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Pursuit of Passion

Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, ELA & Reading

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Description of Unit

Students will research a topic of their choice based on an interest-directed area and will relate it to curriculum standards in two subject areas. Students will learn about the history of a chosen field of study and its current development. They will also report their personal involvement with the topic and its significance. Students are expected to spend an appropriate amount of time choosing a topic that serves both academic and personal learning. Each student’s final product will include a creative presentation of the student’s work.

This guide links the Pursuit of Passion unit to the research strand of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR). Pursuit of Passion can be linked to additional TEKS from ELAR and other subjects as well based on the student’s choice of topic. Pursuit of Passion allows students in kindergarten through grade 10 to explore the relationship between their personal interests and future opportunities. By connecting the two, students will gain well‐rounded perspectives that help guide them toward professional or academic future goals. For example, students may understand the dynamic relationships between self and environment, as addressed in the Social Studies TEKS, and students may relate the arts to history, society, and culture, as addressed in the Fine Arts TEKS. Since this unit involves a variety of learning experiences, its products can document student learning over time through annual Pursuit of Passion projects, demonstrating student growth and providing a reflection of progress. The following text details the Pursuit of Passion unit and includes the applicable English Language Arts and Reading TEKS. The final section of this document presents the applicable Texas College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) on January 24, 2008.

Phase I. Learning Experiences

  1. Introduce the idea of exploring hobbies and interests in depth and from different perspectives. Describe a path connecting one’s personal hobby or interest to a related profession and the importance of being open to related topics found in research. Online tools such as interest inventories can be useful in seeking topics related to interests. Helpful websites include the following:
  2. Demonstrate how brainstorming with webs or graphic organizers can help students map thoughts and ideas easily. By connecting related topics, students will produce their own topic pool to choose from. In order to help students document ideas, offer quick brainstorming tips before they begin, such as starting with simple ideas, writing down all possible topics, and developing related areas of focus.
  3. Have a class discussion about why each project is important. Incorporate personal experiences and discuss the benefits of enjoying work (academic and professional). The discussion goal is to engage students by pointing out the project’s focus on their individuality and application of interests. You may use these questions to guide the discussion:
    • What is the difference between work you enjoy and work you dislike?
    • What is your favorite hobby/interest and why?
    • What aspects of your hobby/interest make it fun?
    • What careers also involve these aspects?
    • How can involvement in your hobby/interest impact others?
    • If you had unlimited resources and time available for your hobby/interest, what would you do?
  4. Present an overview of a hand on activity. Through observation and involvement outside of their own lives, students can gain a literal understanding of how individual interests can drive life decisions and create ways to impact society. You may want to provide examples of activities for students, such as photography, interviews, and community service involvement.
  5. Explain to students about the state curriculum standards and why it is important to connect their areas of study to the TEKS. Ask students to think about what TEKS they could identify related to possible topics of interest. Be sure to explain the concept of TEKS so students have a clear understanding of what to look for. Introduce the TEKS applicable for each class’s specific grade level (or higher grade levels as appropriate) and provide examples of how a project can make use of various subject area TEKS. Show students where to find the TEKS online at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=6148.
  6. Have a class discussion about why discipline-based research is essential to pursuing scholarly interests in such diverse fields as medicine, education and communication. Discuss different research methodologies. Explain various strategies for planning research and designing effective qualitative and/or quantitative data collection. This will be helpful for students to understand how different information can be useful for different topics and settings. The Gifted and Talented Teacher Toolkit includes a section on research processes that may be useful for this discussion. Students should provide proof of research outside of the classroom, and flexibility with the project requirements will allow them to explore original ways to investigate their topic.
  7. Have the class develop a sample timeline and/or checklist detailing tasks and targeted deadlines. Such tools can be helpful in remaining organized and continuing to move forward with the project. Both can be combined into one document that students include in their project.

