Friday, October 20, 2017 | Process Journal + Research

Needs

• materials for a Parking Lot

Gathering (no more than 15 minutes)

Headlines: Create a headline that publicizes your thoughts on the topic you have been researching the past several weeks. Publicly document headlines for reference later in project block. Whip Around to share headlines.

Writing Studio (30 minutes)

Journal Prompt

As many types of research continues to happen in project block (professional models, scholarly journals, media articles, etc.), reflect once again on the learning that is happening through this research.

Respond to the prompts below directly in your process journal. While there is not one way to write or approach these prompts, you should use specific details in order to make your reflection clear and your ideas understandable. Remember that you will be looking back at this writing and thinking in order to create your essay.

• What makes you say that? What is your current understanding of the topic? What are your individual ideas about the topic? What makes you say (or in this case write) that? 
• I Used To Think...Now I Think? How did the research change your perspective about the topic? 
• So What? Based on your current research, why is your topic important? What is important for your audience to learn from your topic? What are your next steps in the research process?

ELA Standard
Today’s reflection standard is SO WHAT?

Last week we asked you to consider the evidence you were recording throughout the research process. This week, please answer so what?. What understanding do you now have because of the research, that goes beyond the research? What has the research helped you understand about….topic, culture, problem-solving, society, human nature (just pick one!).

Week of October 16th-20th | Research & Techniques

Students should be seeking project approval from a combination of peers and advisors. By the end of this week, all students should communicate evidence that they have a vision and plan for their project. Advisors will provide feedback on and report evidence of the following in Skyward:

• Proposal: Have you clearly communicated the What, How, and Whys of your project? Have you written this in a formal proposal? If not, what steps do you need to take to get there?
• Driving Question: What is the central wonder that makes your project interesting to you and to others? What are you trying to do or figure out?
• Scale of Project: There are two and a half months of making left in this semester. How will you maximize this time to create something that has never existed before?

BEYOND THE PROPOSAL

Project already approved? Great. Continue your reading and figuring things out. Specifically, focus some time this week on techniques you are considering applying to your project. During making time at the beginning of the semester, we spent a whole day exploring a technique by looking at a professional model, analyzing its parts and purposes, and trying to make something. Do this. 

1) Search for a professional model

2) Analyze its parts and purposes

3) Identify the characteristics/style or specific technique used

4) Commit a day to playing with this technique. It does not have to be specific to your project (yet). Just test it out playfully.

5) Reflect on the relevance for your project. 

6) Document this experience in your process journal 

REMINDER

Research and Creation Phases are running concurrently this semester, meaning that they are both on-going at the same time. Individuals need to manage their time devoted to each of these. The project must have academic and creative substance. Do not spend the entire semester just reading or just creating. Document all your thinking, testing, playing, reading, etc in your Process Journal. 

THIS WEEK

Suggestions below. Advisors may re-arrange as is relevant to ritualized week. Each day should include short gatherings, goal setting, documentation, reflection.

Monday:

• Review proposal expectations, deadlines, and everything required to achieve approval of the project. 
• Review Process Journal writing prompts. All students should have 3 complete. If not, please spend time writing today.
• Research plan....what is yours? On Friday, everyone identified at least two immediate next steps. Take them.
• Research resources here.

Tuesday:

• Look at "Beyond the Proposal" above as a whole group. As individuals or in small groups, begin identifying professional models and following the steps above.

Wednesday:

• Juniors & Seniors will attend a required presentation by LTC. The presentation will define what a technical college is and compare it to other future options.
• Sophomores & Freshmen will be able to get individualized support from Project Advisors. Challenge: Prepare flash (2 min) talks about 1) what they made yesterday OR 2) their project in general.

Thursday:

• Juniors & Seniors at Wisconsin Education Fair from 9:00-11:00am
• Opportunity for all Freshman & Sophomores to get completely on track with projects, providing all required evidence for project approval & ELA Process Journals.

Friday:

• Process Journal #4

Friday, October 13, 2017 | Process Journal + Research

Needs:

• Mini-Sticky Notes

Gathering (no more than 15 minutes)

PREP List

Write down your To Do List for the research phase on the sticky notes provided. Only write one task per sticky note. Review and rework your To Do List using the PREP method.

• Prioritize: Sort the tasks into three groups in your Process Journal under the labels Research, Creation, People - Place the tasks that are essential to your research under the Research label. Place the tasks that are essential to your creation under the Creation label. Place the tasks that require you to communicate with other individuals (i.e. pblock advisor, ELA advisor, partner, professional, etc.) under the People label. 
• Reorganize: Predict how much time the two most important tasks will take to complete (doesn’t matter which labels these task are under). Write in a day of the week on those two sticky notes. Separate those sticky notes in your Process Journal. These are the two things next week you will make sure you do by the day you just wrote on the sticky note. 
• Eliminate: Separate two sticky notes that are either unrealistic expectations for the week or things that won’t have a negative impact on your life if they don’t get done. Place these sticky notes under a long-term To Do’s label.
• Plan Ahead: Forecast three important To Do’s that you know you will need to schedule time for in the weeks to come. Also, place these sticky notes under a long-term To Do’s label.

