Date: 13 November 2013 Teacher: Darryl Plummer Course Name: Geography Unit: Europe Lesson: Peer Edit Total

Estimated Time: One 35 minute period (late start)

Overview: Peer editing is a useful way to discover weak points of ones writing. Another set of eyes can determine grammar or mechanical issues the writer has overlooked. Additionally, an editor is more likely to see weaknesses in the writers argument or where information does not seem to mesh or flow. In this lesson, students will conduct a peer edit of each others rough drafts of the Basque country paragraph using a prepared peer review sheet. This lesson does not cover state geography standards, but rather 21st century skills. Additionally, due to classroom time constraints, I am unable to provide meaningful feedback to all students on their writing and hope that their peers can. Finally, my hope is that students will pick up ideas for their own writing by reading other students writing as well.

Standards: No state standards

21st Century Skills: 1. Learning and innovation skills a. Communication and collaboration skills 2. Information, media, and technology skills a. Information literacy 3. Life and career skills a. Social and cross-cultural skills Daily Objectives: Students will be able to (SWBAT) Point out strong and weak points of a peers paragraph Recommend ways to improve the paragraph

Subdivide the paragraph into different sections Identify the parts of a paragraph present in the peers paragraph (topic sentence, 3 details, conclusion)

Preparation: Rough drafts written Peer review sheets printed

Materials: Peer review sheets Rough drafts

Pre-Assessment: None given. Anticipatory Set: Students have been aware we will be doing a peer edit on this day. I will explain to students that they will be held accountable for the suggestions they give other students. Additionally, they will be held accountable if their peer reviewer suggests good changes and they fail to act on them. Connection to previous learning or life: We have not done a peer review yet in this class. However, students are all familiar with the format I expect and the topic on which they are writing. Agenda for the Board: Will be written on the board: Schedule on back white board

Instruction/Activity Day 1 1. I expect this to be a rowdy class period due to the late start. To counter this, I plan on regimenting the peer review thoroughly. I will not hand out peer review sheets and turn students lose. They will be given X amount of minutes to complete every task. 2. I also had hoped to do this activity on a full day. However the way things happened, I have 35 minutes. Again, to ensure everything gets done, I will regiment the class and organize student time for them.

3. I will start by collecting rough drafts and annotating who turned one in. If a student did not turn in a rough draft, they will not take part in this activity. 4. I will hand out the peer review sheet and explain it. I will make it clear that the student they are reviewing will NOT be graded based on what they say and they are simply lending a helping hand. 5. I will explain that it is ok to offer constructive criticism, but not to be critical without purpose. 6. I will hand out briefly explain each section of the the peer review sheet to students. 7. I will hand out papers so that students are in pairs. This will lessen the time it takes for students to hand back the papers and discuss the changes. 8. I will give tell them they have 20 minutes to complete the peer review sheet. If students appear to be finishing before this, I will cut this section short. 9. I will have students meet with each other to discuss the peer review sheets and any other changes they see in the paragraph. 10. I will inform students that when they turn in the final draft, it will be stapled to the peer review sheet and their rough draft. 11. The entire packet will be due the following day at the end of class. The following day is a review day, but I did not think it was fair to give an assignment in which there was no class time to work on it during class. I suspect most students will have the final draft completed at the beginning of class the following day, but I did not want to force them.

Closure: Due to time constraints, there will be little time for closure. I will re-iterate that nobodys paper is perfect and that I expect to see changes implemented on the final draft. Post Assessment: Post Assessment is the final draft.

Potential Modifications: 1. I could give a lesson on peer reviewing prior to this activity. This would eliminate or lessen the need for a defined peer review sheet. I probably would have done a mini-lessen (10-15 minutes) if this was a full class period.