Project: 2011-2012 Writing with Impact

Step Description Expected Student Results
1 Letter of Introduction

Student Role:

First Message: Students share their interest in the project and why they've chosen to participate. The first step of the project will focus on researching real issues in the community where there is an intersection between a student's interest and a need. This is a great place for students and mentors to begin collaborating.

Second Message: Student shares a commitment to meet the
minimum requirements of the program. These include:
communication with mentor at least two times a week, using
the project tracker, notifying teacher proactively when
communication two times a week isn't possible, conducting
and writing about independent research, and submitting a
final survey. Student also shares which days of the week
the mentor can expect a message.

Mentor Role: Mentor will brainstorm with student to identify possible topics of research and questions/issues of professional or personal interest. The goal is to draw
students to consider provocative questions rather than
researching "animals" or "war."

Mentor shares an eagerness to meet the minimum requirements
as well as the best days for posting and reading messages.

Additional Comments: It is important that the student
understands the responsibilities and benefits of the
program.


1. The student will write a letter of introduction to the
mentor explaining his/her interests and activities in and
out of school
2. Student will collaborate with their mentor about the
nature of the project for their research and
student will write a paragraph to share that
problem/interest with mentor. If student has not yet
decided on a problem to research, he/she will ask the mentor
for help choosing the project from a list of topics the
student has generated.
3. Student will write a paragraph to share with the mentor
what he/she already knows about the community problem they
are interested in researching, why this is of interest to
them, and how they know the information.
4. Student will send all of the above information to
mentor for feedback.

2 Conduct General Research

Student task: The student will share research topics based
on personal interests. Student will use the Internet or
other resources to research a current issues relating to
their community or region.

Student and Mentor Task: Student and Mentor exchange
letters in which they discuss community issue to be
researched.

Mentor Task: Mentor researches topic and sends student some
search terms and/or websites related to the topic.

Find the Experts

1. Research real needs or issues in the community
2. Discuss how "writing" can impact that need or issue
3. Develop a plan for writing
4. Write
5. Have an authentic audience critique the writing, refine,
refine, refine until it is of high quality.
6. Share it. Make a difference. Evaluate the difference
made.
7. Reflect on what you might do differently next time.


Every student topic will be associated with one or more
professional fields. Within each field there will be
research conducted related to this topic that is occurring
on
the leading edge. The "best" experts are typically found at
the leading edge.

Student Role:

1. By leveraging Internet resources as well as other
resources identified by the teacher, mentor, parents, and
others, students will identify both the research topics and
the individuals who are conducting the research or making
the discoveries.

2. Students will identify and share about the leading edge
and who is doing the work at the leading edge. This is a
fantastic skill to hone.

3. Student and mentor will use resources to identify major
experts in the field of study.

4. Student will create a list of at least five experts in
the area of interest they have chosen.

Mentor Role: Mentor will assist student in creating a list
of major experts in the field. A document (MSWord, etc)will
contain any biographical information and contact information
available on the web or through other resources.

Additional Comments: Prior to this step the students should
be well versed on the basics of doing efficient research via
the Internet.

Student will respond to mentor message and confirm what
community/regional issue they plan to research.

Student will begin researching the topic using the Internet
and will find at least ten Internet sources that have
information on the topic. Student will copy each of the
sources and upload the list to the mentor.

1. Identify leading edge research for topic.
2. Identify who is doing the work at the leading edge.
3. Document contact information for experts.
3 Develop Research Questions

Student creates a list of questions about the topic based on
initial research and individual interest in the topic.

Mentor Role:

Mentor will aid student in identifying reliable sources of
information on the topic identified.

Mentor is encouraged to share 20/20 hindsight from past
research projects where the understanding of a topic shifts
dramatically from a very narrow view to a normal view and
possibly a wide angle view. This 20/20 hindsight is critical
for the student to leverage.

Additional Comments: This step can be challenging as the
student must operate on faith that he or she is not "locked
into" the chosen topic but rather the topic is a means or
catalyst for the end result (skill building). It's
challenging because few students have the hindsight required
to move past the perfect tension between staying in a state
of indecision (very comfortable) and making a decision
regarding the topic choice.


The student will access sites that contain articles/research
about the topic.

The student will create an outline to record information
about the history of the community issue he/she is
researching and begin recording information he/she has
discovered through their research.

Student outline may be organized something like this:
Background: Name/explanation of the problem
Location/background/evolution/history of problem
Why does this problem interest you right now?

What experiences would be helpful to a student wishing to
learn more about this problem?

What are the types of difficulties/challenges that this
particular problem presents to the community? How does it
impact the environment/people/community locally? Statewide?
Nationally?

Who/what type of jobs are associated with someone working
with this problem?

What is the future outlook if this problem is not
investigated and resolved this year? In the next five
years? Ever?

From what you have learned through your research...

What other interesting information relating to the problem
did you find during your research?

Students will site sources within the text of their paper
and will include a list of the websites and any other
sources used in their research at the end of the paper.

