Title: CREATING PROFICIENT WRITERS BY UTILIZING TECHNOLO

Grade: 11th   Subject: Writing Research   Class: English   

Purpose
The six traits of writing is the focus in language arts classrooms in the state of Utah and at Alta High School this year. Language Arts teachers have been trained and are in the process of passing that training on to their fellow educators as part of writing across the curriculum. While teaching the six traits of writing, it is also necessary to teach different writing genres (i.e. poetry, short story, speech, newspaper article). Students will apply the skills they've learned regarding the six traits of writing as they explore these different genres, in particularly the genre of research writing.
Much research done by students these days is done haphazardly on the internet, lacking good ideas, cohesion, completeness, and order. Therefore, some goals for this unit include teaching students ways to effectively search the internet, cooperate in on-line chats with other students to work out the bugs of their writing topic, organize data and information, and include media and/or visual aids in the final compilation and presentation of their research paper.

Objective
Students will complete an on-line Internet orientation, which includes various tutorials and information concerning internet search engines, copy write laws, and proper internet usage at the conclusion of which students will self-evaluate and compare their tutorial assignments to the grading rubric and submit it to the teacher via email.
Given Microsoft database students will organize research and data for their research project creating a system that is easy to retrieve and quickly accessible.
Through the means of an on-line chat system students will discuss different writing traits each week with members of an assigned group in combination with their research topics and questions to improve their understanding of the six traits and make recommendations to their peers using the six trait writing rubric and research guidelines.
Using a picture found on the internet, in magazines and/or in books, or in the family library, students will understand the importance of the "process" as they alter, modify, and re-design the picture using Adobe Photoshop to create a near-perfect picture that will match the content of their research paper.
Using Microsoft word processing students will adhere to the six trait writing rubrics and research paper guidelines to compile their ideas, data, and media in a respectable fashion to turn into the teacher.

Materials

1. Access to a computer lab (the computer lab needs Internet access, MSN messenger, Microsoft Word/Database, HP Scanner, Outlook, Adobe Photoshop, and Acrobat reader)
   
2. Access to the school library
   
3. One copy per student of the Six Trait Writing Rubric
   
4. 3 (per student) 3x5 note cards
   
5. Project Assignments
   

Procedures

1. Module 1: (Days 1-4) The first four days of the unit will involve getting to know the ins and outs of the internet. Net searches, Internet usage, and copyright laws will be discussed as students complete online tutorials and turn in assignments. The fourth day students will submit their project plan to the teacher and learn how to correspond with their group in an online chat to discuss ideas.
   
2. Module 2: (Days 5-9) The next five days will be spent learning how to use appropriate software (i.e. Microsoft Database, HP scanner, Adobe Photoshop, etc.) and starting their research. Students will have time to research on the Internet as well as in the library. Students will 'chat' with group members about the best way to organize their information/project. The rest of this week, students will be implementing things they've learned.
   
3. Module 3: (Days 10-12) This week's chat will focus on students exploring the appropriate voice and word choice for this project. Students will learn how to correctly format and use Microsoft Word. The students will spend the remainder of the time typing up their research.
   
4. Module 4: (Days 13-15) The last three days will focus on creating a perfect paper and the perfect picture to go along with the paper. Students will work on sentence fluency and conventions. They will use Adobe Photoshop to work on fixing, adding, or deleing portions of their picture to make it the best quality they can. They will also look at the aesthetics of their own pictures and papers and the pictures and papers of their group members. They will then turn in their FINAL copy of their research paper with an attached copy of their picture.
   

Assessments

1. The students final compilation of their research project will count as the final assessment for the project. These will be assessed based on the six trait rubrics and research writing guildelines.
   

Standards

1. Language Arts  11th (level IV)  
   McRel Writing Standards 1-4
   Writing 1.1-4,7,10,13
   2.1-7
   3.1-12
   4.1-8
   access at: http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=4
   
2. Language Arts  11th (level IV)  
   McRel Reading Standards 5-7
   Reading 5.4,6
   6.1,11
   7.1-4
   access at: http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=7
   
3. Language Arts  11th (level IV)  
   Listening and Speaking Standard 8
   Listening and Speaking 8.3
   access at: http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=8
   
4. Language Arts  11th (level IV)  
   Viewing Standards 9
   Viewing 9.7,9,11-12
   access at: http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=9
   
5. Language Arts  11th (level IV)  
   Media Standards 10
   Media 10.1-3, 11
   acces at: http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=10