Learning Experience
Polar Animal Research Reports

1. Learning Context

Purpose:The students will use a variety of research materials to find information on polar animals.

The students will understand the steps in writing a paragraph from information gathered through research using Process Writing. These paragraphs will then be put into a research report.

The students will recognize a variety of ways to publish their reports via computer programs.

The students will create a portfolio of polar animal research reports.

Curriculum:

Language Arts: Students will be exposed to a variety of research materials including encyclopedias, polar animals books, videos, computer software, and Internet to complete a graphic organizer of information on a polar animal.

Students will use information on the graphic organizer to develop a report through Process Writing.

Technology: Using the Internet, students will gather information about their polar animal.

Students will publish their research reports using the word processing on a computer.

Students will create a portfolio of polar animal research reports which will be presented to the school library to be used as a resource.

Prior Knowledge: For students to succeed with this learning experience, they must be able to follow directions, work co-operatively with other students & a teacher, as well as put forth an effort. Assistance will be available through each step of this experience.

STANDARDS:

Standard 1: Writing [Students will read, write, listen, & speak for information and understanding]

• What students write for information & understanding:
• Short reports (1-4 paragraphs)
• Brief summaries
• Simple outlines
• The components students demonstrate as they learn to write include:
• Use at least 2 sources of information in writing a report
• Take notes to record date, facts, & details
• Use graphic organizers for writing to compare
• Produce clear, well-organized & well-developed report that demonstrates understanding of the topic
• Spell frequently used words correctly
• Use basic punctuation correctly
• Write sentences in logical order
• Create a paragraph to develop ideas
• Develop an idea within a brief text
• Learn to use Process Writing

Standard 5: Technology [Students will use appropriate graphic & electronic tools to process information via computers using word processing skills]

• Use a computer to create, respond to, & interpret texts
• Create a portfolio of polar animal research reports using computer skills
• Explore the Internet in search of polar animal information

2. PROCEDURE

The class will be introduced to a variety of styles of polar animal reports compiled by prior third grade students. These reports were put together by a high school computer class. They will be used as the launch for this Learning Experience.

This activity will begin with each student selecting a polar animal they would like to learn more about through research. A variety of sources of information will be made available to the classroom, including: Internet access, CD programs on the topic of Polar Lands & Animals. [Bibliography to follow]

Each student will be given a graphic organizer to complete on a particular animal. Topics to be researched include: Characteristics, Home, Food, Interesting Facts, plus a picture of their animal. Research will begin in the classroom using materials provided. The class will then go the computer lab to use Internet. Various search sites will be provided for easy access.

Once the information has been compiled on a polar animal, students will use their graphic organizer as a pre-writing step in Process Writing. Following this pre-writing activity, the students will progress through the various steps of Process Writing: draft, proof read, & publish reports. Students will then return to the computer lab to produce a final copy of their polar animal research report. These reports will be bound together and presented to the Norwood-Norfolk Elementary School Library as research material.

This Learning Experience will support student progress toward attainment of the standards by:

Students will write for information & understanding a short report of 1-4 paragraphs. At least 2 sources of information will be used. Notes will be taken using a graphic organizer. Students will produce clear, well organized & developed reports that demonstrate understanding of their polar animal.

The components students will demonstrate as they learn to write will include: correct paragraph form, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, sentence structure.

This Learning Experience will reflect current scholarship in the third grade & the best classroom practice. Each student will produce a report, to the best of his ability. Required components will be in all reports. Individual guidance will be available for all students to meet with success. Reports will vary according to ability, interest, & effort by the student.

Technology will be incorporated into this Learning Experience through the use of computers. Students will gain experience using the Internet. Reports will be produced through ClarisWorks Word Processing.

Name_________________________________________________

Polar Animal___________________________________

Graphic Organizer

3. INSTRUCTIONAL/ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS

Individual needs will be provided for in a variety of ways. Materials will be provided over a wide range of reading levels. Picture books, easy books, research books, encyclopedias, & science research books will be available in the classroom. Adult assistance will be available for all students. Students will be guided in the correct direction to meet with success. Students will have the option of working with a partner through the research stage. Chapter I reading teachers will also offer assistance. [This is the only support staff assisting my class this year.]

