Research Essay Using Poetry

Created by:

Misty Boyle

Title/Role:

Social Studies Teacher

Organization/School Name:

St. Mark's High School

Location:

Delaware

Grade Level:

Type of Lesson:

Lesson in a unit

Type of Schedule:

Flexible

Collaboration Continuum:

Moderate

Content Area:

Language Arts

Content Topic:

American Poetry, Research, Writing

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner

Skills Indicator(s):

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.

1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.

Dispositions Indicator(s):

1.2.2 Demonstrate confidence and self-direction by making independent choices in the selection of resources and information.

1.2.6 Display emotional resilience by persisting in information searching despite challenges.

2.2.4 Demonstrate personal productivity by completing products to express learning.

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.

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.

2.4.3 Recognize new knowledge and understanding.

Scenario:

The School Librarian (SL) meets with the American Literature Teacher (LT) to help design a project for special education sophomores in American Literature. The SL and LT create a list of American poets for the students to choose from. The final product of this collaboration is a three-paragraph essay with at least one citation from a book, one internet source, and one source from a database. Students are to locate and use appropriate resources within the school library collection. Students are also encouraged to use the database collection for more information and graphic element. The SL and LT will assist students with choosing an appropriate poem to read and evaluate. The SL will assist students with locating proper materials and databases.

Overview:

Sophomores in American Literature will research a poet to write a three-paragraph research report. They will choose a poem to analyze as part of the writing process. The students will reflect on the poem and what they have learned about the time period in which it was written. The poem will be found in the library collection or in Poetry for Students collection.

Final Product:

Students will produce a three-paragraph research essay. The final essay will contain three sources: one book source, one Internet source, and one database source. The students will also include one graphic representation of their poem.

Library Lesson:

The SL will give a short lesson on locating proper resources. The students will be reminded to check the Poetry for Students collection. The SL and LT will be circulating among the students to aid them in selecting a poem and resources to go with the poem.

Estimated Lesson Time:

75 minutes

Assessment

Product:

The LT will use a rubric to score the final essay. The SL will aid the LT in the graphic element piece of the final product.

Process:

The SL and LT will examine the student’s notes and resources. The SL will use an exit slip to determine the success of the student’s time in the library.

Student self-questioning:

Students will be asked to think-pair-share with a partner when the essay is near completion. 1. What did I learn about the poet? 2. What did I learn about the poem? 3. Why did I select the graphic element that I did? 4. List five words to describe your feelings on poetry.

Instructional Plan

Resources students will use:

Dataset (ie. lists, tables, databases)

Still image (i.e.paintings, drawings, plans, and maps)

Service (i.e. photocopying service, bank service, interlibrary loans)

Text (books, letters, poems, newspapers, etc.)

Resources instructor will use:

Other

Other instructor resources:

handout

Instruction/Activities

Direct instruction:

Remind students how to use the on-line catalog to find resources. Have one student look up the Poetry for Students collection and locate it in the reference section. Show students how to look up poems in the collection. The collection is indexed in each edition. Remind students how to locate the databases and specifically the Literature Resource Center from Gale.

Modeling and guided practice:

Students use the catalog to find resources. Students use the Poetry for Students collection to aid their research. Students find one database resource to help them with background information. The Internet source will most likely be the graphic element.

Independent practice:

Students are to check out or copy the materials that they need. They will be using the materials in class and at home to write the essay.

Have you taught this lesson before:

Yes

Strategies for differentiation:

This lesson was written for a small class with a number of special education students. The lesson could be expanded for some students into a longer essay with more sources.

AASL/Common Core State Standards Crosswalk

English Language Arts:

CC.9-10.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 usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. (9,10)

CC.9-10.SL.2 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source. (9,10)

CC.9-10.L.3.a » English Language Arts » Knowledge of Language » a. Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., MLA Handbook, Turabian's Manual for Writers) appropriate for the discipline and writing type. (9,10)

CC.9-10.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, or its etymology. (9,10)

CC9-10RS/TS9 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 9. Compare and contrast findings presented in a text to those from other sources (including their own experiments), noting when the findings support or contradict previous explanations or accounts. (9,10)

CC9-10RS/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, attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text. (9,10)

CC.9-10.R.L.1 » English Language Arts » Key Ideas and Details » 1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. (9,10)

CC.9-10.R.I.2 » English Language Arts » Key Ideas and Details » 2. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text. (9,10)

CC.9-10.R.L.2 » English Language Arts » Key Ideas and Details » 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text. (9,10)

CC9-10RS/TS1 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions. (9,10)

CC.9-10.SL.3 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 3. Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence. (9,10)