Year 3: Unit 7 – Facing a New Millennium – The Contemporary United States (2000 – 2008): Research

Central Question: How do events in the contemporary United States represent change and continuity over time?

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand how to prioritize information when researching in order to answer a specific research question with a compelling idea.

Preparation

• To complete this independent research model lesson, before class you must:
  • Create a teacher model of Parts I and II of the Research Paper Planning Guide from the Unit 7 Workbook that matches your final research paper model.

Do Now — 5 minutes

• Scholars complete the Unit 7 Research Week 1 Do Now in the Unit 7 Workbook.

Launch — 5 minutes

• Build excitement for the research paper. Tell scholars that the Central Question for the rest of the unit will be same as the Unit 7 Essential Question: How do events in the contemporary United States represent change and continuity over time? Invest scholars in answering this question over the next three weeks with their own historical research paper on topics from Lessons 1 through 5.
• Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: Which of the topics studied in Unit 7 are you most interested in researching more about and why? Then call on pairs to share out.

Teacher Model — 35 minutes

Research Question (5 minutes)

• Tell scholars that all great historical writing starts with a research question, and all the research they will do this week as historians drives to answer that question with an argument and evidence to support it.
• Call on scholars to share what the Essential Question is asking them and what they will think about as they begin their research. Be sure to remind scholars that there is not a single right answer to this question, but they must have evidence to defend their argument about change and continuity over time!

Setting Guidelines for Research (15 minutes)

• Scholars read “Scholar Research Guidance” in the Unit 7 Workbook and discuss how to select high-quality, reliable websites for independent research as a class.
• As scholars share, record their findings on chart paper and post these guidelines and recommendations in your classroom for reference throughout the unit.

Research Paper Planning Guide Model (15 minutes)

• Show scholars your completed Research Paper Planning Guide for your model research paper.
• Ask yourself the following questions aloud and model what scholars should be thinking as they conduct and organize their own independent research in Part I of the planning guide.
  • How do I know this information is reliable?
  • What makes this information compelling?
  • What does this information make me wonder more about?
  • Are there patterns in my research? What similarities and differences am I noticing about my theme throughout history?
• Show scholars how to organize and revise their guide as they conduct their research. Have scholars review the rest of the research in Part I of the planning guide.
• Then show scholars Part II of your planning guide and discuss the following questions as a class.
  • What is my thesis statement?
  • How does my thesis statement answer our research question?
  • How does the evidence gathered from my research support my thesis statement?

Topic Exploration — 5 minutes

• Scholars look back through their work from Lessons 1 through 5 to decide what topic they will research for their own paper.
• While scholars are working, circulate to determine major trends in scholars’ topics and ensure that scholars can explain what topic they plan to research and why.

Homework

• Scholars begin to complete their Research Paper Planning Guide in the Unit 7 Workbook based on the topic they chose at the end of class.

Central Question: How do events in the contemporary United States represent change and continuity over time?

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars prioritize information when researching in order to answer a specific research question with a compelling idea.

Preparation

• To complete these independent research lessons, before class you must:
  • Ensure that each scholar has access to a computer, laptop, tablet, etc.
  • Ensure that each scholar has the Research Paper Planning Guide in the Unit 7 Workbook accessible.

Do Now — 5 minutes

• Each day, scholars discuss their topic with a partner and how they plan to answer their research question over time.

Launch — 5 minutes

• Tell scholars that they will conduct independent research on their chosen topic today. Remind scholars that they must trace the theme stemming from their chosen topic over the course of American history in order to answer their research question fully and make an argument about change and continuity over time.
• Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: How does your topic connect to an event studied previously in American history? Then call on pairs to share out.

Independent Research — 20 minutes

• Tell scholars that they will be responsible for completing the research about their topic and how it connects to change and continuity over time by the end of this week in order to begin drafting next week.
• Scholars begin to research their topic. They should put their findings into the Research Paper Planning Guide in the Unit 7 Workbook.
• Remind scholars that they should not be writing down every detail that they learn about their topic. Their research should all be aligned to their thesis and answer their research question.
• Hold scholars accountable for tracing the theme of their topic through time while conducting their research.
• While scholars work, actively circulate to reinforce your expectations for strong ideas and relevant evidence in research and to determine major trends in scholars’ work.
• Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
  • Have each scholar tell you the main idea of the research article he or she is reading. What is the main idea of the article? How do you know? How does this article help answer the research question?
  • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on only recording research that is relevant to their topic.

