Information Literacy Lesson and Pathfinder

Emily Mullis

FRIT 7136
Fall 2009

Pathfinder URL
https://mullisfrit7136inflitlp.pbworks.com/FrontPage#view=edit
 Lesson Plan
Grade: 7th Teacher(s): Emily Mullis
Dana Bell
Content Topic: Language Arts

STANDARDS FOR THE 21ST-CENTURY LEARNER GOALS

Standard:
1.1 Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge

Skills Indicators:
1.1.1 Follow an inquiry based process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects, and
make the real-world connection for using this process in own life.
1.1.2 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.
1.1.3 Develop and refine a range of questions to frame the search for new understanding.
1.1.7 Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying
misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, and point of
view or bias.
Benchmarks:
- Use a critical-thinking process that involves asking questions, investigating the answers,
and developing new understandings for personal or academic independent-learning
activities.
- State and support what is known about a topic, problem, or question, and make
connections to prior knowledge.
- Write questions independently based on key ideas or areas of focus.
- Analyze what is already known or what is observed or experienced to predict answers to
inquiry questions.
- Explain the effect of different perspectives (points of view) on the information.

Dispositions Indicators:
1.2.1 Display initiative and engagement by posing questions and investigating the answers
beyond the collection of superficial facts.
1.2.4 Maintain a critical stance by questioning the validity and accuracy of all information.
Responsibilities Indicators:
1.3.1 Respect copyright/intellectual property rights of creators and procucers.
1.3.5 Use information technology responsibly.

Self-Assessment Strategies Indicators:

1.4.1 Monitor own information-seeking processes for effectiveness and progress, and adapt
as necessary.
1.4.4 Seek appropriate help when it is needed.
CONNECTION TO LOCAL OR STATE STANDARDS
ELA7W3 The student uses research and technology to support writing. The student
a. Identifies topics, asks and evaluates questions, and develops ideas leading to
inquiry, investigation, and research.
b. Gives credit for both quoted and paraphrased information in a bibliography
by using a consistent and sanctioned format and methodology for citations.
c. Includes researched information in different types of products (e.g., compositions,
multimedia presentations, graphic organizers, projects, etc.).
d. Documents sources.
e. Uses electronic media to locate relevant information.

ELA7W4 The student consistently uses the writing process to develop, revise,
and evaluate writing. The student
a. Plans and drafts independently and resourcefully.
b. Uses strategies of note taking, outlining, and summarizing to impose structure
on composition drafts.
c. Revises manuscripts to improve the organization and consistency of ideas
within and between paragraphs.
d. Edits writing to improve word choice after checking the precision of the
vocabulary.

Overview:
I collaborated with Mrs. Bell, a seventh grade teacher, to plan this English unit for her 7th grade
classes. The students are writing a research paper about a chosen topic that deals with the
mysteries of history. The students begin by coming up with a list of historical mysteries they are
interested in. After one day of research on several topics, they will narrow their topic to one.
Then using inquiry, they will narrow even further down to a few questions on their chosen topic.
They will explore theories of others and develop a hypothesis of the mystery. They will then
write a narrative paper outlining their hypothesis and a research paper on the history topic they
researched.

Mrs. Bell will teach the actual writing process to the students in the classroom. She will work
with the students on coming up with a list of historical mysteries to be researched. Mrs. Bell will
also instruct the students on note-taking skills and coming up with questions to ask on topics
chosen. I will teach a lesson on researching skills and using the library to effectively find
information on a given topic prior to actually beginning research on topics. I will teach a mini
lesson on APA formatting and how to create a references list. I will also work with students as
they are researching their topics and assist them in evaluating information they find to ensure
that it is reliable. Mrs. Bell and I will work together on assessing student work.

Final Product:
The final product for this lesson will be a narrative paper the students have written on their
hypothesis as well as a research paper written on the mystery of their choice using APA
formatting.
Library Lessons:
- Preliminary lesson on research skills
- Mini lesson on APA formatting
- Several days spent in library actually doing research on topics and taking notes

Assessment:
 Product
 Rubric - used to grade the narrative and the research paper
 Process
 Preliminaries Worksheet – used to come up with broad topic and research questions
 Take Note Worksheet – used to teach note-taking skills and come up with questions
about students’ mysteries
 Narrowing Your Topic Worksheet – used to help students narrow their research topics
 Hypothesis Worksheet – will help students come up with likely explanations for their
mystery and come up with the one they would like to pursue
 Just the Facts Worksheet – students will use this to take notes that support their
hypothesis
 Student self-questioning
 Several of the worksheets listed above allow students to self-asses their work and revise
the direction their product is going. I have attached the worksheets.