Share out the two most important research tasks you will focus on next week in a Whip Around.

Writing Studio (30 minutes)

Journal Prompt 
Respond to the prompts below directly in your process journal. While there is not one way to write or approach these prompts, you should use specific details in order to make your reflection clear and your ideas understandable. Remember that you will be looking back at this writing and thinking in order to create your essay.

What makes you say that? What is your current understanding of the topic? What are your individual ideas about the topic? What makes you say (or in this case write) that?

I Used To Think...Now I Think? How did the research change your perspective about the topic? 

So What? Based on your current research, why is your topic important? What is important for your audience to learn from your topic What are your next steps in the research process?

ELA Standard
Today’s reflection standard is EVIDENCE.

• How did you gather evidence about your topic? What mediums did you use and why?
• How did you use the evidence you gathered? (i.e. define of topic, summarize topic, support argument, suggest a solution, etc.)

Monday, February 13 | Annotated Bibliography

DO NOW [3 min]
Based on your driving question and initial research from last week, what is your research goal for today? What do you want to learn and how will you use your habits of observation, reasoning/interpreting and self-discipline to obtain this information?
(Document this in your studio time journal or whatever way your P-Block has decided to collect daily goals)

RESEARCH MODEL PRESENTATIONS [3 min each]

ANNOUNCEMENTS + CALENDAR [2 min]

• Annotated Bibs are due FRIDAY, FEB 17
• No school on MONDAY, FEB 20 (President's Day)
• We will start outlining our formal writing on TUESDAY, FEB 21
• Formal writing drafts are due FRIDAY, FEB 24
• ACT FEB 28 and WorkKeys MARCH 1 (Schedule TBD)
• Formal writing final drafts are due THURSDAY, MARCH 2
• No School MARCH 3 (Teacher records day)

Based on the calendar, you WILL have to do home learning in order to get your ELA components completed on time. Please plan accordingly. There is GWT every night (except Weds) after school. 

STUDIO TIME: ANNOTATED BIBS [10:10-11:10]

• Share out your goal for studio time.
• 1-2 Annotations?
• Conference with advisor about driving question?
• Find the answer to these 3 questions...?
• Follow your group norms, being respectful of the learning environment and remaining within your P-Block space.
• Reflect on your goal and set a home learning goal for yourself.

TICKET OUT [11:10-11:15]

• Set a calendar invite for yourself with the time and goal for tonight's home learning based on you progress today. 

Thursday, February 9 | Annotations

DO NOW: RESEARCH MODEL SIGN UP
It is expected that by the end of the 4-week research period, you have presented one of the research tools you used and discussed it's value to your project and extensions for other people to use similar types of evidence. These presentations are no more than 3 minutes long. 

• Your P-Block advisor will have shared a calendar with you. Please comment with your name on the date you would like to present. 
• Please make sure there are no more then 3 people on each day for sake of time. 

DO NEXT: CREATIVE HUNT

• Independently read the student example of an annotated bib. You do not have to read all of them, but you should select at least 2 to observe and analyze for patterns.  
• What is the overall purpose of the annotation? Who is the audience?
• What are the parts within the annotation?
• What are the purposes of each part?
• What is unique about what the author wrote?

GROUP DISCUSSION: CREATIVE HUNT

• Share out observations and thinking (please document for later reference)
• If questions arise, please email Addie for clarification

STUDIO TIME: ANNOTATIONS

Students should have completed their proposal revisions and their initial research by today. The focus of studio time today is to use reasoning and interpreting skills to create annotations for the sources used during research thus far. Students should have at least 3 sources annotated by the end of the week. 

• Set your SMART goal in the space determined by your advisor. 
• Share out your goal with the group (so we can hold each other accountable).
• Write quality annotations per the model and the Humanities site.
• Reflect on your goal.

Annotation reminder: Please use a Google Doc to write your annotations before adding them to Easybib. This will prevent the lose of thinking and writing in case of an automatic refresh. REMEMBER TO SAVE YOUR ANNOTATION BEFORE CLOSING EASYBIB!

CLOSING: WORD. PHRASE. SENTENCE.

Share out 1 word, phrase, or sentence you wrote today in an annotation that you think is unique, creative, or interesting. 

Looking into the future: 

Tomorrow we will craft our driving questions. It is also the day your first research check-point is due. Your advisors will be assessing your habits of wondering and observing over the last week of research phase. 

Wednesday, February 8 | Research Studio Time

DO NOW: COMPASS POINTS [10 min]

Purpose: Students will look closely at the evidence of their thinking and learning, in order to create a detailed summary of their progress and identify next steps.

• Independently, all students should look at their feedback on their documents (physical and/or digital). Staff should respond to or collect clarifying questions.
• Independently, all students should complete a detailed compass points for their project or their role in their group project. Emphasis on detailed!
• N >> What do you need to know? Clarifying questions you have for staff or about your own topic? What are your priorities going into research?
• E >> What are you most excited about now and in the near future?
• W >> What are you worried about? What specific obstacles are you facing in your project?
• S >> What are your immediate next steps? What does your feedback suggest that you need to do? What suggestions do you have for yourself?

