ersonal

chievement in

earning

• PAL Expectations

• Examples of past PAL topics

• 5th Grade students share their PAL experience

• PAL Timeline

• Brainstorming PAL ideas

• Three Key Questions

• Sources—Books and/or Grade Level Reading Materials

• Research Notes

• Presentation

Three Key QuestionsYou will begin your research with three questions you have about your

topic. These questions will help focus your research. You will use your approved source(s) to find the answers to your

questions.You will think of more questions and find more answers as you continue

researching. These questions and answers will be shared during your PAL presentation.

Sources: Approved Books and/or Grade Level Reading Materials

You must have at least 1 book or other grade level reading material as a source for researching your topic.

Your main source must be brought in and approved by your teacher. You may use other sources to research your topic. Your sources should be used to find Important Information,

History, and Interesting Facts about your topic. Your main source will be shared during your presentation.

Sources could include: Books, encyclopedia articles, magazine articles,

websites, and interviews with mentors.

Two tools that you were taught to use in Library that could be useful during PAL are:

The World Book Online WebPath Express

Research Notes: As you research/gather information from your sources, you

will take notes. You will read and take notes in school and at home. Your notes should be written in your PAL booklet, on

other sheets of paper, on note cards, or in a notebook. Your notes should organized under the categories of

Important Information, History, and Interesting Facts. You will bring your notes in to school to share with your

teacher.

PAL Presentation: Once you have completed your research, you will create a 5-10

minute presentation to share your information with your classYour presentation will include:

Opening (explain your topic and why you chose it) Questions you wanted to research and the information you

learned (answers to your questions) Display/Poster/Power Point/Demonstration Reflection List of Sources used to research your topic

Presentation Tips: You will practice presenting your PAL in front of the mirror and your family many times before your presentation day at school. You want to be sure that you are speaking loudly enough for everyone in the class to hear you and that you are making eye contact with your audience.

If you plan to use technology during your presentation (youtube, a website, Power Point, etc…), you will need to discuss your plans with your teacher in advance.

•Demonstration•Tri-fold Board

•Video•Power Point

Week of Feb. 10th-• Kick-off Assembly in school • Brainstorm topics in class • Homework over the weekend: Discuss your topics with your parents

and narrow down to one or two choices.

Week of Feb. 13th - • PAL Planning in school • At Home- Look for and begin gathering sources• Homework this week: Bring in one source by Tuesday, February

21st to be approved by your teacher.

Week of Feb. 20th-• PAL work in school- Looking for information on topic, reading about topic,

planning your project and mapping out your ideas/activities• At home- Continue to research your three questions, organize information

under the categories of: important information, history and interesting facts, talk to “mentors”, set up times to work on project, etc.

• Homework this week: PAL Update # 1 due by Monday, February 27th.

Week of Feb. 27th -• Continue researching and finding the answers to your questions• Homework this week: Turn in organized notes and PAL Update # 2 by

Monday, March 5th

Week of March 5th-• Continue to work on PAL projects at home• Sign up for PAL presentations with your teacher• Homework this week: PAL Update # 3 due by Monday, March 12th

Week of March 12th- • PSSA’s in school• Begin working on your presentation for the class

Week of March 19th -• PAL presentations begin in the classrooms

Week of March 26th - • PAL presentations in the classroom

The first step in the PAL process officially begins TODAY!

You will return to your classroom to brainstorm any topics that interest you for a

possible PAL project.