EngagingLearningExperience

Unit1

GradeLevel/Course:

8/LanguageArts

UnitName:

LookitUp(TheResearchProcess)

Purpose
Thepurposeofthisunitistocontinueourexplorationofresearchskillsandstrategies.

The
truegoaloftheEngagingLearningExperience(ELE)istoensurethattherigorofyour
instructionmatchestherigorofyourassessments,andthatallarealignedwiththePriority
StandardsourhopeisthatbyprovidingtheseELEs,teacherswillhavelessstressabout
assessmentandstudentgrowth,andwillbeabletospendmoretimeinteractingwithstudents
andensuringstudentlearning.ELEsaredesignedtohelpteachersassessprioritystandardsthat
arenoteasilyassessedviacommonobjectivetests(speech,language,andwritingstandards).
ELEsarealsodesignedtohavearealworldscenariotoengagestudents,andshouldutilize
rubricsthatassessthenonreadingprioritystandardsfortheunit.

The
TeacherInstructions
willincludematerialsneededtocompletethelessons,specific
interventionsuggestions,ideastoconsider,andspecificextendedactivities.TheEngaging
LearningExperienceshavebeendesignedtohelpyouscaffoldstudentperformancetasksso
thateverystudentwillbechallenged,andeverystudentwillfeelsuccessful.

Youwillneedtodeterminehowtoprovideassignmentstoyourstudents.Somestudentsor
tasksmayworkbetterwithpapercopies.Somestudentsortasksmayworkbetterwithdigital
copies.Youwillalsoneedtodeterminewhichscaffoldedactivitiesmeettheneedsofyour
students.TheELEisdesignedforstudentstomovethroughallpieces,butsomemaytake15
minuteswhileothersmaytakeaclassperiodorspanseveralclassperiods.Thetasksare

designedtomovefromminimallychallengingtomaximallychallenging.Ideally,allstudents
shouldreachthehighestlevelsomemayneedmorescaffoldingthanothers.Thegoalisfor
eachstudenttoreachthehighestlevelpossible.

Scenario
YourpublicrelationsteamatDewey,Cheatem,andScamwashiredbyafamousperson,
__________________________________________,tofindandtrainastandin.Thereisan
eventcomingupthathe/shemustattend,buthe/shewouldrathergotoTheBahamas.Itis
yourteamsjobtoresearchasmuchasyoucanaboutthiscelebrityandpreparethestandin
sowellthatnoonecantellthedifference.Todoagreatjob,yourteammustcompleteaseries
oftasksbeforetheeventyourclientsstandinwillattend.

StandardsBeingAddressed
PriorityStandard(s):
RI.9,L.3,W.1b,W.2b,W.7
SupportingStandard(s):
RI.1,RI.3,RI.10,L.2a,L.2b,L.2c,L.4c,W.1a,W.1c,W.1d,W.1e,W.2a,W.4,W.5,W.6,
W.8,W.9a,W.9b,W.10,SL.1a,SL.1c,SL.4,SL.6

TeacherDirections
Eitherlistteacherdirectionsorpostalinkwithstudentdirectionssheet.
IncludeInterventionsandExtensions.
Weareconnectingtherealworldconceptsofcollaboration,publicrelations,eventplanning
withtheCCSSofresearchandchoosingrelevantevidence,aswellasmakinganddefending
claims.Studentswillbeabletoapplytheseskillstofutureresearchprojectsandboth
informationalandargumentativewritings.Theneedforcollaborationwillbekeythroughout

thesemester,andteachersshouldusethisassignmenttobegindeterminingthebestwayto
groupstudentsineachclass.Studentsmaybegroupedbyabilitylevel,sothatteacherscan
assignthesetasksbasedoncapabilityandthenspendtheirtimeinastrategicwaystudents
maybegroupedheterogeneouslybylistingthestudentsbyability,thenmarkingoffingroups.
Avoidplacingthehighestachievingstudentswiththelowestachievingstudentsthisgrouping
willresultinfrustrationonthepartofeachstudentinthegroup.Studentswillbeintroduced
tospecifictypesofnottakingasdeterminedbytheteacher,andwillexaminebiasandvalidity
ofsources,aswellasmakeandsupportclaims.Beginningthisconceptearlywillencourage
engagementandenablestudentstoparticipatemorefullyinclassroomdiscussionsand
activitiesastheyearprogresses.Drawstudentsattentiontothefactthatwemustworkin
collaborativegroups,aswellasuseargument,throughoutourlives.Learningtoassemble
arguments,fairlydealwithopposingideas,andsupportthoseideaswithfacts,especiallyina
groupsetting,iscrucial.Praisestudentsforusingvalidarguments,findingcrediblesources,
andsupportingargumentsandalertthemtotheideathatwriting,likemanyotherthings,isa
gameofstrategy.