4. TIME REQUIRED

The implementation of this unit will take place as the culminating activity of a world region unit on Polar Lands. The time allotted will be in segments:

Research of polar animal using materials provided in the classroom

3 classes - 30 minutes each (90 min.)

Computer Lab/using the Internet

2 classes - 90 minutes each (180 min.)

Report writing using Process Writing

4 classes - 30 minutes each (120 min.)

Computer Lab/Word Processing

1 class - 90 minutes each (90 min.) [extra time provided as needed]

This Learning Experience will take 8-10 hours of classroom instructional time over a 2 week period.

5. RESOURCES

Resource materials available to the students in the classroom include:

Polar Wildlife (Osborne World Wildlife) by Kamini Khanduri

The Poles/Science And Its Secrets (Raintree Publishers)

Habitats: Polar Regions by Nigel Bonner

Penguins by John Bonnett Wexo

Penguins by Annette Barkhausen & Fran Geiser

Seals, Sea Lions, & Walruses by John Bonnett Wexo

A Penguin Year by Susan Bonners

Summer Ice (Life Along the Antarctic Peninsula) by Bruce McMillan

This Place is Cold by Vicki Cobb

Arctic Mammals by Helen Hoke

Penguins At Home (Gentoos of Antarctica) by Bruce McMillan

The Penguin Family Book by Lauritz Somme

A Tale of Antarctica by Ulco Glimmerveen

The Penguins by Lynn M. Stone

A for Antarctica by Jonathan Chester

Harp Seal Pups by Downs Matthews

Icebergs (Facts/Stories/Activities) by Jenny Wood

Ice Cradle (A Potrait of the Baby Harp Seal) by Rei Ohara

Living in Polar Regions (A Cultural Geography) by Theodore Rees Cheney

Videos:

Arctic & Antarctic

Penguin World

Reference Material:

The New Book of Knowledge/Deluxe Library Edition

The New Grolier Student Encyclopedia/Deluxe Library Edition

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Animal Kingdom (The Danbury Press)

Amazing Animals of the World (Grolier Educational Corporation)

Web Sites:

http://www-aadc.antdiv.gov.au/data/ten-facts/index.html

www.greenchannel.com/tec/species/species.htm

http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/endangsp.html

http:www3.ns.sympatico,ca/educate/animal.htm

http://tqjunior.advanced.org/3500/animals.htm

6. ASSESSMENT PLAN

Students will be assessed informally throughout this project as each step is completed.

Task Components to create a portfolio:

1. Complete graphic organizer

2. Correct paragraph form, grammar, spelling, & punctuation

3. Word Processing on computer in correct form

Rubric:

Grading system using the above rubric:

Computer Skill Checklist:

Grading system using Computer Skill Checklist:

Yes=1 point No=0 points

7. STUDENT WORK

Students' range of ability spans from beginning second grade level through the end of fourth grade. Reports reflect individual strengths & weaknesses in the Writing Process.

8. REFLECTION

This Learning Experience was developed to incorporate many of the learning standards & performance indicators in Standard 1: Writing. Students were exposed to the steps required to produce a research report. As a culminating activity for a unit on Polar Lands, students selected an animal of the polar lands to study. Given a variety of materials, students searched for information about their polar animal, some working independently, while others chose to work collaboratively. A graphic organizer was completed to help organize this research material. Using facts from the graphic organizer, students proceeded to develop a report. Process Writing steps were implemented to develop this topic into a research report. Upon completion of this report, the students published their work on a computer using ClarisWorks Word Processing. Students became familiar with many beginning skills in using a computer to assist in the writing of a report. Final research reports were compiled into a portfolio and presented to the Norwood-Norfolk Elementary School Library as a research tool.

What I learned from this project is that a class of third graders can do research projects. With guidance, students were able to gain a great deal of knowledge & experience through a variety of research materials. Students worked independently, with partners, or in small groups to produce this portfolio. The class worked very hard on this project & were proud of the portfolio produced.