Mid-Workshop Teach — 5 minutes

• Share an exemplar planning guide. Have scholars discuss how the research is relevant to the scholar’s topic and focuses on key ideas rather than irrelevant details.
• Share a non-exemplar planning guide. Have scholars discuss why the research is irrelevant to the scholar’s topic and/or focuses on details rather than ideas.
• Ensure that scholars understand how this feedback is transferable to their own work.
• Scholars articulate to partners how they will revise their planning guides based on what they have learned.

Revise — 10 minutes

• Scholars use the transferable takeaway from the Mid-Workshop Teach to revise their approach to research and note-taking.

Wrap-Up — 5 minutes

• Show an exemplar planning guide to the class. Look for research that clearly and compellingly answers the research question with relevant and reliable evidence from their research.

Homework

• Scholars continue to research and fill out their Research Paper Planning Guide in the Unit 7 Workbook.

Central Question: How do events in the contemporary United States represent change and continuity over time?

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand how to plan and draft clear and compelling written arguments that answer a historical question with strong theses and evidence that supports or proves their theses.

Preparation

• To complete this drafting model lesson, before class you must:
  • Create a teacher model of Part III of the Research Paper Planning Guide from the Unit 7 Workbook that matches your final research paper model.

Do Now — 5 minutes

• Scholars complete the Unit 7 Research Week 2 Do Now in the Unit 7 Workbook.

Launch — 5 minutes

• Explain to scholars that the critical first step in any research paper is the thesis statement, supported by clear and compelling topic sentences in multiple paragraphs that support and develop this historical argument. Their thesis statements will answer the Unit 7 Essential Question and make an argument about how their topic represents change and continuity over time.
• Explain that today, you will model how to take research and create a thesis statement and outline for a historical research paper. Tell scholars that they will spend the rest of the week drafting their own thesis statement, outlines, and first draft of their research paper.
• Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: Based on the research you did last week, how does your topic compare to a moment or event previously studied in American history? Then call on pairs to share out.

Teacher Model — 20 minutes

• Show scholars your completed Research Paper Planning Guide for independent research on a historical topic.
• Have scholars remind you of their research question. Then ask the following questions aloud and model what scholars will be thinking as they write their thesis statements:
  • What key historical events are essential to understand my topic and bigger theme?
  • How does my research topic represent change? How does my topic represent continuity?
  • How can I put these ideas into one clear and concise thesis statement to articulate my argument?
• Once you have modeled how to turn research into a thesis statement, explain that this statement will be included in the introductory paragraph to help the reader understand the argument that each body paragraph in your paper will support. Then explain that each body paragraph will begin with a topic sentence that states the Big Idea of the paragraph and clearly connects the paragraph to your thesis.
• Using Part III of the Research Paper Planning Guide in the Unit 7 Workbook, model how scholars can organize their research paper and draft their topic sentence.
  • For example, based on the topic, you may choose to organize your essay with an introductory paragraph articulating your thesis, two body paragraphs developing how it represents change over time, and one paragraph developing how it represents continuity over time.
  • Note: There is no minimum paragraph requirement for this research paper. Papers should be organized flexibly and in a way that best articulates the argument.

Independent Work — 15 minutes

• Scholars use their completed Research Paper Planning Guide to draft their thesis statement in Part II of the planning guide.
• While scholars are working, circulate to determine the major trends in scholars’ work.

Wrap-Up — 5 minutes

• Show an exemplar thesis statement to the class. Look for work that clearly and compellingly answers the research question with a Big Idea that articulates how their chosen topic represents change and continuity in American history.

Teacher Feedback Guidance

• Before the next lesson, review scholars’ theses and provide feedback on the quality of their work. Prioritize the most important change that scholars must make to improve both the strength of their theses based on this assignment as well as their future writing. Use your study of scholars’ work to determine a common trend in scholars’ writing.

Central Question: How do events in the contemporary United States represent change and continuity over time?

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars can plan and draft clear and compelling written arguments that answer a historical question with strong theses and evidence that supports or proves their theses.

Preparation

• To complete these daily drafting lessons, before class you must:
  • Ensure that each scholar has access to a computer, laptop, tablet, etc.
  • Ensure that each scholar has the Research Paper Planning Guide in the Unit 7 Workbook accessible.

Do Now — 5 minutes

• Each day, scholars discuss with a partner what they must do to improve their writing, based on your feedback.

