Name:  Jodie Moorhead  

School:  Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School 

Title:  Let's Put YOU in a Louisiana University 

Subject:  English/Language Arts 

Grade Level:  8 

Overview: 
Students will use the internet to locate information about Louisiana Universities. The students will make a decision as to which institution they would like to attend, and defend their decision in a multi-paragraph essay. 

Approximate Duration:  Five 50-minute lessons 

Content Standards:
Standard 1
Students read, comprehend, and respond to a range of materials, using a variety of strategies for different purposes.

Standard 2
Students write competently for a variety of purposes and audiences.

Standard 5
Students locate, select, and synthesize information from a variety of texts, media, references, and technological sources to acquire and communicate knowledge.

Benchmarks:
ELA-1-M3
reading, comprehending, and responding to written, spoken, and visual texts in extended passages;   (1,3,4)

ELA-1-M4
interpreting texts with supportive explanations to generate connections to real-life situations and other texts (e.g., business, technical, scientific);   (1,2,4,5)

ELA-2-M1
writing a composition that clearly implies a central idea with supporting details in a logical, sequential order;   (1,4)

ELA-2-M2
using language, concepts, and ideas that show an awareness of the intended audience and/or purpose (e.g., classroom, real-life, workplace) in developing complex compositions;   (1,2,4)

ELA-5-M1
recognizing and using organizational features of printed text, other media, and electronic information (e.g., parts of a text, alphabetizing, captions, legends, microprint, laser discs, hypertext, CD-ROM, pull-down menus, keyword searches, icons, passwords, entry menu features);   (1,3,4)

ELA-5-M2
locating and evaluating information sources (e.g., print materials, databases, CD-ROM references, Internet information, electronic reference works, community and government data, television and radio resources, audio and visual materials);   (1,3,4,5)

ELA-5-M3
locating, gathering, and selecting information using graphic organizers, outlining, note taking, summarizing, interviewing, and surveying to produce documented texts and graphics;   (1,3,4)

Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs):
Grade 8
4. Draw conclusions and make inferences in print and nonprint responses about ideas and information in grade-appropriate texts.  (ELA-1-M3)
5. Interpret ideas and information in a variety of texts (e.g., scientific reports, technical guidelines, business memos) and make connections to real-life situations and other texts  (ELA-1-M4)
15. Write complex, multiparagraph compositions on student- or teacher-selected topics organized  (ELA-2-M1)
16. Organize individual paragraphs with topic sentences, relevant elaboration, and concluding sentences  (ELA-2-M1)
39. Locate and select information using organizational features of grade-appropriate resources.  (ELA-5-M1)
40. Locate and integrate information from a variety of grade-appropriate resources.  (ELA-5-M2)
41. Explain the usefulness and accuracy of sources by determining their validity (e.g., authority, accuracy, objectivity, publication date, coverage)  (ELA-5-M2)

Interdisciplinary Connections:  
Mathematics : Number and Number Relations
In problem-solving investigations, students demonstrate an understanding of the real number system and communicate the relationships within that system using a variety of techniques and tools.

Mathematics : Patterns, Relations, and Functions
In problem-solving investigations, students demonstrate an understanding of patterns, relations, and functions that represent and explain real-world situations.

Social Studies : Economics: Interdependence and Decision Making
Students develop an understanding of fundamental economic concepts as they apply to the interdependence and decision making of individuals, households, businesses, and governments in the United States and the World.

Educational Technology Standards: 
Demonstrate the operations of a computer (e.g., touch-keyboarding skills, save, organize and back-up files) and other peripheral devices (scanner, digital and video cameras, VCR, laser disc player) at an intermediate level.

Compose and edit a multi-page document with appropriate formatting using word-processing skills. (e.g., menu, tool bars, dialog boxes, spell check, thesaurus, page layout, headers and footers, word count, margins, tabs, spacing, columns, page orientation)

Use information, media, and technology in a responsible manner which includes following the school's acceptable use policy, adhering to copyright laws, respecting the rights of others, and employing proper etiquette in all forms of communication.

Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, writing tools, digital cameras, drawing tools, web tools) to gather information for problem solving, communication, collaborative writing and publishing to create products for various audiences.

Communicate information using spreadsheets and databases to visually represent data and integrate into other documents (e.g., entering data, formatting using formulas, analyzing data, and sorting).

