Teaching Digital Curation Using LiveBinders to Study the Life and Times of Mark Twain

Created by:

Emily McDaniel

Title/Role:

8th grade English Teacher & School Librarian Student

Organization/School Name:

Chesterfield County Public Schools

Location:

Virginia

Grade Level:

Type of Lesson:

Stand-alone lesson

Type of Schedule:

Fixed

Collaboration Continuum:

Moderate

Content Area:

Language Arts

Content Topic:

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner

Skills Indicator(s):

1.1.5 Evaluate information found in selected sources on the basis of accuracy, validity, appropriateness for needs, importance, and social and cultural context.

3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess.

Dispositions Indicator(s):

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

Responsibilities Indicator(s):

1.3.4 Contribute to the exchange of ideas within the learning community.

Self-Assessment Strategies Indicator(s):

3.4.2 Assess the quality and effectiveness of the learning product.

Scenario:

In preparation for the class novel study of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, a single 8th grade Gifted Honors English class will be assigned groups to research 1 of 6 unique areas of background information (“Mark Twain,” “Time Period,” “Mississippi River Life,” “Civil Rights,” “Hannibal, Missouri,” and “Literature, Art, & Music”). We will discuss what makes an online resource reliable, what digital curation is and why it’s useful, as well as learn our way around a free, online digital curation program called LiveBinders. Students will then evaluate and curate various multimedia sites for content appropriate to their topic. Once finished, each group will present their section of the binder to the rest of the class – with hopes that the finished product will be used by other 8th graders studying the same novel. [Teacher & I met several times leading up to the start of the unit. Once we began, it required my full attention for 4 consecutive class periods - the first 2 and last 2 of the overall plan. Normally, we are on a fixed schedule of 30 minutes every two weeks.]

Overview:

Students will gain background knowledge of the time period surrounding Mark Twain's THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER. They will do this by also learning how to digitally curate multimedia materials and Joyce Valenza's CAARD evaluation and selection method for choosing reliable web-based resources.

Final Product:

Upon completion of the assignment, students will have created a LiveBinder full of multimedia resources regarding the six topics: Mark Twain, Time Period, Mississippi River life, Civil Rights, Hannibal, MO, and Literature, Art, and Music. Students will then create instructions for lower-level students to navigate the LiveBinder to learn the same material.

Library Lesson:

Students will learn what digital curation is, how to evaluate and select reliable web-based resources, define primary sources, and how to use the program LiveBinders to curate, organize, and share online materials.

Estimated Lesson Time:

120 minutes

Assessment

Product:

Class-created Livebinder on "The Life and Times of Mark Twain." Each group will have digitally curated 1 of the 6 related topics that comprise the finished product. The unit will be assessed in the following ways: Pre-test: Assessing prior knowledge and skills regarding reliable resources, digital curation, & organization of materials. Peer Reflection Rubric & Self Reflection Rubric: Students will assess the other groups’ presentations, utilizing the Peer Reflection Rubric, regarding selection of resources, organization/design of materials, overall effectiveness, what they liked, and what they think could’ve been done to make it better. There is also a separate Self Reflection Rubric, so that students can self-assess their finished product. Lastly, the Librarian and Teacher will use the same Peer Reflection Rubric to assess the LiveBinder section and presentation for each group. Post-test: This questionnaire has some of the same questions asked in the pre-test, so that Teacher & Librarian can verify student comprehension and retention of the lesson objectives. The post-test also has a place for students to reflect on their own learning and how digital curation (organization of resources) can help them in the future.

Process:

(For a step-by-step explanation of the entire lesson, please see attachments.)

Student self-questioning:

How do I find resources related to Mark Twain and/or Tom Sawyer? When I find a resource I think will work, how do I know if it is credible? Would I enjoy navigating this website if someone else directed me here? Will the visitors to my LiveBinder learn something from visiting this website? How do I convert a Word doc to a PDF and why? What is the best way to organize this information in our LiveBinder for future use? What is the best way to present this information to others?

Instructional Plan

Resources students will use:

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

Moving Image (i.e. animations, movies, tv program, video)

Interactive Resource (i.e. webpages, multimedia learning objects, chat services)

Sound (i.e. music playback file, audio compact disc, recorded speech or sounds)

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

Interactive Resource URL:

http://www.livebinders.com

Resources instructor will use:

Projector

Laptop

Instruction/Activities

Direct instruction:

See first attachment.

Modeling and guided practice:

This assignment is rooted firmly in the Guided Inquiry research methodology. Students will be instructed first on the evaluation and selection of reliable resources, and then Librarian and Teacher will be on hand throughout the curation of student-selected resources to help guide their selections. The Librarian will be assessing AASL standards.

Independent practice:

See first attachment.

Have you taught this lesson before:

Yes

Strategies for differentiation:

Rather than create the actual LiveBinder, teachers could create the LiveBinder and a variety of scavenger hunt-type questions that will send students through the LiveBinder looking for specific information related to the topic (which in this case was Tom Sawyer/Mark Twain).

AASL/Common Core State Standards Crosswalk

English Language Arts:

CC.8.SL.6 » English Language Arts » Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas » 6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (8)

CC.8.SL.5 » English Language Arts » Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas » 5. Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest. (8)

CC.8.W.2.b » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » b. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. (8)

CC.8.W.8 » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » 8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. (8)

CC.8.SL.1.a » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. (8)

CC.8.W.1.b » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. (8)

CC.8.L.5.c » English Language Arts » Vocabulary Acquisition and Use » c. Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute). (8)

CC.8.R.L.1 » English Language Arts » Key Ideas and Details » 1. Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. (8)

CC.8.R.I.4 » English Language Arts » Craft and Structure » 4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. (8)

CC.8.R.L.9 » English Language Arts » Integration of Knowledge and Ideas » 9. Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new. (8)

CC.8.W.9.a » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » a. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new"). (8)

CC.8.W.6 » English Language Arts » Production and Distribution of Writing » 6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others. (8)