Exploratorium 2012: Schneid, Laura

Table #1       Maybe Metric?

 

Audience:       Middle

 

Presenter:       Laura Schneid

                        M.S. 137 America’s School of Heroes

                        109-15 98^th Street

Ozone Park, New York 11417                        

 

Library Web site: <http://websites.nylearns.org/lschneid/default.aspx>

Destiny: <http://library.nycenet.edu/common/servlet/presenthomeform.do?l2m=Home&tm=Home>

E-mail: Lschnei4@schools.nyc.gov

 

Description, Goals, Intended Outcomes:

Students will further their understanding of plagiarism and methods to avoid it with a PowerPoint Presentation including note taking and paraphrasing skills. Students must meet a performance task of writing an argumentative writing piece with their own voice.  To make the task meaningful we introduced the metric system and related it to real life connections.

 

Process to Develop and Implement this Project:

• Sixth Grade students were asked to write an argumentative essay to persuade the reader to have the United States convert to the metric system or to stay with the customary measures we currently use.
• Lesson 1: The Metric System is introduced by the classroom teacher in her room.
• Lesson 2: I introduce the lesson; Paraphrasing to Avoid Plagiarizing with a Power Point led discussion.  I model the process with the students using an excerpt from Titanic by Simon Adams with the assessment 4.5 Paraphrasing Chart.  Students will then be required to paraphrase another excerpt. 
• Lesson 3: Class will read ‘Waiting for Metric” and the librarian will model summarizing one important idea.  Students will complete the benchmark assessment independently.  Students will share their answers.
• Lesson 4: Class will read, “Should Americans Measure Metric?” and students will complete assessment: Summarizing the Important Ideas.
• Lesson 5: The classroom teacher will use the writing process with their students to write an argumentative text on whether the United States should or should not use the Metric System as their primary number system.

 

Budget: Copies of Benchmark Assessment and articles.

 

Timeline: Five Lessons + editing and writing process:

1.      Teacher introduces the metric system in class.

2.      Lesson Avoiding Plagiarism by paraphrasing.

3.      Class reads, “Waiting for Metric” and librarian models note taking on important information using benchmark assessment: Summarizing the Important Ideas.

4.      Class reads, Should Americans Measure Metric? and students complete assessment: Summarizing the Important Ideas.

5.      Students write an argumentative text on the pros and cons of the U.S. converting to the metric system.

 

Evidence of Outcomes, Possible Adaptations, Lessons Learned:

*Depending on the level of students it is important to determine if they understood what they read in order to paraphrase.

·         The completion of Benchmark Assessment 4.5 Paraphrasing Chart

·         The completion of Benchmark assessment 4.6 Summarizing the Important Ideas

·         The completion of Benchmark Assessment 3.6 Main Points

·         The completion of Benchmark Assessment 6.3 Drawing Conclusions from Information

 

Common Core State Standard(s) addressed:

              R61. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

              W6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

a)      Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.

b)      Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

c)      Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim9s0 and reasons.

d)      Establish and maintain a formal style.

e)      Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented.

 

Information Fluency Continuum (IFC) Skill(s) addressed:

·         Differentiates between important and unimportant details.

·         Makes inferences based on explicit informational text.

·         Combines information and weighs evidence to draw conclusions and creates meaning.

·         Determines what information is needed to support the investigation and answer the questions.

·         Summarizes information that answers research questions.

·         Taking notes using one or more of a variety of not-taking strategies.

·         Organizes notes and ideas and develops an outline or graphic organizer using both print and electronic tools.

·         Presents conclusions and supports facts in a variety of ways.                                                                                                            

 

NYS Standards 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

 

Skill(s) taught: Paraphrasing and note taking

                        Summarizing important facts and making inferences

 

 Assessments:

IFC Priority Benchmark Skill 4.5 Paraphrasing Chart

IFC Priority Benchmark Skill 3.6 Main Points

IFC Priority Benchmark Skill 6.3 Drawing Conclusions from Information

IFC Priority Benchmark Skill 4.6 Summarizing the Important Ideas

 

Resources Used: Bibliographic Information Sheet (Citation Machine format)

                            Power Point “Paraphrasing to Avoid Plagiarism”

                            Differentiated Excerpt Sheet