoli, 1989. Book with more than one authorExample Rust, William F. and R. J. Sharer. The History of Life. Boston: Harcourt Publishing,

2004. Magazine articleExample Doe, John. “Why I am Everybody and Nobody.” Time Magazine 10 Nov. 1988: 54-56. Newspaper articleExample New York Times 1 Aug. 1991, early ed., sec. 1:2. EncyclopediaExample “Native Americans.” Encyclopedia Americana. 1990 ed. Internet website Example Lynch, Tim. “Trials and Tribulations” 1996. Bradley University. Oct 8 1997.

www.bradley.edu/campusorg/psiphi/DS9/ep/503r.html. Newspaper or Magazine article on the internet Example Andreadis, Athena. "The Enterprise Finds Twin Earths Everywhere It

Goes.” Astronomy Jan. 1999:B.      Davis Schwartz Memorial Lib., Brookville, NY. 7 Feb. 1999   

http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe.

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Paper & Project: Guidelines

Power Point slideshow Students must use a design template. You are not to design your own

slides. Use no smaller than a 28 pt. font for your lettering. Students must have a title slide. Students must have five slides displaying their research in an organized

and informative manner. Students must use proper spelling, grammar, and professionalism on all

slides. Research summary paper

Students must type a one-page summary of their Power Point slideshow. Lines must be 1.5 spaced and in one of the following fonts: Ariel, Times New

Roman, or Courier New. Students must write three paragraphs that summarize the information in

their slideshow. The first paragraph is an introduction, the second paragraph is the body, and the third paragraph is the conclusion.

Students must write this paper in their own words!

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Presentation: Guidelines When you present, you must have the following things: Content and delivery

skills! Content

• An introduction to the presentation where you hook your audience into being interested.

• A body full of facts, details, and relevant information. • A conclusion to the presentation where you effectively summarize your

main ideas and leave the audience with something to think about. Delivery Skills

• Word choice (no slang! no “um’s”!). • Verbal communication skills (pronunciation, expression, volume). • Nonverbal communication skills (eye contact, hand gestures, poise,

and self-control).

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Presentation: How to address an audience

You cannot address an audience without a purpose. What is the purpose? Your purpose is to inform by giving facts and explain your chosen topic.

Remember the 3 R’s of presenting: Read your resources carefully. Review the material you have gathered, taking time to become very familiar

with it. Relax.

When addressing to an audience remember to do the following things: Stand confidently! Be alert and interested in what you are saying to your

audience. Speak clearly! Be loud, pronounce your words slowly and carefully! Look at your audience as you speak! Make direct eye contact as you focus

on the faces of your audience! Choose your words carefully! Use specific rather than general words! Use

vivid words that reinforce the information that you are sharing with your audience!

Use variety in the way you speak.! Change up the volume, stress important words, and speak at a comfortable pace!

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Presentation: How to evaluate your peers

To evaluate your peers, you must be a good listener. Respect the speaker Don’t interrupt the speaker Pay attention to the speaker. Keep an open mind about the presentation and the speaker. Don’t judge too quickly!

Look for the following things: An introduction to the presentation. A body full of facts, details, and relevant information. A conclusion to the presentation. The speaker’s word choices (no slang! no “um’s”). Verbal communication skills (pronunciation, expression, volume). Nonverbal communication skills (eye contact, hand gestures, poise, and

self-control).

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Your Grade: How the points are allotted Research

• Handwritten Notes: 60 points Project

Power Point: 125 points• 20 points per informational slides/sections (5 slides total)• 5 points for title slide• 20 points for bibliography slide

Research summary paper: 65 points • 20 points for each paragraph (neatness, grammar, content)• 5 points for format

Presentation• Oral presentation of Power Point or poster: 100 points

• Teacher Evaluation of eye contact, speaking voice, clarity of thoughts, professionalism: 65 points.

• Peer Evaluation of eye contact, speaking voice, clarity of thoughts, professionalism: 35 points.

This assignment is worth a total of 350 points!!!

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Your Grade: Research Rubric The handwritten notes are the proof that you completed your research in the

proper way. Remember that you are to have fifteen facts from each resource, which equals a

total of sixty facts. Handwritten Notes Rubric

The fifteen facts from a resource will earn you fifteen points. • Book #1 facts 15 points• Book #2 facts 15 points• Article facts 15 points• Internet facts 15 points

This creates a grand total of sixty points for the handwritten notes!

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Your Grade: Paper & Project Rubric

The Power Point slideshow (seven slides minimum): Title slide 5 points Five slides of facts 20 points/slide Bibliography slide 20 points

You will earn full points for each item on the Rubric if you complete the following criteria for each slide/section:

Neatness Grammar: information must be in your own words, using proper grammar. Professionalism: presents information truthfully and responsibly.

This creates a grand total of 125 points for the Power Point slideshow! The research summary paper:

Paragraph one (content: 15 pts, neatness/spelling/grammar: 5 pts.) 20 points Paragraph two (content: 15 pts, neatness/spelling/grammar: 5 pts.) 20 points Paragraph three (content: 15 pts, neatness/spelling/grammar: 5 pts.) 20 points Format 5 points

This creates a grand total of 65 points for the research summary paper!

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Your Grade: Presentation Rubric You will be evaluated by both the teacher and your peers on your presentations. Teacher Evaluation 65 points

Content (30 pts.)• Introduction (5 pts.)• Body (20 pts.)• Conclusion (5 pts.)

Delivery (35 pts.) • Word choice (5 pts.)• Nonverbal communication skills (15 pts.)• Verbal communication skills (15 pts.)

Peer Evaluation 35 points Content (15 pts.) Delivery (20 pts.)

This creates a grand total of 100 points for the presentation!