ADVENTURE RESEARCH PAPERS

February-March 2011

I wonder…

WHO is the greatest scientist of all time?

WHAT is the science behind those cool skateboarding tricks?

HOW has technology influenced music?

WHO was MC Escher?

What do YOU Wonder?

Your job is to choose a topic that interests you, research that topic, and share your research with the class.

Research Reports

Project Overview

Goals

I can… Write a 500-700 word, five paragraph

research report Read grade level appropriate non-fiction

books and articles Use grade level grammar and conventions Use technology to research a topic and

present my work Deliver an effective and engaging oral

presentation about my topic

Assessment

Your research papers will be graded using a rubric that focuses on 6+1 Traits on Writing, STEM content, and 21st Century Skills Ideas & Organization Sentence Fluency & Word Choice Conventions & Presentation Content Productivity & Accountability

Research Reports

Our Work Plan

Date & Trait Focus Task – outcome for the weekWeek of February 7:Ideas

Choose your research topic (STEM individual)Conduct your research, Take notes

Week of February 14:Organization

Continue your research, Write your first draft

Week of February 28:Conventions, Edit and Revise

Edit and revise your first draft

Week of March 7:Presentation, Technology (MS Word)

Publish your final draft. Neatly handwritten final draft or typed final draft are both acceptable. Please turn in a hard copy. We have a printer at school and we will have access to the netbooks.

Week of March 14:Presentation, Technology(MS Powerpoint)

Prepare your powerpoint presentations

Week of March 21:Oral Presentations

Practice your speeches

Week of March 28:Speaking and Listening

In class powerpoint presentationsFinal project reflections and rubrics

All papers and presentations need to be turned in in hard copy format no later than April 1.

Goal: Select a topic

Week of February 7

An Introduction to Research Reports

http://www.videojug.com/interview/middle-school-research-paper-tips

It’s important to start

with a specific topic that is

interesting to YOU!

Writing your topic statement.

I DO http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=EkULrcEBXvw

Writing your topic sentence. WE DO http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0JYHRxJmBs&feature=channel

Using the information in this video as research how could we answer this question?

What are you writing about? I am writing about

___________________.

Writing your topic sentenceYOU DO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a

cX-Zt3LfEhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-acX-Zt3LfE

What are you writing about? I am writing about ___________?

Your Task Today, Monday, 2/7/11MUST DO1. Keep all notes in

your yellow legal pad.

2. Start a list of possible topics that you might want to use for your research report.

3. Have three-five by the end of class.

4. Circle the one that you like the best.

4. For the topic you circled, start writing a list of questions that have. Try to get ten questions.

5. Please finish writing questions for homework tonight.

Starting with a good topic

Tuesday, February

Selecting a topic: I DO

The best writing begins with a good topic. Make your topic as specific as possible.

The questions you generated yesterday will help you narrow your topic.

Granville

Woods

African American Scientists

Scientists

Selecting a topic: WE DO, YOU DO

MUST DO Create your own

pyramid to develop a specific topic.

Write your notes in your yellow legal pad.

Be ready to share your idea at the end of class.

Selecting a topic – what if I’m stuck? May I suggest…

STEM – great achievements by great men and women

I will share in class and post on the wiki a ppt that lists a number of influential STEM individuals.

This ppt also provides a list of selected resources that you can use.

This is the perfect option if you’re feeling overwhelmed by too many choices.

Researching your topic

Wednesday, February 9

Conducting your research

You will need 5 references.

3 may be websites; 2 may be books, magazines, articles.

You can use the netbooks, your home computers, the public library and the Herman library.

Questions to ask about your source

. Who is the AUTHOR of this book or web site?    * What are the author's credentials? Do you know anything about the author's       education, training or experience?    * In the case of web sites, do you know whether they are commercial, educational,      governmental, etc.? (.com, .edu, .gov)

 2. Is the CONTENT of the book or site accurate and reliable?    * Is there support for statistics and facts?     * Could you verify the information in other sources?    * How current is the information? If it is a web site, when was it last updated?

3. Do you know the PURPOSE of the information? Is it intended to inform, teach, sell,    persuade, entertain?    * Does the presentation of the information seem fair?    * Can you distinguish between facts and opinion?

http://www.sayreschool.org/page.cfm?p=131

Taking Notes – in general

http://www.videojug.com/interview/how-to-use-the-internet-to-find-sources-for-your-high-school-research-paper

Taking notes using index cards Your Name Author’s Last Name A list of summarized key points that

you may want to use. Anything not in your own words,

must be in quotation marks

Let’s practice…

WE DO First, we’ll practice

looking at books and websites together.

Your MUST DO Use the books in

the room and the netbooks (perhaps the Herman library, we’ll see) to start gathering your own research.

Creating a bibliography

Thursday, February 10

How to write a bibliography http://www.ehow.com/

how_5835591_write-bibliography-middle-school.html

Writing your bibliography

List all of your citations in alphabetical order in the bibliography. When alphabetizing, remember that "the" and "a" don't count. Indent (five spaces) any information that does not fit on the first line of the citation. Mix different kinds of sources (books, articles, websites) as long as they are alphabetized.

Keep track our your sources in your yellow notepad.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5835591_write-bibliography-middle-school.html

Sources from a book Put the elements of bibliographic information in this order when

citing a book:

Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. Title. (The title is underlined or italicized.) Place of Publication: Name of Publisher, Year of Publication.

Pay particular attention to the punctuation between the elements of the citation. Find most of this information on the title page of the book, and the date of publication on the reverse side of the title page. If more than one place is listed, use the first one. If more than one date is listed, use the most recent one.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5835591_write-bibliography-middle-school.html

Sources from a magazine

Create a magazine citation with this format:

Last Name of the Author, First Name of the Author. "Title of Article." Name of Magazine (The name of the magazine is underlined or italicized.) Date of Magazine: Pages.

Notice that there is no punctuation between the name of the magazine and the date.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5835591_write-bibliography-middle-school.html

Sources from a website

Cite a website like this: Author (if available). Name of Site.

Name of Institution, Organization or Publisher, Date site was created (if available). "Web" (or other medium of publication). Date the site was viewed.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5835591_write-bibliography-middle-school.html

Main idea and supporting details

Friday, February 11

Main Idea and Supporting Details – Rule of 3 Today we begin using

the research you’ve been collecting!

A good topic sentence clearly states the main idea of the paragraph and is supported by interesting details.

You should have 3 support statements for each paragraph.

Main Idea and Supporting Details - Rule of 3 I Do

I’ll show you a paragraph with a good topic sentence.

I’ll also point out the details that support it.

We’ll record them all in a graphic organizer.

Main Idea and Supporting Details - Rule of 3 We do

Now let’s try it using one of your topics.

You try it!

MUST DO: Complete the

graphic organizer. Have a specific topic

sentence. In the circles write at

least three supporting details.

Turn in your folders with the graphic organizers at the end of class.

Due this week!

Your first paragraph, complete with topic sentence and three supporting details.

Next week, we’ll look at organization.

Keep those questions that you generated earlier this week – they will guide the rest of your paper.