All information must be paraphrased in the student's own
words and all sources of information included in the
paragraph must be cited at the end of the paragraph for
mentor and teacher to reference when reviewing student work.
Students must use a minimum of ten online sources to obtain
information for this research paper.

4 Compose Interview Questions and Cover Letter

Student Role:
1. The student will compose a list of 5-10 interview
questions for the experts. This list will be discussed with
the mentor and refined.

2. Student will compose a cover letter explaining research
interests. Letter should demonstrate student understanding
of the state of the art in the field and the
letter/interview questions must include questions concerning
the future of the field.

3. The letter and questions will be submitted to a secure
area online that is linked to the student/mentor match. The
mentor and student can point professionals to this URL
and ask them to respond. The answers will be posted to the
ITP system for analysis by the student and mentor.

Mentor Role: Mentor will aid student in editing letter and
composing interview questions. Mentor will help students
identify experts and act as a liaison between students and
the experts/institutions.

Additional Comments: Experts should demonstrate a
professional approach to the issue (and passion for the
issue!) the student is researching though experts are not
always professionals. Students should identify experts with
a range of experience. Some of the best experts are
retirees or community volunteers who have even more time and
energy to devote to the cause or avocation than they did
when they were working in the field. For example,
a student from Bossier, Louisiana interviewed an emeritus
professor of physics from UC Berkely on careers in
astronomy. Leverage wisdom and 50 years of hindsight.		 1. Interview questions
2. Interview letter
3. Online version of questions and letter
5 Share Interview Questions and Cover Letter

Student Role: Student will share survey URL with mentor and
other professionals for input.

Mentor Role: Mentor will answer questions and point
professionals to the page and encourage them to respond.

Additional Comments:
The mentor and the teacher work together to serve
as liaisons between the student and the experts. The student
and the mentor work to identify the experts and polish cover
letters and refine research questions. However, it must be
clear up front that the adults,
either the mentor or the teacher, or both, are going to go
the extra mile and call and write the experts for the
students. Mentors sometimes become unsure of their role at
this point in the process.

(This is the week before Spring Break.)		 1. Receive Survey Answers
2. Tabulate results
3. Discuss Results with Mentor
6 Research rough draft paper

Student Role: Student will determine thesis of paper.
Student will arrange notecards in order according to subject
to begin writing rough draft of final paper.

Mentor role: Mentor will aid student in determining thesis
statement. Mentor will help student determine if he/she has
enough notecards to write paper. If not, help student
determine what subjects still need to be covered. Mentor
will make suggestions to improve paper.

The writing must be reviewed by real stakeholders in the
community as well as the mentors. Real is where it's at.

Student will brainstorm several titles for project before
choosing an imaginative title.

Student will create a 100 word abstract of the report

Students will select 10 keywords to help researchers
determine if the research report contains the kind of
information they require.

Mentor will help student brainstorm to find catchy title,
and give suggestions for abstract
(This is during our state tests, so this time period is a
little longer.)		 Student will use notecards to prepare a rough draft research
paper to share with mentor.
Title page, Abstract, and keywords.
7 Create Plan for Presenting Findings

Student Role:

1. Student will create plan for identifying the best method
to present research findings, including interview results.

2. Student will send outline of ideas to mentor.

Mentor Role: Mentor will assist student in identifying the
best format to present the research findings.

Outline for presentation
8 Student Generates Video Script

Student Role:

1. Student will script what what the video will include.
Video must have a purpose, audience, and include a way for
the audience to participate.

2. Students will work script and get feedback int order to
revise script. This will require a lot of back and forth
communication.

Mentor Role:

1. Mentor will critique video and offer suggestions
for refinement.

Draft video script
9 Student Works on...VIDEO

Student Role:
1. Student will on a video that incorporates the use of
effective:
-video
-audio
-text

2. The "purpose" of this video will clear inside the first
30 seconds. Also, there will be an opportunity to
participate: share on Facebook, post on Twitter, etc. If
students want to change something, start something, end
something, increase something, there must be a clear and
specific way for the audience to participate: walk tot he
store instead of driving; recycle things at home; volunteer
at an animal shelter.

3. Student shares video with mentor to get feedback
necessary for collaboration & revision.


Mentor Role:

1. Mentor gives feedback to mentee.

1. Multiple drafts of video shared with mentor.
10 Student Video Revision & Completion

Student Role:
1. Student will present final product of video to mentor,
and
possible publish (with parent permission) on the internet.

2. Students will submit final project to mentor and teacher
for review.

Mentor Role: Mentor will provide student with an objective
evaluation of the project.
 There may be some minor revisions that need to take place,
but for the most part, it should look like a final product.
11 Wrapping Up The Project

Student Role:
1. Student will write a 300-word letter to mentor. The
subject of the letter will be a self-evaluation of the
project, including what the student did well, what he would
like to have done to improve upon the project, and what the
mentor contributed to the process.

2. Student will submit a final project survey via the ITP
Web site.

Mentor Role:

1. The mentor will write a similar message for the student.

2. The mentor will submit a final project survey.

 1. Thank you letter to mentor
2. Complete end of project survey