#2ndaryELA Archive
#2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. We chat every Tuesday night at 8 pm EST using #2ndaryELA. We'd love for you to join us!
Tuesday April 12, 2016
Welcome to tonight’s chat! Please introduce yourself. Tell what & where you teach. Share your blog link if you have one.
Don't forget: use on responses & replies to others, label your responses w/A1, A2, & follow anyone chatting with us
I'm Elizabeth, 9th grade ELA, Indiana
I'm Brynn Allison, chat co-host. 7 yrs teaching HS English & reading interventions in Philly. Blog: https://t.co/cyx1WlfdS8
I teach Freshman Comp & Senior Brit. Lit. to students at a private school in Maine (but I teach from Florida w/ Google Hangout).
Hi from Jennifer in nor Ca 8th grade ELA and AVID
(My classes are all double blocked inclusion classes.)
Janet from IL. 6th grade ELA
A2 a lot of my research papers aren't papers. Infographics, videos etc. We do at least one informative and one persuasive
Q1: Are your research papers informational or argumentative? How many do your students write each year?
I teach one major argumentative research paper/semester. Our US History classes require a major informative research paper.
A1: I have students do both - about 5/yr. They start small with a paragraph (embed one citation) and work up to multiple sources.
A1 I do some of both, goal is one per marking period
A1. We taught Info in Q2 and Arg in Q3. One major paper is the curriculum.
A3 One of my projects is on causes. We read daily news articles () that I find related to causes. Then we brainstorm.
Laura Bond MS Social Studies teacher from central NJ
A1: We write several information papers and 1 argumentative essay. We build up with paragraphs and move into full essays.
A1: We do a lot of writing, but really just 2-3 "big" papers. Usually, an informational, an argumentative, and a creative piece.
creative piece! Like what? I'm a big fan of getting more creativity In My class
A1: Our HS 10th graders do a research paper. We r looking to expand our RP efforts.
Also, our "papers" aren't always papers. We are writing "book reports" using google slides, and Ss have to cite sources.
both. Two informational (mini-magazine) One argumentative.
A1 My Brit Lit students choose a name for the 18th century and research major and minor lit works to prove why that name is best.
A1: We aren't really required to have research papers in middle school...but we have research components
We are reading The Odyssey now, so they will end up mapping a hero's journey and writing the story.
Q2: How do you help students choose appropriate, focused topics?
A2: My students choose from 20 topics that I find in the “Room For Debate” section of the NY Times. https://t.co/jljOrnNdpM
A2: We share topics/Qs in writing groups and conferencing. This helps Ss understand the scope of their topics pretty quickly.
Yo and hello! I'm Evin from Seattle and I teach 9th ELA/SS.
last year students wrote a historical fiction piece so they had to research setting, time period
Looking to establish a 9-11th grade inquiry research based model rooted in historical thinking
A2 With 9th grade I choose the 1st topic, for the 2nd one they choose a specific subtopic within a topic, freedom grows each time
Do you collaborate with your ELA department at all on RPs?
Top stories were read to the whole 9th grade on Halloween. It was fun.
A2 My students brainstorm research topics in groups before starting out on their own.
Hi- joining late! Lisa from Waco, TX
Q2: brainstorm topics, group similar topics. Discuss choices with groups/partners. Meet one-on-one.
Just jumping in after putting the kids to bed. Katie H. from Indiana
A2: Student writing is tied to a current unit of study in History, Geography or English. The topic must stem from these subjects
Q1: never refer as "research papers" - we say writings, findings, presentations. Term research turns kids off!
A2: I conference with each student to ensure topic is approved
A1: We do mini-research papers throughout the year. We did historical fiction that was intro to research. https://t.co/9pMBxPvQnB
Q1: Are your research papers informational or argumentative? How many do your students write each year?
A2: Because of my clientele, I often give my students a list of ideas. They can get other ideas approved.
A2: I give students a focus that they think is bigger than their grade level peers are dealing with. It makes them feel edgy.
A2: Our research paper this year was based on themes in their lit circle novels. We worked together to brainstorm a topic list.
Q3: How do you help students find appropriate, reliable sources?
A@. cont: "old school" allows them to narrow down the topic and helps them to focus on that one topic instead of browing
A3: I have a lesson to evaluate sources. Here is a video I use: https://t.co/x1i6eVZEnu . We also have database subscriptions.
A1 (cont'd): We study something as a class (as a mentor), then Ss do the same in groups around similar topic.
Q2: Our textbook - Springboard - gives us the topics
For introducing research, I had 7th graders research candy, 8th grade their fave soda
A2:Right now, we are doing inform pieces, 6th graders are doing country studies, 8th graders are studying non-U.S. world leaders.
A3 1st research paper is controlled; I provide the research, 2nd one I give some & they have to add some, again freedom grows
I kept it light to teach them the skills
A3: We discuss good sources and I provide them with links to start their initial search.
A2: stack themes, x-curr concepts, skills & interest inventories
A3: 6th grade new world of credibility. No WIKIPEDIA
A3 I have a worksheet of credible source questions. Who's the author? Is it timely? biased? Advertisements?
For 9th grade they researched something from history of their choosing
No need to overwhelm students with everything at once!
A2: I give some perameters in topic choice, such as saying world leaders, born since 1800 who made a positive, significant impact
For 11th, they read a short story, analyzed it, then researched author, and researched other ppls analysis of story
Have you shown students how anyone can edit a Wikipedia entry? That usually opens students' eyes about using it.
A3: I admit - I have provided sources...
A3: partner with media center specialist, focus on the library standards for research skills
It was great! They had a lot of really cool topics, and they cared because they had read a book.