PlanningforUse:
WhenplanningwithyourPLC,discuss(1)Howyouwilldeterminewhatto
assign,(2)Howyouwillassessthetasks(3)Howyouwillassigngradestothetasks.For
example,ifyouareworkingwithanhonorslevelclass,Task1mightbehomework,oreven
combinedwithTask2youmightassignalltheextendedactivitiesandthenspendmostof
yourtimeonTask3.Ifyouareworkingwithaninclusionclass,Task1mighttakemostofa
classperiod,andyoumightchoosetodotheextendedactivitytoengagethestudentsTask2
mightbecutdownto2businesses,orteamsmightdo2businessesingroupsandthenshare
outTask3mightonlyincludepartsofthesteps.

StudentDirections

PerformanceTask#1
GatherResources:
Yourteamneedstofindoutaboutthelifeofyourpersoninorderto
convinceeveryonethathe/sheistherealdeal.Developaresearchquestionthatwillguideyour
searchforinformation.Eachmemberofyourteamneedstofindthreecrediblesourcesand
explainwhyyouchosethem.Putthemtogetheronaworkcitedpageyoumaywanttousean
onlinetoollike
CitationMaker
.TheworkscitedpagemustfollowMLAstyleformatting.

PossibleInterventions:
Providestudentswithafamouspersontoresearchoralistoffamouspeopletochoosefrom
providestudentswithreliablesourcesprintedoutorprovidestudentswithalistofreliable
sourcesprovidestudentswithanotetakingorganizerlikeCornellNotes/Twocolumnnotes
providestudentswithanonlineresourcetocitesourcesanddevelopaworkscitedpage.

Consider:
Reserveamobilecartorcomputerlabforonetotwodaysdependingonyourstudentsneeds.
Iftechnologyisnotavailableprovidestudentswithprintresources.

PossibleExtendedActivities:
Createanannotatedbibliographyofthethreesourcesaskforadditionalsourcesuse
Wikipediasourcescitedtodeterminewhicharecrediblehavestudentscreatealistofcredible
sourcesforyoutouseforfutureactivities.havestudentsplaceresourcesintheirorder,from
besttoworstwithanexplanation.

ScoringGuideforPerformanceTask#1

Mastery

Task All
1

Accomplished
criteria
plus:

Morethan
three
documented
sources

Twoorfewer
typing
errors

Accomplished

Proficient

Researchguiding
questionisneithertoo
broadnortoonarrow

Threedocumented
sources

WorksCitedPage
correctlyformatted
foreachsource
typed
TimesNewRoman
12ptfont
properlypunctuated
citations

Threeorfewer
typing
errors

Researchguiding
questioniseithertoo
broadortoonarrow

Twodocumented
sources

WorksCitedPage
*correctlyformatted
foreachsource
*typed
*TimesNewRoman
12ptfont
*properlypunctuated
citations

Fiveorfewer
typingerrors

Beginning
Researchguiding
questionismissing

One
documented
source

Sources
documented
incorrectly

Tasktobe
repeatedafter
reteaching

PerformanceTask#2
FigureOutWhatisImportant:
Individually,listthe10mostimportantfactsaboutthisperson.
Numberthefactsintheorderoftheirimportance.Now,asateamdeterminewhich10arethemost
importantfactsbasedonyourresearchquestion.Foreachfact,writea23sentenceexplanationto
supporttheorderyouhavechosen.Foreachfact,write1questionthatwouldallowforanadditional
avenueofresearchexploration(TheseadditionalquestionscouldbeusedfortheinterviewinTask4).

PossibleInterventions:
Modifytheamountofwritingrequiredprovidestudentswith
graphicorganizer
before
writing,brainstormindicatorsofimportancewhatmakesafactmoreimportantthananother
forthetaskathandbrainstormindicatorsofagoodresourceascontrastedtoabad
resource,havestudentswritefactsonnotecardstomanipulatethem.

