Insects Teaching Unit
Cynthia Elizondo

Interactive Unit at http://www.nisd.net/helotww/Elizondo/bugs/BigBugParade.html

 As I began creating this unit, I considered how I might be able to actually use this project in the future.  I know that the third grade team on my campus is always looking for ways to teach researching skills to their students.  I also know that they study insects every year.  I decided to use this information in the creation of this project.  

 The people that I will be collaborating with are the Computer Instructional Technologist (CIT) on our campus, and a classroom teacher.  The CIT runs our computer labs, and since this is the only place on campus where an entire class set of computers can be accessed, a good portion of the unit will be conducted there.  She is always willing to assist everyone and supports all projects that use technology.  The classroom teacher is a third grade teacher in a public school.  She has taught third grade for eight years and is very comfortable with technology and is excited about this collaborative effort.  She particularly loves science, and is always looking for new ways to approach this subject.  

 The students who we will be working with are third grade students of average intelligence.  They attend a public school in Northside Independent School District (NISD).  There are no special needs to be considered, and all can read very well.  They have had several lessons in the library on how to research a topic, how to cite sources, and how to use the print and electronic resources available on our campus.  This project is taking place three months into the school year and the students have had minimal prior experience with researching.  Therefore they still require guidance.  The students will need to be given guiding questions that must be answered for this project.  While they will be allowed to include more information, these questions must be answered in order to complete this project. 

 I have decided to use the I-Search model.  This model allows for students to not only take ownership of their learning, but it also allows them to reflect upon their thinking and therefore guides them throughout their research. Knowing how these students sought out their information and how they used this information is very helpful in understanding their performance as researchers.  Since these students are still fairly new to the research process, I want to make this as enjoyable and meaningful as possible.  I also want the students to have a high degree of success, not only for the sake of learning but also to encourage the students and foster their self-confidence as researchers.  The I-Search model allows for all of this to take place and provides the perfect framework for our project.

 We will be learning all that we can about insects.  This subject is one of the favorite subjects in third grade.  The students become quite enthused every year as they begin this unit of study.  This topic is also suitable for both boys and girls as they each can find an insect that they find interesting.  The students will be allowed to study any insect that they desire.  In following the I-Search philosophy and allowing the students to select their own insect, my hope is to have this project make an intrinsic connection with each student.  They can be as general or specific as they desire.  For example, they can simply choose to study butterflies, or they can narrow it down to Monarch butterflies.  This will allow each student to have the freedom of exploring and researching as deeply as they wish. 

The Unit  Standards

1.  “The Nine Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning” from Information Power.  American Association of School Librarians

http://www.ala.org/aasl/ip_nine.html

Standard 1: The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.
Standard 3: The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively.
Standard 4: The student who is an independent learner is information literate and pursues information related to personal interests.
Standard 9: The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.

2.  National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), International Society for Technology in Education.
http://cnets.iste.org/students/s_stands.html
Basic operations and concepts 
· Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems. 
· Students are proficient in the use of technology
Technology productivity tools 
· Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. 
Technology research tools 
· Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. 
· Students use technology tools to process data and report results. 

3.  Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).  Texas Education Agency
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/
(3.10) Reading/literary response. The student responds to various texts. 
B) demonstrate understanding of informational text in a variety of ways through writing, illustrating, developing demonstrations, and using available technology (2-3);
(3.12) Reading/inquiry/research. The student generates questions and conducts research using information from various sources. 
(A) identify relevant questions for inquiry such as “What Native American tribes  n habit(ed) Texas?” (K-3); 
(B) use alphabetical order to locate information (1-3); 
I recognize and use parts of a book to locate information, including table of contents, chapter titles, guide words, and indices (1-3); 
(D) use multiple sources, including print such as an encyclopedia, technology, and experts, to locate information that addresses questions (2-3); 
(E) interpret and use graphic sources of information, including maps, charts, graphs, and diagrams (2-3); 
(F) locate and use important areas of the library media center (2-3); 
(G) organize information in systematic ways, including notes, charts, and labels (3); 
(H) demonstrate learning through productions and displays such as oral and written reports, murals, and dramatizations (2-3); 
(I) use compiled information and knowledge to raise additional, unanswered questions (3); and 
(J) draw conclusions from information gathered (K-3). 

