Reading 2011

Candice Walton

FRIT 7737

Understanding by Design Unit

Spring Semester

http://waltons-pathfinderofinternetsites.wikispaces.com/

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I collaborated with an 8th grade Language arts and reading teacher at Southside Middle

School. I explained to her the purpose of the lesson plan, and we examined the 2009-2010 CRCT

data for language arts and reading. After exploring the data, we realized that the students did not

perform well in the category of research and writing on the language arts test. This portion of the

test asks students a series of question about the different types of methods they would use to

research information. For example, a question may ask students what type of resource would be

used to find information about bats, and the students would have to determine whether the

internet, an atlas, a magazine, or etc. would be the best choice. Also, students are asked questions

that pertain to the process of researching information.

The entire language arts test consists of 40 questions. Approximately 20 questions relate

to grammar and sentence construction whereas 20 relate to the research and writing process. The

8th grade students answered only 10 of the questions in the category of research and writing

correctly. As the teacher and I collaborated on the lesson, she stated that research and writing is a

crucial component for 8th grade students. As they enter 9th grade, they must be familiar with the

research process in order to write reports. Also, she explained that in the last nine weeks of

school, the students are given a career interest survey to determine the type of job that best suits

them. Once they determine a career path that interests them, the students research the career and

establish a written report about it. Thus, I examined the current 8 th grade language arts Georgia

Performance Standard (GPS) and designed a lesson that would aid the students in mastering the

standard:

ELA8W3. The student uses research and technology to support writing; the student a. Plans and conducts multiple-step information searches by using computer networks and modems.

I chose this standard because it coincides with the type of questions on the research and writing category of the CRCT, and it will aid them in becoming better researchers.

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Title of Unit Information Searches Grade Level

8th

Curriculum Area

Reading Time Frame

2 lessons

Stage 1 – Identify Desired ResultsContent Standard (s): ELA8W2. The student demonstrates competence in a variety of genres: The student produces writing (multi-paragraph expository composition such as description, explanation, comparison and contrast, or problem and solution) that: a. Engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a speaker’s voice, and otherwise developing reader interest. b. Develops a controlling idea that conveys a perspective on the subject. c. Creates an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context. d. Develops the topic with supporting details. e. Excludes extraneous and inappropriate information. f. Follows an organizational pattern appropriate to the type of composition. g. Concludes with a detailed summary linked to the purpose of the composition.

ELA8W3. The student uses research and technology to support writing; the student a. Plans and conducts multiple-step information searches by using computer networks and modems.

AASL:1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.2.1.3 Use strategies to draw conclusions from information and apply knowledge to curricular areas, real-world situations, and further investigations.

2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize information.

Understandings:Students will understand that:

Research is a process. There are several steps involved in the

research process.

Essential Questions: What is research? How can one conduct a multi-step

research for information? What is the process to distinguish

credible information from incredible information?

Knowledge and Skills

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KnowledgeStudents will know:

The importance of conducting research.

The steps involved in researching. The importance of using information

from a credible source.

Skills Students will be able to:

Read and interpret information from the internet.

Distinguish between credible and incredible information.

Conduct multi-step research.

Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence

Performance Task(s)

Design in GRASPS form:

Goal: Your goal is to introduce a class of 8th grade students to a particular career.

Role: You are a counselor for a high school in Dougherty County, GA.

Audience: The audience is a class of 8th grade students.

Situation: You have been invited to attend a middle school to give an engaging and informative

report about a career that interests you. Plan your presentation so that the students are able to gain an understanding of the career.

Product Performance and Purpose: You need to create an engaging and informative report to explain the career. Make

sure to follow the steps in the research process to include the qualifications for the career, lowest and highest salary earnings of the career, and amount of education needed for the career.

Standards and Criteria for Success:Your presentation needs to include: Relevant information from three credible sources Facts about the amount of education needed to pursue the career Lowest and highest salaries of the career Important facts about the career

Performance Task(s) Rubric(s)

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Using Internet Research to Write a Report

Teacher Name: Mrs. Walton

Student Name:     ________________________________________

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Organization Information is very organized with well-constructed paragraphs and subheadings.

Information is organized with well-constructed paragraphs.

Information is organized, but paragraphs are not well-constructed.

The information appears to be disorganized. 8)

Quality of Information

Information clearly relates to the main topic. It includes several supporting details and/or examples.

Information clearly relates to the main topic. It provides 1-2 supporting details and/or examples.

Information clearly relates to the main topic. No details and/or examples are given.

Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic.

Internet Use Successfully uses suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.

