Research Project

Title: Research Wiki Page
Topic: Reference Sources
Grade level: 8th grade
Subject(s): Reading
AZ State Standard:

PO 5 Locate specific information by using organizational features (e.g., table of contents, headings, captions, bold print, italics, glossaries, indices, key/guide words, topic sentences, concluding sentences, end notes, footnotes, bibliographic references) in expository text. (Connected to Research Strand in Writing)

PO 6. Locate appropriate print and electronic reference sources (e.g., encyclopedia, atlas, almanac, dictionary, thesaurus, periodical, CD-ROM, website) for a specific purpose. (Connected to Research Strand in Writing)

PO 7. Differentiate between primary and secondary source materials. (Connected to Research Strand in Writing)

NETS-Standards

NETS-S 1. Creativity and Innovation
• Students will contribute their findings to a class Wiki.
NETS-S 2. Communication
• Students will use peer collaboration to give feedback to each other’s wiki sites
NETS-S 3. Research and Information Fluency
• Students will use value internet research to create web sites to gain knowledge of the possible career paths
NETS- 5. Digital Citizenship
• Students will post appropriate responses to a Wiki.

Essential Question:

What is a reference sources?
What is a research project?

Brief Overview of Project:

Planning
1. Knowledge gaining
2. Knowledge organizing
3. Knowledge sharing
4.
Knowledge Gaining:
The students will gain knowledge of various types of reference sources. Firsts, students will be taught the various types of print references my using the interactive whiteboard to explore the various types of texts. Students will then use the appropriate source to gain information about their research project. Students will gather all necessary material and bring it with the to class to share with a group. Groups will discuss other possible avenues for exploration and ensure that each of their members has accurate and sufficient sources for their project.
Next, I will present a short power-point slide of source materials. Students will also explore the OWL website for information on types of sources and works/cited bibliographies. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/552/03/.
Last we will explore the class wiki-page. Students will be show the page and how to add to and edit the wiki-page. Students will then explore some editing in the pages.
Knowledge organizing:
Students will categorize their sources into a completed bibliography. Student will post this to their wiki page. I will check for accuracy and give feedback on the wiki-page.
Students will use an outline to organize their notes on the subject into categories so that their wiki will be organized and the information provided will be fluid
Knowledge Sharing:
Students will share their work in a variety of ways. Students will share their research findings through the use of a Wiki. Students will share and comment and comment on their postings. Lastly, students will share their final wiki pages with a small group.

Preparation

Create the interactive lesson (this was very time-consuming attached)

Check with Library to ensure that they have materials for you. If not, check with a public library to ensure that students have access to appropriated materials

Create the reference lesson for interactive whiteboard pages

Have a bibliography model (make a sentence strip for those sped, ell students)

Citing Sources power-point

Set-up Class wiki-page on wikisites.com

Set-up user accounts on class wiki-page


Materials

Computer Lab / Internet /Projector/Library/ Smart Board
References Sources notebook(attached)
Student Outline (attached)
Access to class wiki on wikispaces.com
Optional: Classroom response system to answer the questions

Technology Tools

Wiki-space—collaboration tool that allows teacher to monitor and safeguard projects. Allows for immediate feedback and monitoring of on-task behavior. Very easy to use

Smart-board: I don’t have a real smart-board (but I keep hoping for one) but you can get some software that is interactive (see my blog on the professional development wiki on a cheap interactive whiteboard). I have a trial software for this project (30 days to work my tail of making lessons). This works with the other programs.

Computer Lab: This project is hard to do without a lab. However, you could just do this as a whole class or let a few students take a turn all year. I have access to the lab 2 weeks a year after AIMS testing (I try to cram it all in during that time)

Projector: It really helps student leaning to have that visual explanation. I bought one off of e-bay and it had been the best investment. Unfortunately I bought it used and will have to buy another as soon as it dies.

Document Camera: You could use this if you have it as well to model the lesson on Bibliographies. Again, I don’t have it

Computer Response System: I wish I had one. If you do you could hook with up with the reference lesson and have the students respond with clickers


Procedures:

1. Day 1 Start with Reference Sources Smart-board lesson. This lesson is embedded with links throughout the document. With the students, go through the lesson by click on various source information to learn more about that particular source. Answer the questions in the lessons (answers are embedded and will prompt with correct and incorrect answers)
2. Assign students to think of a career they may want to explore over the next month. (If you have the time, have them fill our career surveys on rocketcareer.com)
3. Allow students to come up with their own sources for this project (I encourage them to explore print sources as well as online sources)
4. Day 2 Use Power-point to guide understanding of properly citing sources, and how to do. Allow students to explore OWL website. Assessment: Ticket out the door: How do you cite a book and an internet website?
5. Day 3: Allow students to research their topics in the library and on the computers. I allow the whole hour. They are encouraged to save the sources and all the necessary information on their Hard Drives on the server. Students are assigned to read their sources tonight for homework.
6. Day 4: Students are to organize the sources and write out their works cited pages. I will do a mini-lesson on how to do this. I will also model how to annotate each source. Students will work in groups to give feedback on adequacy of their sources.
7. Day 5: Students are to outline their papers using the student worksheet. I will provide a model on the wiki.
8. Day 6-8 Students are to work on their projects the next few days. I walk around and assist.