My research paper units always frustrate me. My students spend two weeks or more working on one assignment, and it is such a letdown when they're done. They're cranky, I'm cranky...yes they earn a grade, but what can they do to share what they have learned? How can the project be more useful and more meaningful? I tried two different presentation methods this year using technology to take the research beyond the classroom. My freshmen researched links between bullying and suicide, then used Animoto to create public service announcements incorporating their research to raise awareness about the issue. My sophomores researched different humanitarians, so I had each of them create a 8.5" x 11" poster for the humanitarian, complete with a QR code that linked to the student's explanation of the humanitarian's work. We displayed the posters in the media center, where anyone could use the QR code to learn about the humanitarians.