Launch — 5 minutes

• Show scholars an exemplar thesis and/or outline from the previous class.
• Scholars discuss the following questions in pairs. Then call on pairs to share out.
  • What makes this thesis exemplary?
  • How do this scholar’s topic sentences support his or her thesis statement?
• Explain that scholars will spend the rest of the week drafting their outlines and research papers.

Draft — 20 minutes

• Have scholars work individually to complete their outlines and begin drafting their research paper.
• While scholars work, actively circulate to reinforce your expectations for strong theses that answer the research question and are supported by relevant evidence from their research.
• Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
  • Have each scholar explain his or her outline to you. Is the paper organized around a clear thesis? Does the research clearly and coherently support the Big Idea of each paragraph? What is the most effective way to synthesize the research about his or her topic that captures how it represents change and continuity over time?
  • Is the explanation of the research interesting and compelling?
  • Hold scholars accountable for implementing the feedback you’ve given them.

Mid-Workshop Teach — 10 minutes

• Share an exemplar draft. Have scholars discuss how the thesis is clear, answers the research question, and is supported by relevant historical evidence.
• Share a non-exemplar draft. Have scholars discuss why the thesis is unclear, fails to answer the research question, and/or has evidence that is irrelevant and does not support the thesis.
• Ensure that scholars understand how this feedback is transferable to their own work.
• Scholars articulate to partners how they will revise their research planning guides based on what they have learned.

Revise — 5 minutes

• Scholars use the transferable takeaway from the Mid-Workshop Teach to revise their outlines and/or drafts.
• Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
  • Help scholars focus on what is most important: a strong thesis and supporting evidence.
  • Coach scholars on how to apply your feedback.

Wrap-Up — 5 minutes

• Select a few scholars to present their drafts to the class and/or have scholars share their plans with a partner.
• Discuss how effectively their drafts demonstrate their ideas and how the evidence from their research is used to support them. Have the class revise the drafts, focusing on having a clear idea that answers the research question.
• Have scholars articulate the transferable takeaway from the work study that they will apply to their own work as they finish their research paper drafts.

Homework

• Scholars continue to work on their research paper drafts.

Teacher Feedback Guidance

• During the week, make sure you review scholars’ drafts every night to determine a common trend in scholars’ writing. Additionally, you should provide individual feedback on the quality of their work at least once. Prioritize the most important change that scholars must make to improve both the strength of their drafts based on this assignment as well as their future writing.

Central Question: How do events in the contemporary United States represent change and continuity over time?

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand how to revise their research papers based on individualized teacher feedback to make their papers stronger and clearer and to understand how to use their feedback to grow as writers.

Preparation

• To complete this revising model lesson, before class you must:
  • Give individual feedback on each scholar’s draft from the end of the previous week.
  • Review your teacher model piece to determine how you will model revision for scholars.

Do Now — 5 minutes

• Scholars complete Unit 7 Research Week 3 Do Now in the Unit 7 Workbook.

Launch — 5 minutes

• Tell scholars that they will be spending this week revising their drafts based on your feedback and submitting their final drafts by the end of the week.
• Scholars discuss the following questions in pairs. Then call on pairs to share out.
  • Which part of your paper do you feel the most confident about and why?
  • What is an area you think needs revision and why?

Whole-Class Revision — 25 minutes

• Show scholars your completed research paper draft. Tell scholars that no paper is perfect after the first draft and that revision is a critical habit used by great writers and historians. Share an example of a time when you had to revise to make your ideas and/or evidence stronger as a writer.
• Explain to scholars that revision is not editing a piece. It is not removing a comma or moving around a sentence. Revising is rethinking everything. It’s asking, “What is my most powerful idea? How can I articulate this idea? Is there better evidence to develop my argument?”
• Explain to scholars that they cannot be afraid of starting from scratch with the strongest argument and the best evidence.
• Share an exemplar draft. Have scholars discuss what makes the draft exemplary. Make sure to name the highest level takeaway from the exemplar draft that scholars should be incorporating into their own work.
• Share another draft that demonstrates a whole-class trend. Model diagnosing the scholar’s work and have scholars propose revisions with a partner and share out. As scholars share, show the class what the revision looks like based on their advice.
• After revising, reread the draft as a class and determine if it has improved. Do not be afraid to repeat this process if it has not improved! In fact, this is an opportunity to show scholars that just because they change something once when revising, that does not mean it cannot be revised again!
• Have scholars articulate to partners how the whole-class revision applies to their own work.

