Introduction
BREAKING NEWS! NEWSFLASH! WAIT TIL YOU HEAR THIS!
Bad news, boys and girls! Someone, or something, has come into our classroom and hidden all of our Social Studies text books! We were just about to learn about Lewis and Clark's expedition out West to expand our country! I had planned all of these fun lessons, but now there is nothing for you to read! Looks like we will all have to work together to fix this problem.
Picture source: http://www.bloomingprairieonline.com/local-news-public-safety/breaking-…;
Task
Your mission:
Help me find the missing information! Thankfully, the thief has not found the fun books I have saved on the Lewis and Clark expedition, and, also, the computers look like they are still around... Work in your groups to help find all of the missing information before more things go missing!
Picture source: http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/detective-clipart-free
Process
Picture Source: http://www.learningfromlyrics.org/landcessays.htm
Work with your groups to find the missing information!
1) Get into your group with pencils, and paper for taking notes.
2) Your group will choose which sources to use to find the missing information. Remember! The thief forgot to take the computers and the fiction and non-fiction books about Lewis and Clark from the library (*hint hint*)
3) Take notes in your notebook. If you need graphic organizers to help you organize your thoughts, there are various organizers up front for you to choose. Choose whichever ones help you make sense of your notes (T-chart, Sequence of events, etc.)
Be sure to answer the following questions in your notes!
- What is the Lewis and Clark trail?
- Why did Lewis and Clark make this trip?
- Where did Lewis and Clark explore?
- Where did they start, and where did they finish?
- How many people survived the trip?
- What kind of hardships did they face during their expedition?
Include additional fun facts!
- Did they meet anyone on their trip?
- Can we follow the trail today?
- Whatever else you may find that interests you!
* Students who need a worksheet with the question guide for close reading can feel free to grab a copy.
When you and your group feel that you are finished, you will create a RAFT presentation to share what you have learned with the class.
Role: Group of Detectives
Audience: Students in the Class
Format: *Your choice! -- court case, newspaper article, new textbook entry, letter, etc. **
Topic: Lewis and Clark Expedition
Evaluation
You will be evaluated on your notes that you and your group have gathered, whether you addressed all of the questions, and if you were able to appropriately demonstrate your knowledge with the RAFT presentation.
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.3
Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.4
Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.5
Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.6
Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.7
Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.8
Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.9
Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.7
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.8
Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.2
Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.3
Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.6
Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion); use formal English when appropriate to task and situation.
Conclusion
Congratulations! Who needs those textbooks, anyway? You all are such great researchers! You can use this skill whenever you feel like you need to learn any new information. Learning is a lifelong process, and we can find new information everyday by using our research skills!
Picture source: http://www.bubblebobbleballoons.co.uk/boom-you-did-it-balloon-1656-p.asp