PAIR SHARE [8 min]

• Students should find a partner- not in the same group  and preferably one who they don't normally work with
• Share your compass points with each other
• Review them, add comments with feedback offering additional suggestions and adding more detail.

SHARE OUT [5 min]

• What questions or need to knows are there for the good of the group?
• Advisors, please share these with Tim and Addie. 

STUDIO TIME: CLOSED QUESTIONS [8:20-8:50]

Purpose: Students will continue or begin research, according to the next steps identified above. Staff will check in with each student, giving emphasis to students who do not have completed or approved proposals.

• Identify a studio time goal. Share it.
• (Note: This will become a routine. Where will students in your group document studio time goals and progress? How and when will reflection take place? Tomorrow's gathering will be focused on this.)
• Staff will set priorities for conferencing during studio time.
• Reflection on studio time.

Proposals should be completed, revised, and ready for assessment by this point. In order to have enough quality time researching, it is important to continue moving forward. This means additional time outside of P-Block time. 

TICKET OUT: 1 interesting or exciting piece of information from your research today. 1 additional question you added to your document

Tuesday, February 7 | Research Phase Officially Begins

Today, we will be starting in our RESEARCH groups. Please be on time and ready to share your ideas with your new group. 

DO NOW: SHARE THINKING [3 min]
Share your P-Block folder (which should have ALL you documents and thinking in it) with your new advisor.

DO NEXT: PREPARE ELEVATOR SPEECH [5 min]
You have 30 seconds in an elevator with someone who is looking to fund a new project. They already know what P-Block is, but they don't know anything about your project. 
Prepare a 30 second elevator speech about your project, the problem, your plan, etc. Even if you are working in a group, everyone must share one out.

GATHERING: SHARE SPEECHES [1 min total per person]
Everyone in the group will take turns standing in front of the group sharing their speech. 30 second speech + 30 second thumb vote and feedback.
At the transition, the next person should come up front and the Feedback Collector should be giving the notes to the previous presenter.

Presenter: In 30 seconds, convince the audience to buy into your project. Then, listen respectfully for 30 seconds to feedback.

Audience: Listen respectfully for 30 second speech while writing any questions or feedback you have for the presenter. After the presentation, participate in a thumb vote and 30 seconds of feedback.

Time Keeper: Please keep time for the presenter and the feedback

Task Manager: Please help the time keeper by redirecting the group back to the task when necessary

Feedback Collector: Collect the feedback after each presentation and make sure it gets to the presenter


STUDIO TIME | PROPOSAL REVISIONS + CLOSED QUESTIONS  [at least 30 min]
1. Review and revise your proposals. These will be your first ELA P-Block grade of the semester. Please make sure you have considered all feedback provided to you. It might be helpful to look through the feedback from your elevator speech and make sure the questions that were asked are answered or reiterated in your proposal.

2. Closed questions research and more questions. This semester the first few days of research phase will be dedicated to answering the questions you posed during ideation and asking more.

• Determine the way you will be collecting and documenting your research. 
• Answer your CLOSED QUESTIONS today. What do you need to know about your topic that will give you a better understanding of it and the problems related to it?
• Ask MORE QUESTIONS. Throughout today, you should add at least 2-5 MORE questions to your open and closed question document (it might be helpful to do this in a different color)
• Cite and annotate sources in Easybib
• Create your annotations in a Google Doc first. In the past, we have had trouble with Easybib reloading randomly and students losing annotations. To safeguard against that, please write the annotation in a doc first and then copy and paste it into Easybib. REMEMBER TO SAVE YOUR ANNOTATIONS!

TICKET OUT [5 min]
What is 1 interesting/intriguing fact/idea you learned today? What is 1 additional question that came out of your research today?

Monday, October 17 | Formal Writing Revisions

REMINDERS

• Formal writing components are DUE on Friday, October 21, 2016. You should setup a writer’s conference with Addie to discuss your essay before this date.
• Even if you have gotten feedback from Addie, all new reading and research should be added to your Annotated Bibliography throughout your project.
• YEAR-LONGS should have their panels scheduled and Addie should be present at your meeting. Please remember you are still required to complete all writing components by deadlines stated above. 

Advisors should continue to use the spreadsheet for attendance.


GUIDING QUESTIONS

• Who are we as a community of thinkers, researchers, and innovators?
• How does the world work?
• How do the needs of my community and audience influence my research?

OBJECTIVES:

• Disciplinary groups will continue to grow as a community of wonderers and project managers.
• Students will engage in academic research and writing.
• Students will reflect on their experience and approach to research, identifying specific next steps.
• Students will organize and create their essays by thinking about how we support our thinking in the writing process.

