Pursuit of Passion

Elicit

What activities do you love to do? What are your hobbies  and interests inside of school? What are your interests outside of school? What do you do on weekends for fun? What do you do to alleviate boredom? If you could choose your favorite activity, what would it be and why

Engage

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:

1. O*NET® Interest Profiler™
2. Texas Career Check

Explore

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

Explain

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?

Explore

Present an overview of a hands-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. Allow students time to explore activities related to their interests

Explain

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. 

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.

Explore

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.

Elaborate (Phase II)

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:
   1. What is the historical context of my topic?
   2. What are important points in my topic’s history?
   3. Who affected my topic’s history?
   4. What purposes does my topic serve?
   5. What would society/the world be like without my topic?
   6. Why would other people consider my topic important?
   7. 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:
   1. Chosen topic
   2. Resources he will need to find answers to questions, such as primary and secondary sources, correspondence with experts on the subject, etc.
   3. Hands-on activity ideas
   4. Related TEKS
      The student should identify TEKS from two topics—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.

Explain

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.

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

Evaluate

Use the TPSP High School/Exit Level Rubric to assess each student’s learning. Additionally, you may wish to develop self- or peer-assessments based on the rubric that students could use to evaluate their products.

A completed project includes all 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 audio or video recording of the presentation, including an unscripted Q&A session

In what ways did the student:

• Develop sophisticated, open-ended questions about the self-selected topic;
• Use a variety of sources that access advanced content and include multiple perspectives; 
• Collect data using the tools of the discipline;
• Analyze and interpret the data;
• Capture and apply their analysis through an original product; and
• Communicate his/her research findings, learning, and ideas to an audience using the language of the discipline.

Extend

Since the Pursuit of Passion task is open---ended and allows for student---directed learning, a variety of methods exist to extend student projects to incorporate interdisciplinary connections. A few ideas include the following activities.

Science

What cycles, systems or processes in the environment might intersect with the student’s area of study? What technological innovations might impact the area of study? Examine the connections between science and industry and the chosen topic. Choose one system or area of technology to examine and redesign. In light of what you know about your topic, how might you develop a device, scientific experiment, process, or new technology to further the goals of your research? Sketch an illustration of the new innovation  and  list how you think it might benefit society.

Social Studies

What is the history of research on the student’s chosen topic and what are the social impacts of those projects? Where are the intersections between social, cultural and governmental institutions and the area of study—how might the institutions stand to benefit or become imperiled by the outcomes of the research (e.g., the health impacts research exposing the dangers of cigarettes paved the way for serious consequences for tobacco companies who pushed the sale of their products in light of the findings)? How might your findings impact the larger society? What policy implications might need to be addressed? Develop a timeline illustrating the history of study on your topic. Create a visual campaign to build awareness about your area of study and identify a partner institution (e.g., school, community center, neighborhood association, church, or governmental agency) to help disseminate your message.

English language arts

Encourage the student to build onto his/her project by developing a marketing campaign that tells the “story” of the research to a specific audience (e.g., younger students). What literary devices might you use in writing about your research (e.g., onomatopoeia, alliteration, metaphors, similes). From what point of view will your story be told?

Mathematics 

 The findings of many research projects can be told equally well through the language of numbers. Allow students to reexamine their findings looking for areas in the research that might be quantifiable. Help students determine the research methods needed to obtain quantitative data. Students might design and analyze surveys or conduct observational research to tally, count, and record data related to their project. Presentations of quantitative data might include graphical representations such as charts and graphs as well as student---designed informational graphics.

Additional Resources

Students are encouraged to work with their teachers and parents/guardians to conduct the research necessary to support and enhance each task, following local district guidelines. Online resources like The Smithsonian Museum, The Library of Congress, The Texas State Archives, Texas State Historical Association, and National Geographic’s Kids offer information on a variety of topics and could serve as a good starting place.