Lesson 2

Lesson Goals

Texts

Materials

Tools

• Application Unit: Culminating Task Checklist

• Organizing Evidence Tool

• Application Unit: Presentation Guide

Editable Google Docs

• Application Unit: Culminating Task Checklist

• Organizing Evidence Tool

Activity 1: Write – Discuss

Our team will decide which inquiry paths will be most valuable in our final presentation.

Working as a team, decide which inquiry paths you will present to your audience.

In your Learning Log, write down the inquiry paths that you believe are integral to your topic and purpose or ones that you found most fascinating, mysterious, or exciting. Choose at least two to three paths.

As a team, review everyone’s ideas. Have one team member create a master list, noting how many people included each one on their lists.

Review the list as a team and come to a consensus about which inquiry paths will be included in the presentation because they are helpful in making your central claim or answering your Central Research Question. Indicate on the written list which ones will be included. Use the following questions to help you make decisions:

• Which paths are the most developed and fully realized?

• Which paths work together to provide a balanced and complex perspective about your topic?

• Which paths seem disconnected from or unrelated to the others?

• Which paths are most interesting and intriguing to the team members?

• How many paths can you reasonably share in your presentation?

Activity 2: Read – Discuss

We will choose roles for each team member for our presentations.

To create a successful presentation, it is important that each member of our team has a clearly defined role and set of tasks.

Individually, reread the Team Member Roles and Presentation Structure sections of the Application Unit Presentation Guide. In your Learning Log, write which roles you are most interested in filling.

As a team, review everyone’s ideas. Have one team member create a master list, noting who is interested in each role.

Review the list as a team and come to a consensus about who will serve which roles.

Keep in mind that teams will need as many commentators as they have inquiry paths to present. In a small team or in a team with many inquiry paths, the moderator or synthesizer might also need to serve as a commentator. Also remember that the technology specialist is not a stand-alone role, meaning that it is not the only role someone should have.

Once you have decided on the roles, make sure to provide the list of team members and roles as well as the list of inquiry paths to the moderator, who will need them to begin drafting the outline.

Activity 3: Discuss – Write

In our teams, we will finalize our initial plans for our presentations with the help of the Application Unit Presentation Guide. Our teacher will conference with us, answering questions and advising us as we work.

Retrieve your brainstorming and planning notes.

Review and revise your ideas as a group, referring to the four sections of the Application Unit Presentation Guide to clarify expectations and tasks and help you make some initial decisions about your presentation:

• Team Member Roles

• Presentation Written Components

• Presentation Structure

• Presentation Creation Process

Activity 4: Write – Discuss

We will begin to draft the written components for our presentation.

Independently, begin to draft the written components for your assigned role. Refer to the Team Member Roles and Presentation Written Components sections of the Application Unit Presentation Guide for specific details about each of the required written components.

Also refer to the criteria listed in the Culminating Task Checklist to guide your thinking and writing. Consult with your team members as you draft, and note any questions or concerns to discuss with your teacher during conferences.

Remember that you can use the Organizing Evidence Tools that you previously put together to help you communicate the inquiry paths. Alternatively, consider using an Organizing Evidence Tool to help you organize your claims and evidence for your presentation.

If you have questions about your role or your written components, write them down to remind you to discuss them with your teacher and your team during conferencing time.

Activity 5: Discuss

We will conference with our teacher to get feedback and to ask questions as we plan, draft, and revise our presentation.

While your team works during this lesson, your teacher will conference with teams about your plan, drafts, and revisions. Your teacher will clarify any questions your team might have and will use the Culminating Task Checklist to help you refine your presentation.

As explained in the Presentation Process section of the Application Unit Presentation Guide, decide as a team what you would like to accomplish during your conference and set an agenda that allows you to get the specific feedback you need to keep moving forward.

Activity 6: Write

For homework, each team member will continue drafting the written components for their assigned role.

Independently, continue drafting the written components for your assigned role. Refer to the Presentation Written Components section of the Application Unit Presentation Guide for specific details about each of the required written components, and refer to the criteria listed in the Culminating Task Checklist to guide your thinking and writing.

For the next lesson, ensure you have the following completed:

• The moderator should have a complete draft of the outline.

• The technology specialist should have a complete draft of the materials and tools.

• The commentators should begin drafting the inquiry path and transition.

• The synthesizer should begin drafting the conclusion and bibliography.

The outline and materials and tools list will be shared, discussed, and revised at the start of the next lesson.