Double Entry Journal #11

Top Ten Project – Rubric

Authenticity - There is an external audience for the student work. After the class completed this PBL, the students were provided various chances to work with an external audience. This was through commercials, presentations, and internet communication through their Wiki.

Applied Learning -The students used multiple high-performance work organization skills (e.g., working in teams; using technology appropriately; communicating ideas, collecting, organizing, and analyzing information). These students worked cooperatively to gather data (Jigsaw Method), design a class Wiki, a commercial, and a presentation. They used technology to research animals, collect information, and analyze the information in order according to facts.

Active Exploration - Students gather information from a variety of primary sources and use a variety of methods (interviewing and observing, collecting data, model-building, using on-line services). The students collected information from internet articles, the classroom library, and other online tools such as the Wiki. Once the project was completed, it did not end there. The students continued to gather information from people all over the world; people voted for what they thought about their top ten ranking.

West Virginia Content Standards

Science

SC.O.4.1.4 -demonstrate curiosity, initiative and creativity by developing questions that lead to investigations; designing simple experiments; and trusting observations of discoveries when trying new tasks and skills.

SC.O.4.1.5 - recognize that developing solutions to problems requires persistence, flexibility, open-mindedness, and alertness for the unexpected.

SC.O.4.1.6 - support statements with facts found through research from various sources, including technology.

SC.O.4.1.7 - use scientific instruments, technology and everyday materials to investigate the natural world.

SC.O.4.2.1 - describe the different characteristics of plants and animals, which help them to survive in different niches and environments.

SC.O.4.2.2 - associate the behaviors of living organisms to external and internal influences (e.g., hunger, climate, or seasons).

SC.O.4.2.3 - identify and classify variations in structures of living things including their systems and explain their functions (e.g., skeletons, teeth, plant needles, or leaves).

SC.O.4.3.4 - given a set of objects, group or order the objects according to an established scheme.

SC.O.4.3.6 - identify and explain a simple problem or task to be completed; identify a specific solution; and list task requirements.

SC.O.4.3.9 - listen to and be tolerant of different viewpoints by engaging in collaborative activities and modifying ideas when new and valid information is presented from a variety of resources.

Reading and Language Arts

RLA.O.4.1.3 - use pre-reading strategies to comprehend text (e.g., activating prior knowledge, predictions, questioning).

RLA.O.4.1.8 - interpret and extend the ideas in literary and informational texts to summarize, determine story elements, skim and scan, determine cause and effect, compare and contrast, visualize, paraphrase, infer, sequence, determine fact and opinion, draw conclusions, analyze characterize and provide main idea and support details.

RLA.O.4.1.13 - judge the reliability or logic of informational texts.

RLA.O.4.1.14 - select and use a variety of sources to gather information (e.g., dictionaries, encyclopedias, newspapers, informational texts, electronic resources).

RLA.O.4.1.15 - use graphic organizers and visualization techniques to interpret information (e.g., charts, graphs, diagrams, non-verbal symbols).

RLA.O.4.1.17 - increase the amount of independent reading to build background knowledge, expand vocabulary and comprehend literary and informational text.

RLA.O.4.2.6 - write to persuade using order of importance, classifying differences and similarities, classifying advantages and disadvantages.

RLA.O.4.2.7 - develop a composition that demonstrates an awareness of the intended audience using appropriate language, content and form.

RLA.O.4.2.12 - use strategies to gather and record information for research topics:

• note taking
• summarizing
• paraphrasing
• describing in narrative form

gathering information from direct quotes, maps, charts, graphs and tables

RLA.O.4.2.13 - select and use a variety of sources to gather information (e.g., dictionaries, encyclopedias, newspapers, informational texts, electronic resources).

RLA.O.4.2.14 - use strategies to compile information into written reports or summaries (e.g., incorporate notes into a finished product, include simple facts-details-explanations-examples, draw conclusions from relationships and patterns that emerge from data of different sources, use appropriate visual aids and media).

RLA.O.4.2.15 - critically evaluate own and others’ written compositions.

RLA.O.4.3.4- create an age appropriate media literacy product that reflects understanding of format, characteristics and purpose.