This presentation describes the collaboration between the library and biology teachers that started with research and ended in a round-table discussion.

1. Developing (Common) Core
Projects: Ecology Project
(11th Grade - Biology)
Wellesley High School
Deeth Ellis
Louisa Morrison
Christen Francini

2. Common Core
“Students who meet the standards…habitually perform the critical
reading necessary to pick carefully through the staggering amount
of information available today in print and digitally. They actively
seek the wide, deep, and thoughtful engagement with high-quality
literary and informational texts that builds knowledge, enlarges
experience, and broadens worldviews.They reflexively demonstrate
the cogent reasoning and use of evidence that is essential to both
private deliberation and responsible citizenship in a democratic
republic. In short, students who meet the Standards develop the
skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening that are the
foundation for any creative and purposeful expression in language.”
From Introduction, Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy in History/ Social Studies, Science and
Technical Subjects

3. Common Core
Research and media skills blended into the Standards as a whole
“To be ready for college, workforce training, and life in a technological society,
students need the ability to gather, comprehend, evaluate, synthesize, and
report on information and ideas, to conduct original research in order to answer
questions or solve problems, and to analyze and create a high volume and
extensive range of print and nonprint texts in media forms old and new. The
need to conduct research and to produce and consume media is embedded
into every aspect of today’s curriculum. In like fashion, research and media
skills and understandings are embedded throughout the Standards rather than
treated in a separate section.”
From Key Design Consierations, Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy in History/ Social
Studies, Science and Technical Subjects

4. Build Momentum
 Strategic Plan/Action Plan
 Research Model (consensus)
 Common Core/WHS Library Standards
 Professional Development

5. Exemplar for Other Potential
Common Core Projects
 9th Grade
 English: Mythology (ACP/Honors)
 Social Studies (Islam or Ancient China/Japan)
 Earth Science (Extreme Weather, IRP)
 10th Grade
 English: Author Thesis (All)
 Social Studies: Imperialism, Global Issue (ACP/CP)
 Chemistry (IRP Honors)
 11th Grade
 Social Studies: Junior Thesis (All)
 Biology: Diseases (CP), Ecology (ACP), IRP (Honors)

6. Rainforests of Madagascar: Role
Playing and Decision Making
 increase their understanding of the cooperation
necessary to solve global environmental
problems
 understand assigned role and relate it to
Madagascar
 formulate topics, questions, and problems
 define information task

7. The Project: Roots
 American Political Decision Making
 Semester long college class
 Developing grant representing a
government agency
 Formative experience that led students to
pursue related jobs (microfinance, for ex.)
after college

8. Revamping: non-library to library
project
 24 pre-selected articles → 1 pre-selected
overview article
 No independent student research →
students responsible for finding and
selecting sources
 No defining information task → students
work to understand and define info task

9. Background Information
 eBooks
 CQ Researcher Global Issues
 Global Issues in Context
 Reference

10. Formulate topic, questions or
problems…
 KWL Chart
 Generate questions
 Small group discussion

11. Define information task
 Understand their role
 Farmer
(easy)
 UNESCO representative (harder)
 Understand role in Madagascar
 Relate role to deforestation

12. Decide on a Position and Collect
Evidence
 State a position
 Provide evidence
 Propose solution
Sources: journal articles, newspaper
articles, organization websites, discussion
with an ally or opponent

13. Other Requirements
 Annotated Bibliography (Noodlebib -
shared)
 Notetaking (KWL chart)
 Speaking at roundtable discussion
 2-page persuasive essay

14. Changes for Next Time
 A thesis with evidence worksheet to
promote well-supported arguments
 In text citations
 Fishbowl discussion