Lesson 5

Lesson Goals

Texts

Materials

Tools

• Exploring a Topic Tool

• Potential Sources Tool

Reference Guides

• Questioning Reference Guide

Question Sets

• Application Unit: Section 1 Question Set

Editable Google Docs

• Exploring a Topic Tool

• Potential Sources Tool

• Application Unit: Section 1 Question Set

Activity 1: Read – Listen

We will review the questioning reference guide and listen to our teacher to learn more about generating inquiry questions to guide our research.

Locate and review the Posing Inquiry Questions for Research section in the Questioning Reference Guide. You might have already developed such inquiry questions in previous lessons to see which potential area of investigation your team would choose as its primary research objective. Now, you will think of inquiry questions to help you conduct research around your chosen path.

Pay attention as your teacher demonstrates the following:

• how to come up with different types of questions

• how to evaluate whether the questions are useful

• how to refine the questions so that they generate valuable research

Activity 2: Write

In our teams, we generate inquiry questions specific to our central research question.

In your team, generate as many specific inquiry questions as possible about your Central Research Question. Use the Posing Inquiry Questions section of the Questioning Reference Guide to help you brainstorm.

At this stage, come up with as many questions as possible.

Choose one team member to write down all of these questions.

Activity 3: Read – Write

In our teams, we will use our inquiry questions to search for potential sources and further refine our inquiry questions.

Use your inquiry questions to conduct quick searches for potential sources. These sources will help you identify keywords and phrases that might lead to new inquiry questions.

Activity 4: Discuss

We will discuss the characteristics of quality and effective presentations. We will also set personal presentation goals on which to focus during our upcoming presentations.

Step 1

As you know, as part of this unit, you and your research team will present your research materials and progress, and the unit culminates in our formal presentation of your final project.

In your Learning Log, take a few minutes to brainstorm responses to the following questions:

• What makes a speaker effective?

• What makes a presentation effective?

Pair up with a peer, and quickly share and compare your responses, revising your own as needed.

Step 2

Participate in a whole-group discussion to collaboratively build a list of characteristics of effective presentations. Consider whether you want to group the characteristics into categories; possible categories might be speaking skills, content, and language.

Step 3

Back in your Learning Log, write a brief reflection about your own speaking experience and expertise, using the following questions:

1. Describe a time when you had a successful speaking experience. What made it successful?

2. Describe a time when you had a less than successful speaking experience. What happened? What would you do differently next time? What support do you think you need to help you be more successful next time?

3. What is one speaking skill you would like to work on during the upcoming presentation and why? How will you work on improving this aspect of your presenting?

Share your responses in a whole-class discussion, as time allows.

Activity 5: Discuss

We will prepare to present our research ideas and questions to the class.

With your team, plan a brief presentation of your beginning research portfolio—the ideas and materials you generate while conducting research. This can largely follow the same format as your previous conference with your teacher, and you should do the following:

• summarize your area of investigation on an Exploring a Topic Tool

• present your refined Central Research Question and new inquiry questions

• use your Potential Sources Tools to present the sources you have identified to date that led to your team’s decision to pursue your question

Consider responding to the following questions as part of your presentation:

1. Why is your team interested in pursuing research on the topic?

2. What challenges have you faced already? What challenges do you think you will need to address?

This presents an initial opportunity for your team to organize and delegate tasks. Determine how each team member will contribute to the presentation.

Activity 6: Discuss

We will conference with our teacher to get feedback on our questions and materials.

Your teacher will conference with you to review your inquiry questions and provide feedback on your research materials.

While other teams conference, you can address any feedback your teacher has provided as you prepare to present to the class.