Lesson Title: Notemaking to Answer Our Questions about Denton County Just Before, During, and Immediately After the Civil War
Inquiry Phase: Gather
Grade Level: 8th Grade
Essential Questions:
1. What was the impact of the Civil War on Denton County citizens?
2. How can we assess primary source artifacts and secondary source materials in terms of validity and bias and use these resources to support a particular interpretation of historical events?
Lesson Plan Objectives:
At the end of these lessons, students will be able to:
1. Identify primary and secondary resources to answer their questions. 2
. Make notes and record bibliographic information.
Social Studies TEKS (for these lessons):
§113.20. (b) Knowledge and skills.
(29) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired through established research methodologies from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to:
(A) differentiate between, locate, and use valid primary and secondary sources such as computer software, databases, media and news services, biographies, interviews, and artifacts to acquire information about the United States.
(B) analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions;
(D) identify points of view from the historical context surrounding an event and the frame of reference which influenced the participants.
ELA-R TEKS:
§110.18b
(23) Research/Gathering Sources. Students determine, locate, and explore the full range of relevant sources addressing a research question and systematically record the information they gather. Students are expected to:
(A) follow the research plan to gather information from a range of relevant print and electronic sources using advanced search strategies.
(B) categorize information thematically in order to see the larger constructs inherent in the information.
(C) record bibliographic information (e.g., author, title, page number) for all notes and sources according to a standard format.
(24) Research/Synthesizing Information. Students clarify research questions and evaluate and synthesize collected information. Students are expected to:
(A) narrow or broaden the major research question, if necessary, based on further research and investigation; and (B) utilize elements that demonstrate the reliability and validity of the sources used (e.g., publication date, coverage, language, point of view) and explain why one source is more useful and relevant than another.
Standards for the 21st-Century Learner Indicators:
1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions. 1.1.8 Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry. 1.3.3 Follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information.
Assessment Tool: Cornell Notemaking Graphic Organizer
Resources for this Unit of Study
Resources for this Lesson:
Denton County and the Civil War Pathfinder
Cornell Notemaking Graphic Organizer (one with a summary section; one without)
Cornell Notemaking Graphic Organizer Teacher Resource
Inquiry Phase Exit Ticket
Estimated Lesson Time: Mulitple 50-minute Lessons (as needed)
Instructional Plan Outline:
Classroom Teacher – School Librarian(s) Collaboration:
• The classroom teacher and school librarian use think-alouds to demonstrate how to complete the Cornell Notemaking Graphic Organizer.
• Depending on students’ needs, educators offer additional mini-lessons on notemaking, citing sources, and determining validity of print and electronic resources. • Educators co-monitor the students’ guided practice as they work as individuals, with partners, or in small groups to make notes and record bibliographic information on a graphic organizer.
Measurable Outcome or Final Product: Individual students, partners, or small groups record information in notemaking format and keep a log of the resources they accessed related to the involvement and impact of the Civil War on Denton County.
Preparation
• The educators make multiple copies of the Cornell Notemaking Graphic Organizer for each student or provide the graphic organizer electronically. (If distributing in hard copy, make a two-sided handout.)
• The educators prepare to provide one example. (See the Cornell Notemaking Graphic Organizer Teacher Resource.)
• Integrate academic vocabulary into think-alouds: notemaking, draw inferences, interpret, summarize, and bibliographic information.
• Integrate discipline-specific vocabulary into the lesson: primary and secondary sources, chronological, political, economic, technological, value system, cause and effect, problem and solution, compare and contrast, and open-ended questions.
Motivation
1. Educators project the Cornell Notemaking Graphic Organizer Teacher Resource. Discuss the sample question and use think alouds to consider possible resources to review.
2. Project the Denton County and the Civil War Pathfinder. Skim and scan for possible resources to answer the question under consideration. Demonstrate selecting an inappropriate and an appropriate resource.
3. Educators post the lesson objectives and let students know they are to identify resources to answer their question(s), note the question category, whether it is a primary or secondary source, record notes and quotes, interpret the information in a summary, and record bibliographic information on their Cornell Notemaking Graphic Organizer.
Presentation
4. Educators project the Cornell Notemaking Graphic Organizer.
5. With the appropriate resource, read several passages and demonstrate notemaking, quoting with parenthetical citations, and completing the information on the graphic organizer.
Student Participation
6. Invite students to suggest notes for the graphic organizer.
Guided Practice
7. Educators monitor as students identify resources, make notes, and complete their graphic organizers, one per source.
Closure
8. Students turn to a neighbor and share the most surprising information they learned today.
9. Students complete Exit Ticket and can be assigned the task of continuing this process for homework.
Reflection
10. How do notemaking and/or quoting and citing sources help prevent plagiarism?
11. What are some strategies for interpreting the information you find?
Assessment
12. Educators review students’ Cornell Notemaking Graphic Organizers for both the quantity and quality of the notes, summaries, and other information students recorded.
Follow Up
13. Provide students with additional gathering time and/or assign this as homework.
Lesson Plan Resources
For Students:
8th_Grade_Gather_Cornell_Notemaking_with_summary.doc
8th_Grade_Gather_Cornell_Notemaking_without_summary.doc
8th_Grade_Inquiry_Phase_Exit_Ticket.doc
For Educators:
8th_Grade_Gather_Cornell_Notemaking_Teacher_Resource.doc
Lesson Plans:
8th_Grade_Gather_Lesson_Plan_Only.doc
8th_Grade_Gather_Lesson_Plan_Full.pdf