Timeline

Title: Timeline Lesson Plan

Grade Level: 9-12

Subject/Content: English/Interpretive Analysis Essay

Summary of Lesson: This lesson is best taught in union with the biology, math, and social studies lessons on the same topic. After completing their timelines to scale (including conducting research and making their scaled timeline) the students write a five paragraph essay analyzing, reflecting on , comparing, and discussing their findings on the geologic timescale.

Focus Questions: How can technical information be communicated through written language?

Databases(s): InfoTrac Student Edition, InfoTrac Junior Edition, Science Resource Center, WEB FEET

Procedures :

• This lesson may be taught in conjunction with biology, math, and/or social studies courses studying the geologic timescale. It may also be taught individually in an English class studying interpretative analysis essays.

• When the students have finished their timelines review and assign the following prompt:

  Write a five paragraph essay analyzing the information from your timeline assignment. Your essay should include an introduction paragraph with a thesis. The three body paragraphs should accomplish the following:

  Body Paragraph 1 — Analyze and reflect on the time span that is covered by the timeline you have created. Discuss the amount of time that is covered before life appears and after it begins and what you believe the significance of that is. Compare the rate of change for biological and species with the rate of societal changes and explain using examples from your timeline.

  Body Paragraph 2 — Analyze the species in the order that they appear through time. Giving examples of these species, discuss what you notice about them and why you believe they appear in the order they do. What does this say about the evolutionary process and what the Earth's conditions were like throughout the years?

  Body Paragraph 3 — Analyze the events that occurred and their significance on the magnified section of your timeline. Discuss how the events on that timeline model and evolutionary process of things changing over time. State three specific examples in your explanation.

• Conclude your essay with a conclusion paragraph restating your thesis.

• Provide students with access to Gale databases.

• Instruct students to use the "tool box" feature in the Infotrac: Junior Edition K-12 Graphic Interface database

Steps/Activities by student(s):

• Review writing prompt with teacher
• Access the Infotrac: Junior Edition K-12 Graphic Interface database
• Select "tool box" on the left
• Select and read contents of "How to Judge Information."
• Apply knowledge to the information collected during the first part of this assignment. Use this knowledge when choosing what to include in this essay. Return to tool box
• Select "How to Write a Thesis Statement," read contents, download and complete the "worksheet" file at the end of the page
• Write the introduction now with a thesis or come back to it in during the rough draft
• Return to tool box and select "How to Make a Concept Map."
• Create a concept map for each of the three body paragraphs. The center bubble of the first body paragraph should be time span, the second should be species, and the third should be events. Complete the concept maps for each body paragraph
• Return to tool box, select and read "How to Write a Topic Sentence."
• With the concept maps write each of the three body paragraphs including topic sentences
• Return to tool box and select "How to Write a Conclusion."
• Write the conclusion and complete introduction if needed

If lesson is unable to be taught with biology, math, and social studies classes students will first need to research the geologic timescale and evolutionary timeline. Have students research both topics using Gale databases: Infotrac: Student Edition K-12 Graphic Interface, WEB FEET K-12 and Science Resource Center

Outcome: Students write an interpretive analysis essay discussing their findings from studying the geologic timescale.

Related Activities for Students: Students write an essay of their own choosing following the process steps and guidance as presented in the tool box function of Infotrac: Junior Edition K-12 Graphic Interface.

Standard Date: Approved 1996

Content Standard(s):

• Students read a wide variety of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary
• Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions of human experience
• Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features
• Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes
• Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions, media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts
• Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience
• Students use a variety of technological and informational resources to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge

Performance Indicators:

• At Level 1, the student is able to:
  • Identify the time span, species, and events of the geologic timescale.
• At Level 2, the student is able to:
  • Use the writing process to write a well organized essay
• At Level 3, the student is able to:
  • Analyze, reflect, compare, and discuss the geologic timescale in a well organized essay.

Computer Literacy and Usage Standards 9-12:

• The student will develop skills using a variety of computer resources to increase productivity, support creativity, conduct research, and improve communications.

ISTE NETS for Students

• Students are proficient in the use of technology.

• Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity and promote creativity.

• Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.

• Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

Information Power; Information Literacy Standards:

• Standard 1: The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.

• Standard 2: The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.

• Standard 3: The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively.

• Standard 6: The student who is an independent learner is information literate and strives for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation.