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Strengthening Social Science and English Instruction with Project Based Learning
Teacher: Nancy Lewis
School: Truman High School
Grade: High School
Show Me Standards: CA1, CA4, CA6
Length: 1 Week
Unit Introduction:
Growing a teaching toolbox is an ongoing pursuit of the master teacher. Project based learning gives a teacher a plethora of ideas to implement into regular instruction to enhance course curriculum. One such tool is the research paper. Even college level history students struggle to produce a simple research paper. The skills necessary to construct a research paper are imperative to college survival and success.
Lesson Purpose Objectives
Students will: Complete research papers on historical persons and events
Use "6x6 grid to compile and organize notes for research paper
Construct outline for research paper using 6x6 grid
Learn how to complete bibliography with 6x6 grid
Learn the construction of the typed paper
Participate in a Peer Read Around to evaluate rough drafts
Advanced Lesson Preparation
Teacher:
Provide lecture and best practice examples of well constructed research papers.
Demonstrate the use of the 6x6 grid, providing an in-class exercise with prepared bibliography information.
Student:
With preselected topic students will construct 6x6 grid and seek out 5 sources for selected topic.
From their 6x6 grid students will prepare and outline and bibliography for the construction of the research paper.
Students will write rough draft from outline and 6x6 notes.
Participate in class activity: Peer Read Around.
Activity: Peer Read Around
1. Create Groups: At the beginning of the school year or semester, create Peer Read Around groups. Ask students to write a paragraph response to a simple prompt. Read through the paragraphs and determine who are the strongest writers. Create groups of five students. Balance the groups with students of varying writing skills and levels. Position groups throughout the room. Students will stay in the same Peer Read Around groups throughout the year.
2. Tell students they will participate in a Peer Read Around:. When a writing piece is first assigned, explain to students that they are required to complete a rough draft. Explain that the draft must meet all the writing requirements for the assignment and be legible since other will be reading and critiquing it during a Peer Read Around of rough drafts.
3. Have students bring in rough drafts: When it is time for the peer read around, tell students to bring in their rough drafts and to not write their names on their papers so their work will remain anonymous during the exercise. As students enter the classroom on the day of the Read Around, collect their papers, write a number on each, and tell students where their number is. Block out with a black marker any names written on the papers. Keep a record of which number is assigned to each student.
4. Arrange the classroom for the Peer Read Around: Project an overhead transparency showing students where they should sit. Have them move into the correct places. Make sure each group has five desks in a circle with all of the front corners of the desks touching.
5. Assign a leader for each group: Assign a student leader for each group. Explain that the leader will pass out and collect paper as well as take notes on which papers students in the group liked and why. You might want to rotate the role of leader after each group has read a full set of papers.
6. Explain the objectives of a Peer Read Around: Before beginning the Peer Read Around explain the process and objectives of the exercise. Tell them that in their groups, they will read each other's work, identify elements or qualities of writing they like and determine which papers they think are the strongest and why. After everyone has read all of the papers, groups will share their findings with the rest of the class. Explain that by doing so they will better understand the qualities of strong writing and be able to use what they learn to effectively revise and polish their own final drafts.
7. Review the qualities of strong writing: Before students begin reading each others papers, review with them which elements or qualities of writing they are looking for as they read. Refer them to the rubric or assignment directions you gave them initially or, in the absence of those create a list. This will focus students' reading and allow for more specific feedback. Ideally, the list of qualities will be on a handout written on the board or projected on the overhead. You may want to select just a few qualities for students to concentrate on, but still allow them to comment on other good qualities they see.
8. Pass out five papers per group: Give each group leader five papers and have them give one to each group member. Every student should have a paper to read, unless they were students who did not bring in a rough draft. These students can be seated in their own group to write the drafts during the class period, or they can be included in the Peer Read Around (as they are the students that often benefit the most from the activity) (Note: One way to handle a shortage of papers is have some students review papers in pairs. Another is to have one group not have any papers and simply rest during a reading turn.)
9. Have students read all five papers: Tell students how many minutes they will have to read the paper in front of them and then signal them to begin reading. Once students have read for the allotted time, tell them to stop reading and pass the paper to the students on their right. Continue this process until all group members have read all of the paper in the group.
10. Have student choose the best papers and record their excellent qualities: When all of the papers have been read, have students tell members of their group which paper or papers they especially liked. Make sure they state the quality or qualities of the writing that they liked or thought were effective. For example, a student may say he liked paper 6 because it had a clear introduction, lots of supporting details, and vivid words. Students might say things like "It was understandable, the writing was neat, it had an interesting introduction, and it was funny." Meanwhile, make sure the group leader records the numbers of the papers the students liked and the reasons that students liked them.
11. Have students exchange papers with another group: After groups have discussed the papers for a few minutes tell students it is time to exchange papers with another group. Have the leader give each student in the group a new paper and repeat Steps 9 through 11, until students have read most or all of the papers in class.
12. Create lists of outstanding papers and their quantities: After students have read most or all of the paper in the class, or 10 minutes before class is over (whichever comes first) ask the group leaders to again collect all of the papers and give them to you. Then ask the group leaders to give the numbers of the paper that were the groups' favorites and the writing qualities that were strong and that they liked in these papers. Record the comments on the board or overhead, keeping a tally of paper that were mentioned more that once.
13. Return rough drafts: After all groups have given their feedback return the drafts to their authors. Lay the papers out on a table or on the floor in sequential order and have student come forward in groups of 5 or 10 to pick up their papers. If students have forgotten their numbers they can find the papers by recognizing their handwriting .
14. Have students write final drafts: Have students revise and polish their own paper by incorporating the qualities or elements of strong writing identified during the Peer Read Around. You may want to make a copy of the class list of writing qualities to pass out to each student along with some of the papers that were mentioned as examples of model writing.
Lesson Assessment
Students will be assigned a 3-5 page research paper to put into practice lessons learned throughout activity. Students will be required to pick a topic From a list of suggested historical questions.
Posted by: Mark Meng
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