Mini-Research Unit for 9th Grade

Before beginning this essay, I do a mini-research unit using articles chosen by me on a topic similar for all of the kids.  I try to pick a high interest topic.  The reason for doing this is to expose them to reading a text critically, taking quotes/paraphrased information from a text, integrating evidence into their writing, and citing that evidence correctly.

I start day 1 with a short writing prompt (which I actually stole from one of my amazing co-workers):

Next, I distribute a packet with a prompt page and three articles about the Elonis case (also borrowed from my amazing co-worker):

Next, we review SOAPSTONE - a way to analyze a text - here is a link with more information about this strategy: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/preap/teachers_corner/45200.html.  As a class we complete a SOAPSTONE analysis for one of the articles together with me modeling so the students have one solid sample, the students are on their own for the other two, using this graphic organizer (also developed by one of my coworkers):

Article #1 Title	Article #2 Title
Speaker:	Speaker
Occasion:	Occasion:
Audience:	Audience:
Purpose:	Purpose:
Subject:	Subject:
Tone:	Tone:

For homework, students complete their reading/SOAPSTONE analysis over all three articles.

Day 2 of this mini-unit is all about taking evidence from the articles and integrating it to form a wel-reasoned argument.
We start with a DoNow.  We listed to a news story that covers the basics of this case and then the students answer the following:

Next, I ask students to locate three pieces of evidence from the articles provided and fill in the following graphic organizer (this was also developed by my amazing colleague):

We start with just the thesis/claim and evidence - in this case students are expected to use direct quotes - word for word taken from the articles.  I use the following powerpoint to go over how to integrate evidence smoothly.  This ICE strategy is something I have used for years - I am sure that it came from some other source, but at this point I have adopted it so much as my own that I cannot recall ever having learned it elsewhere.  Here are my notes on that:

Next, we go over the second page of the evidence collection sheet and look at the following example paragraph:

This resource was also created by my co-worker.
On the final day of this unit, the students complete the last DO NOW:

They then have the remainder of the period to write their own opinion "essay" about this case.  They are allowed to use all of the resources that have been distributed to them.  Students will use all of this information as we build a unit on an entire research essay.  Once I get that  blog complete, I will provide a link.