DO NOW:

• Print your research paper.
• Dan, Addie, Timi--> Office via advisor
• Erin, Stuart, Molly --> Hallway printer via student Chromebooks
• Heather, Becky, Mike, and Tim--> Beckah's room via advisor
• Read through our current draft with 3 colored pencils or highlighters
• Color 1: Highlight your thesis statement (your claim)
• Color 2: Highlight the argument in each paragraph that supports your claim
• How closely is this statement related to your claim? It is a loose connection or can the reader clearly see the connection and its support for your argument?
• Color 3: Highlight the evidence you used to support the argument
• Do you have a quote from your research? How did you explain the quote?
• How did you connect your evidence to your argument? What moves did you make as a writer? 

STUDIO WRITING TIME:

• Make revisions to the portion of your paper you identify needs the most depth added.
• DRAFTING AND REVISION: Self-reflection questions to consider during the writing process:
• Have I constructed an argument or am I merely summarizing the topic?
• Do I have sufficient evidence that supports my ideas rather than summarizes them? 
• Does my writing include a SO WHAT in which I identify the intent of my essay and what I want my audience to do with this the information presented in it?

• By the end of the day today, please make sure you have a solid, complete draft with all necessary paragraphs (intro, definition, argument x 3, and conclusion). 

REFLECTION:

• What did you accomplish and complete today during studio time? 
• What are your next steps tonight for Home Learning and tomorrow for IDEAS Block?

Wednesday, October 5 | Read, Research, Annotate

Annotated bibliographies are due on Friday, October 7.  Instructions will be posted then on how to submit them professionally to Addie.

See an outstanding example that has already been submitted:
Superior Annotated Bibliography

Tuesday, October 4 | Reading, Researching, Annotating

Annotated bibliographies are due on Friday. Addie has already started grading ones that have been submitted early.


DO NOW: View an outstanding example of superior work.

Senior Level Annotated Bibliography



STUDIO TIME: Read, research, and annotate.


Schedule an appointment with Addie if you need help.

Writing Center


Students with year long projects, check Erin's blog.

Year Long Projects 2016-2017

Week of October 3-7 | Annotated Bibliographies

This is a reading week. We'll search and re-search...

...Research is a recursive process that allows for the rethinking, rephrasing, reimagining, and reframing of an idea. It involves careful searching and, as the idea becomes more clear and simultaneously more complex, more and more searching. Successful research will create an enormous gap between what you knew at the beginning and what you understand at the end. This understanding can only be accomplished through reading; real reading means immersing yourself in the ideas and experts surrounding the original idea. You should even go beyond this by thinking in new and divergent ways about your idea, by allowing the inevitable spiral of questions to emerge, by searching laterally for topics next to your ideas, and by persisting. Research is adventure.

This is also a writing week. We'll compose our analysis and responses to what we find in our searching.

Annotated Bibliographies should show a range of sources:

• foundational scholars and artists (like if I'm studying cubism in visual art, I better annotate a writing and/or painting by Picasso or if I'm studying Buddhism, I should definitely look at Siddhartha...am I right!)
• contemporary discussions of the ideas, including opposing perspectives (like if I'm looking at immigration, I better annotate a speech by President Obama and an article or op-ed by Donald Trump)
• personal inspirations for the project (like if I've listened to Run DMC since I was 8 and now I'm making a Hip Hop Opera, I should include "My Adidas" as a source and professional model)

Our Research Page has supporting materials for research and annotation. Deadline for turning in Annotated Bibliographies to Addie is Friday, October 7th. 

We strongly suggest annotating a source right after reading it.  (Do not wait until you've read all of your sources and then go back and annotate.) 

Each disciplinary group should determine the conditions for research this week. Incorporate, gatherings, do nows, studio goals, reflections, feedback, professional models at your discretion. We are all still working toward the same things: building an intellectual community within our groups, developing our habits of mind and applying our habits of learning, practicing academic research, developing creative and innovative projects that are relevant to ourselves and our communities that we will share them with.

Please continue to use the attendance sheet.


MONDAY>>  Reading day.

TUESDAY>>  Reading and annotating day.

WEDNESDAY>>  Reading and annotating day.

THURSDAY>>  Reading and annotating day.

FRIDAY>>  Reading and annotating day. DEADLINE for Annotated Bibliography

Note: All students with year long projects need to check Erin’s blog daily.

Year Long Projects 2016-2017

Friday, September 30 | Research

The continued focus today is on research and annotation. Please use your group norms and emphasize the importance of documenting thinking: studio goals and reflections, annotations, concept maps, definitions, sketches, prototypes, professional models and thinking routines. Keep it all.


GATHERING: So what?
Purpose: Reconnecting with the significance of projects, going beyond what is already known and made.

Quick Jot (write for 5 minutes without stopping):

• What is it about your project that prevents anyone from saying "So what?" after you tell them about it?
• What is your personal commitment to the ideas, emotions, and outcomes of your project?
• If someone took this project away from you, what would you still be fighting for?
• If someone were going to provide $100,000 of funding to just one IDEAS Block Project, why should it be yours?

