Unit Concept or Theme: Research-Based Writing EVELYN LASHLEY

Grade level: 9
th
Grade
Length of unit: 2 weeks
Stage 1 Desired Results

Meaning
Enduring Understandings/Generalizations:
Informed research is necessary to make a convincing
argument.
The research process is complex and dynamic, requiring
information and tools of reasoning.
Essential Questions:
How can you turn opinion into an arguable claim?
What are the ethics and responsibilities associated with the use
of information?
Which method of organization works best for you?

Knowledge & Skills Acquisition
Learning Goals: (e.g., Iowa/Common core standards.)
IA.1.Employ the full range of research-based comprehension strategies, including making connections, determining importance,
questioning, visualizing, making inferences, summarizing, and monitoring for comprehension.
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is
relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning. (RI.9-10.8.)
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as
well as words in order to address a question or solve a problem. (RI.11-12.7.)
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient
evidence.
a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that
establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations
of both in a manner that anticipates the audiences knowledge level and concerns.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships
between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline
in which they are writing.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. (W.9-10.1.)

Students will know

Concept of plagiarism
MLA citation guidelines
Proper grammar and mechanics
Research techniques
Organizational strategies


Students will be able to

Cite sources using MLA
Discern between credible and non-credible sources
Defend an argument based on research
Write a research paper in a professional tone
Keep notes organized to utilize resources
Present both sides of an argument
Resources/Materials:

Projector to show articles and databases
Database subscriptions (through the school)
Information on the Kanye/Obama conflict
Graphic organizer for the two sides of American Dream argument
MLA guide for each student
Sandwich model organizer for student citation paragraph
School and classroom policy on plagiarism
Paraphrasing game quotes
Assignment sheet for technology research paper
Scavenger hunt worksheet
Example note card to model
Note cards for students who cant afford them (15 for each)
Search terms handout
Computer lab time
Thesis and body paragraph graphic organizer
Peer editing guide
Self-editing checklist


Stage 2 Evidence (Assessment)
Types of assessment: Selected-Response (tests, quizzes); Personal Communication (interview, oral exam,
discussion); Written Response (short constructed response questions, entrance/exit slips, essays); Performance
Assessment (role-play, Simulation, labs, dramatization)
Pre-assessment:

I will do an informal temperature check before teaching them MLA to see if anyone is familiar with it. Since they are in 9
th
grade, I
assume they have not had much exposure to it and will at least need a refresher.
The first writing assignment on celebrity drama will show me how they cite and their research paper tone.

Formative Assessment:

The first writing assignment will allow me to adapt and maybe teach a few areas of confusion in terms of citations before the
bigger research paper. It will also show me if students are not writing professionally enough for a research paper.
I will check notes during the unit to see if students are struggling with keeping things organized, and once again ensure that they
are using proper citations.

Summative Assessment:

The final research paper will show their ability to synthesize multiple sources, write professionally, use proper grammar, cite
sources, and defend an argument with evidence.
Having them submit it on Turnitin.com will significantly reduce plagiarism.
They will turn in their notes so I can see the work they put in to the research and how they organized their paper.




Form-Based Unit: Research Writing (9
th
Grade, 3-4 weeks) Evelyn Lashley
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
2 3 4 5 6
CELEBRITY DRAMA

Introduce the conflict
between Kanye West and
President Obama.

Give them the class period
to find at least 7 sources
about what happened
between 2009 and now.

List sources on GoogleDoc
and email to teacher.

FACT VS. FICTION

Pull up various sources
found by students and
discuss characteristics of
credible sources.

Students return to their
source lists and eliminate all
non-credible sources to
have 3-5 credible.

HW: Compile a complete list
of 3-5 credible sources.

AMERICAN DREAM
(Students are already
familiar with this concept
from The Great Gatsby)

Present quotes from Kris
Jenner and Obama
regarding opposing ideas on
the American Dream.

Discuss as a class and then
fill out graphic organizer with
a partner to categorize
evidence to either side of
argument.

CITATION MACHINE
Informal temperature check
for student knowledge of
MLA. Give MLA guide.

Teach how to properly cite
sources. Model an example
paragraph, students fill out a
sandwich model sentence
starter to show a proper
body paragraph that uses
cited evidence.

HW: Re-write source list in
MLA Works Cited format.

PICK A SIDE

Write a three-paragraph
position piece to defend one
side (or both) based on
three cited sources to
explain the situation and
defend your opinion.

Class work time.

HW: Finish position piece.
9 10 11 12 13
WHOSE SIDE ARE YA ON?

Make Team Kanye or
Team Obama signs for
student desks. Students
share arguments with a
partner and complete a
peer-editing checklist.

Allow time for revisions.
Students turn in their work
to assess their ability to write
in a research tone and make
citations.

HW: Finish revising piece if
necessary.
USE YOUR OWN WORDS

Discuss plagiarism. Remind
students about the
importance of proper
citations and review areas of
confusion based on the
formative assessment.