Usually able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.

Occasionally able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.

Needs assistance or supervision to use suggested internet links and/or to navigate within these sites.

Mechanics No grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors.

Almost no grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors

A few grammatical spelling, or punctuation errors.

Many grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.

Sources All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented in the desired format.

All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but a few are not in the desired format.

All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but many are not in the desired format.

Some sources are not accurately documented.

Other Evidence(e.g. tests, quizzes, work samples, observations)

Constructed Responses:

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Create a report on a career choice and use the research process to find relevant information

Dialogue and Discussion: Listen to presentations given by media specialist

Informal Observations: Peer remediation on assignment Monitor students as they work on their performance task

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection

Self-Assessment: Self-assess the performance task by using the rubric

Reflection: Review report

Stage 3: Learning Plan

Day 1: The media specialist will begin with the essential questions. What is research? Where do you

go to find information for reports? The students will be allowed to share their responses. The media specialist will explain to students that research can take place in several forms, but

they will examine how to use the internet to search for information. The media specialist will allow the students to compare and contrast the differences between

using the internet and other traditional sources such as books for researching information. The students will share their responses. Using a PowerPoint presentation, the media specialist will explain to students the steps

involved in conducting research and allow them to complete a practice activity on using the internet to find information.

Day 2: The media specialist will begin with an essential question. How can one distinguish credible

information form incredible information from the internet? The students will share their responses. Using the promethean board, the media specialist will display the previous PowerPoint

presentation, but Phase II of it will be shown to the students. The media specialist will utilize the presentation to discuss questions to ask when evaluating

information from websites. Evaluation the websites helps to determine the credibility of its information.

At the conclusion of the presentation, the students will receive a list of websites to evaluate. They will use the questions from the PowerPoint presentation to determine if the information coming from a credible website. They will work in cooperative groups to complete this task and record their findings on notebook paper.

Reading 2011

The media specialist will monitor the students as they work, and they will share their responses to each site.

The media specialist will give the students the link to the pathfinder of websites that can be utilized as they research their information for their reports.

Reflection:

I really enjoyed collaborating with another teacher to create this lesson. I chose to work with an eighth grade language arts and reading teacher because I am familiar with those subjects. In fact, I taught 8th grade for several years. I met with the teacher to discuss areas of the CRCT in which students did not perform well. She stated that many of her students did not perform well in the writing and research process of the language arts portion of the test. She wanted to create a lesson that would help to develop their researching skills and ability to understand the process of researching. Also, she informed me that the students were about to begin a new unit in which they research a career and write a report on it. The actual writing of the report would be taught by the teacher. I would simply designed lessons to teach the students how to research for information as well as to evaluate websites for the creditability of their information. I further explained that she would continue to function as the language arts and reading teacher while I would take on the role of the media specialist.

We were excited to get to work. We immediately identified the standard ELA8W3. The student uses research and technology to support writing; the student: a. Plans and conducts multiple-step information searches by using computer networks and modems. This standard coincides with the actual types of questions that are asked on the CRCT in the writing and research category. The actual collaboration mainly took place after school because we worked at different schools, and email really played a key role in our collaborative efforts. Nonetheless, we were able to design a schedule that suited both of us. In our collaborative meetings, I explained to her that the lesson would be for only two class periods. Because the teacher had introduced and explained the concept of writing a report to the students, I would only need to model how to research information and evaluate websites.

Once we designed the lessons, we established days that I could come to her classroom to teach the lessons. We were able to successfully establish two meeting days. The teacher served as a facilitator while I taught the actual lessons. The overall teaching of the lesson went well. The students were actively engaged, and they were well behaved. Having the main teacher as a facilitator was extremely helpful. The students asked questions and completed the activities in which they had to practice researching information.

Although the lesson was engaging and informing, there are a few changes that I would have made. First, I would have allotted at least 3 class periods to implement the lesson. With more time, I could have shown the students how to cite sources and given more details on the different types of search engines. Second, I could have taught the students how to paraphrase information because many of them were able to find relevant sources, but they wanted to copy and paste all information.

Overall, this was a great learning experience. I enjoyed working with another teacher in designing the lesson. We were able to put our ideas together, so we could enhance the students’ ability to research information and target a standard that is tested on the CRCT. At the conclusion of the lesson, the teacher and I gave the students a post-test from www.studyisland.com over the standard that I taught as a media specialist. The classroom’s average score on the pretest was 66%, and the posttest average score was 80%. Thus, the students’ knowledge of researching information in relation to the standard was increased.

Reading 2011