This lesson is part of a project which allows students to discover their personal background and family heritage. In this lesson students compare and contracts information they amassed on the Internet with the information they brainstormed and wrote about in Lesson 1. Students employ stages of the writing process to prepare a narrative and a reflective essay. In the next (and last) lesson students will use a multimedia authoring tool to create a slide or stack presentation for their class and make a formal presentation of their discoveries.

The project is divided into four sections; this lesson is Lesson III: What I Discovered From My Search.

Objectives:

• To understand students’ family heritage thereby increasing self worth as an important individual in society.

• To report on the web search and compare/contrast prior knowledge with new discoveries.

• To reflect on the value of their discoveries.

• To acquire, learn, and/or enhance reading, writing, and listening skills.

• To understand and use technological tools, specifically a word processing application.

Materials, Tools, and Resources Needed:

Computers with word processing software.

Prerequisite Student Knowledge:

English-Language Arts: California English-Language Arts Content Standards for Grade 8:
General knowledge appropriate for grade 8 in reading, writing, speaking, listening.

Technology: Basic computer skills (turning on computer, using the mouse, scrolling, getting online, opening and closing programs)

Teacher Preparation Notes: Students should have completed the introductory lesson, “What I Know About My Cultural Roots” because it taps into students’ prior knowledge, and provides the groundwork for the rest of the unit, and Lesson 2: “The Web Search For My Cultural Roots” because it provides the new information with which to compare and reflect.

Procedure:

Step #1:
Students are now ready to review the materials they have accumulated from their web search and write a first draft report. Teacher explains the process of checking the information for completeness and relevance. Students use a checklist to evaluate their search. (See Handout #1, Checklist of My Web Search)

Step #2:
After students have completed the checklist, they group the information they have chosen to include in their report. Students arrange their information from most important to least important (or they may choose to group from least to most important). For example, students may want to group together their map, facts about the country's geography, population, languages, and industry. Another grouping might be music, songs, folk legends, literature, and artists that represent their country. (See Handout #2, Grouping Information from the Internet)

Step #3:
Revisiting their first essay (“What I Know About My Roots”): Students revisit their first essay and compare it with the information they have collected. They look for validation of what they knew and clarification of what they thought they knew. Students write a quick reflection of this activity.

Step #4:
Putting it together (synthesis): Students use their grouping handout and their reflection to write a first draft. Students compose a report and word process it on the computer. (See Handout #3, How to Write Your First Draft)

Step #5:
Informal Peer Review: Students pair up, informally share their reports, and give each other feedback on the content. Readers use the checklist handout for relevant content, and the handout, “How to Write Your First Draft” for structure. Finally, readers write a general response about the writer's report as a whole. (If necessary, writers return to the Internet to get more information.)

Step #6:
Writing a final draft. Teacher reviews the Writing Rubric (See Rubric #1, Report on What I Discovered and Learned) with students, explaining each score point as it is related to the final draft of their report. Students also take into consideration the feedback from their readers, revise their drafts, and word process their final drafts. The report is printed and the file is saved in their e-folders to include in their final slide presentation.

Step #7:
Writing a journal of reflection: Students write a journal of reflection, making personal commentary about the value of their discoveries and drawing a conclusion about their experiences during the project. (See Assessment #2)

Assessment:

1. Writing a Short Narrative of Discovery: Students write a report explaining the information they found while searching for items listed in the checklist and compare the research they gathered with the information contained in their first essay, “What I Know About My Cultural Roots.” (See Rubric #1, Report on What I Discovered and Learned)

2. Writing a Journal of Reflection: Criteria: The journal is word processed. The journal contains thoughtful conclusions about the value of their research, and the importance of their heritage. Their reflections may or may not confirm their prior knowledge; they may reveal how much the writer discovered and/or how important the process was to the writer personally.

Part III of IV: What I Discovered From My Search-Writing a Report

California English-Language Arts Content Standards Addressed:

Grades 9-10

READING

2.0 READING COMPREHENSION (FOCUS ON INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS):
Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text:
2.4	Synthesize the content and ideas from several sources dealing with a single issue or written by a single author, and paraphrase the ideas and connect them to other sources and related topics to demonstrate comprehension
WRITING
1.	WRITING STRATEGIES: Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly-reasoned argument. Student writing demonstrates awareness of audience and purpose and use of the stages of the writing process as needed.
Organization and Focus:
2.	Establish a controlling impression that conveys a clear and distinctive perspective on the subject and maintains a consistent tone and focus throughout the piece of writing.
3.	Use precise language, action verbs, sensory details, appropriate modifiers, and active rather than passive voice.
WRITTEN AND ORAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS CONVENTIONS
Manuscript Form:
1.	Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct use of the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.
WRITING APPLICATIONS (GENRES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS):
2.3. Write compositions that
(2)	Convey information and ideas from primary and secondary sources accurately and coherently
(3)	Make distinctions about the relative value and significance of specific data, facts, and ideas
National Education Technology Standards for Students Addressed:
1.	Technology productivity tools
Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology - enhanced models, preparing publications, and producing other creative works.