BECOMING AN EXPERT (BAE)

Grade 3
Name:__________________
Date:_____________
Welcome expert to be! These pages will help you get and keep
organized while you are learning about your topic. There are many
steps in becoming an expert, and you will follow them one at a time.
In the end, you will know a lot more about your topic!
We are researching Native American tribes. There are four major
geographic areas in the United States where most of the tribes lived:
The Plains, The Woodlands (NE/SE), The Southwest and The Northwest.
There are many tribes that lived within these four areas. The type of
housing a tribe lived in, the kind of food they ate, and the clothing that
they wore all depended upon where that tribe was located throughout
the U.S.
You will pick one tribe that you would like to know more about.
Then youll learn how they lived. Youll start this by thinking of five (5)
questions to help you find facts as you read about your particular tribe.
Try to imagine yourself as living during this time period and compare
the similarities and differences. Imagine -- no stores!
Assignment 1: Picking a tribe of your choice: (Due by 10/16/15)
You are going to pick a Native American Indian tribe of your
choice. It should be a tribe and an area that interests you -- a tribe you
want to learn more about. In other words, a tribe you want to become
an expert about in regards to their culture, customs and community.
My tribe will be _______________________________
Geographic Area______________________________
Assignment 2: Questions you have about your topic: (Due by
10/16/15)
Make a list of five (5) questions you want to find the answers to
during your reading and research. When you write a questions, the first
word should be capitalized and it should end with a (?) mark. Your
questions could include facts for: what your tribe ate, how they got
their food, the clothing worn in the tribe, the type of housing they
made and lived in, the type of climate and area they lived in, what
did they do during their day, what did they believe in, how did they
work together as a community, what made their culture and customs
unique, what the children did.
1.______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________

2.______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________
3.______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________
4.______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________
5.______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________
Assignment 3: General Resources (Due 10/16/15)
Thinks about generally where you can find information about
your tribe. In other words, what resources could you use to try to find
information about your tribe? Write four ideas below and whether
youd find them at home (H), school (S) or other (O).
1.________________________
2.________________________ 3.
_______________________ 4.________________________
Assignment 4: List the SPECIFIC books, magazine titles and
resources that you are using to find information about your
tribe. START READING! NOTE: If its the internet, write the
specific web address, not just yahoo.com You need to use a
variety of resources, not just the internet. (Due 10/30/15)
1.____________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________
3.____________________________________________________
4.____________________________________________________
Your family may need to help you with your resources. Therefore,
please have them approve your choices in Assignment 4 above. Also,
please have your parents sign below to show that youve discussed
this project with them.
My child and I have discussed this project, the resources, and the
importance of keeping on schedule with the due dates.

_________________________________________________
Parents Signature
Date

Assignment 5: Note Taking (Due by 11/20/15)

Taking notes is a skill that requires you as a reader to think about
what youve read and then take the information and write it in your
own words. This is call paraphrasing. As you read books on your
tribe, think of the questions youre asking. When you come across facts
or interesting information, think about which question it addresses.
You will take notes on index cards. Put one fact on each
card as well as the title and author of the book or reference source
where you got the fact, the page number you found the fact or
information on, and the question it addresses. Each question must
have a card for the main idea, three supporting facts, and a
card to close the paragraph; thats five cards for each
question. The cards will be able to be shuffled to place them in a
proper sequential paragraph order.
Example: Question 1: First card is the topic sentence to answer
the question: How did the Cherokee tribe get their food?
The early Cherokee farmed and hunted in the
southern Appalachian region to get their food. World Book
Encyclopedia, p. 408
Assignment 6: Rough Draft (Due by 12/11/15)
Use your index cards to help you organize the facts for your
rough draft. First, think about the facts and information that you would
like to present about the tribe you researched. Put those index cards
on top. Next, organize the questions and cards in an order you think
makes sense to present your tribe in an interesting way. Make sure that
the cards are organized in paragraphs. Each paragraph has a topic
sentence, three supporting facts and a closing sentence for each of the
five questions you asked.
Additionally, write an introductory paragraph stating why
youre researching this tribe. Then, the last paragraph of the
research project is to write a closing paragraph about what you
learned and how you felt about the research and what you
learned from doing this project.
Make sure you have your rough draft edited by your teacher so
youll have it for your good copy.

Assignment 7: Good Copy (Due by 12/15/15)

Use your edited rough draft copy to write your good copy report.
Make sure you stay within the red line on each side of the paper.
Paragraphs need to be indented. Also, use your best print, as neatness
is a part of your grade. You may also type your good copy. Then,
practice reading from your good copy report to make sure youre
prepared for your oral report.
Assignment 8: Visual Project (Due by 12/15/15)
Your visual project needs to reflect something about your tribe.
You may create a scene in a diorama, build a model village of your
tribe, drawThink it through first!
My Visual art project will be:
_____________________________________________.
Assignment 9: Oral Presentations (Will be held on December
15, 16, 17, 21 and 22.)
One these days, you will be scheduled to read your oral report
and present your visual project to the class. All work is to be completed
by this time.
The rubric for this project is on the following page. Please keep
this in mind as you work through each assignment for the project.
Assignment 10: Self-evaluation (Due by 12/23/15)
Look at the rubric and each grade, four (4) being the highest. A
four means youve gone above and beyond this assignment. If
youve completed the assignment as requested, youve earned a three
(3), which is grade level. Think about each assignment and your
project. Write a paragraph and state what grade you think you deserve
for your work.