Highlight 10 key words/phrases
Share out (Challenge each other...so what?)
Compare these 10 words/phrases to your Headline from last week.
Pair Share: How are you doing? What do you need?


STUDIO TIME: Replicate your agreed upon norms for setting and documenting goals, generating/suggesting studio time activities, and reflection at the end of the time.
(Note: Staff are encouraged to share sources with students.)

Students with Year Long Projects, check Erin's blog: Year Long Projects 2016-2017


REFLECTION: Credibility of Research
Purpose: Provide an opportunity to confirm or challenge quality of research sources.

• Circle Up
• Share one source, explain the characteristics that make the source credible
• Document characteristics of credible sources for the group.

NOTES:

• All students will be doing an annotated bibliography this semester. The deadline is next Friday, October 7. 
• This means that some reading and annotating may need to take place outside of project block time.
• Check it: If you can't stop thinking about your project because you are so intrigued by its potential to solve, change, impact, express something important to you, then reading should be something you want to do.
• If this is not the case, what do you need to do to modify your project focus?

Thursday, September 29 | Research and Annotation

As groups begin to understand who they are, regarding practices, personalities, and projects it's important to continue incorporating gatherings where students can articulate their thinking and commitments to their projects and intent. 

The continued focus this week is on research and annotation. Please use your group norms and emphasize the importance of documenting thinking: studio goals and reflections, annotations, concept maps, definitions, sketches, prototypes, professional models and thinking routines. Keep it all.

Please take attendance using the spreadsheet.

DO NOW: Professional Model (continued from yesterday, optional)
Purpose: Look closely at professional work in order to gain insight on how the creative process is used to fulfill an intention; gain inspiration for projects; discuss how professional models serve as part of academic research.
Staff can choose from any of these possibilities, or explore your own:

• Solipsism
• Cymatics
• Kinetic Art

GATHERING: Sentence Starts

Purpose: Share and reconnect with the larger vision of the project and Habits of Learning.
Circle up and complete the following sentence by taking turns.

• "When I become famous because of this project, it will be because..."
• "Something that I need to gain an in-depth understanding of, in order to do this project well is..."

STUDIO TIME: Replicate your agreed upon norms for setting and documenting goals, generating/suggesting studio time activities, and reflection at the end of the time.

1. Students with year long projects: check Erin’s blog: Year Long Projects Blog
2. All students: communicate with advisors, document, document, document your thinking.
3. Staff: add notes to the spreadsheet, for helpful ideas on possible advisor moves.

REFLECTION: Share out a key word from your research and its definition.

NOTES:

1. All students will be doing an annotated bibliography this semester. The deadline is next Friday, October 7th.
2. Some reading and annotating may need to take place outside of project block time.
3. Check it: If you can't stop thinking about your project because you are so intrigued by its potential to solve, change, impact, express something important to you, then reading should be something you want to do. 
4. If this is not the case, what do you need to do to modify your project focus?

Wednesday, September 28 | Revisions and Research

Please be patient with students finishing proposals and those needing to join or leave your group to get individualized support. Our goal is to get everyone in the right spot by Friday morning.

Please take attendance using the spreadsheet. A friendly reminder to read proposals of your group members and provide feedback.

DO NOW: Revisit Norms
Purpose: Provide an opportunity for all students to have voice in and to commit to norms.

• Take some silent think time to observe yesterday's chalk talk or other products from norms discussion
• Clarifying questions?
• Values? 
• Concerns? (Things you can't live with?)
• Suggestions? (Missing things you can't live without?)
• Vote

STUDIO TIME: Reading Day
Purpose: All students should refine proposals to the extent possible, organize research resources and plans, and get to a point of reading today.  Use established norms for setting and communicating studio time goals.

Possible Studio Activities:

• Refining proposals, establishing clear project expectations between students and staff
• Set up EasyBib project for Annotated Bibliography
• Identify reading list, search terms, open/closed questions to answer
• Locate a source
• Read
• Annotate

Reflect on and communicate progress on studio time goal

PROFESSIONAL MODEL: Staff Selected (if time...this could also be a Do Now for tomorrow)
Purpose: Look closely at professional work in order to gain insight on how the creative process is used to fulfill an intention; gain inspiration for projects; discuss how professional models serve as part of academic research.

• Introduce professional model
• Share model
• Thinking Routine
• Together, try creating a citation and annotation for this model as a piece of academic research. Annotate it as you would any article or book. Do this in a discussion format to expose the kinds of thinking involved.

Monday, September 26 | Proposal Revision and Initial Research

Today we will meet in disciplinary groups for the first time. In this transition it is important to be attentive to details and communication.

DO NOW: Gathering in Ideation Groups [10:00-10:10]
Purpose: Transition from Ideation Groups to Disciplinary Groups.

