This dissertation chronicles my search to engage high school English students in inquiry as part of a formal research process. The perspective of critical literacy theory is used to describe the four phases of the problem posing process in shaping student research and action. Grounded in Freire's approach and consistent with Dewey and others who…

This lesson plan begins with an overview of the age of enlightenment and those ideas that influenced the founders of the United States. The lesson plan provides information sheets about five enlightenment thinkers: John Locke (1632-1704), Mary Wolstonecraft (1759-1898), Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755), Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1788), and John…

The "philosophes" of the Enlightenment Period were a group of free (different) thinkers who offered commentary on societal issues. Often, they were like one of today's social commentators suggesting reforms for the political system. Since the United States during the era of the Revolutionary War was seeking reform of what they considered…

Use of the casebook--selected magazine articles on a given subject, copied, stapled and given to each student--generates enthusiasm and improves the quality of high school sophomore research papers. The casebook approach ensures that no student is left behind in the topic selection or information gathering stages, and the teacher's familiarity…

Describes a research project for 10th-grade students that was developed to produce independent researchers who had a clear understanding of the research process and a knowledge of some of the research materials available in the school library media center. Independence was emphasized by discouraging help from the teacher or librarian. (LRW)

This controlled research report writing curriculum was developed for 10th grade students by an interdisciplinary team led by the library media specialist and the chairperson of the English Department of Wayne Central High School. The purpose of the program is to give students a highly structured experience in research report writing, with…

Describes how the popular TV show "X-Files" was used as a model to develop an in-depth semester-length project, in which 10th graders integrated history, math, science, and English as they worked in investigative teams to develop evidence dossiers, memos, and presentations following stringent requirements yet allowing students…

This tenth grade lesson plan asks student teams to research and analyze the history, the challenges, and the future of contemporary nations and share their discoveries in a poster presentation at a technology pavilion. The lesson plan states that each team, as a participating nation, is required to include three themes in their countries' pavilion…

This lesson plan imagines the student as part of a delegation to a special meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-sponsored Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council being held in Brussels, Belgium, where the topic of discussion is a proposal by several NATO members to invite independent republics of the former Soviet Union to become…

Describes a letter-writing campaign in which students in an English class wrote to their state representatives opposing a bill intended to restrict the viewing of certain films in the classroom. Demonstrates the students' attention to the effects of their writing on their audience, and on their own image as writers. (PRA)

In this lesson, students role-play as members of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia that will bring to trial "Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law." Students represent the following groups: International Criminal Tribunal; Prosecution; Defense; Serbians; Croatians;…

A practicum addressed the failure of 85% of tenth-graders in an urban school to complete the research paper required by the Palm Beach County (Florida) curriculum. The target population consisted of 28 students from each of two classes. The practicum's three main objectives were to: (1) encourage students to work in teams and utilize peer…

In this interdisciplinary curriculum unit, students examine and debate the relationship between China and Tibet. Students are expected to produce a mock television report covering topics related to the Tibet question, such as historical issues, the policies of the U.S., Chinese, and Tibetan governments, and human rights concerns. Students are…

In this lesson, students work as marketing teams hired by a U.S. fast food company to study the feasibility of selling fast food in Latin America. Teams are composed of cultural, production, marketing, and advertising experts. Each marketing team will investigate a product and a Latin American country. Teams will present their research and…

This lesson plan asks students to be staff members of a classroom newspaper that is developing a series of articles on the Holocaust. Students work in small groups to research, and eventually report on, a particular topic concerning the Holocaust. The series of articles will work as a whole to refute the arguments of those who deny the existence…