In-class activity to refresh
memory on paraphrasing.
Give students quotes from
scholarly journals and ask
them to paraphrase with a
partner. Play a game where
students match up a quote
and its proper paraphrase.
DATABASES

Introduce the research
paper. Is technology helping
or hurting out society today?

Give students information
about databases. Show
EBSCOhost and Gale and
Google Scholar. Allow
students to choose one and
go through a scavenger
hunt worksheet and
document their search on
their topic.


ORGANIZATION STATION

Show students how to use
note cards to keep track of
information and sources.
Model an example.

Students use the scavenger
hunt activity from the day
before to make a proper
citation and two notes
(either quotes or
paraphrase) from that article.

HW: Find one more source
and make two note cards
from it.
WORK DAY

Give a Search Terms
handout to help students
phrase their searches to be
more effective. Provide them
with tips for the work time in
the computer lab.

Check student notes that
they are keeping them
organized and citing their
sources the right way.

HW: Have 4 sources and at
least 10 note cards for
Monday.


16 17 18 19 20
WORK DAY

Continue research. Find 6
sources and 15 note cards
by Tuesday.

Walk around helping
students narrow their
searches and cite as
needed.
BRING IT TOGETHER

What has your research
taught you about
technology? Form a thesis
statement using a sentence
frame.

Look through note cards
and come up with three
main points to back up your
argument that you can turn
in to body paragraphs, fill in
graphic organizer.

HW: Create an outline from
the graphic organizer.
WORKS CITED

Use note cards to support
argument and put them in
the order of how they will
appear in the paper based
on the outline. Put aside
note cards you dont need.

Make a Works Cited for the
note cards you decided to
use in your paper.

HW: Work on rough draft.
ROUGH DRAFT

Work time for rough draft.

HW: Finish rough draft.
PEER EDITING

Peer edit of rough draft for
content. Student-scheduled
conferencing is optional
during class time.

HW: Make necessary
revisions to rough draft.
Double check works cited
and in-text citations to
prepare for format editing on
Monday.
23 24 25 26 27
SELF EDIT

Give students a formatting
checklist. Have them edit
their writing themselves,
looking for errors in
sentence structure,
grammar, tone, citations,
etc. Make any necessary
changes in class.

HW: Final draft due to
Turnitin.com. Note cards
due in class.
DISCUSSION

Class discussion of the
issue based on student
research and findings.

TECHNOLOGY: GOOD OR EVIL?

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- Exploie the genie of ieseaich wiiting by submitting oiiginal woik
- 0tilize a vaiiety of ieseaich stiategies to finu cieuible souices on a topic
- Piopeily implement NLA in-text citations anu woiks citeu
- Bevelop oiganizational note taking skills
- Synthesize multiple souices into one cohesive aigument
- Befenu a claim with infoimeu eviuence anu ieseaich
- Piactice wiiting skills like giammai, style, mechanics, anu vocabulaiy

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This wiiting will use youi ability to ieseaich a specific position on a topic.
You will ueciue whethei you think technology is an asset oi an obstacle in touay's
society. Think about all of the foims of technology that affect you eveiy uay:
tianspoitation, television, viueo games, inteinet, cell phones, meuicine, etc. Aie
these souices of goou oi evil in oui lives. You may ueciue to exploie both siues of
this question in youi papei, but you shoulu choose one siue foi youi oveiall
aigument.
You will continue the woik we have been uoing with NLA anu ieseaich to
finu /- 0'/&- 1 ,#'2+30' &%"#,'& to uefenu youi aigument. You will use note caius
to keep youi notes (quotes, statistics, oi paiaphiases) oiganizeu anu accessible. The
papei shoulu consist of an +.-#%2",-+%.4 /- 0'/&- -5#'' 3%26 $/#/7#/$5&4 /.2
,%.,0"&+%.. We will have class time to uo ieseaich, but you will also be expecteu to
uo some ieseaich outsiue of class. You shoulu "&' -5' #'&'/#,5 6%" 8+.2 -% 2'8'.2
6%"# $%&+-+%. on this question, anu "&' $#%$'# 9:; 8%#</- foi all citations anu
woiks citeu. You will cieate an outline anu iough uiaft befoie we uo some peei anu
self-euiting in class. Theie will also be oppoitunities to meet with me foi inuiviuual
confeiencing.
You will leain how to uefenu youi opinions with infoimeu ieseaich to make
a convincing aigument, anu you will piactice oiganizeu note-taking that will make
the constiuction of youi papei significantly easiei. I will make suie to check in as we
go anu bieak the pioject into manageable pieces, so this pioject can piepaie you foi
latei ieseaich piojects in high school anu college.

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- Intiouuction, thiee bouy paiagiaphs, conclusion
- Six cieuible souices
- Piopei NLA foimatting anu in-text citations
- Woiks Citeu in NLA foimat
- 1S note caius with quotes, statistics, oi paiaphiases fiom souices
- Piofessional tone
- Piopei giammai anu mechanics