The Research Scenario

In the Library
 The unit will begin in the library.  The librarian will introduce the students to the topic by reading the book The Best Bug Parade by Stuart J. Murphy and Holly Keller.  This fun, fictional book will serve as a focus for the lesson to get the students excited and into the feeling that this will be fun.  The librarian will ask the students if they have ever seen insects like those shown in this book. The librarian will follow up this book by showing the students covers of non-fiction insect books that have real photographs of insects.  She will then ask the students if they have ever seen any of these insects.  The librarian will then discuss what parades are and what parades the students have seen.  They will discuss how appearance is very important and how great time and effort is given to each float so that their ideas or images are realistic in appearance.  She will then tell the students that they are all going to make a “float” for a parade that will be on display in the library.  It will be called “The Big Bug Parade”.  Every student will pick an insect to study and they will share all that they have learned by writing a report on this insect.  Their report will be accompanied by an insect model that they will each create.  

Steps in the Research Process

Learning Logs
 The students will be recording their thoughts, frustrations, and progress in a learning log that will be used daily.  The students will start each Language Arts period by reviewing their progress and writing about what they have learned, done, and still hope to do.  This log will serve as a way for students to document their progress, and also allow the teacher to see where the student’s strengths and weaknesses are.  These learning logs will be discussed with the teacher on a weekly basis.  The students will conference with the teacher to discuss their learning logs.  One student will be doing this while the rest of the class is writing in their logbook.  These mini-conferences will be short, but will allow for each student to receive guidance and support from their teacher.

What I Know
The students will begin this part of the project in the computer lab.  The classroom teacher, librarian, and CIT will all accompany the students in the lab after the introduction in the library.  They will serve as facilitators to the students as they progress through this unit.  The students will log on and begin an interactive research unit created by the librarian.  The activities in this unit will serve as a guide for the students as they progress through their research.  
 The students will begin by activating their prior knowledge through their completion of the “What I Know” portion of a KWL (see online form).  This will allow the students to begin this project feeling knowledgeable and in control of their learning.  It is important for the students to believe that they have some foothold on this topic in order to become comfortable with it.  We also know that in allowing the students to recall this information and actually write it down, it will begin to focus their thinking and the natural questioning and inquiry will begin within their minds as they sort through what they already know, and naturally identify what they don’t know but have always found interesting.  

Timed Reading and Resource Review
 Once the students have written down all that they already know about insects in their KWL, they will be given twenty minutes to review several online resources that have been previously selected by the librarian and listed on the interactive lesson.  The students will review these resources, and then they will record all the information that they REMEMBER onto their KWL.  This practice will allow the students to become comfortable with simply recalling the general information and facts, rather than feeling as if they have to copy them word for word.  This will also assist in reading comprehension skills as it forces the students to simply recall the general ideas expressed in the texts.  This also leads students away from plagiarism which is still a major issue to overcome at this grade level.  
 The students will now have a very full “What I Know” portion of their KWL.  They will have activated their prior knowledge initially, and then engaged their minds in reading for overall comprehension and recall of important ideas.  This is an excellent way to begin a research unit.  Their minds are now primed for research!

What I Want To Know
 The students are now ready to choose what insect they would like to focus on.  The initial activities have provided them with enough overall guidance and background information so that they should be comfortable with making this decision.  They will be instructed to write the name of their insect that they have chosen to research on top of their KWL.  
 Now they will take their original KWL and add to it.  They will now generate questions that they would like to have answered as a result of their research.  The mandatory questions that have been created by the teacher will be listed in this portion of the interactive lesson, and the students will be instructed to copy these onto their “What I Want To Know” portion of the KWL (see online form).  The combination of teacher guided questions and student guided questions should provide enough of a framework for this research project while allowing the students the freedom to explore what they really want to learn about.  
  