• Check proposals for feedback from new advisors
• Disciplinary Group lists are in the advisor’s tabs on the spreadsheet.
• Transition to new Disciplinary Groups

DO NEXT: Another GATHERING : Now in new groups [10:10-10:20]
Purpose: Get to know the other people and projects in the group.
Metaphor:

• Each person should choose an object from the room that represents their project idea/question. Take a few minutes to choose something meaningful and prepare an explanation of what problem you are trying to solve or what emotion, thought, or idea you are trying express through your project.
• [Example: My project is like an old photo of sturgeon fishermen, because I am taking on the heavy concept of institutionalized racism. I want to harpoon it by pulling racism out of systems, exposing it like this man with his fish above the ice. I also want to anthologize important stories and perspectives from the past.]
• Circle up and share these metaphors.
• After everyone has shared, debrief the gathering by discussing patterns and connections.

STATUS UPDATE: Compass Points [10:20-10:30]
Purpose: Students will look closely at the evidence of their thinking and learning, in order to create a detailed summary of their progress and identify next steps.

• Independently, all students should look at their feedback on their documents (physical and/or digital). Staff should respond to or collect clarifying questions.
• Independently, all students should complete a detailed compass points for their project or their role in their group project. Emphasis on detailed! This can be digital or on paper.

N >> What do you need to know? Clarifying questions you have for staff or about your own topic? What are your priorities going into research?
E >> What are you most excited about now and in the near future?
W >> What are you worried about? What specific obstacles are you facing in your project?
S >> What are your immediate next steps? What does your feedback suggest that you need to do? What suggestions do you have for yourself?

• Students should share these with at least one other student, getting feedback, additional suggestions, and adding more detail.

STUDIO TIME: Next Steps [10:30-11:05]
Purpose: Students will refine proposals or begin research, according to the next steps identified above. Staff will check in with each student, giving emphasis to students who do not have completed or approved proposals.

• Identify a studio time goal. Share it.
• (Note: This will become a routine. Where will students in your group document studio time goals and progress? How and when will reflection take place? Tomorrow's gathering will be focused on this.)
• Staff will set priorities for conferencing during studio time.
• Reflection on studio time.

YEAR LONG PROJECT BLOG

Students who are working on Year Long Projects should clink on the link above today, and conference with Erin tomorrow.


CLOSING: Two Word Wave [11:05-11:15]
Purpose: All voices share a reflection on their studio time.

• Circle up
• Think Time: What is one word to describe how you feel about the transition to research today? What is one word to describe your next step tomorrow?
• Share two words

Week of September 26-30 | Proposal Clarity & Research Phase

We will be meeting in project disciplines this week. The student-staff pairings are based primarily on student proposals, some of which are still being revised and completed. If changes need to be made to disciplinary groups, they will be made collaboratively starting on Wednesday and concluding on Friday morning.

It is a priority to make thinking visible throughout the research phase, so that we can see how our thinking changes, what influences us, what challenges us, and how we use our community and resources to learn and create. Keep group thinking alive in the room. Keep individual notes in manilla folders and Google Drive.

Please take attendance using the spreadsheet.

OBJECTIVES THIS WEEK

• Build community within disciplinary groups - learning about each other as wonderers and project managers.
• Refine project ideas and articulate thorough proposals.
• Engage in Academic Research and utilize the IDEAS Language Arts Research and Annotation Guide to 1) Locate credible sources for projects, 2) Read and annotate sources, 3) Manage an EasyBib project. 
• Analyze and select professionals models and inspirations related to a particular concept in academic content or art form.
• Reflect on Habits of Learning.

MONDAY>>
Start with ideation groups, then we will meet in disciplinary groups for the first time today. We will get to know the people and projects in the groups in order to begin building community. Students will identify specific needs, refine proposals, and begin research.

TUESDAY>>
Groups will establish norms for research in their space and with their resources. This will be a reading and conferencing day - working toward Annotated Bibliographies.

WEDNESDAY>>
Staff will share a professional model, establishing structures for collecting professional models as part of research. Adjustments to disciplinary groups, if needed.

THURSDAY>>
Reading and conferencing day.

FRIDAY>>
Reading day. Students will share Annotated Bibliography drafts for feedback and recommendations.


As we enter the research phase of IDEAS Block, consider these elements of our learning community:

Freshmen: All freshmen complete an extended bibliography during Fall 2016 semester. During the Spring 2017 semester, freshmen complete a traditional annotated bibliography along with a traditional research paper.

Research Paper: All sophomores, juniors, and seniors need to complete a research paper UNLESS they have had another formal writing component pre-approved by Addie based on the needs of their project. In order to receive this pre-approval, students need to set up a formal writing conference with Addie in The Writing Center.

Unfortunately, students have tried to use other writing endeavors in order to "get out" of truly demonstrating writing standards. Summaries of projects or "persuasive" arguments that merely supply the student's opinion are NOT accepted.

Acceptable formal writing endeavors are listed under the Academic Writing tab on the Humanities website.

Wednesday Sept. 7| Mini Project Week Day 2 | Research and Experimentation

Note: Please mark attendance on the spreadsheet. Help students who were absent find a home. Add their names. Please be mindful of group sizes.
How can we improve our Super Natural world?
Who are we as a community of thinkers, innovators?

