Project: 2015 Spring - 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 (related to natural resources)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 identify questions that can be researched. Student may pursue an issue they would like to change (raise awareness and provide ways for people to get involved and help bring about change), or research a problem and possible solutions.

Mentor acts a working editor, helping students identify areas of strength and pointing out ways to improve and correct their writing in a variety of modes including email, shared documents, research. Mentors help with correcting spelling, punctuation, agreement, and grammar.

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, as well as the requirement for the student to find an audience that cares about their issue/topic, one that goes beyond friends, family and their teacher.
 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 research project 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 resource to be researched, and
the impact this will have on society. This will later be
called an "impact proposal".

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: this
needs to be a back and forth where the "why" of things are
explored
3. Develop a plan for writing
4. Write
5. Have an authentic audience (student must find an audience
that is concerned with the topic/issue, and it cannot be
friends, teachers or family) to 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 using 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.

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

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

5. Student will begin research, evaluate resources, and share
the resources they find with their mentor.

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

2. Mentor will help students evaluate the quality of the
resources they identify for research on their topic.

If the student tries to change the research topic at this
point, please encourage them to talk with their teacher.
There needs to be a solid reason for changing. It must also
be improved.

Additional Comments: Students will not be well versed on the
basics of doing efficient research via the Internet and will
need guidance with evaluating resources.
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 credible
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.
4. Student will begin to delve into the impact this project
will have.
3 Student creates a list of questions about the topic based on initial research and individual interest in the topic.

Student will determine who is their target audience and how to best present their findings to that audience.

Mentor Role:

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

Mentor is encouraged to share insight from their own experience in doing research projects. While the scope of the project may increase in its potential impact, mentors should aid students in finding the balance between a topic that is too general and one that is too limited.

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 resource 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?

What types 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 document 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 project.
4 Develop and Implement a Research Plan

Student Role:
1. The student will work with the mentor to develop a research plan.

2. Student will identify relevant subtopics as areas of research within the scope of their project.

3. Students identify the way they will analyze and organize information from their sources using traditional or online methods.

4. Students will work with their mentors to create accurate MLA citations of sources using http://easybib.com/ .

5. Students will begin their research and share the ongoing process with their mentor demonstrating ongoing progress with valid research from at least two to three sources per communication.

Mentor Role:
1. Guide students in effective ways to organize and compile the information they gather and keep track of the source it came from.

2. Question students regarding the relevance of the information they are gathering in answering the research question.

3. Proofread and comment on Works Cited list and related research.

4. Provide feedback about relevant subtopic areas.

5. Read and provide feedback on the ongoing research encouraging students to delve further into specific subtopics, disregard irrelevant information, and managing the research question/subtopics.
 1. Students collaborate with mentors to develop an effective research plan that works for them.
2. Students recognize and understand the importance of keeping track of research in a meaningful, useful way.
3. Students compile useful information to apply to their writing.
5 Student Role:
Student begins producing a rough draft of final product/presentation using the research they have organized with the help of their mentor.
Student will brainstorm several titles for project before choosing an imaginative title.
Students present mentor with at least one rough draft for feedback by 4/3/2015.

Mentor role:
Help student brainstorm to find catchy title.
Aid student in refining thesis/main goal.
Help student determine if he/she has enough material/planning to produce a final product. If not, help student determine what subjects still need to be covered.
Read and provide suggestions to improve the initial rough draft.

Note: Students are on Spring Break from 4/6/2015-4/10/2015 and several days of March and April are used for CMAS testing.
 Students write/develop a first draft of their research project, compiling the information in a meaningful and organized way.
Students cite correctly their sources using parenthetical references or footnotes.
Student draft identifies and addresses a problem associated with natural resources in the community.
Student has written an argumentative essay addressing a real world problem and proposes a solution
6 Refining Rough Draft of Project

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, and share project to get feedback from mentor.

Mentor Role: Mentor will assist student in identifying the best format to present the research findings.
 Outline for presentation
A working first draft.
7 Student Finishes Final Product

Student Role:

1. Student will finish the final product.
Product must have a clear purpose and audience, and include a way for the audience to participate.

2. Students will work product, sharing constantly with their mentor. Student will detail the changes they have made and how they have used the feedback from their mentor, and what specific revisions they have made based on that feedback. This will require a lot of back and forth communication.
 Draft final product
8 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