Unit Title: History’s Mysteries

Designed By: Emily Mullis

Grade Level: 7th
Content Area: Language Arts
Time Frame: 2 Weeks

Unit Summary:
At Bleckley County Middle School, students always score lowest in the area of research skills. I feel like
more practice in this area will help to improve our test scores. This unit was designed to give students
the opportunity to have hands on experience with research as well as with creating a bibliography and
using specific formatting. I feel that the students will enjoy this unit as well as get essential skills
practice from it.

Title of Unit History’s Mysteries Grade Level 7th

Curriculum
Language Arts Time Frame 2 Weeks
Area
Stage 1: Identify Desired Results
Georgia Performance 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.
Standards for the 21st Century Learner Goals:
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.
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 producers.
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.
Understandings Essential Questions
Students will understand that:  How can we find out things we want to know?
 Researching is a way to learn information.  Why should we study the mysteries of history?
 Technology can help us learn, write, and share  How can technology enhance understanding
information. and expression?
 You must give credit if you use information
from another source.
 You must cite the sources that you use to
prevent plagiarism.
Related Misconceptions:
 It is okay to copy information from a source
when doing research.
Knowledge Skills
Students will know: Students will be able to:
 How studying the mysteries of history can help  Use databases and keyword searches to find
us. information about their mystery.
 Databases and keyword searches make it  Cite sources using MLA format.
easier to find information.  Write a narrative supporting their hypothesis
 To cite the sources they use. of their mystery.
 The basic information surrounding the  Write a research paper on the mystery of their
historical mystery of their choice. choice using APA formatting.
 Use a rubric to assess themselves as well as
their peers.
Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence
Performance Tasks:
Write a narrative paper supporting their hypothesis of the historical mystery of students’ choice.
Write a research paper on the mystery of their choice using APA formatting.
Other Evidence:
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 one they would like to pursue.
Just the Facts Worksheet – students will use this to take notes that support their hypothesis.
Several of the worksheets listed above allow students to self-assess their work and revise the direction
 their product is going.
Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences
W – Introduce the Essential Questions and discuss the unit performance tasks.
H – The unit will begin with the teacher and the class brainstorming a list of historical mysteries they are
interested in knowing more about.
E – Important research procedures and guidelines will be discussed.
A minilesson on databases and search engines will be presented.
Students will complete the research and note taking processes on their chosen mysteries using the
computer lab as well as reference books.
R – Students will self-assess their work and revise the direction their product is going using several of the
worksheets listed above.
E – Students will compile notes taken into a research paper that provides information on their mystery
as well as a narrative paper that states their hypothesis of the mystery.
The papers will be assessed by the teacher using a rubric.
T – Students will present their hypotheses to the class upon completion of the papers.
O – Students will choose a topic then research it. They will then revise their notes, compile them into a
research paper and narrative paper, then present to the class.

Reflection:
To identify the area of weakness for this unit, I looked at 7 th grade CRCT scores from the past several
years. While scores did fluctuate, students were consistently low in the area of research skills. I felt like
a unit that would be enjoyable for students as well as useful was necessary so that students would be
engaged and actually benefit from the instruction and their participation in the unit. I had a great time
delivering the unit and I think the students had a great time learning about the mysteries history has to
offer.