Today's objective is to establish a clear direction for the group and begin a research process that explores both open and closed questions related to the topic. Another aspect of research for this project will be to identify at least one professional model that is in conversation with the subject and discipline. Since research provides credibility and support for the project, it will be essential to look carefully at carrying out this process meaningfully and anticipating how the research will be communicated to the audience.

DO NOW:  (11:35-11:45)
Circle up! "Word Whip"
Go around the circle having each person to share the one word that stands out to them when they think about last week's project and ideation. Discuss questions, concerns.

IDEATION: (11:45-12:00)
Spend a few minutes clarifying the topic(s) and question(s) that the group decided on last week Friday. What direction are you going? Make the initial plans, thoughts, ideas visible in the room.

QUESTIONS: (12:00-12:45)

To begin the research process, generate lists of CLOSED and OPEN questions that you and/or your audience needs to know. Document these.

• CLOSED Questions: Closed questions represent the questions you need answered in order to understand the background information about your project topic. These answers are easily found in research.

• Definitions
• Facts and statistics
• Single correct answers
• Example: What is the Declaration of Independence?

• OPEN Questions: Open questions are answered using knowledge of the topic (closed questions) and in-depth analysis. These questions are based on concepts rather than tangible information.

• Based on concepts or ideas
• Requires background information on the topic Includes analysis of the topic
• Has at least one correct answer or many
• Example: Why is the Declaration of Independence a persuasive document?

RESEARCH:  (12:45-1:30)
As a group, determine the best way to approach research: Individual tasks? Research groups? Begin studio time with each person stating a goal/direction. Keep in mind that it is necessary to have quality sources, annotations representing the reading, and model projects.

• EXAMPLES of QUALITY SOURCES
• New York Times
• Badgerlink
• Library of Congress
• Use Google Search Tips: MIT
• Other…

• ANNOTATION FORMATS
• Claim Support Question
• Annotated Bibliography
• Word, Phrase, Sentence
• Creative Hunt
• Other… (Use your own!)
• MODEL PROJECT MINES
• Creator's Project
• Kickstarter
• Behance
• Other…

SYNTHESIS: (1:30-1:45)
Come back together so that each person has an opportunity to report out on their research. What can we say, now that we have done research? Revisit the original topic, open questions, and closed questions to determine what has been resolved or needs to be revised. What is essential? Brainstorm project details....creating tomorrow!

TICKET OUT: (1:45-2:00)

Quick Jot:

As we progress into creation phase, what role(s) do you foresee being your place within the group?   

Lunch for Tomorrow:
Discuss with your group the option of working through lunch with a group open lunch.  There must be a consensus of where lunch will be and that everyone wants to participate.  Ordering food in is an option for working in during lunch but everyone must on board, otherwise lunch is CLOSED on Thursday.

Week of February 16th - 19th | Annotated Bibliographies

This is a reading week. We'll search and re-search...

...Research is a recursive process that allows for the rethinking, rephrasing, reimagining, and reframing of an idea. It involves careful searching and, as the idea becomes more clear and simultaneously more complex, more and more searching. Successful research will create an enormous gap between what you knew at the beginning and what you understand at the end. This understanding can only be accomplished through reading; real reading means immersing yourself in the ideas and experts surrounding the original idea. You should even go beyond this by thinking in new and divergent ways about your idea, by allowing the inevitable spiral of questions to emerge, by searching laterally for topics next to your ideas, and by persisting. Research is adventure. 

This is also a writing week. We'll compose our analysis and responses to what we find in our searching. Annotated Bibliographies should show a range of sources: foundational scholars and artists (like if I'm studying cubism in visual art, I better annotate a writing and/or painting by Picasso or if I'm studying Buddhism, I should definitely look at Siddhartha...am I right!); contemporary discussions of the ideas, including opposing perspectives (like if I'm looking at immigration, I better annotate a speech by President Obama and an article or op-ed by Donald Trump); personal inspirations for the project (like if I've listened to Run DMC since I was 8 and now I'm making a Hip Hop Opera, I should include "My Adidas" as a source and professional model).

Our Research Page has supporting materials for research and annotation. Deadline for turning in Annotated Bibliographies to Humanities teachers, Addie and Kimberly, is Friday, February 19th. 

We strongly suggest annotating a source right after reading it.
(Do not wait until you've read all of your sources and then go back and annotate.) 

Each disciplinary group should determine the conditions for research this week. Incorporate, gatherings, do nows, studio goals, reflections, feedback, professional models at your discretion. We are all still working toward the same things: building an intellectual community within our groups, developing our habits of mind and applying our habits of learning, practicing academic research, developing creative and innovative projects that are relevant to ourselves and our communities that we will share them with.

ALPHA should be updated this week; until we get word from Sam; please continue to use the attendance sheet.

MONDAY>>

Reading day...at home.

TUESDAY>>

Reading and annotating day.

WEDNESDAY>>

Reading and annotating day.

THURSDAY>>

Reading and annotating day.

FRIDAY>>

Reading and annotating day. DEADLINE for Annotated Bibliography

Note: All students/groups with year long projects should schedule panel discussions with staff in the next week. We will want to know your specific project plans for the semester, how you are building meaningfully on first semester, and who would be good professionals for you to work with.

