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 * Overview of Inquiry Based Unit on Troubled Teens**

The three parts of the course on Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century that I found most valuable were - the Metiri Group article on 21st century skills, the information on inquiry/project based learning, Sir Ken Robinson's TED talk, and Prezi. I am hoping to create a series of inquiry/project based learning units that will allow students to develop 21st century skills, give students (especially my CP students) the opportunity to pursue something that they are interested in, and challenge them to present their learning in a meaningful, real-world way.

Every September I start the year with the young adult/coming of age novels __Rumble Fish__ (CP) and __Catcher in the Rye__ (H). This year I decided to incorporate these two books into an inquiry/project based learning unit on troubled teens. While I am teaching __Rumble Fish__ and __Catcher in the Rye__, I am going to be modeling the inquiry process with a whole-class exploration of the topic of high school dropouts. Students will use what they have learned to write a persuasive letter about the issue.

Then, once they have learned the inquiry process, I am going to have students work in pairs or small groups on their own topic. They will pick a teen issue that they are interested in, find a young adult novel or a memoir about the topic to read and discuss, research the issue, and find out what MHS is currently doing about the problem. Then, they will write and present a proposal on how to solve the problem to the appropriate people here at the high school or in the community.

The lesson plans that I have created to meet the requirements of the course are just the very beginning of what I hope will be an exciting and engaging 6-8 week unit for me and my students!