Research Project

Day 2,3,4 each week

Goals:

1. Students will research an island nation of their choosing.

2. Students will learn various aspects about their island based on what types of things they research which may include location, people, history, culture, or other areas.

3. There will be a shift of locus of control in the classroom with the teacher as a facilitator and the students directly involved in their learning process.

Time:

one hour every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday

Resources/Materials:

Books:
 
Sunshine, Catherine. The Caribbean: Survival, Struggle, and Sovereignty .

Dengo, Gabriel. The Caribbean Region.  

Ratcliffe, Virginia. The Caribbean Heritage. 

Lea, Sydney & Schley, Jim. The Caribbean.

Hepworth, Peter. Ocean Girl.

Avi. Bright Shadow.

Avi. Smuggler's Island.

Dexter, Catherine. Safe Return.

Cooper, Susan. Over Sea Under Stone.

Peretti, Frank. Trapped at the Bottom of the Sea.

Christensen, James. Voyage of the Bassett. 

O'Dell, Scott. Zia.

Stevermer, Caroline. River Rats.

Pringle, Laurence. Dolphin Man: Exploring the World of Do. 

Yolen, Jane. Sea Watch - Book of Poetry.  

Galilei, Galileo. Starry Messanger. 

Jansson, Tove. Moominpappa At Sea.



Magazines:
 

Foreign Policy Bulletin

Foreign Affairs

World Press Review

World Development

Ethics and International Affairs

Global Finance Journal

International Development Review

Welcome Magazine
 


Journals:
 

The World Today

World Opinion Update

World Politics

Overseas Business Report

International Studies Quarterly

International Organizations
 

Procedure:

1. Student research projects will be done in pairs on specific Caribbean island nations. Basic guidelines of the projects are a five page written document and a fifteen minute presentation due at the end of the four week unit. (Students can present information in any format as long as the teacher says it is okay.)

2. Students will be given three hours of class time each week, for the duration of the unit, to work on their research project. This time will include one hour on each of the following days each week - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. This time may be spent in the classroom, library, on a computer, or in other areas approved by the teacher.

3. During this research time, the students may do what they judge appropriate, with minimal teacher direction. Some options may be to brainstorm possible ideas for the project, including possible categories that are important to cover in the paper and/or presentation, secondly to do research in the library or on the internet, and thirdly begin typing paper into the computer and making revisions.

Assessment:

Teacher, peer, and self assessments will be done on the cooperative effort in the research of the chosen island nation. It will be done on a weekly basis with feedback given on ways to facilitate the research process. Students will be assessed using the participation rubric found at the end of the week's lessons. Final report and presentation will be assessed with a rubric.

Rubrics:

Gathering of Information and Resources
 
4 Student effectively uses a variety of information gathering techniques and information resources and goes beyond the sources on the library shelves.

3 Student uses important information gathering techniques and resources.

2 Student uses some significant information resources necessary to complete task and some important information gathering techniques.

1 Student uses few relevant information resources necessary to complete the task and a limited number of information gathering techniques.

Main Idea and Support
 

4 Student clearly and effectively communicates the main idea or theme and provides support that contains rich, vivid and powerful details.

3 Student clearly communicates the main idea or theme and provides sufficient support and detail.

2 Student communicates the main idea or theme and provides minimal support and detail.

1 Student communicates information as isolated pieces, in a random fashion.


End Product:
 

4 Student creates a product that exceeds teacher expectations.

3 Student creates a product that clearly meets teacher expectations.

2 Student creates a product that meets one or a few teacher expectations.

1 Student creates a product that does not address the majority of teacher expectations.


Group Goal:


4 Student actively facilitates the achievement of the group's goals and goes beyond basic requirements of a five page paper and fifteen minute presentation.

3 Student helps achieve the group's goals and effectively carries out assigned roles.

2 Student helps achieve some of the group's goals, but does not fully carry out assigned roles.

1 Student does not work toward group's goals, or actively works against it.

Curricular Strands:

Social Studies - researching with reference books, information on history of island nation

Science and Math - mapping skills and scales, environmental issues on island nations

Computers - use of computers in finding information on island nation

English - writing of letters and of report, oral presentation of island nation

Cooperative Learning - working in pairs

Possible Extension:

Students could get in small groups to discuss their findings on their island. Students could pick out a symbol to represent their island and show why it is significant to the larger world.

This page submitted by St. Norbert College Ocean Voyagers Program