Published on AASL Learning4Life Lesson Plan Database (http://aasl.jesandco.org)

ELA Research Paper Introduction

Created by: 
Dawn Coughlin
Title/Role: 
School Library Media Specialist
Organization/School Name: 
Huron High School
Location: 
South Dakota
Grade Level: 
11
Type of Lesson: 
Lesson in a unit
Type of Schedule: 
Combination
Collaboration Continuum: 
Moderate
Content Area: 
Language Arts
Content Topic: 
Junior English Language Arts Research Paper

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner

Skills Indicator(s): 
1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
1.1.5 Evaluate information found in selected sources on the basis of accuracy, validity, appropriateness for needs, importance, and social and cultural context.
3.1.6 Use information and technology ethically and responsibly.
Dispositions Indicator(s): 
1.2.3 Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.
1.2.4 Maintain a critical stance by questioning the validity and accuracy of all information.
1.2.5 Demonstrate adaptability by changing the inquiry focus, questions, resources, or strategies when necessary to achieve success.
Responsibilities Indicator(s): 
1.3.1 Respect copyright/intellectual property rights of creators and producers.
1.3.3 Follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information.
1.3.5 Use information technology responsibly.
Self-Assessment Strategies Indicator(s): 
1.4.2 Use interaction with and feedback from teachers and peers to guide own inquiry process.
1.4.4 Seek appropriate help when it is needed.
4.4.1 Identify own areas of interest.
Scenario: 
Completing a research paper is part of the junior English Language Arts curriculum. Students need guidance and review about finding and using information. Students have done some research in the past and this lesson guides them to appropriate databases for the project, reminds them about how to effectively use the open internet and reviews source citation and plagiarism. Students are given a rubric to help them evaluate the sources they select. The lesson on finding, evaluating and selecting sources is done in one class period, but the school library media specialist and classroom teacher also give one on one guidance as needed until the paper is completed, or if the student needs assistance after this specific assignment is completed. The classroom teacher introduces the process for the research paper, the class comes to the library for instruction on resources,students start preliminary research and choose a topic. Both classroom teacher and school library media specialist assist students in completing the project. Assessment of the research paper is done by the classroom teacher.
Overview: 
During this lesson on writing the research paper, students will be able to answer the following questions: What are the steps of writing a research paper? What sources are available through the school library media center and state library? How does one evaluate sources? This lesson was collaboratively taught by Molly Perry and Dawn Coughlin.
Final Product: 
At the end of this lesson, students will be confident in selecting and evaluating sources for research. After doing guided searches with the school library media specialist, the student will select a topic that has credible information available to them. When a topic is selected and properly narrowed, the student will begin finding and evaluating sources.
Library Lesson: 
Students will become familiar and confident with the physical and virtual library environment, will locate appropriate resources and will critique resources for accuracy, currency, reliability, usefulness, validity, scope, purpose and intended audience. (SD School Library Standards 1.12.1, 1.12.4, 1.12.5). Students will also know how to use the information in an ethical manner.
Estimated Lesson Time: 
90 minutes

Assessment

Product: 
Student will find and evaluate sources for research. The school library media specialist and classroom teacher will observe progress of the student.
Process: 
Student will follow steps to find sources and will use the provided rubric for evaluating sources. The school library media specialist and classroom teacher will monitor students' searches during this class period and will assist when student asks for help.
Student self-questioning: 
What am I interested in finding information about? What information do I already know about this topic? How do I find credible information? Is the information I found credible and usable?

Instructional Plan

Resources students will use: 
Dataset (ie. lists, tables, databases)
Text (books, letters, poems, newspapers, etc.)
Resources instructor will use: 
Projector
Laptop

Instruction/Activities

Direct instruction: 
The school library media specialist will instruct students in finding and evaluating resources, both print and digital. The SLMS will use a PowerPoint presentation along with discussion to clarify the process of finding and evaluating resources.
Modeling and guided practice: 
The school library media specialist will model a search using databases available through the library media center and the state library. The databases shown will be those most relevant to the type of research the student may be doing. Students will conduct searches along with the SLMS. The SLMS will guide students to a bogus website, using Google. The students and SLMS will review the website and discuss why it may or maynot be a reliable source.
Independent practice: 
Students will conduct searches using the databases provided to select a topic and check to see if there is sufficient information on their choice of topic to complete a research paper.
Have you taught this lesson before: 
Yes
Strategies for differentiation: 
For ELLs the SLMS and classroom teacher will create a list of selected topics for students to choose from for this project. The SLMS will also direct these students to databases that are at lower reading levels. Students who have difficulty reading will be directed to the lower level reading databases and to databases with text-to-speech capabilities.

AASL/Common Core State Standards Crosswalk

English Language Arts: 

CC.11-12.W.7 » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » 7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. (11,12)

CC11-12WH/SS/S/TS8 » Writing Standards » 8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the specific task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation. (11,12)

CC11-12RH/SS7 » Reading Standards for History » 7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem. (11,12)

CC.11-12.R.I.7 » English Language Arts » Integration of Knowledge and Ideas » 7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem. (11,12)

CC.11-12.SL.2 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.8 » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » 8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS8 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 8. Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.9 » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » 9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS3 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 3. Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks; analyze the specific results based on explanations in the text. (11,12)

CC.11-12.SL.5 » English Language Arts » Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas » 5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.6 » English Language Arts » Production and Distribution of Writing » 6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information. (11,12)

CC.11-12.L.4.d » English Language Arts » Vocabulary Acquisition and Use » d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). (11,12)

CC.11-12.L.1.b » English Language Arts » Conventions of Standard English » b. Resolve issues of complex or contested usage, consulting references (e.g., Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage, Garner's Modern American Usage) as needed. (11,12)

CC.11-12.L.3 » English Language Arts » Knowledge of Language » 3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. (11,12)

CC.11-12.L.4.c » English Language Arts » Vocabulary Acquisition and Use » c. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS9 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 9. Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS1 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account. (11,12)

CC11-12WH/SS/S/TS9 » Writing Standards » 9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (11,12)

CC11-12WH/SS/S/TS1b » Writing Standards » b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant data and evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a discipline-appropriate form that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.2.b » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » b. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS2 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 2. Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS5 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 5. Analyze how the text structures information or ideas into categories or hierarchies, demonstrating understanding of the information or ideas. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS6 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 6. Analyze the author's purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text, identifying important issues that remain unresolved. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS7 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem. (11,12)

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