Research and Rhetoric

Amy Price Azano, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of adolescent literacy at Virginia Tech where her research focuses on rural gifted education, place-based pedagogy, and the literacy needs of rural youth.Carolyn M. Callahan, Ph.D., professor in the Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, also is associate director of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. She teaches courses in the area of education of the gifted, and is executive director of the Summer Enrichment Program. Dr. Callahan has authored more than 130 articles, 25 book chapters and monographs in gifted education focusing on creativity, the identification of gifted students, program evaluation, and the issues faced by gifted females. Dr. Callahan has received recognition as Outstanding Faculty Member in the Commonwealth of Virginia and was awarded the Distinguished Scholar Award from the National Association for Gifted Children. She is a past-president of The Association for the Gifted and the National Association for Gifted Children. She also sits on the editorial boards of Gifted Child Quarterly, Journal for the Education of the Gifted, and Roeper Review.

This book reminded me of an all-inclusive trip to a resort. Everything and anything you need to teach students about research and public speaking is included. There aren't any “hidden charges.” Each lesson began with the materials needed, objectives, sequence of activities, formative assessments, handouts galore, ideas for homework, and digital resources.The authors have created a must-read for teachers who have been wondering how to foster creativity and increase student engagement while teaching research and persuasive writing. It is a book that guides teachers to encourage good research practices which are critical for our students to succeed in the 21st century. It's a must read for teachers who want to develop responsible learners and will be useful across the student spectrum.,Linda Biondi,Middleweb, 2/25/16

• "Acknowledgments Part I: Introduction and Using the CLEAR Curriculum Units Introduction Using the CLEAR Curriculum Units Part II: Unit Plans Unit 1: Exploration and Communication: A Researcher’s Journey Lesson 1: Who Are Explorers? Lesson 2: Concept Exploration Lesson 3: Fiction and Nonfiction: What’s the Difference? Lesson 4: What Do I Know and Where Do I Go? Lesson 5: Texts on the Internet: Friend or Foe? Lesson 6: How to Create a Research Question Lesson 7: Exploring Texts: Metacognition and Marking Lesson 8: A Return Expedition: Working as Researchers Lesson 9: Working as Researchers: Exploring Texts and Organizing Ideas Lesson 10: Working as Researchers: Reexploring Texts and Reorganizing Ideas Lesson 11: Researchers as Project Designers Lesson 12: Researchers as Presenters Lesson 13: Preparation for Gala Lesson 14: Preparation for Gala: The Dress Rehearsal Lesson 15: Research Gala