Consider:

Havestudentswriteeachfactonthefrontsideofaseparatenotecard.Studentscanthenmovethenote
cardsaroundtoordertheminimportance.Studentscanthenwritetheir34sentencesandrankingon
thebackofthecard.

PossibleExtendedActivities:
Findfactsseparatelyandthendebatewithintheteamwhicharemostimportantdecidehowthese
factswillinformtheprocessofcreatingastandinfortheevent.Usingthenotecardsfromthe
considerationactivityhavethedifferentgroupstradecardsandtrytoorderthecardswithoutlookingat
thebackofthecard.Oncethecardshavebeenorderedlookattherankingandrationaleonthebackof
thecards
ScoringGuideforPerformanceTask#2

Mastery

Task

AllAccomplished
criteria
plus:

Additionalfacts,no
morethanfifteen

Writtenpiece
includesan
introductionand
conclusion

Accomplished

Tenfacts

Factslistedinorder
frombesttoworst

Writtenpieceno
longerthanthree
paragraphs

Therationaleforhowyoulisted
yourfactsinorderfrombestto
worstislogical

Afollowupquestionisposed
forall10ofthefacts

Proficient

Beginning

Sixtoninefacts

Factslistedinorder
frombestto
worst

Writtenpieceistwo
paragraphslong

Mostrationalgivenfor
howyoulistedyourfacts
inorderfrombesttoworst
islogical

Afollowupquestionis
posedforsixtonineof
thefacts

Fiveorfewer
facts

Factsnot
listedinorder
frombestto
worst

Rationalnotgivenforhow
youlistedyourfactsinorder
frombesttoworstorthe
rationalisnotlogical
Followupquestionsarenot
posed

Writtenpiece
isone
paragraph
OR
thereisnota
writtenpiece

Tasktobe
repeatedafter
reteaching

PerformanceTask#3

ProgressReport
Yourteamneedstosendaprogressreporttoyourcelebrity,givinghimor
heranupdate.Thecompanywouldliketoevaluateyourcommunicationskills,soeachperson
hasbeenaskedtocompletethistask:inamemoofnofewerthan10sentenceswritetheentire
letterinactivevoice,andthenwritethesameletterinpassivevoice.Meetwithyourteamto
assessthememosandthendecidewhichvoiceisbestsuitedforyouraudienceandpurpose.

PossibleInterventions:
Providestudentswitha
formatforamemo
modifyamountofwriting
requiredmodelathinkaloudasyourwriteamemoprovideresourcesforactiveandpassive
voice(minilesson)discussappropriatetimesforuseofpassiveandactivevoice.

Consider:
Providestudentswitha
formatforamemo
.

PossibleExtendedActivities:
Sendyaringoursupervisoramemodetailingwhatyouhavedone
tofacilitatetheplanningprocesssendyoursupervisoramemodetailingwhatstillneedstobe
completedfortheplantocometogethercreateaprintadforyourcompanytomarketwhat
yourcompanycandoforcelebrities,especiallycreatingastandin.

ScoringGuideforPerformanceTask#3

Task
3

Mastery
AllAccomplished
criteria
plus:

Oneletterwrittenin
activevoiceall
sentencesactive
voice

Oneletterwritten
inpassivevoice
allsentencesin
passivevoice

Twoorfewer
typingerrors

Accomplished
Writtenletterofno
fewerthanten
sentences

Oneletterwrittenin
activevoiceat
leastsixsentences
inactivevoice

Oneletterwrittenin
passivevoiceat
leastsixsentences
inpassivevoice

Threeorfewertyping
errors

Proficient
Oneletterwritten
inactivevoice
atleastfivesentences
inactivevoice

Oneletterwrittenin
passivevoiceat
leastfivesentencesin
passivevoice

Fiveorfewertyping
errors

Beginning
Oneletterwritten
inactivevoice
fourorless
sentencesinactive
voice

Oneletterwritten
inpassivevoice
fourorless
sentencesin
passivevoice

Tasktobe
repeatedafter
reteaching

PerformanceTask#4

TheEvent
Yourstandinisnowready!Yourteammustchooseaneventwhereyouwillput
yourstandintothetest.Belowarethreesituations.Pickone.
1. Yourclientmustgiveaspeechtohis/herfanclub.Thedoublemustdeliverthespeech
anditmustincludeatleastsevenofyourtenfacts.Deliverthespeech.Recordthe
speech.
2. Yourclienthasanupcominginterviewwith
EntertainmentTonight
.Createthe
questionsandanswersfortheinterviewandincludeatleastsevenofyourresearched
factsintheinterview.Recordtheinterview.
3. Yourclientisfedupwithfame.He/shewantstofakehis/herowndeath.Thedouble
mustpretendtobedead,whilesomeonefromyourteammustdelivertheeulogyatthe
funeral.Includethesevenmostimportantfacts.Anewscrewwillrecordthefuneral
fortheeveningnews.
PossibleInterventions:
Provideastructureandmodelsforthetypeofproductyouwant
speech
,interview,
eulogy
.Assignstudentstoparticularproductsbasedoninterestorability
allowstudentstousenotecardswhentalking

