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A Research Unit on Inventors and Inventions

Title Page

Objectives

Students will identify and locate information sources useful for their persuasive essay. Illinois Learning Standards: 1.C.3a, 1.C.3c, 1.C.3d, 1.C.3f, 5.A.3a
Students will collect data by paraphrasing, identifying main ideas, and supporting details. Illinois Learning Standards: 5.C.3c
Students will participate in a class discussion about what constitutes an "influential American inventor."
Students will write a persuasive essay which includes and introduction, at least three paragraphs in the body, and a conclusion. Illinois Learning Standards: 3.A.3, 3.B.3a, 3.C.3a, 5.C.3a
Students will edit and revise rough draft of persuasive essay in response to teacher feedback. Illinois Learning Standards: 3.B.3b, 5.C.3a
Students will write a complete and correct bibliography. Illinois Learning Standards: 5.B.3b
Students will complete the Big Six worksheet (a printed copy) which defines each step of the research process. Illinois Learning Standards: 1.C.3f, 5.B.3a
Students will use persuasive techniques to debate the importance/impact of the inventor/invention on society to the class. 4.A.3b, 4.B.3a, 5.C.3b
Students will complete the on-line assessment of the Big Six and the research process with at least 80% accuracy.
Students will reflect and evaluate their efficiency and effectiveness of the research process.

Unit Organizer

A Personal Note: Please Consider the Following Before You Begin the Unit!
This unit requires one student per computer. If computers are not available for all students to use at once, you may need to place the students in groups and rotate groups. In addition, be prepare to answer numerous questions during the research process. Since you cannot be at more than one place at a time, try to get volunteers (teacher's assistants, parents, senior citizens) to lower the adult-to-student ratio. The school's learning center coordinator or librarian can definitely be an asset during the implementation of this unit. Activities may take more than one "day/period" depending on the students' progress. I have designed the activities below for two groups of 10-15 students with one hour periods.

Day 1: Introduction to the Whole Class
Teacher will explain unit's process, expectations, and outcomes as the students are introduced to the inventor/inventions website.

Days 2 &3: "Task Definition" & Computer Time
Class is divided into two groups. The groups rotate the activities below.

**Group A Group B**
In the computer lab, the students will explore the inventor/inventions website.	1) Teacher will explain the Big Six and specifically discuss the "Task Definition." Students will complete that component on the Big Six printed worksheet. 2) Teacher will review note taking strategies with the students. With an expository writing piece, students will take notes using the strategies they learned.

Days 4 & 5: "Information Seeking Strategies" & Computer Time
Class is divided into the same two groups. The groups rotate the activities below.

**Group A Group B**
In the computer lab, the students will continue to explore their topic and to narrow their topic by the end of the period. Students will use several search engines.	1) Teacher will brainstorm all possible sources and discuss the "Information Seeking Strategies." Students will complete that component on their Big Six printed worksheet. 2) Students will compile a list of sources and pick sources that would be the most useful for their project.

Day 6: What is "Location & Access"?
Teacher will model strategies to discuss if information is relevant and useful to the whole class. After reading an expository piece, students will write relevant and useful information. Teacher will lead discussion on the research process and ask for students to share their research experiences for this project.

Days 7 & 8: "Use of Information" & What is a Bibliography? & Computer Time The class is divided into the same two groups. The groups rotate the activities below.

**Group A Group B**
1) Teacher will discuss the importance of bibliographies and how to cite various sources correctly. 2) The students will look at a set of materials and write a bibliography correctly.	In the computer lab, the students' task is to use the note taking strategies as they retrieve relevant information as stated in the Big Six's "Use of Information."

Days 9 &10: Organize Notes & Computer Time
The class is divided into the same two groups. The groups rotate the activities below.

**Group A Group B**
In the computer lab, the students' task is to finish retrieving relevant information, note taking, and writing bibliography.	Students start organizing notes and begin to write a rough draft.

Day 11: Rough Draft
Rough drafts should be completed and turned in. The teacher checks for completion, progress on bibliographies, and provides written feedback. Students work to develop a final copy using feedback from the teacher. Teachers may want to have individual conferences (with the help of other adults) with students.

Day 12: Discussion of Persuasive Techniques
Students will discuss within their groups effective persuasive techniques. Students will share these ideas to the whole class and suggest techniques useful for this project. For homework, students will need to respond to the "Synthesis" and "Evaluation" Big Six steps on the Big Six printed worksheet.

Day 13: Presentation of Inventors/Inventions in the Same Small Groups
Students will take turns to present their inventors to the class and discuss the impact of their invention on society to their small groups. Small groups will then pick at most four inventors/inventions with the greatest impact from their group.

Day 14: Persuasive Presentations to the Whole Class
A total of at most eight inventors/inventions are presented to the whole class. Students will decide which five will be presented in the museum's exhibit. Teacher will emphasize the importance of representation of various ethnic groups. Students in class will vote by placing dot stickers on butcher paper next to the inventors of their choice (each student receives four stickers and may put more than one sticker per inventor). If the results from the vote do not represent a variety of ethnic groups, the students will need to further discuss the importance of cultures with this project. Students may have to re-vote.

Day 15: Online Research Test
Students will take an on-line research quiz "How Well Do You Know Your Research Strategies?" The students will need to show knowledge about the Big Six and the research process.