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Twelve Easy Steps7th Grade Research Presentation

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Your three tasksGather information about a

specific subject that you did not know before

Organize that information into a well-written oral presentation

Provide a visual aid for your presentation

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Gather Information (Steps 1-5)

1. Narrow the topic

2. Make an “Outline Guide”

3. Select sources by skimming

4. Make Source cards

5. Make Notecards

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Step 1: Narrow the topicComplete the “Brainstorm Funnels”

Activity.Brainstorm things that interest you, but

which you don’t know a lot about.Your topic must be either a person, place,

or an event.You MUST be able to discuss how your

topic affected society either positively or negatively.

General Topic

Narrow Topic

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Step 2: Make an “Outline Guide”

Complete an “Outline Guide” Worksheet.

An outline guide identifies categories to guide your research. It will help you later to organize your “topic outline” and “presentation”.

You will be considering topics of animals or people for your report.

Look at the next page and choose two possible subtopics from the topic you chose; “Effects on Society” is a mandatory topic.

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Step 2 (cont.): Possible Subtopics *Location/Habitat*Physical Characteristics*Behavior*Diet*Reproduction/Raising their Young

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Step 2 (cont.): Possible Subtopics for People*Childhood*Adult life*People/events that influence him/her*Accomplishments*Characteristics*Unusual or interesting facts

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Step 3: Select sources by skimming

Skim a possible source to see if it includes information about the three subtopics from your outline guide.

Use these OPACs (online public access catalogs) to see if a PRINT source is available at either library

◦ destiny.gcjhs.k12.in.us (GCJHS library)◦ hcplibrary.org (Hancock County Public Library)

Required Sources◦ You must have 4 sources minimum.◦ Two of your sources must be a print source (book,

encyclopedia, credible magazine, etc.). Two of your sources must be a web source.

◦ “Wikipedia” is NEVER an acceptable source.

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Examples of Web Sourcesa-z-animals.comanimals.nationalgeographic.comanimalcorner.co.ukhttp://bioexpedition.com/animals/http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/658/01/

(You can use other reputable websites, but this is a good start.)

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People websitesBiography.comBrittanica.comEncyclopedia.comhttp://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia

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Step 4: Make Source cards Complete a “Sources Worksheet.”Complete one bibliography card

for each source.◦You should have 4 source cards minimum because you are required to have at least 4 sources.

◦Use the information from your “Sources Worksheet” and format the citation correctly on a notecard.

Pay close attention to the order of information and the punctuation used in your citation.

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Source Cards (cont.)…The example in the box is what the citation on each card should look like...• Book

Name, Author’s. Title of Book. City Published: Publisher Name,

Year of publication.

• Encyclopedia

Name, Author’s. “Title of the Article.” Title of the Encyclopedia. Edition date. Page Numbers used.

Brown, Sara. North American Plants. New York: Sunset Publishing, 1993.

Wells, Jason T. “Poison Ivy.” Coffman Encyclopedia. 1994 ed. 985-987.

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• Magazine

Name, Author’s. “Title of the Article.” Name of the Magazine. Date and volume number: pages of article.

• Website

Name, Author’s. “Title of the Webpage.” Publication date: Site owner. Date of

visit. <Web address.>

Juarez, Ricardo. “The Basics About Poison Ivy.” America’s Favorite Campsites. May 1994: 68-69

Mason, Jim. “Poison Ivy.” Date unknown. Great Plains Nature Center. July 24, 2008. <www.gpnc.org/poinson.htm>

Source Cards (cont.)…The example in the box is what the citation on each card should look like...

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Step 5: Make NotecardsComplete minimum 20 notecardsFRONT of notecard

Write the title and author of the SOURCE. Also, write the subtopic and number the card (#1-20).

BACK of notecardWrite ONE USEFUL FACT from that source that would fit under one of your three subtopics.

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Organize Information (Steps 6-12)

#6. Organize

and Number

Notecards

#7. Write a Topic

Outline Rough Draft

#8. Peer Edit Topic Outlines

#9. Complete a

Topic Outline

Final Draft

#10. Create a VISUAL

AID

#11. Practice

your presentati

on

#12. Present your

presentation!

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Step 6: Organize Notecards

Sort the completed notecards into 3 piles (one for each of your three subtopics).

Organize each pile according to the order that you want to present the information in for each subtopic.

Stack the piles in order (subtopics #1-3).Beginning with the top card, number

each to keep them in order.Store all note cards in a plastic zip-lock

bag (please bring these from home).

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Step 7: Write a Topic Outline Rough Draft

The purpose of this outline is to transfer the information that you gathered from your notecards to a correct outline form.

Read the handout titled “Tips for Writing a Topic Outline.”

You may only use complete sentences on your Topic Outline for the Thesis Statement, Topic Sentences, and any direct quotations you use for your supporting details. All facts and details must be short phrases.

Check your outline for spelling and grammar errors.

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Order of the Presentation(same as an essay except you aren’t writing it all down word-for-word)

Introduction

Body

Conclusion

• Attention-getter,• Smooth transition and brief

introduction of animal• THESIS STATEMENT

• Subtopics #1-3• Transition and Topic Sentence. • Key Fact./Supporting Details

• Reworded Thesis Statement• Why you chose this animal• Summarize what you learned about

the animal• Why we should care about your

animal

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Step 8: Peer Edit the Topic Outlines

Complete an Editing Checklist.First, fill out the “Self-Edit” column of your

Editing Checklist.Then, ask someone to peer edit your Topic

Outline for you.You can ask a classmate, friend, parent,

neighbor… whoever… as long as you think they will edit your outline properly and thoroughly.

If you are peer editing for a classmate, please mark changes that need to be made on the rough draft and write comments when necessary.

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Step 9: Complete a Topic Outline Final Draft

Review the editing marks made on your Topic Outline.

Make any necessary changes to your Topic Outline.

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Step 10: Create a Visual AidChoose one of the following

options to create for your visual aid:◦PowerPoint◦Poster◦Chart/Graph◦Other (If you have a different, more

creative idea for a visual aid, get it approved by me first and way ahead of time.)

Your visual aid should be organized, appealing, and should demonstrate effort.

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If you choose to do a PowerPoint, here are some guidelines:◦Your PP should be only 1-4 slides◦Your slides could include a title slide

and one slide for each subtopic◦Your PP should NOT be in complete

sentences.***Do NOT read directly from your slides. Make the slides like you would make notecards, but speak like you are reading a formally written essay.***

Step 10 (cont.):

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Step 11: Practice your PresentationYour presentation should be 3 to

5 minutes long.Using your topic outline or your

notecards, practice giving your speech just to yourself or with someone else.

Practice talking in complete sentences.

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Step 12: Present your work!!!Congratulations, you did it!!!

YOUARE

HERE!

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Assignment Checklist Here is a list of all the items that you will turn in

throughout this project for a grade. Use this as a checklist to make sure you follow the steps IN

ORDER and ON TIME.1. ____Brainstorm Funnels Activity2. ____ Outline-Guide Worksheet3. ____ Sources Worksheet4. ____ Source Cards (3)5. ____ Notecard Cards (20)6. ____ Topic Outline Rough Draft7. ____ Editing Checklist8. ____ Topic Outline Final Draft 9. ____ Presentation