Inquiry Project

1. Inquiry Question
a. Would adding peer reviews be beneficial to writing growth? This is my
preeminent question. I have been reading a great deal about writing workshops
and I think this could prove to be a way I can begin to implement collaborative
learning between the drafting and final stages of writing. I am considering
creating a peer review exercise for students to do using rough drafts of their
graduation project research papers. If this proves successful, I would like to
ultimately use peer reviews to improve their AP style essays.
b. Additional Questions/Concerns:
1. Would it be a hindrance that students are not
writing scholars and would not catch the errors that I would catch if I
were doing the review for them?
2. Could one student give another poor advice about writing that would
ultimately cause the first student to earn a lower score?
3. Should I go ahead and correct the rough draft myself or would that make
the experience less authentic and meaningful to the students?

2. Primary Data Collection Plan

a. Use peer review with rough drafts of graduation project research paper
b. Observe the peer review activities
c. Survey students on how helpful the peer review was
d. Copies of rough draft and copies of final drafts completed after the peer review
3. Secondary Source Plans
a. Library OneSearch
b. PLC (Professional Learning Community)
c. our readings from class

WAD Word Vomit

The Great Gatsby Multigenre Writing Project
Initial Thoughts: This assignment is born from a group project that I attempted to create last
year but did poorly with. I believe my idea was good, but I was slapdash in creating the
assignment. I didnt have clear rubrics and I think that confused the students to start with.
Goals/Objectives - I have been working a great deal with universal themes. I am torn between
having student teams explore a particular theme OR the motifs that Fitzgerald uses to further his
themes. The themes and motifs I want students to consider are:
The Decline of the American Dream
The Stratification of the Social Classes
The Hollowness of the Upper Class
Love verses Obsession

Pathetic Fallacy
Fitzgeralds Use of Symbols
Importance of Money
I should note that I teach Honors English III now, but next semester this course because AP
Language and Composition. I have to meet AP and Common Core Objectives. My students take
the NC English IIII exam at the end of this semester and the AP exam in May.
AP Objectives:
Students will . . .
1. construct interpretations of motifs and symbols
2. discuss Fitzgeralds use of weather to reect human emotions and conditions
3. identify, discuss, and support from the text the major themes
4. identify the social issues and discuss the techniques that Fitzgerald uses to address and
expose them
Common Core Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.1
1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text
leaves matters uncertain.
2. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.9
Demonstrate and apply knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentiethcentury foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from
the same period treat similar themes or topics.
3. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
4. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups,
and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
5. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct
perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing
perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are
appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.5
Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive
elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to
add interest.
Potential Assignments that will make up the project:

1. A presentation at the end. I am still debating the technology choices. Prezi or Google sites
would work well with this multifaceted project. My students will want to use keynote due
to their familiarity with it, but I do not think keynote will lend itself well to this work.
2. A formal essay analyzing the themes/motifs of the story. I feel like I will assign each
group a specific theme or motif to deal with so that new information is presented with
each group.
3. A found poem made up of words and phrases from the book. The found poem will need
to convey the theme/motif they are assigned.
4. Some other creative element. I am sort of stuck here. I thought about assigning a movie
trailer, but they have all seen the newer Great Gatsby movie. I think that may lead them
to just copy it.
Grading
I am great with essay rubrics, but weaker with presentation rubrics. I am wondering if I should
have one overall rubric or separate ones for each piece of the project? I really need some
feedback on this section.