Laurelhurst School

Summary of Seventh and Eighth Grade Expert Project Assignments

 

During early January, students will select a topic of interest to research and work with in depth.  Each week, students will be given an additional  assignment, which will allow you to practice new research skills along the way.

 

All 7^th and 8^th grade students will be completing an expert project.  The language arts classroom will be the environment in which research and organization skills will be taught.  The social studies classroom is where topics are identified and content of the research is supported.  Mr. Vaughn is providing support for the 7^th grade topics; Ms. Berkley is supporting the 8^th grade topics.  Once all students are well on their way to completing research, the language arts classroom will be the environment where students choose how they will present their findings. 

 

ASSIGNMENT 1:  CHOOSE A TOPIC

Assigned on Monday, January 3^rd; due date is Wednesday, January 5th

 

Choose a topic that you are interested in studying.  If you do not know what topic you’re interested in, check the list of recommended topics.  Ideas for 7^th grade topics are on Mr. Vaughn’s social studies website; 8^th grade topics are on Mrs. Berkley’s social studies web site.

 

Only one student per social studies class may research a topic.   If you want to do your research with a student from another social studies class, you must get approval from both Mr. Vaughn and Mrs. Berkley as well as from the parents of both students.  No excuses for tardiness will be allowed from any students who are working together.

 

ASSIGNMENT 2:   CREATE AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Assigned on Monday, January 3^rd; due date is Monday, January 10

 

The purpose of the annotated bibliography is to help you decide if you have a topic that interests you enough to conduct eight weeks worth of analysis and research.  All students will be required to turn in the annotated bibliography before they move to the next step.  A direction and scoring sheet for the annotated bibliography is available in the classroom.

 

The project requires that you find six items related to your topic:  two images; two primary source documents that are not images; two videos related to your subject (one may be from youtube.com.)  An annotation means that you are citing the sources and you are creating a written explanation about each source.  Samples are included on the direction and scoring guide.

 

If you decide that the first topic you chose does not interest you or does not have enough information, you will be given class credit for the annotation work if you complete it.  You will be required to turn in a completed annotation sheet for your final topic.

 

 

 

 

 

Annotation # ________ of 6                 Student’s Name__________________________________

 

ANNOTATED CITATION WORKSHEET AND SCORING RUBRIC

 

Topic of Interest____________________________________________________________

 

Item Cited________________________________________________________________

 

This item is a:        _____primary source         _______secondary source

 

How do you know?

 

 

 

How/where did you find this item?

 

 

 

Who created this item?

 

When was it created?

 

Where was it created?

 

Why do you think it was created?

 

 

Why is this source important to your research?

 

 

 

 

 

 

How is this source credible and reliable?

 

 

 

 

List a citation that will allow you and others to return to the place where you found it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Student’s Name__________________________________________

 

 

ASSIGNMENT 3:  ORDER A WORK OF NONFICTION ABOUT YOUR TOPIC

Assigned on January 3; book due in class on January 14

 

Beginning January 10^th, we will begin learning to take research notes using a variety of methods including Cornell notes and index cards.  Classroom materials will be used for skill building.  You will then be required to use these skills on a book you choose about your topic.

 

1)  Use this space to list your search words:

 

                              _________________________________________________

 

                              _________________________________________________

 

                              _________________________________________________

 

                              _________________________________________________

 

                             __________________________________________________

 

2)  Go to Amazon.com and use your search words to find the most recent and popular titles.  List five authors, titles, publishers and dates here.

 

a)

 

 

 

b)

 

 

 

c)

 

 

 

 

d)

 

 

 

e)

 

 

 

3)  Go to a Multnomah County library or go to the Multnomah County Library system on-line.

Search for your topic.  List the five authors, titles, publishers, and dates that you did not use for your Amazon.com search.

 

a)

 

 

b)

 

 

c)

 

 

d)

 

 

e)

 

Ask your parents to help you get one of the ten books you listed.  NOTE:  You are not required to buy this book.  You may also look in the expert project library and the Laurelhurst School library.  Please do not take any books from school without first checking them out.  Mrs. Berkley will check out your books from the upstairs library.

Before you turn in this assignment, write the full citation for the book you will be reading:

Author_______________________________  Publisher_______________________________

Title________________________________________________________________________

Date of first publication _________________  Most recent publication ______________

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXPERT PROJECT IN SOCIAL STUDIES AND LANGUAGE ARTS

GRADES 7 AND 8, TRIMESTER II

LAURELHURST SCHOOL

MR. VAUGHN AND MRS. BERKLEY

 

INTRODUCTION

Focus on expository, inquiry-based research

Study in depth

How to conduct social studies analysis.

 

HOW TO CHOOSE A TOPIC

Picking a topic of interest.

Creating a learning experience for both you and your peers.

Asking essential questions that can be answered.

Building a thesis statement to frame your research

Explaining multiple points of view on a subject in history

 

 

MASTERY SKILLS

 

Organize a Research Report for a Middle School Audience

Build a Table of Contents

Build an Annotated Bibliography of Visual Media

Use Primary Source Documents to Support a Thesis

Use Cause and Effect

Use Similarity and Difference

Create Graphic Organizers to Explain or Summarize a Problem

Use MLA Citations to Create a Bibliography of Resources Used In Research

Give a Research Based Expository Speech

 

 

BUILDING A RESEARCH NOTEBOOK

 

Required Classroom Resources:

A Young People’s History of the United States

History Alive

“We the People”

Encyclopedias

 

Required Library Resources:

At least two books on your chosen subject

One magazine article (on-line or hard copy)

 

 

 

 

 

Internet Sources:

A list of current books recommended by Amazon about the subject

Use of at least two primary sources from the time period

Use of at least two secondary sources from oslis

Use of at least five secondary sources from other sites demonstrating

 multiple points of view

 

 

Visual Media Search for Annotated Bibliography:

Research and describe movies that have been produced for the mass consumer market.

Research and describe video materials that have been produced by educational sites including, but not limited to, Discovery Channel, OBP/NPR, Annenberg Media; History Channel.

(You Tube videos may be used to support presentation  but will not be part of your visual media annotated bibliography.  If the material is used, put it in your MLA bibliography)