Phase II. Independent Research

A. Research process

  1. Selecting a topic. Class discussions, brainstorming tools, and interest inventories should help the student choose a topic. Once the student uses these tools and reaches a preliminary decision on a subject of study, he should conduct initial research to confirm the availability of information and to help narrow the topic.
  2. Asking guiding questions. Once the student has selected a topic, she should think of three to five guiding questions, such as the following:
    • What is the historical context of my topic?
    • What are important points in my topic’s history?
    • Who affected my topic’s history?
    • What purposes does my topic serve?
    • What would society/the world be like without my topic?
    • Why would other people consider my topic important?
    • What may be the future of my topic?
    While these examples are general, the student’s questions about the area of study should be specific to the chosen topic. The questions should lead her to form individual research­‐based opinions. The student should also develop a hypothesis or some possible answers to the questions.
  3. Creating a Topic Proposal. The student should include appropriate components in the Topic Proposal. (See attachment #2.) Examples follow:
    • Chosen topic
    • Resources he will need to find answers to questions, such as primary and secondary sources, correspondence with experts on the subject, etc.
    • Hands­‐on activity ideas
    • Related TEKS
    The student should identify TEKS from two topic-related subject areas that will be addressed throughout this project. The Topic Proposal must be approved by the instructor.
  4. Creating a timeline. Using the sample timeline/checklist prepared by the class, the student will map out a timeline for her specific project. This will help the student stay organized as she progresses toward project completion.
  5. Conducting the research. The student should use resources identified in his Topic Proposal as well as additional resources he discovers. During this stage, the student needs to keep a log, notes, and/or resource process sheets to document all the sources he uses and what he learns from each one. The student should remain focused on the purpose of his research as determined by his guiding questions. However, that purpose may evolve as the student conducts his research.
  6. Discussion of progress. Throughout the research process, the student may run into challenges due to lack of available information or even evolving interest. Allotting class time to discuss research concerns and issues while also exchanging tips with other students can help provide a status report for the student and instructor and help the student find ways to overcome obstacles.

B. The product

The student should express, through the design and creation of an original product, what she has learned about her chosen topic of study. The complete project should include quotations, examples, and details as appropriate and should follow appropriate stylistic rules. Since the goal of the project is to encourage student examination of her own passion and its bigger picture, the student’s point of view, voice, and reflection should be included. Also, the relationship between topic and the real world should be evident. An important factor is the product’s authenticity; therefore, the student should be creative in designing her product. For example, product ideas that incorporate research could be filming a movie or designing and carrying out an experiment.

The student should be able to provide confirmation of participation in an outside activity. If the product is tangible and used in presentation nothing more may be required. The instructor may want to consider requiring evidence for proof of completion. The student must complete a reference list/Works Cited page that includes an appropriate collection of references.

http://makezine.com/

http://www.instructables.com/

C. Communication

Each student presents his research. The student is free to design and create a presentation fitting for the topic and information that includes key aspects of the product. Depending on the grade level, the presentation may range from 5-20 minutes in length and should be followed by an unscripted Q&A session with audience members.

Instructors may want to provide ideas and examples of creative ways to present, for instance through a student-­‐designed class lesson or an interactive game. The websites used previously for product ideas may be useful to help generate presentation ideas.

D. A completed project includes all of the following:

  1. The Topic Proposal including TEKS addressed
  2. A log, notes, or resource process sheets
  3. Timeline/checklist
  4. The product
  5. Proof of participation in an outside activity, if needed
  6. A Works Cited page
  7. An audiotape or videotape of the presentation, including an unscripted Q&A session

This unit may address the following TEKS.

110.5., English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 3, Adopted 2017

110.5(b)(13)
Inquiry and research: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student engages in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes for a variety of purposes.

110.7., English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 5, Adopted 2017

110.7(b)(13)
Inquiry and research: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student engages in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes for a variety of purposes.

This unit may address the following Texas College and Career Readiness Standards.

Cross-Disciplinary Standards:

CDS.I.B.2
 Construct well-reasoned arguments to explain phenomena, validate conjectures, or support positions.
CDS.I.B.3
 Gather evidence to support arguments, findings, or lines of reasoning.
CDS.I.B.4
 Support or modify claims based on the results of an inquiry.
CDS.I.C.1
 Analyze a situation to identify a problem to be solved.
CDS.I.C.2
 Develop and apply multiple strategies to solve a problem.
CDS.I.D.3
 Strive for accuracy and precision.
CDS.I.F.1
 Attribute ideas and information to source materials and people.
CDS.I.F.2
 Evaluate sources for quality of content, validity, credibility, and relevance.
CDS.II.A.1
 Use effective prereading strategies.
CDS.II.A.4
 Identify the key information and supporting details.
CDS.II.A.5
 Analyze textual information critically.
CDS.II.A.6
 Annotate, summarize, paraphrase, and outline texts when appropriate.
CDS.II.A.8
 Connect reading to historical and current events and personal interest.
CDS.II.C.1
 Understand which topics or questions are to be investigated.
CDS.II.C.2
 Explore a research topic.
CDS.II.C.3
 Refine research topic based on preliminary research and devise a timeline for completing work.
CDS.II.C.4
 Evaluate the validity and reliability of sources.
CDS.II.C.5
 Synthesize and organize information effectively.
CDS.II.C.7
 Integrate source material.
CDS.II.C.8
 Present final product.
CDS.II.D.3
 Present analyzed data and communicate findings in a variety of formats.
CDS.II.E.1
 Use technology to gather information.
CDS.II.E.2
 Use technology to organize, manage, and analyze information.
CDS.II.E.3
 Use technology to communicate and display findings in a clear and coherent manner.
CDS.II.E.4
 Use technology appropriately.
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