Enacted Lesson #1ReadingChristina Fischer

Behavior Research in the Media Center – Students will conduct internet research on a specific behavior and later use this

information to create group presentations on their topic(s).3/15/2010

Period 1 - English 9 – Honors – 50 minutes

Pre-Lesson Reflection• This lesson fits into the curriculum because it activates pre-reading strategies

for the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. The students become familiar with some of the main topics (selective mutism, dating violence, bullying, post traumatic stress, and depression) in Speak based on their research.

• The students will be using technology and multiple sources to synthesize information about their topic(s) so that they can create a presentation and share their findings. They will communicate their discoveries and all students will have all facts in the end; they will record information as each group shares their data.

• Students need this information at this time because there are topics present in Speak which, though they may have heard mentioned before, they may not have in depth knowledge of. This assignment will prepare them to better analyze the text and the characters. This assignment will serve as a bridge into the book; when the students are reading they will be able to activate the knowledge that this assignment will create.

Continued Pre-Lesson Reflection

• I chose to have the students research so they could use they could use technology to discover information on their own. This way of gathering information and collaborating to create a presentation of their finding is a much more effective way of learning than lecture. The students being actively engaged in their own learning is a good way to ensure that they are exercising their research and collaborative abilities.

• This lesson includes a pre-reading research graphic organizer, signing up for the media center computer lab, my own research on the topics to compare to students’ data, a presentation rubric, and a jigsaw organizer (so when groups are presenting other students can fill in the information).

State Standards

• 1.1.1 The student will use pre-reading strategies appropriate to both the text and purpose for reading by surveying the text, accessing prior knowledge, formulating questions, setting purpose(s), and making predictions.

• 1.1.2 The student will use during-reading strategies appropriate to both the text and purpose for reading by visualizing, making connections, and using fix-up strategies such as re-reading, questioning, and summarizing.

• 2.3.1 The student will identify sources of information on a self-selected and/or given topic and assess their appropriateness to accomplish a purpose.

• 2.3.2 The student will use various information retrieval sources (traditional and electronic) to obtain information on a self-selected and/or given topic. Electronic sources include automated catalogs, CD ROM products, and on-line services like Internet, World Wide Web, and others.

• 2.3.3 The student will use a systematic process for recording and documenting information.

National Standards1. Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an

understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works

7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

Connections to Standards• 1.1.1 The pre-reading connections the students will make will be aligned with the novel Speak.

The strategies used to research topics that are present in Speak will make students better able to analyze the characters and events in the novel.

• 1.1.2 The during reading will be the students’ research reading. They will be able take research on their topics and create a summary of important facts.

• 2.3.1 The student will identify sources of information on a given topic and assess their appropriateness to accomplish a purpose.

• 2.3.2 The student will use various information retrieval sources (ie. the internet) on their given topic.

• 2.3.3 The student will use a systematic process for recording and documenting information using their graphic organizers.

• 1. Use non-fiction texts to create and understanding of various behavior/emotional/psychological problems in society; some students may have some knowledge of the topics, and others may have no prior knowledge.

• 7. Students conduct research on issues by generating information on the organizers (prompted information). They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources on the internet to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and future audience.

• 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources to gather and synthesize information and to create and later communicate knowledge.

Lesson Plan• The class will come in and sit in their seats and teacher will give instructions about the research

assignment.• Students will be doing research independently today.• Each student will be given a topic from the list of five (the topics have already been pre-assigned by

the teacher to each student): – Selective Mutism – Dating Violence– Bullying– Post Traumatic Stress– Depression

• Students will be given their research graphic organizers and told about the websites that they can use (ex. .org; .edu; .gov; NOT WIKIPEDIA).

• We will go to the media center and complete the independent research portion of the assignment.• Teacher will be available and circulating to make sure that students are on task and on the right

track in their research findings. Teacher will also have suggested sites (Word doc) for each topic if students are finding it difficult to locate information on their topic.

• Some students may need to finish research for homework, but most will finish in class.

*This assignment includes collaboration with mentor teacher.

Narrative

• Students were assigned their topics by the list which was composed by the teacher in advance (reason: students usually work in the same groups, organized by table, and this was a good opportunity to create different combinations of students; though this day’s lesson plan is independent, the research recorded will lead to following days’ group collaborations).

• Students were given their research graphic organizers and they took all of their belongings to the Media Center so they wouldn’t have to waste time coming back to the classroom.

• In the media each student sat at a computer and was responsible for their own research and findings. Students did not have problems finding appropriate websites which were acceptable sources of information. Some students asked if certain websites were acceptable, there was some redirecting, but they were able to find detailed information/statistics on their topic(s).

• Two students had a small amount of information to find for homework, but the rest were finished about five minutes before the bell.

• Student behavior was good in the Media Center and students were on task. There was some quiet talking, but this group of students is usually very well behaved and especially when they are in the Media they know that time there is limited and that they need to focus on the assignment to avoid homework.

Student Work

• Students used the research organizers the following day to create a cooperative presentation of their topics. The organizers were collected after the presentation to be checked for accurate completion.

• As stated above: students did complete their research organizers in the media; they had all of the information that they needed to participate effectively in their groups.

Research Organizer and Support

• F:\SCAN0001.PDF• Speak\behavior research.docx

Reflection

• I think this lesson was effective and served the purpose of bridging into the book Speak. The task was one that set very attainable goals for an honors class and they executed the task well. The outcome was acquiring knowledge of a specific topic through independent research and all students were active in working toward the goal of the assignment.

• Students were given one class period and the option to add time at home for the assignment; most students finished in class shortly before class was over, so I think pacing was good. A couple students had to fill in some missing information for homework, it was minimal.

• The one thing I would have changed is having the students prepared to meet in the media center instead of coming to the classroom first. This change would be to give the students as much time as I could in the media.

• Students who did not learn the skill or concept (which I don’t think happened) will have the opportunity to clear up and facts or confusion when they are combined with the other students who shared the topic. Also, once they have an understanding of their own topic, each group will present and the whole class will learn about each topic.