9th-grade Inquiry Unit - Share Lesson 

 

Lesson Title: How Do We Share New Knowledge that Results in Action?

Inquiry Phase: Share

Grade Level: 9th Grade

 

Essential Questions:

1. How can we use data and information to describe the human geography of Denton County, pinpoint problems, and suggest solutions?

2. How does where you live affect how you live?

3. In what ways do humans interact with one another?

 

Lesson Plan Objectives:

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Present their learning to classmates who focused on the same subtopic.

2. Assess each other’s presentations and their own with a rubric.

3. Share exemplary final products with a larger audience.

 

World History – Human Geography TEKS (for this inquiry unit):

§113.43. World Geography Studies

(9) Geography. The student understands the concept of region as an area of Earth's surface with related geographic characteristics. The student is expected to:

(A) identify physical and/or human factors such as climate, vegetation, language, trade networks, political units, river systems, and religion that constitute a region.

(11) Economics. The student understands how geography influences economic activities. The student is expected to:

(C) assess how changes in climate, resources, and infrastructure (technology, transportation, and communication) affect the location and patterns of economic activities.

(D) identify points of view from the historical context surrounding an event and the frame of reference which influenced the participants.

(16) Culture. The student understands how the components of culture affect the way people live and shape the characteristics of regions. The student is expected to:

(B) describe elements of culture, including language, religion, beliefs and customs, institutions, and technologies.

 

ELA-R TEKS (for this lesson):

§110.32.b

(23) Research/Organizing and Presenting Ideas. Students organize and present their ideas and information according to the purpose of the research and their audience. Students are expected to synthesize the research into a written or an oral presentation that:

(A) marshals evidence in support of a clear thesis statement and related claims.

(B) provides an analysis for the audience that reflects a logical progression of ideas and a clearly stated point of view.

(C) uses graphics and illustrations to help explain concepts where appropriate.

(D) uses a variety of evaluative tools (e.g., self-made rubrics, peer reviews, teacher and expert evaluations) to examine the quality of the research.

(24) Listening and Speaking/Listening. Students will use comprehension skills to listen attentively to others in formal and informal settings. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to:

(C) evaluate the effectiveness of a speaker's main and supporting ideas.

 

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner Indicators:

1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.

2.4.3 Recognize new knowledge and understanding.

3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess.

 

Assessment Tool: Synthesis Infographic Presentation Rubric

 

Resources for this Unit of Study

 

Resources for this Lesson:

Synthesis Infographic Presentation Rubric

“Don’t Put YOUR Future @ Risk” Infographic

 

Estimated Lesson Time: One 50-minute Lesson (with an optional Day 2 Gallery Walk)

 

Instructional Plan Outline:

 

Classroom Teacher – School Librarian(s) Collaboration:

• The classroom teacher and school librarian use think-alouds to demonstrate how to complete the presentation rubrics.

• They demonstrate providing constructive feedback and discuss the “Persuasion Score” criterion on the rubric.

 

Measurable Outcome or Final Product: Individual students present their learning and infographics to classmates in same subtopic small groups. They provide each other with oral and written feedback and determine the most persuasive infographic in each group.

 

Preparation

• The educators make one copy of the Synthesis Infographic Presentation Rubric for each student several days before the presentations in order to help students prepare.

• The librarian makes sure that all students’ infographics are curated on a Web page where students’ can easily access their work. (Organize infographic links by subtopic.)

• The librarian also makes sure that presentation areas (with computers, laptops, or tablets) for the correct number of small groups are spaced throughout the library.

• On the presentation day, divide the students into small groups based on subtopics and provide students with an appropriate number of rubrics based on the number classmates in each group. (If one or more subtopics groups are large, create multiple groups for that subtopic. Groups of no less than three and no more than five are recommended.)

• Integrate academic vocabulary into think-alouds: slogan, data, summarize, cite, and persuasion.

• Integrate discipline-specific vocabulary into the lesson: human geography, assets, needs, demographic indicators, economic activities and development, and human factors.

 

Motivation

1. Educators lead a discussion related to hooking viewers to make them take notice of information and persuading viewers to care and take action.

2. Discuss strategies for providing classmates with feedback.

3. Let students know that each group will select the best infographic among those developed by group members. Ultimately, there will be one best infographic for each subtopic.

4. Educators post the lesson objectives.

 

Presentation

5. Educators project the Synthesis Infographic Presentation Rubric.

6. Educators use think-alouds and the sample infographic to briefly demonstrate the various criteria and levels of proficiency on the presentation rubric.

 

Student Participation

7. Invite students to suggest feedback and provide the “Persuasion Score” for the sample infographic.

 

Guided Practice

8. Educators monitor as students present their learning in their small groups and provide each other with feedback.

 

Closure

9. Students return the presentation rubrics to each presenter.

10. Educators model adding up the points from multiple rubrics and arriving at an average.

11. Each one totals her/his scores and determines an average score.

12. The groups then share their scores and determine the most persuasive infographic from their group.

 

Reflection

13. What did we learn from presenting our learning?

14. What did we learn when other students presented their learning?

15. How can infographics help us persuade others?

 

Assessment

16. Educators review students’ presentation rubrics.

17. Educators add comments on the back on rubrics for students whose presentations they heard.

 

Day 2 – Gallery Walk (Optional)

Presentation

18. Project the most persuasive from each group. There will be more than one for some subtopics.

19. Students provide a 0 to 5 Persuasion Score for the infographic until one is selected for each subtopic: education, income/jobs, health, and mental health.

20. Students sit in subtopic groups and brainstorm possible ways to share the most persuasive infographic in each subtopic.

 

Examples to ways these infographics can be shared with audiences outside the classroom:

• Share with City of Denton, Denton County officials, or the appropriate agency.

• Share with the guest speaker(s).

• Submit the infographic to the Denton Record Chronicle.

• Submit the infographic to the United Way of Denton County.

• Print and display the infographics in the classroom, library, or hallway.

• Link the best infographics to the school Web site, the library Web site or newsletter, or other communication venue.

 

Lesson Plan Resources

 

For Students

 

9th_Grade_Share_Infographic_Presentation_Rubric.doc

 

 

For Educators

 

Lesson Plans

9th_Grade_Share_Lesson_Plan_Only.doc

 

9th_Grade_Share_Lesson_Plan_Full.pdf