Consider:
Provideastructureandmodelsforthetypeofproductyouwant
speech
,interview,
eulogy
.Allowstudentstousenotecardswhentalking.Reserveaudiovideoresourcesthrough
yourschoolslibrary.

PossibleExtendedActivities:
Havestudentscreatetheirowneventforthestandintoattend
havestudentsperformlivefortheclasshavestudentscreatemediabackgrounds,propsfor
presentationshavestudentscreateavideooftheproduct.

ScoringGuideforPerformanceTask#4


Task
4

Mastery
All
Accomplished
criteria
plus:

Writtenpiece
includestenor
morefacts

Twoorfewer
typingerrors

Accomplished

Proficient

Writtenpieceincludes
sevenofthetenfacts

Anappropriatemoodis
usedtofittheaudience/
occasion

Threeorfewertyping
errors

Writtenpiece
includesfiveof
thetenfacts

Amostlyappropriatemoodis
usedtofittheaudience/occasion

Fiveorfewertyping
errors

Beginning
Writtenpiece
includesfouror
feweroftheten
facts

Themooddoesnotfit
theaudience/occasion

Tasktobe
repeatedafter
reteaching

PerformanceTask#5

ClaimsandCounterclaims
Yourfamousclienthasbeencaught!Youmustwritealetterof
apologythatthestuntdoublewillgiveontheeveningnews.Thelettermustrelaythe
informationthatwasreportedaboutyourclientsmisbehaviorandthenprovideyourclients
accountoftheevents.Clearlystatewherethenewsreportandyourclientsaccountofthe
eventsdifferonaccountsoffactsorinterpretation.Yourclientspositionisclear,themedias
argumentisstated,andbyprovidingacounterargumentyoupersuadetheaudienceto
sympathisewithyourclient.Yourlettermustincludetwoexamplesofthesubjunctivemood
ortheconditionalmood.Thereisa150wordlimitforletterstothenewspaper,andifyour
letterisexceptionalyoursupervisorhashintedthatitcouldmeanapromotion.

PossibleInterventions:
Provideamodelof
apologyletters
giveagraphicorganizerwritewiththestudentsmodelathink
aloudasyouwrite.

Consider:
Provideamodelof
apologyletters
.

PossibleExtendedActivities:

Writealettertoyoursupervisordetailingwhyyou/yourteamshouldnotbeletgoduetothiserror
writeanarrativeexplaininghowtherusewasuncoveredhavestudentspairandthinkaloudwiththem
throughthewritingprocess.

ScoringGuideforPerformanceTask#5

Task
5

Mastery
All
Accomplished
criteria
plus:

ApologyLetter
containsthreeor
moreexamplesof
thesubjunctive
mood
OR
more
than
threeexamplesof
theconditional
mood

Twoorfewer
typingerrors

Accomplished

Proficient

Beginning

Apologyletterisbetween150and
100words

Yourclientspositionisclear,the
mediasargumentisclearlystated,
andbyprovidingacounterargument
youpersuadetheaudienceto
sympathisewithyourclient.

ApologyLetter
containstwo
examplesofthe
subjunctivemood
OR
twoexamplesof
conditionalmood

Threeorfewertyping
errors

ApologyLetterisbetween
100and50words

Yourclientspositionis
mostlyclear

Themediasargumentcanbe
inferred

acounterargumentis
provided

ApologyLetter
containsone
exampleofthe
subjunctivemood
OR
oneexampleof
conditionalmood

Fiveorfewertyping
errors

ApologyLetteris50
wordsorless

Yourclientsposition
isnotclear

Themediasargument
cannotbeinferred

acounterargumentis
notprovided

ApologyLetter
containsno
examplesofthe
subjunctivemood

OR
conditionalmood

Tasktobe
repeatedafter
reteaching