This example is part two of the lesson that focuses on researching a topic to then turn those notes into an expository paragraph. During day one of this lesson, students selected and researched a discrimination topic, pulling specific details from those websites or articles as evidence to use in their paragraph. On day two of the lesson, students then watched as I modeled how to turn their notes into an expository (perfect) paragraph. This entire lesson focused on credible sources, using notes, and writing an expository piece using their notes.

This entire lesson was a multi-step process which mimics research projects and papers that most college professors require in their courses, which means that the objectives for the students covered multiple standards for English. Firstly, students practiced the skill of researching and accrediting reliable information online that would pertain to their case and the information that they wanted to inform their reader about. Secondly, students implemented the particular process of note taking during their research process to obtain information that they could use in the final stage of the lesson. Thirdly, students then used their notes to produce an expository paragraph, informing their readers (myself and my mentor teacher) about their chosen discrimination topic. Students were asked to highlight particular parts of the paragraph to showcase that they could construct a paragraph that engaged the reader, provided evidence and location for the information, and how it pertained to the topic stated in their topic sentence. 

My example which students had access to in order to aid them when turning their notes into a paragraph. -->

I found that this group of students struggled with a multi-step lesson if the steps were not clearly drawn out and there were specific instructions of what to do, how to accomplish the task, and what was expected. Having the students utilize the research notes chart simplified the information that the students gathered because each section pertained to some part of the expectations in the paragraph. Even going step by step while writing the paragraph engaged the students, especially while I was physically modeling turning my notes into a paragraph, instead of setting the expectation of having the entire paragraph due by the end of the period. Yes, the expectation for homework was to complete the paragraph, however, the students were given enough time in class, with myself and my mentor teacher available for assistance, to start on the paragraph. It is the initial start that most of the students struggle with, but once they have a model to follow as well as the first sentence written, most students completed their paragraphs before the end of the day.