Collaborative Unit Capshaw/Steele

Title of Historical Figures Unit Research Project Grade 8th Level

Stage 1 Identify Desired Results

List the understandings of your unit: How to research a topic by choosing appropriate sources. Citing sources appropriately is vital to the integrity of your work. Compiling information and sharing it can be done in several formats including paper and web.

Essential Questions
Overarching Questions: 1. How do I research a topic? 2. How do I chose, use, and cite appropriate sources? Topical Questions: 1. Where do I look for information on an historical figure? 2. What makes a website a good source to use? 3. How do I create a wiki to use for compiling my research.

Stage 2 - Evidence Performance Task(s)

Goal: You are developing a wiki for a historical figure you will research using both print and web resources. Role: You are wiki designer. Audience: Wiki/web browsers Situation: Students will work individually to research a historical figure of their choice from a list compiled by their teacher. Compile the research using the perimeters set by the teacher into a wiki of your own. Cite all of your sources appropriately. Product Performance and Purpose: Your wiki will be a representation of the historical figure you have researched. You should cover all aspects of their lives and accomplishments. Others will be able to use your wiki to gather their own information and learn more about your historical figure. Standards and Criteria for Success: The following items should be evident in your wiki: Separate pages containing the following (pictures are optional unless stated) Introduction found on the home page with a picture of the historical figure Childhood - birth, parents, siblings, any other interesting facts about childhood and a picture of person or childhood home or town. Education - high school, college, and graduate if applicable Career - jobs, lifes work, why we know them as famous figures Achievements - award, accomplishments, accolades, etc. Death - when and where Conclusion paragraph Works Cited - bibliographical information for all sources used including pictures At least 3 references used - both print and web Parenthetical citaitons Creative and interesting to read Correct use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling

Activities
1. Teacher will introduce unit and discuss details about the assignment and the rubric with students. She will also assign the historical figures to each student. 2. Teacher will give a brief overview/refresher of how to research and take notes using an example in the textbook. All students will practice with partners and then on their own following the lesson. Classroom teacher and inclusion teacher will assist students when needed as they go through the note taking process. 3. Teacher will teach students how to make bibliography cards using various type of sources both print and web. She will use a variety or sources compiled with the help of the media specialist to assist the students. The media specialist also prepared a short video on an interactive whiteboard app that can be used if needed to assist students with further information: http://capshaw.weebly.com/assignments.html (this video was created for 7th grade, but gives the same information needed for this project)

4. Media Specialist will meet class in the computer lab to teach a brief lesson on deciding validity of webpages. Using a rubric the MS will go over criteria to use when deceiding if a website is a good resource to use as a resource. She will give each student a rubric and two webpages to evaluate (one being a valid source and one not) to draw conclusions about together as a class. Students will be encouraged to use the rubric to evaluate future websites. She will also give out the link to pathfinder she created for this assignment: http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/863399 5. Students will spend several days in the computer lab and media center researching their historical figures, creating note cards, and bibliography cards. 6. Media Specialist meet the class in the computer lab and give a lesson on how to create a wiki using www.pbworks.com. Prior to this class, Mrs. Steele set up a pbworks account and student usernames and passwords with the help of the MS. Using the example website created: researchprojectexample.pbworks.com and by building a wiki will they watch. Then students will begin building their own while the MS and the teachers circulate to help using the usernames and passwords given to them under Mrs. Steeles teacher account in pbworks. 7. Students will write their rough drafts in class using note cards and bibliography cards with the assistance of teachers. 8. Peer review, revisions, and checks will take place throughout the process. 9. Final drafts will be created onto the wiki and assessed using the rubric Mrs. Steele developed with the help of the MS. Exemplary work will be linked to schools website for viewing by parents.

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection

1. Use the rubric to self-assess and grade your wiki. 2. Look at everyone elses wiki and use the rubric to evaluate one other person. Compare their wiki with yours. 3. Write a journal about your wiki; what did you like the best? what would you change?