The Research Begins
 The students will now be instructed to research their insect using specific electronic resources.  The librarian will review with the students exactly what each resource is used for and how it can serve them in their researching.  She will also stress the importance of citing their sources.  This portion of the lesson will utilize a Double Entry Journal (DEJ).  The students will print out a DEJ recording sheet (see online form).  The librarian will again remind the students that while the facts are important, they must also record what they feel about this information.  This portion of the research project will be conducted in the computer lab.  The CIT will join the librarian and classroom teacher in assisting the students as they progress through their research with these electronic resources.  It is quite possible that this portion of the unit will need to be conducted over several visits to the computer lab.  The CIT will assist the classroom teacher on future visits, and the librarian will assist in the lab as needed for this portion.
 Once the students have completed their research using electronic resources, the students will then go to the library on a subsequent visit.  Here they will receive additional assistance from the librarian on locating resources and information for their project.  The librarian will assist the students in locating print resources for their project.  This will allow the students to receive information from two different sources of information for each type of resource.  The students will bring with them several DEJ recording sheets provided by the teacher prior to coming to the library.  The students will use them to record their findings.  Again, this portion of the lesson may take several visits to the library.  The librarian will divide the class in half.  On the first visit, group A will use magazines and encyclopedias.  Group B will use books and dictionaries.  These groups will then switch resources on their second visit.  This will ensure that all students have access to all of the resources and are given enough time with each one.  This portion of the research project can be conducted over several visits if that is what is required for each student to access all of the information that they feel is needed.  The librarian will also assist students who need additional reading or research time as needed.  The students will be allowed to come to the library throughout the day for individual guidance from the librarian.
 After the students have completed researching their insect, they will be guided toward their final written project.  The students will be instructed to look over all of the information that they have gathered.  They will then write down all of the questions that they wrote on their KWL (see online form) and then use their acquired information to answer these questions.  The students will be told that if they cannot answer a question, then they must go back and do more research.  The questions that they will write down will come directly from their KWL, but will include the mandatory questions that were given to them by their teacher.  Once this information has been compiled, the students will then be allowed to create the final written portion of their project.
 Once the students have completed the written portion of their project, they will turn it in to their teacher.  The teacher will then review the project and provide feedback to the students in mini-conferences.  The students will be allowed to change their papers and re-submit them.  Students who are finished with the written portion of their project, but are not conferencing will be working on their final entry in their learning log, or the model of their insect.  The final entry in the learning log will be an evaluation of what the students learned from this project.  The students will be asked to write about what they learned, how they learned it, what they enjoyed most, what they found most helpful, and what they would change.  This final entry will not only allow the students the opportunity to evaluate their own learning, but it will also provide insight into their learning so that their teacher can have a better understanding of each students abilities and learning styles.  
 After all of the conferences have been held, the teacher will create buddy teams of two students.  These buddy teams will conduct peer review sessions.  The teacher will provide guidance and give expectations for this portion of the project.  The students will again be allowed to change their project and re-submit it to their teacher.  The students will be given time to create the model of their insect while the teacher is holding mini-conferences with each student.  This will allow the teacher to focus on the conferences while the students are engaged in the creative portion of their project.  These mini-conferences will not only be to discuss the student’s final project, but also to review and discuss their learning logs.  The student’s learning logs will also be turned in to their teacher along with their written portion and the insect model.

The Final Product
 Once the students have completed their project, both the written portion and the creative model of their insect, they will display them in the library.  The librarian will place each project on top of the bookcases in a parade fashion.  A large banner will be placed over this parade that says “The Best Bug Parade by Mrs. Teacher’s Class”.  The students will meet again in the library and share their findings in an oral presentation to the class.  This will allow the students to share their researching information with their classmates.