Friday, February 11th | So what? Reading Day

Attendance sheets are updated. Please help students get to their project homes. Remember to remain familiar with proposals and update Jupiter Semester 2 is in Trimester 3.

The continued focus this week is on research and annotation. Please use your group norms and emphasize the importance of documenting thinking: studio goals and reflections, annotations, concept maps, definitions, sketches, prototypes, professional models and thinking routines. Keep it all.

GATHERING: So what?
Purpose: Reconnecting with the significance of projects, going beyond what is already known and made. 

• Quick Jot (write for 5 minutes without stopping): What is it about your project that prevents anyone from saying "So what?" after you tell them about it? What is your personal commitment to the ideas, emotions, and outcomes of your project? If someone took this project away from you, what would you still be fighting for? If someone were going to provide $100,000 of funding to just one IDEAS Block Project, why should it be yours?
• Highlight 10 key words/phrases
• Share out (Challenge each other...so what?)
• Compare these 10 words/phrases to your Headline from last week. 
• Pair Share: How are you doing? What do you need?

STUDIO TIME: Replicate your agreed upon norms for setting and documenting goals, generating/suggesting studio time activities, and reflection at the end of the time.
(Note: Staff are encouraged to share sources with students.)

REFLECTION: Credibility of Research

Purpose: Provide an opportunity to confirm or challenge quality of research sources.

• Circle Up
• Share one source, explain the characteristics that make the source credible
• Document characteristics of credible sources for the group.

NOTES: 

• Don't forget about the VisArts mind map. Posted in the hallway outside of the office. Aspire!
• All students will be doing an annotated bibliography this semester. The deadline is next Friday, February 18th. This means that some reading and annotating may need to take place outside of project block time....check it, if you can't stop thinking about your project because you are so intrigued by its potential to solve, change, impact, express something important to you, then reading should be something you want to do. If this is not the case, what do you need to do to modify your project focus?
• Students with year long projects, your staff would like to meet with you. Please arrange a time to meet with your project block advisor, Kimberly, and other staff members who have some background in your project. We'd like to discuss the following:
• What were tangible and intellectual accomplishments from Semester 1?
• What is your specific plan for this coming Semester 2?
• How are you challenging yourself to be creative and innovative beyond what you have already done and what others have done?
• Who are the professionals or professional fields that you would like represented on your end of year panel?
• Probably an EoL will not be enough to share a year of work, so what makes the most sense for a time, space, and environment to share your work? 

Tuesday, February 8th | Research & Norms

Today's focus is to establish organizational structures for research and norms for studio time. Students should be involved in these choices as much as possible, but it is helpful to have consensus.

Please be patient with students finishing proposals and those needing to join or leave your group to get individualized support. Our goal is to get everyone in the right spot by Friday morning.  

Please take attendance using the Attendance | Research Phase | Spring 2016 document. A friendly reminder to read proposals of your group members, provide feedback, and update Jupiter.

GATHERING: Return to Compass Points
Purpose: Understand how the group is feeling about their research.

• Look at Compass Points, created yesterday
• Circle Up
• Each person shares out one worry and one excitement 
• Debrief by discussing how the group might address the worries

SILENT CONVERSATION / CHALK TALK: Research Structures and Studio Time Norms

Purpose: Expose prior experiences, make connections, and establish effective research structures and Studio Time Norms for the group.

• On a large piece of paper (available in the office) or whiteboard, write the question: "What makes the research process and studio time experience effective?"
• Students are invited to, at any point during studio time today, to contribute to the silent conversation. It is valuable to draw from prior experiences and generate as many ideas as possible. 

STUDIO TIME: Complete Proposals & Begin Research

Purpose: Clarify project intentions, define key terms, become with research resources (again).

• Capture notes on the following on the chalk talk poster/board:
• How do you know what your studio time goal should be?
• What makes a studio time goal meaningful?
• Where do you like to write your studio time goal? Why?
• Generate a list of possible goals for this Studio Time today
• Complete or revise proposal, request feedback from staff
• Define key terms from multiple perspectives
• Find artists who use a technique or form I am interested in, catalogue their work
• Tour the Academic Research resources on the IDEAS Humanities website
• Set studio time goals. Share them.

SILENT CONVERSATION / CHALK TALK : Research Structures and Studio Time Norms

Purpose: Build consensus about research structures and studio time norms.

• Bring everyone's attention to the chalk talk. Use some silent writing time to add to the map and, most importantly, annotate the map. Underline, circle, star meaningful portions of the conversation. Raise clarifying questions. Staff should participate.
• Step back. 
• What do you notice? What does this conversation and our experiences with research and studio time suggest we should do each day, in order to make the most of our time? What can we agree to?
• Write a list of "must haves"

...

-Staff should prepare to share a professional model with a thinking routine tomorrow (Wednesday). 

-Please bring recommendations for students moving to new groups to the staff meeting Wednesday afternoon.