I-Search Unit Plan

(Four Weeks In-Class, One Week Out-Of-Class)

Step One: What are the desired learning results of this unit?
Students will acquire a working understanding of Formulating research topics, questions, sub-questions, and thesis statements Finding sources: using online databases, books, magazines, websites, etc. Evaluating sources, both primary and secondary Conducting interviews Reflecting upon the research process The importance of individualized research How to overcome research challenges and dead-ends

Step Two: What essential questions will anchor students to learning?

1. What is the research process and why is it important to our daily lives? 2. How does a more informal approach to research writing impact the authenticity of our overall findings? 3. Why is it important to reflect upon individualized research processes on a daily basis?

Step Three: What skills are needed to achieve desired results?

Formulate a researchable question that can be answered from multiple interpretations Use online databases Evaluate the legitimacy of a source. Differentiate between primary and secondary sources Methods for conducting an interview Daily reflections Thesis statements Citations Peer review

Step Four: What is acceptable evidence to show desired results?

Teacher/Student conferences for topics/questions Peer conferences for research questions and written peer evaluation Daily Journals: Questions, Challenges, Changes Source Cards? Transcribed interview Rough drafts Final draftsOutline: The Search Story (1st Person), Search Results (No 1st Person), Search Reflections Works cited: # OF SOURCES STUDENTS MUST HAVE: four database articles, one magazine article, two books, one interview/poll, two websites, ten sources total

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Step Five: What is the sequence of activities, learning experiences, etc. that will lead to desired results? ***LAST FIVE MINUTES OF EVERY CLASS DEVOTED TO JOURNALING
Day 1 (Week 1) Date: Friday, February 7th Focus of the day: Intro to Research & Brainstorming Topics How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to formulate a list of potential topics How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students will have the freedom to choose a topic that interests them, thus connecting the use of research to their personal lives/traditions/cultural, social, and familial values Day 2 Date: Monday, February 10th Focus of the day: Finalizing Research Topics & Formulating Questions How will you know that students are getting it? Students will conference with teacher for topic/question approval How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students will choose a topic that interests them, thus connecting the use of research to their personal lives/traditions/cultural, social, and familial values Day 3 Date: Tuesday, February 11th Focus of the day: Formulating Sub-Questions & Reflection How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to expand their inquiry into four, more detailed subquestions. Students will be able to journal on their initial progress: Why choose that topic? What do you already know? Need to research? How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students will reflect on the beginnings of their selfchosen research topic, which will direct their research focus. Day 4 Date: Wednesday, February 12th Focus of the day: Database Training How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to complete database training through following along on their own computer How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students begin their quest for sources: digging into the questions, what IS research? Day 5 Date: Thursday, February 13th Focus of the day: Database Source Retrieval & Source Card Mini-Lesson How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to find and record three articles using the online databases
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How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students further engage in the research process as it directly pertains to their questions/topics Day 6 Date: Friday, February 14th Focus of the day: Database Source Retrieval How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to find three-five articles using the online databases How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students further engage in the research process as it directly pertains to their questions/topics Day 7 (Week 2) Date: Monday, February 17th Focus of the day: Evaluating Sources How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to evaluate online sources through the CRAP test How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students differentiate between authentic research and unreliable sources Day 8 Date: Tuesday, February 18th Focus of the day: Library: RESEARCH! How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to find sources in books and online sources How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students independently engage in the research process by using online sources and checking out books Day 9 Date: Wednesday, February 19th Focus of the day: Library: RESEARCH! How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to find sources in books and online sources How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students independently engage in the research process by using online sources and checking out books Day 10 Date: Thursday, February 20th Focus of the day: Library: RESEARCH! How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to find sources in books and online sources How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students independently engage in the research process by using online sources and checking out books

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Day 11 Date: Friday, February 21st Focus of the day: Peer Conferences How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to meet with their peers (who possess similar research topics) and fill out peer review sheets/discuss strategies How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students reflect on the research process with their peers and compare findings Day 12 (Week 3) Date: Monday, February 24th Focus of the day: Methods for Interviewing and/or Polling How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to brainstorm an interviewee(s) and formulate interview questions. *INTERVIEW MUST BE DONE BY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28 th How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students delve into an authentic realm of research through self-developed interviews Day 13 Date: Tuesday, February 25th Focus of the day: Writing Thesis Statements How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to write thesis statements based upon their research findings How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students understand that the research process is ever evolving and thus, thesis statements should be crafted after research has been conducted Day 14 Date: Wednesday, February 26th Focus of the day: Catch-Up Day! How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to collect more sources if need be, conference with teacher, conference with peers How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students check for understanding within the research process Day 15 Date: Thursday, February 27th Focus of the day: The Search Story How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to use their daily journals to begin writing The Search Story component to their papers. 1 st Person. How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students use their reflections to offer context and orient audience with chosen research topic and its importance to their personal lives

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Day 16 Date: Friday, February 28th Focus of the day: Transcribing Interviews/Polls How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to transcribe key parts of their interviews to use in their papers How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Interviews create a space for students to analyze authentic primary sources Day 17 (Week 4) Date: Monday, March 3rd Focus of the day: Search Results How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to use their source cards/notes to being analyzing their sources. This will eventually make up the Search Results section. No 1st person. How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students independently engage in the research process by using online sources and checking out books Day 18 Date: Tuesday, March 4th Focus of the day: Citations: Chicago Manual How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to use their source cards to create a works cited page (in Chicago Manual) for their Search Results section. How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students understand that a large portion of the research process involves citing sources properly Day 19 Date: Wednesday, March 5th Focus of the day: Citations: Chicago Manual How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to use their source cards to create a works cited page (in Chicago Manual) for their Search Results section. How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students understand that a large portion of the research process involves citing sources properly

Day 20 Date: Thursday, March 6th Focus of the day: Search Reflections How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to discuss what they learned from their research experience as a whole and put their reflections into writing, which will make up the last component of their papers: Search Reflections. How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Students reflect on the questions, changes, and challenges they faced along the way and what this means for future research projects/papers
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Day 21 Date: Friday, March 7th Focus of the day: Drafting How will you know that students are getting it? Students will be able to continue to draft the three components to their research paper. Go over rubric. FINAL DRAFTS DUE HARDCOPY IN CLASS: March 17th How does the essential question connect students to this days focus? Tie all reflections, source work, interviews, and overall take-aways together MARCH 24th: Student Gallery Presentations Celebration of student work! Prize to the class winner! Two-minute speech about research process/findings/take-aways Visual presentation required: tri-fold poster, prezi, PowerPoint, demonstration, etc.

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P.Blome 2008-09