Instructional Plan:
 Resources students will use
 Online subscription databases (GALILEO)
 Web Sites
 Books
 Reference
 Periodicals/Newspapers
 Instruction/Activities
 Direct Instruction:
 With the classroom teacher, students will brainstorm a list of historical mysteries they
are interested in knowing more about. The teacher will compile a list of potential
research topics. Students will make a list of 3 mysteries they would like to find out
more about.
 Modeling and Guided Practice:
 The media specialist (myself) will teach a lesson on locating information in the
library. I will cover using online databases, search engines and websites, and print
resources located in the library. Students will have a short amount of time to use
what they have learned about research to look up information about each of their 3
topics and narrow their choice to 1.
 Mrs. Bell will teach a lesson on taking effect notes on research the students locate.
She will use her classroom computer and Smart Board to show the students the
appropriate way to evaluate information and decide what is relevant.
 Using the library, students will pursue their hypotheses and make a list of facts that
support it. They will be assisted in any way needed by myself and Mrs. Bell.
  In the library over a span of two days, students will work on completing the “Take
Note” worksheet. Mrs. Bell and I will assist students in forming big questions about
their mystery.
 Independent Practice:
 Students will complete the “Some Preliminaries” worksheet. This will help them get
an idea of the direction they need to pursue when visiting the library for research.
 Students will use the “Narrowing Your Topic” worksheet to come up with several
questions to research when we go to the library.
 Students will use the information they have from taking notes in the library to find
three likely solutions for their mystery and narrow these three down to the one they
believe is true. This will become their hypothesis and the topic for their papers.
 Students will use all the information they found on their topics and write a narrative
paper on their hypothesis. This paper must meet all requirements listed on the rubric.
 Students will write a research paper on their mystery using APA format.
 Sharing and Reflecting:
 Students will share their hypotheses with the class and get feedback from their peers.
 Students will complete a self-assessment rubric upon completion of the assignment.
 Assessment of Student Learning
There are two main assessments for this assignment. The first one is a personal narrative
on the topic the student chooses. The narrative must meet all requirements listed on the rubric.
The second assessment is a research paper on the same topic. This paper must meet rubric
requirements as well and be in APA format. This assessment is directly linked to the GPS listed
above as well as the 21st century learner standards. Students will also self-assess using a rubric.
 Reflection
This experience taught me so much. It was very challenging at times, but it was truly
rewarding to see the students enjoying research so much. I have never taught research before
and I now have a new respect for those teachers and media specialists who do this on a daily
bases. It was hard for me to step back and let the students make mistakes. I found myself
wanting to do it for them so it would be “right” or at least the way I would have done it. Even
though the end product didn’t turn out exactly as I would have done it, the students learned more
than they would have if I had prevented them from making mistakes. Sometimes I have to step
back and think about the student learning experience instead of the end product.

In the very beginning, I tried to set up several meetings with Mrs. Bell in order to plan the
unit. She has taught this unit many times. She didn’t need to meet with me to decide on what to
do; she already knew what to do. I had to explain to her that for the assignment, I had to have a
part in the unit, and that that part couldn’t be just observation. As an experienced teacher, she
had a very hard time letting go of something she has always done. She was very respectful and
did let me collaborate with her in the end. We didn’t plan together as much as I would have
liked to though. She already had what she wanted to do in place, so we started there and added
my parts in to what she was going to do. I totally understand her need to be in control of her
students’ learning. I would have a hard time letting someone new have a big part in something
that my students were doing and something that I felt I had fine-tuned and tweaked to make the
way I wanted it. In the end, we met a couple of times to plan and then emailed back and forth on
the progress of the unit. It was hard to actually get together during the day because we are both
teaching different grades and have different planning periods. I think the students enjoyed
having us both there to help them. Research, I discovered, is very difficult for students who are
just beginning to do it. It was great to have two adults to go to for assistance.

Even though I thoroughly enjoyed this unit and think it was a success, there are a couple
of things I would do differently next time. First off, the library doesn’t have enough computers
for each student to have their own. The next time I teach this unit, or any research unit, I will
reserve the computer lab so that the students can each practice what I am teaching. This makes it
much easier to retain what I am teaching. I found that if they just watched me do the research,
when it was actually their turn to do it, I had to retell them how to get the results they desired.

Also, it would help if Mrs. Bell and I could have taught together more. As I said, we
each had our own classes to teach and were not able to work together very much. It was usually
either her or me teaching. I think a setting where we were both able to be there the entire time
would be ideal.

Although collaborating is more work than just doing it yourself, I think the students
definitely benefit from it. I learned so much about myself as a teacher by doing this unit together
with Mrs. Bell. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and would definitely do it again.