Assessment Strategies
 The students work will be evaluated by several methods.  First, the KWL and Double Entry Journal will show what the students found as a result of their research, as well as give insight into how their research progressed.  The Learning Logs will also serve to provide insight into the workings of each student.  These logs will document the students thought patterns, frustrations, areas of success, and feelings on the entire process.  This is a true indicator of the success of this lesson.  While the end result will definitely show whether or not the matter was thoroughly covered, the learning log will serve as documentation of the personal successes of each student in this project.  
 The project’s requirements will be outlined in a rubric.  This rubric will evaluate whether or not all components were included in this project.  The requirements for this project include daily entries into a learning log, completion of a KWL, completed Double Entry Journals for each resource with a minimum of eight resources, commentary during peer evaluations, answering all of the required questions given by the teacher, answering student-generated questions, and a completed written report and insect model.
 
Project Management
 This project will be a collaborative effort between the classroom teacher, the CIT, and the librarian.  The classroom teacher will be responsible for scheduling the time in the computer lab and in the library that is required to complete this project.  The classroom teacher will also be responsible for conducting the mini-conferences to guide her students toward a quality final project.  She will ultimately be responsible for grading these projects as well.
 The CIT will be responsible for assisting the classroom teacher and the librarian in the computer labs.  She will assist the students as needed as they progress through this project.  Her support will be more of a technical nature.  She may also be called upon to assist in locating additional Internet resources if the need should arise.
 The librarian will be responsible for instructing these students on how to conduct quality research.  Lessons on this topic and on citing sources will have taken place prior to this project, but reinforcement will most definitely be needed.  The librarian will also guide the students through their research.  As they progress through this project and require assistance in locating the information they require in both print and electronic formats, the librarian will be their ultimate facilitator.  She will also be the primary supporter for the classroom teacher.  She will join the teacher in the classroom and the computer lab as needed as well.  When the project is completed, the librarian will assist the students with their final presentations by guiding them through their discussions with their class to ensure that all areas are covered.  The librarian was the creator of this project, and will hold a post-conference with the classroom teacher and CIT to discuss areas for improvement for this project so that better support and instruction can be given.  The librarian will use this information to align this project with the requirements and preferences of the classroom teachers and the CIT.
 This project will take approximately three weeks to complete.  I believe that this amount of time would allow for the flexibility required in a public school setting.  The time required in the computer lab and in the library must be scheduled in advance, and must work around the other teachers scheduled times and the school rotations through these areas.  Three weeks will allow the students to create a well thought out and developed project.  However, this time frame is an approximation and the unit will ultimately be guided by the needs of the students.
 The interactive lesson created by the librarian is the perfect management tool.  It allows the students to work at their own pace and with relatively little assistance from the teacher.  This allows the teacher the freedom to pull students for conferences while others are engaged in the interactive lesson.  The creative portion of this project allows for students to use their artistic skills and take a break from the researching, reading, and writing that are predominant in this project.  It also allows for students to be engaged in an activity after they complete the written portion of their project.  As it can be foreseen that these students will all finish their projects at different times, this subsequent activity will allow those who finish earlier to still be involved in this project.  Those who require longer amounts of time could always be allowed to complete the insect model at home and therefore the duration of this project could be determined by the teacher.  

The Interactive Lesson
 The actual interactive lesson can be found at the website given below.  These types of lessons are what our district is moving toward.  I created it with our district goals, and campus goals in mind.  The end of the interactive lesson lists several resources for teachers and also gives all the students access to the resources required to complete this project.  Assistance is also given by way of district approved websites.  District standards which are required for each lesson are also given.  The graphic organizers utilized in this project, are all linked and found within this interactive lesson.  This was done so that the teacher will not have to pull any outside resources in order to conduct this lesson.  Everything that will be needed by the students is found within this lesson.  This lesson has been linked off of our schools homepage as a resource for all teachers in our district.

http://www.nisd.net/helotww/Elizondo/bugs/BigBugParade.html