A3: model reliable cites and what they look like. Lack of ads. Web address endings some of those can be well above reading level
I teach my 9th graders to use the links at the bottom of the Wikipedia articles to find great sources.
A2: Ss pick topics from a theme. If we talk abt French revolution as class, the Q is: What can we learn from revs in past?
Can you share this worksheet with us?
I think it's great scaffolding. Gradual release.
A3: We start with Google Scholar & sources ending in .gov, .org (sometimes), and use our school's media center subscriptions 1st
I have not. I need to figure out how to do it first. Not hard, I'm sure. Just have never tried. Love idea
Q4: Explain the process you use to organize student research and create an outline.
I start with that too. Nothing to be ashamed of :) Students can't learn all resrach skills at once
A4: Students create an annotated bib. I model outlining and have graphic organizers with a modified one for SpEd Ss.
Yes! That is a great tip!
Like it. In 6th that could be a challenge, knowing my Ss.
A4 I'm a big fan of the old school method of putting research on note card. Can visualize outline, easily group ideas & rearrange
Assignments have real life They research a charity and fundraiser / an event & convince the school admin to let us celebrate
I think you just have to have an account. It's been a while since I've done it.
A3: I allow Wikipedia as a starting point, but it may not be cited itself. They must use the sources at the bottom.
A4: Students take notes on lined paper or Google Drive. They sort their notes by topic and use graphic organizers to help.
A4: I have provided an outline with blanks for "regular" classes
A3: One of the best tools we useis a shared Google Doc that Sts add to as THEY find great sources...really helps other kids!
A4: Google Read and Write app has a great highlighter feature to assist with research for students who need it.
A4. Graphic organizer that lays out their papers with a spot for their citation. Standard is minimalist in 6th.
As much of a techie as I am, I also revert back to notecards for research--it's a great, hands-on method!
Pen and paper are still good teaching tools.
Like I said, I live with a 6th grader. They don't always like rules, do they? ;-)
im old school. I still teach note cards and bib cards (don't hate the player, hate the game)
I just downloaded this app yesterday. Trying it out myself first!
Q5: Share your approach to getting students to paraphrase rather than plagiarize and correctly cite sources.
As the yr goes on, I teach Ss to use Google slides as notecards, can easily rearrange, but hands-on comes 1st
A5: students practice paraphrasing and citing paragraphs. They need a lot of practice!
A5: Paraphrasing practice, start with reading the text, write a summary without looking, and then put ideas in bullet points.
A5: (2) To correctly cite, we start with 1 quote per P. max, and each must "attach" to the Works Cited with an in-text citation.
A4: We start by creating an outline of what they need to find. As sources are discovered, they are assigned a symbol or color...
A5: (3) They highlight source material in their paper & see the percentage. I say don't exceed 50% - quotes & paraphrases inclu.
A4: We start w/ Q used and structure it based on Q. If it's Why...? -> 1 reason is... Or How? -> First...
My graphic organizers for research have graphic organizers. Seriously. Ss get annoyed, but they are super well planned!
A3: I have my kids write a preliminary skeleton in Google and then research as they develop thinking.
A5 with the note card method students write research on one side, their own words on the other, for citations is awesome
A5: This is a tough one. I always love to tell the story of Kavvya Viswanathan as a cautionary tale.
A5: My students are learning to use the Google Add-On called Easy Bib. Makes citations SO MUCH EASIER!
A3 (cont.):each piece of info from a source is on its own card, with that same symbol or color on top. Makes arranging ideas easy!
I like the highlighting idea, very visually clear to both student and teacher
A5: Then I go over how Kavvya did not "use her own words" with examples from her highly publicized plagiarism.
A5: I have Ss use stop and write/draw. After 2 minutes of rdng, I give them 1 minute of wrtng what they remember w/o looking.
I also have students run their paper throug hhttp://www.paperrater.com/ checks grammar and plagiarism
A5. Mine are plagarists. It's a skill they are lacking bc of lack of reading comprehension.
We also spend a LOT of time on why we cite Students look at modern examples over music, tweets etc. https://t.co/DbMhIiZZ9w
Does anyone else have Sts use the Draftback Chrome ext? Totally stops cuttin/ pasting! My kids were SHOCKED at what they saw!
NEver heard of it! Tell us more!
If you don't use TurnItIn there's some free plagiarism checkers for sts (or teachers) to use https://t.co/HJu0G9VqXT
Try having them write about a topic they already know a lot about, then go back and add research?
Thanks for chatting with us tonight. Next week's chat: media literacy. See you on 4/19 at 8pm EST
A5 We practice paraphrasing quotes from PIXAR movies as a class before they paraphrase their individual research.
Good night! My responses are scheduled with Hootsuite. I’ll reply to comments & questions later!
Draftback:Yes, Google Ext.(use w/ Docs) basically creates a live-action movie of the paper's creation: character by character
Here's step by step how we go through the process of writing a paper. The step by step helps them build https://t.co/FQwDSROUfU
Model skill, model non examples- student rehearse and then release 2 do independently
We’re already planning for next year. could you take a few minutes to give us some feedback? https://t.co/R1oGAVISD9
Draftback: It plays and you see every typing stroke, deletion and mass paste...no worrying about finding uncited pastings! ;)
A1 I start with smaller projects that are scaffolded until the end of the year when they're on their own
Thanks everyone! I will definitely be using some of your ideas! :)
Over already? Now I have to go finish the taxes. I promised my hubby. Blah.
Q5: listen to a story, write what they heard. Paraphrase popular 2016 songs! Always fun!
A4: INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOKS!
. was disappointed to miss tonight's chat until I saw your mention of the FB group. Yay!
ARGH! Missed again! One of these days I WILL participate! :)
