We Are All AuthorsWe Are All Authors

Odile HeiselOdile Heisel

Language Arts in LibraryLanguage Arts in Library

33rdrd grade grade

Microsoft Clip Art

Essential Essential Question: Question:

Could you be famous? Could you be famous?

Unit Question(s):Unit Question(s): What are the similarities and differences What are the similarities and differences between the personalities and preferences between the personalities and preferences of famous authors, illustrators, and of our of famous authors, illustrators, and of our classmates? classmates?

Why is it necessary to cite the source of Why is it necessary to cite the source of our information? our information?

Content Content Questions:Questions:

How reliable is the information on the How reliable is the information on the internet?internet?

How do I summarize information and write How do I summarize information and write it in my own words?it in my own words?

How can I organize and plan for writing?How can I organize and plan for writing?

How do I work politely and effectively with How do I work politely and effectively with other students?other students?

We Are All AuthorsWe Are All Authors

Unit SummaryUnit Summary Students work with a partner to research Students work with a partner to research

information about the interests and information about the interests and characteristics of their favorite authors.characteristics of their favorite authors.

Students will blog to each other to share what Students will blog to each other to share what they learn, citing their source. they learn, citing their source.

Students will compare the information they learn Students will compare the information they learn about their author to other groups’ authors and about their author to other groups’ authors and to themselves. to themselves.

Throughout this process, students will learn Throughout this process, students will learn about reliability of internet resources, reasons to about reliability of internet resources, reasons to cite source of information, and how to blog. cite source of information, and how to blog.

English SOL 3.6English SOL 3.6

The student will continue to read and The student will continue to read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction.demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction. Make connections between previous Make connections between previous

experiences and reading selections.experiences and reading selections. Ask and answer questions about what is Ask and answer questions about what is

read.read. Draw conclusions.Draw conclusions. Organize information and events logically.Organize information and events logically. Summarize major points found in nonfiction Summarize major points found in nonfiction

materials.materials. Compare and contrast the lives of two Compare and contrast the lives of two

persons as described in biographies and/or persons as described in biographies and/or autobiographies.autobiographies.

2121stst Century Skills Century SkillsCommunication and CollaborationCommunication and CollaborationArticulating thoughts and ideas clearly and Articulating thoughts and ideas clearly and

effectively through writing effectively through writing Demonstrating ability to work effectively Demonstrating ability to work effectively

with diverse teams with diverse teams Exercising flexibility and willingness to be Exercising flexibility and willingness to be

helpful in making necessary compromises helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal to accomplish a common goal

Assuming shared responsibility for Assuming shared responsibility for collaborative work collaborative work

2121stst Century Skills Century SkillsInformation LiteracyInformation Literacy

Possessing a fundamental understanding of Possessing a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information access and use of information

2121stst Century Skills Century SkillsICT (Information, Communications and ICT (Information, Communications and

Technology) LiteracyTechnology) Literacy Using digital technology, communication tools Using digital technology, communication tools

and/or networks appropriately to access, manage, and/or networks appropriately to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information in integrate, evaluate, and create information in order to function in a knowledge economy order to function in a knowledge economy

Using technology as a tool to research, organize, Using technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate and communicate information, and the evaluate and communicate information, and the possession of a fundamental understanding of the possession of a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information use of information

Learning Objectives for StudentsLearning Objectives for Students

Read nonfiction information from a web page, Read nonfiction information from a web page, locate relevant information, communicate to locate relevant information, communicate to others, analyze facts, draw conclusions. others, analyze facts, draw conclusions.

Communicate ideas through writing using Communicate ideas through writing using appropriate spelling, grammar, & punctuation.appropriate spelling, grammar, & punctuation.

Work cooperatively with othersWork cooperatively with others Understand that not all information on the Understand that not all information on the

internet is reliable internet is reliable Cite source of information, write using one’s Cite source of information, write using one’s

own wordsown words

Pre-Assessment of Information Pre-Assessment of Information LiteracyLiteracy

Students individually write to answer these questions:

“Do you think you can trust all information on the internet?

Why do you think I might want you to “cite” your source? (define “cite” for them.)

Internet Reliability Assessment checklist

Microsoft Office Word 97 - 2003 Document

Partners work together to choose 3 authors they would like to research.

Students self-assess their collaboration skills individually and compare to their partner’s assessment

Pre-Assessment of Team Pre-Assessment of Team CollaborationCollaboration

Team Collaboration Assessment

Microsoft Office Word 97 - 2003 Document

Problem-Solving/ PatienceProblem-Solving/ Patience

During all project work, students will flip a red/green card to the red side when they need help.