Objectives:
1. The student will use the internet to locate information about Louisiana Universities.
2. The student will use life and reasoning skills to determine the value of the information.
3. The student will compose a persuasive, multi-paragraph essay using all the standard conventions of English and composing.
4. The student will use PowerPoint to create a brief presentation about their selected university. 

Lesson Materials and Resources:
Worksheet for Gathering Information
Guide for Using Power Point
Example of a Power Point Presentation
Self-Assessment Rubric
Peer Evaluation Rubric
Project Rubric

Technology Tools and Materials:
Hardware:  Mobile Laptop Computers (computer lab if mobile lab is not available), LCD Projector, Overhead Projector
Software:  Microsoft Explorer (or other Browser),  Microsoft Power Point, Microsoft Word, Inspiration

Websites:
Louisiana Board of Regents  <http://www.regents.state.la.us/school.htm>
Louisiana Universities  <http://www.laregents.org/facDatabase/LaSMARTS/laUniv.html>
Colleges and Universities in Louisiana  <http://www.americastudyguide.com/dir/ulouisiana>
Louisiana Colleges and Universities  <http://www.50states.com/college/louis.htm>

Other:
The students may wish to access the MLA (Modern Language Association) web site in order to follow rules of composition and usage.

Background Information:
The student needs a basic knowledge of the purposes for writing. The multi-paragraph essay will be a persuasive essay, and the students need to know the definition of persuasion. It would be very beneficial for students to know types of propaganda, as well. A healthy knowledge of career goals will aid the student in selecting a college as part of this activity. 

Lesson Procedures:
1.  The teacher will facilitate a discussion of the student career choices for the future. Students will "popcorn" their responses to the teacher (In other words, they will just speak out their career choices in any order.), and he will place the choices on an Inspiration diagram. If Inspiration is not available, the teacher may do this activity using an overhead or the board.
2.  After the students have "brainstormed," he/she will pick the career of their choice as a foundation for all future activities.
3.  The teacher will facilitate a discussion about the universities/colleges available in Louisiana, and whether the career choices need technical college or university education. The discussion should also include the basic differences between a technical/trade school and a university.
4.  The teacher will assign the following activity:
A. Internet search to find information about their top three college choices in Louisiana. The student will complete the "Gathering Information Worksheet about Louisiana Colleges and Universities."
B. Use the information to make a logical choice of which college he/she would like to attend. The decision should be made on several factors: school demographics, reputation of training in career field, and cost.
C. Write a multi-paragraph, persuasive essay to an anonymous donor. The student will be persuading the donor to pay for their education at this particular university. The essay must include the student's rationale for choosing the school, why the school is good, and why the student's education should be funded. This portion of the assignment will be rubric graded.
5.  The students will group together according to the university/college they have chosen.
6.  After a brief overview of PowerPoint by the teacher, the group will prepare a brief PowerPoint presentation about the university/college of choice. The PowerPoint must include a minimum of five slides to receive full credit.
7.  The student groups will present their PowerPoint projects in a class-wide discussion. 

Assessment Procedures:
Persuasive Writing Rubric
Team Work Rubric
Project Rubric
Self-Assessment Evaluation
Final Project Grade

Accommodations/Modifications:
Collaborative Learning
Teaming of students in heterogeneous groups
Peer Reading Partners
"Study Buddy"
Individual One-on-One Instruction
Repeat Instructions
Alternate Assessments - Persuasive Speech instead of Persuasive Essay        ----- written by Jodie Moorhead 

Reproducible Materials:
Project Rubric
Team Work Rubric
Persuasive Writing Rubric

Explorations and Extensions:
1.  Students will map all of the Louisiana Colleges and Universities in Social Studies
2.  In Mathematics, students will do the percentages of college/university population to total student population in state of Louisiana
3. In Mathematics, students will use excel to make a pie chart breaking down the student population of the state by college 

Lesson Development Resources:
Louisiana Curriculum
Louisiana Board of Regents  <http://www.regents.state.la.us/school.htm>
Louisiana Universities  <http://www.laregents.org/facDatabase/LaSMARTS/laUniv.html>
Colleges and Universities in Louisiana  <http://www.americastudyguide.com/dir/ulouisiana>
Louisiana Colleges and Universities  <http://www.50states.com/college/louis.htm>

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