Lesson Plan Resources

Lesson Plan Resources & Assignments

designing research projects | Collins writing | the I-search | sample research projects | lesson plan links

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Designing research projects

In designing research assignments for students, teachers should not require students to simply "find out about" a topic, for these assignments encourage "cut and paste" and little thinking. Instead, teachers should help students learn how to develop questions that will encourage analysis and thought, as well as focus and guide student research. Sometimes these questions will morph into a thesis statement and sometimes they provide the avenue for discovery. Bottom line, this questioning technique creates authentic, real-life problem solving investigations that engage students. To read more about the importance of an essential question or to understand how to create them in your own class, check out the following links.

Framing Essential Questions (From Now On)

Asking Essential Questions to read more about the research cycle and inquiry-based learning, check out the home page

Questioning.org (Jamie McKenzie)

Online Resources to Support Big 6 Information Skills Developed by Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz, the Big6 is the most widely-known and widely-used approach to teaching information and technology skills in the world. This site provides resources to help students work through the six steps to research.

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Collins Writing and Problem-Based Learning: Background Information and Research

CollinsWriting Program for more information about designing assignments see High School Writing Projects: Prompts and Projects for Thinking and Learning Across the Curriculum

Introduction to Problem-Based Learning this tutorial is very similar to Collins Writing seven-step lesson design. It provides some examples primarily for math and science.

Making the Net Work for Schools: Online Research Modules article by Jamie MacKenzie which provides tips and tutorials for developing research projects.

Project-Based Learning Overview BIE creates curriculum and training materials, provides professional development for teachers, and conducts and disseminates research. Sample units which target high school social science (government and economics) are available for download.

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I-Search

Make It Happen I-Search Guide
This site provides backround information, phase design, and sample I-search research papers. Because the I-search is valuable in learning how to research, it is especially valuable in ninth grade. http://www.edc.org/FSC/MIH/article.html

I-Search Help
This site provides also provides information about designing i-search papers and has several links as to why these types of research papers are useful K-12. http://eduscapes.com/info/isearch.html

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Lesson Links

Examples of Best Practice for Research Related Projects

Baltimore County Public Schools Online Research Modules
examples of projects for English (Of Mice and Men, American Literature, Night, Shakespeare), science (stem cells), math (fractuals), social studies (Holocaust, 20th century, European Imperialism), health (suicide, anti-drug), foreign language, career and technology, food and more.

Grand Prairie Independent School District
examples include cloning, bioethics, civil rights, endangered species, and more

Marco Polo
Browse or search projects from all subject areas and grade levels. Site partners include National Geographic Expeditions, Illuminations, and ArtsEdge.

National Geographic Expeditions
projects focus on a variety of issues including AIDS, population density, the environment, energy, and more.

SCORE History and Social Science

Language Arts / Spanish

SCORE Language Arts Cyberguides
Based on California standards, these CyberGuides are supplementary, web-delivered units of instruction centered on core works of literature, including Hamlet, Animal Farm, Huck Finn, The Crucible, Brave New World, Lord of the Flies, Night, Romeo and Juliet, Of Mice and Men, and more. Also includes Spanish Literature guides.

Math

Illuminations
from the National Council of Teachers of Math; lesson ideas are inquiry driven

Science

SCORE Science
Based on California standards, these CyberGuides are supplementary, web-delivered units of instruction focusing on science related topics. Most projects can be altered to fit Michigan standards and curriculum.

University of Delaware Problem Based Learning
provides examples of problem-based learning assignments for biology, chemistry, physics, criminal justice and more.

Science: Exploratorium Institute for Inquiry

History and Social Studies

American Memory Fellows
look at the american history links for an overview of this site

Presidential Award
sample assignment for researching presidents and their contributions to American society

NARA Digital Classroom
The National Archives' gateway is a resource about primary sources, activities and training for educators and students.

SCORE History/Social Science
Based on California standards, these CyberGuides are supplementary, web-delivered units of instruction focusing on history/social science related topics. Most projects can be altered to fit Michigan standards and curriculum.

Project-Based Learning Overview
BIE creates curriculum and training materials, provides professional development for teachers, and conducts and disseminates research. Sample units which target high school social science (government and economics) are available for download.

Other lesson ideas

About.com Secondary Educators
The About Secondary School Educator's site has so much to offer to both new and veteran users. Find ideas for lessons, daily warm-ups and ice breakers, and assessment/rubrics.

Blue Web'n
An online library of 1973 outstanding Internet sites categorized by subject, grade level, and format (tools, references, lessons, hotlists, resources, tutorials, activities, projects). This is a great place to go for new ides for any subject area.

CNN Daily Classroom Guide
This site seems especially useful when teaching current events. It gives top news stories plus ideas to incorporate them into class discussion.

Discovery School Lesson Plan Library 9-12

Education World Teacher Resources
This free source for teachers makes it easy for educators to integrate the Internet into the classroom. Lessons are created by teachers and can be searched by subject, theme, and age group.

Encarta Lesson Collection
this site incorporates microsoft applications and software into lessons that span the disciplines. Search by subject area, theme, product, and grade level.

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators
This site contains a a categorized list of sites useful for enhancing curriculum and professional growth. It is updated often to include the best sites for teaching and learning.

New York Times Learning Network
Includes daily lesson plans that incorporates headlines and current events as well as an archive of lesson plans pertaining to a variety of subjects and topics. See also New York Times Teacher Connections for puzzles and more activities.

Newsweek Education Program
Lesson plans use Newsweek as a source for information. Under resources, teachers can find lesson plan ideas pertaining to reading, writing, communication, current events and more.

Professional Cartoonist Index Teacher Guide
This site develops lesson plans for using the editorial cartoons as a teaching tool in Social Sciences, Art, Journalism and English at all levels. A few additional links to other lesson plan sites are included.

Teach With Movies: A New Tool for Parents and Teachers
This site provides teacher guides for using specific movies in your classroom. If you are interested in using this site, see O'Harris for a password to gain entry. http://teachwithmovies.org/

Teaching With Documents http://www.edteck.com/dbq/

WebQuests http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquest.html

Writing Teacher's Resources

Networked Writing and Research Online Handbook This is a good resource for teachers. The site was designed for writing instructors and gives activity ideas for every step in the writing process.

Web English Teacher Another nice site for teachers. This site includes lessons, ideas and links for a variety of subjects including AP, Shakespeare, vocabulary, and mythology.

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