Study Individual Feedback — 15 minutes

• Scholars study the feedback you have given them on their work.
• As scholars are working, circulate to clarify your feedback and ensure that every scholar understands what they must do differently as a writer during this week of revision.
• Once you are confident that scholars have internalized your feedback, they may begin to revise.

Homework

• Scholars continue to revise their drafts.

Central Question: How do events in the contemporary United States represent change and continuity over time?

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars revise their research papers based on individualized teacher feedback to make their papers stronger and clearer and to understand how to use their feedback to grow as writers.

Preparation

• To complete these daily revision lessons, before class you must:
  • Ensure that each scholar has access to a computer, laptop, tablet, etc.
  • Ensure that each scholar has the Research Paper Planning Guide in the Unit 7 Workbook accessible.

Do Now — 5 minutes

• Each day, scholars discuss with a partner what they are focusing on revising in this piece and how their revision is transferable to their own writing in the future.

Launch — 5 minutes

• Show scholars an exemplar revision from the previous class.
• Scholars discuss the following question with a partner: How did this scholar improve their overall paper with this revision? Then call on scholars to share out.
• Explain that scholars will spend the rest of the week revising the drafts of their research papers and submit their final papers by the deadline.

Revise — 20 minutes

• Scholars revise their research paper drafts, using your feedback or feedback from their partners.
• While scholars work, actively circulate to reinforce your expectations for strong theses that answer the research question and are supported by relevant evidence from their research.
• Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
  • Have each scholar explain his or her draft to you. Is the paper organized around a clear thesis? Does the research clearly and coherently support the idea of each paragraph? What is the most effective way to synthesize the research about his or her topic that captures how it represents change and continuity over time?
  • Is the explanation of the research interesting and compelling?
  • Hold scholars accountable for implementing the feedback you’ve given them.

Mid-Workshop Teach — 10 minutes

• Share a paper that has greatly improved through revision. Have the scholar explain how he or she has applied his or her feedback to effectively revise.
  • If there is a clear whole-class misconception that must be addressed, share a paper that has not dramatically improved. Have the class discuss how the scholar needs to change his or her approach to revision in order to make more substantial changes.
• Ensure that scholars understand how this feedback is transferable to their own work.
• Scholars articulate to partners how they will revise their work based on the Mid-Workshop Teach.

Revise — 5 minutes

• Scholars use the transferable takeaway from the Mid-Workshop Teach to revise their drafts.
• Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
  • Help scholars focus on what is most important: a strong thesis and supporting evidence.
  • Coach scholars on how to apply your feedback.

Wrap-Up — 5 minutes

• Select a few scholars to present their revisions to the class and/or have scholars share their revisions with a partner.
• Discuss how effectively their revisions demonstrate their ideas and how the evidence from their research is used to support them, focusing on how their revised work is different from earlier drafts.
• Have scholars articulate how the work study applies to their own work as they finalize their research paper.

Homework

• Throughout the week, scholars continue to work on their final paper and prepare to submit their paper, or scholars exchange papers with peers to review each other’s work.

Prompts: Scholars may choose one of the following prompts about Big Ideas in American history.

• How did the attacks on 9/11 change American society?
• Compare the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina to its response to another disaster or crisis in U.S. history. To what extent was the government’s response similar? Why?
• Compare the election of Barack Obama to the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980. To what extent were their campaigns for the presidency similar? Why?

Project Menu: Scholars may then choose to respond to the prompt chosen above with one of the formats outlined below.

• Thematic Essay: Scholars write a thematic essay that answers one of the extra credit prompts, drawing on evidence both from the unit and from their own independent research.
• Podcast: Scholars create an original podcast that answers one of the prompts above. The podcast should be 5–8 minutes long. Podcasts must draw on evidence both from the unit and from scholars’ own independent research.
• “Docudrama”: Scholars create a “docudrama” that answers one of the prompts above. A docudrama is a dramatized video that tells the story of historic events. The docudrama should be 5–8 minutes long. Docudramas must draw on evidence both from the unit and from scholars’ own independent research.
• Interview: Scholars record (video or podcast) an interview with a “historian” or a historical figure in order to answer one of the prompts above. The historian or historical figure must be the scholar. A parent, a classmate, or a teacher should be the interviewer. Interviews should be 5–8 minutes long. Interviews must draw on evidence both from the unit and from scholars’ own independent research.
• Propose your own project: Scholars may propose to do their own project. These projects must still answer one of the extra credit prompts, and any project proposal must draw on evidence both from the unit and from scholars’ own independent research.