Skip to Main Content

Lesson 6

We will continue the Section Diagnostic by writing research proposals.

Lesson Goals

Reading and Knowledge

  • Summarize: How well do I express an accurate understanding of the central ideas of pathway texts?
  • Analyze Relationships: How well do I determine points of connection among pathway texts and the central tenets of ethics from the foundational texts in Section 1?
  • Gather and Organize Evidence: How well do I gather and organize relevant and sufficient evidence to demonstrate an understanding of pathway texts and foundational texts from Section 1?

Writing

  • Form Claims: How well do I develop and clearly communicate a meaningful and defensible claim that represents a valid, evidence-based analysis?
  • Organize Ideas: How well do I sequence and group sentences and paragraphs and use devices, techniques, descriptions, reasoning, and evidence to establish a coherent, logical, and well-developed explanation and argument?
  • Develop Ideas: How well do I use devices, techniques, descriptions, reasoning, and evidence to support and elaborate on coherent and logical explanations?
  • Communicate Effectively: How well do I use language and strategies to accomplish my intended purpose in communicating?
  • Generate Ideas: How well do I generate ideas, positions, products, and solutions to problems?

Texts

Core

  • Digital Access
    • Foundation Unit Pathway Texts

Materials

Tools

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Read

We will review our groups’ norms and the Section Diagnostic.

Review your group’s norms and discuss what you will do so that your group succeeds in this lesson.

Activity 2: Write – Discuss

We will draft our research proposal and determine our rationale for selecting our chosen pathway.

In your groups, draft your research proposal using the following guidelines:

  1. Introduction: Provide a brief introduction to your topic. Explain the purpose of your research, why it is exciting, and why it is worth pursuing. Support your introduction with evidence from at least two of the texts you have read in the unit.

  2. Inquiry Questions: Write your inquiry questions. What do you hope to find?

  3. Research Methodology: Explain how you are going to carry out your project (e.g., reading and analyzing texts, conducting interviews). Explain what shape the Culminating Task will take (literature review, art display, etc.), and justify your decision to use the presentation format you have chosen (e.g., "Creating a website makes sense for our presentation because . . . ").

  4. Conclusion: Wrap everything up. This is your chance to bring your ideas together, and more importantly, to directly and clearly express to the reader how the research project you just detailed is valuable.

Consult the Foundation Unit Research and Presentation Guide as needed.

Activity 3: Discuss

We will reflect on the lesson’s work to determine our progress on the Section Diagnostic.

Step 1

Review your Culminating Task Progress Tracker. Think about all you have learned and done during this unit. Evaluate your skills and knowledge by responding to the following questions:

  1. How prepared are you to succeed on the Culminating Task?

  2. What do you need to know and learn to do to succeed?

Think about your collaboration with your group.

  1. How did I contribute to my group during this activity?

  2. On a scale from one to four, how productive were we?

Step 2

Review the Central Question of the unit:

How do we determine the right thing to do?

Use the following questions to guide a discussion with a partner or small group:

  1. What new knowledge do you have in relation to the Central Question?

  2. What are you still curious about in relation to the Central Question?

  3. What is the relationship between the question and the texts you have read so far? How do the texts shed light on the question? How does the question help you understand the texts?

  4. How has your response to the question evolved, deepened, or changed?

In your Learning Log, write your response to Question 3. You will return to this response in later lessons to examine how your understanding of the Central Question has evolved.