Here is my Lesson Plan for teaching a new technology in the classroom.

LESSON PLAN

PLANNING

Date: 22 February 2010 Class and Grade Level: English 7

Title: Research Project

Objectives:

Students will be able to

State Core Curriculum Standards:

6f Understand that writing is a tool for thinking: solving problems, exploring issues, constructing questions, addressing inquiry

6g Understand that reading and writing are interrelated: writers approach new reading experiences with enhanced appreciation for the text.

Inquiry/Research:

1a Establish a purpose for inquiry

1b Gather relevant information to answer questions

Concepts to Be Taught: Research to answer a question, learning to collaborate information and make critical commentary, informative writing

Materials Needed: Laptop and Projector to show examples and demonstrate Diigo

Strategies to be used: Modeling, gradual release of responsibility, questioning, inquiry

PERFORMING

Announcements:

Continuation from Previous Lesson: We just studied various literary works. For our last unit of the year, we will learn how to make connections between those literary works and how to answer questions concerning literature. To do this, we will develop effective inquiry skills using technology resources, coupled with the skills we have already developed in reading and writing.

Lesson Presentation:

A) Getting Started

a. Class discussion: why kinds of connections can we make between the themes we see in The Outsiders, and the world?

b. With projector and laptop set up, brainstorm with the class to come up with a question they have about literature studied throughout the year so far in connection with the world (text-world connection). Example: The Outsiders: How is gang violence prevalent today? How has it affected individuals and society? Explain that it is ok to have a few questions when first starting to research. Later the question can be made more specific.

B) Directing the Learning

a. Introduce Diigo. Explain how to install it, the most basic gadgets, and how I have used it in my own research. Look up an article addressing the question they have chosen. Model each of the following Diigo gadgets while skimming this article as a class (the object being not to model critical reading at this point, rather to show how to use these gadgets to foster critical reading).

i. Highlighting

ii. Sticky notes

iii. Tagging

iv. Writing and sharing comments

v. Saving the document and/or site to Diigo

b. Have one student come up and test out one or all of these areas to show how easy it is.

c. Talk about why this is effective/how students could use this to more easily answer research questions.

C) Bringing the Lesson to a Conclusion:

a. Explain the research unit that we will be starting: Students need to find at least 6 articles or websites which they can use in their final research paper. Students should show in their Diigo database that they know how to think critically by using at least 1 sticky note per article, many highlights, commentary, and have tagged at least 2 related websites. By the third week, students will be required to share their findings with others and make at least 3 comments about others’ findings. All of this will help them in the final weeks to construct a research paper answering their inquiry question.

Assignment: Install Diigo and brainstorm research topic/question