Students continue to work until help arrives.

If students solve the problem (before or after help arrives), they flip their red card back to the green side.

Research SkillsResearch SkillsStudents search identified web sites to Students search identified web sites to

find personal characteristics about one of find personal characteristics about one of the three authors they chose.the three authors they chose.

Students read and interpret nonfiction Students read and interpret nonfiction biographical information to identify any of biographical information to identify any of the author’s characteristics that might also the author’s characteristics that might also be true for a student in their class. be true for a student in their class.

Students blog relevant information, using Students blog relevant information, using their own words and citing the web their own words and citing the web address of their source.address of their source.

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Blogging SkillsBlogging SkillsStudents should read and respond to the Students should read and respond to the

blogs of other students.blogs of other students.Students should comment in the blog Students should comment in the blog

when they see that the author they are when they see that the author they are researching is similar to the author researching is similar to the author another group is researching.another group is researching.

Once students have posted something Once students have posted something about their author, they can use the about their author, they can use the citation links from other students to read citation links from other students to read about other authors.about other authors.

Teamwork SkillsTeamwork SkillsAt the end of the blogging session,

students will individually self-assess the team’s collaboration skills.

Students use the same form they used in the pre-assessment of team collaboration

Each student responds & then compares his or her response to partner’s response. Discuss similarities & differences.

Team Collaboration AssessmentMicrosoft Office

Word 97 - 2003 Document

Communication SkillsCommunication Skills Student teams also self-assess the content of

their blog about the characteristics of the author they researched.

Teacher uses the same form to assess the content of their blogs.

Between class sessions, teacher and students will meet to compare the teacher and student assessments and develop plan of improvement.

Blog Assessment ChecklistMicrosoft Office Word 97 - 2003 Document

Building Communication SkillsBuilding Communication Skills Student teams will repeat this entire cycle of

research, blogging, assessing, and conferencing three times.

During the second and third conference, teacher and students will compare assessments to previous assessments to encourage students to be accountable for self- improvement.

Blog Assessment checklistMicrosoft Office

Word 97 - 2003 Document

Organizing InformationOrganizing Information

Each student creates their own a graphic organizer comparing characteristics of all the famous authors researched by the entire class to themselves.

Students assess their graphic organizer using a checklist. Teacher will assess using the same checklist.

Final Assessment Checklist

Microsoft Office Word 97 - 2003 Document

Sample Student Graphic Sample Student Graphic OrganizerOrganizer

Writing SkillsWriting Skills

Each student uses their graphic organizer to write a paragraph explaining:

““Why I can become a famous author.”Why I can become a famous author.”

Students assess their paragraph using a checklist. Teacher will the paragraph assess using the same checklist.

Final Assessment ChecklistMicrosoft Office

Word 97 - 2003 Document

Sample Student Paragraph & Sample Student Paragraph & Teacher AssessmentTeacher Assessment

Final Assessment of Information Final Assessment of Information Literacy Literacy

Students answer the pre-assessment Students answer the pre-assessment question again with a written response:question again with a written response:

““Can you trust all information on the Can you trust all information on the internet?”internet?”

““Why do you need to “cite” your Why do you need to “cite” your source?”source?”

Internet Reliability Assessment ChecklistMicrosoft Office Word 97 - 2003 Document

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Accommodations for Accommodations for Differentiated InstructionDifferentiated Instruction

Students reading below grade level will be Students reading below grade level will be paired with a student who reads at or paired with a student who reads at or above grade-level, encouraging the above grade-level, encouraging the capable reader to read the information capable reader to read the information aloud to their partner.aloud to their partner.

Some websites offer videos of author Some websites offer videos of author interviews. These will sites will be interviews. These will sites will be recommended to students because they recommended to students because they include audio.include audio.

Accommodations for Accommodations for Differentiated InstructionDifferentiated Instruction

Students who are advanced learners will Students who are advanced learners will be paired up together and encouraged to be paired up together and encouraged to make deeper connections between one make deeper connections between one favorite author and themselves. favorite author and themselves.

If they find very specific details that If they find very specific details that demonstrate a high level of understanding, demonstrate a high level of understanding, I will email their comments to the author I will email their comments to the author they believe is most similar to themselves.they believe is most similar to themselves.

Thank you for viewing my Thank you for viewing my presentation. Comments are presentation. Comments are always appreciated. always appreciated. Odile Heisel Odile Heisel oheisel@staunton.k12.va.us