Student
Inquiry in the Research Process
EDUCATOR RESOURCES
Phase 1: Orientation - Phase 2: Exploration - Phase 3: Strategy - Phase 4: Investigation - Phase 5: Conclusion & Reflection - Research Journal - Primary Sources - Internet Evaluation - Annotated Bibliography - Assessment - Training Resources: Posters, Brochures...
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| (The
Pre-search method modeled here was developed by
Virginia Rankin.)
Either the teacher or media specialist may lead the class, but it is most effective if both are active participants. |
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| ACTIVITIES TO MEET OBJECTIVES |
All resources are available in Adobe PDF
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| ELEMENTARY RESOURCES | SECONDARY RESOURCES | Big6™ COMPATIBLE RESOURCES | |
| Teacher follows regular lesson plan-introducing topic to the class. | |||
| Educator will discuss the need to reflect on a regular basis about what student is doing, learning, and thinking. Students will complete a Daily Reflection at the end of each day he/she works on his/her inquiry. For the first Reflection, educator may want to model. | Daily Journal |
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Elementary Secondary |
| Individually, or as a class, students will Brainstorm. Then, as a class they will share the words they’ve come up with while the educator writes them on the overhead, or use some other visual presentation tool. | Pre-Search 1: Brainstorming | Pre-Search 1: Brainstorming -- Elementary Secondary Free Inquiry |
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| Each student is given an encyclopedia or a photocopy of an encyclopedia article (include title and copyright page) on the general topic the class has been studying. As a group, the class completes the citation for the source. Use an overhead of Presearch 2 to help students work through locating the appropriate information. The educator reviews previewing, or skimming, skills with students (guidewords, words in bold, illustration captions, graphs, charts, etc.) using Overhead-Skim & Scan for Information. Students complete Pre-search Activity 2. As a class, add new words to the list all ready on the overhead. |
Encyclopedia article on general curriculum topic
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| Educator explains what a category is and uses examples students can relate to (for example, a category could be hair, then brown hair & all the students with brown hair would fit into that category). With the overhead from Activity 2 as a guide, as a class brainstorm categories that most of the words will fall under. Have students place those category names on Pre-search Activity 3 worksheet and either as a class, small groups, or individually, place the words from Activity 2 into categories. |
Pre-Search Activity 3: Categories
VARIATION: |
Pre-Search Activity 3: Categories
VARIATION: |
Pre-Search 3: Categories --
Pre-Search 3: Themes -- VARIATION: Narrowing the Topic Web -- |
| VARIATION—Have students develop a web, or concept map, using Narrowing the Topic, a blank sheet of paper, or a computer program like Inspiration, to cluster related topics/categories around the main topic. | |||
| Independently, have students complete Questioning. Place Overhead-Basic Questioning on the overhead to help stimulate student’s thoughts. | |||
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Questioning -- Elementary Secondary Secondary-Theme Free Inquiry |
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| As a class, the research journal will be thoroughly reviewed, page by page, with students. Clarify that ALL work completed on this topic must go into the journal, even returned assignments. | |||
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For longer inquiry projects, an evening meeting will be held for parents. |
Sample Introduction Letter to Parents |
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VARIATION—Elementary students and special needs students are very capable of working through the inquiry process. Throughout the process, adapt to their needs by facilitating group discussions, using the document camera, overhead, whiteboard, or chalkboard instead of individual worksheets. Alter the sequence of activities based on your student's cognitive abilities. |
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SUGGESTION Allow students to work in cooperative groups. Each student will still be expected to complete and keep separate worksheets, research journal, assessment, annotated bibliography, etc. Even though they will be keeping separate paperwork, they will be working as a team and complete a final project as a team. |
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| (The
Pre-search method modeled here was developed by
Virginia Rankin.)
Either the teacher or media specialist may lead the class, but it is most effective if both are active participants. |
|||
| ACTIVITIES TO MEET OBJECTIVES |
All resources are available in Adobe PDF
|
||
| ELEMENTARY RESOURCES | SECONDARY RESOURCES | Big6™ COMPATIBLE RESOURCES | |
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HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 1. Save discussing the rubric for the final product until students are nearing the end of Phase 4 (Investigation) when students begin working on the final product. 2. Do not share with students what the options for the final products until then so students are concentrating on finding the answers to their inquiry questions instead of what they’re going to do for a final product. This will require the student to focus attention and energy on the important process of research, instead of the conclusion, a product. |
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| Educator will discuss the need to reflect on a regular basis about what student is doing, learning, and thinking. Students will complete a Daily Reflection at the end of each day he/she works on his/her inquiry. For the first Reflection, educator may want to model. | Daily Journal |
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Elementary Secondary |
| With no further preparation, each student will complete Exploration Activity 1. | Exploration 1 Free Inquiry |
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| Each student selects an encyclopedia article (it can be a general encyclopedia or a specific topic encyclopedia) to complete Exploration Activity 2. First, students complete the citation information. Second, the educator gives the class time to read the article. This is an opportunity to think and read. No pens or pencils are permitted. Review Overhead-Reading for Clues with the class; keep it on the overhead while students are reading to help them keep focused. |
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General or Specialized Encyclopedias
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| VARIATION—If you prefer not to use an overhead or document camera, create posters to be hung up in the classroom and library media center instead. | |||
| Finally, students are given an opportunity to write researchable questions down. Place Overhead-Research Question Help on the overhead to help students formulate appropriate questions. Explain to students how this might help them if they need it, but they do not have to follow this format if they have a better question. Students now review their questions on Exploration Activity 2 and complete Exploration Activity 3. | |||
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Exploration 3 (original) |
Exploration
3 (original) 3 questions 4 questions 5 questions Free Inquiry |
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| Activity 3 worksheets are turned in at the end of the exercise for educators to review and give praise, suggestions for improvement, or a note for the student to see the educator for some one-on-one assistance in developing researchable questions. |
Click here to view examples of actual questions created when classes worked on their first research project, therefore brainstormed and finalized questions as a class with the school library media specialist leading discussion. Even though questions were developed as a class, actual research was done individually, with each student investigating a different Native American tribe. |
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| Students complete their Contract and are reminded of date to return contract. | |||
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VARIATION—If the educator has specific questions he/she wants every student to answer, or specific information each student should included, have the students as a class create the questions that everyone will answer. Educator will be facilitator and coach to help guide the students to the appropriate questions, but it is important that students feel that the questions were their idea! Allow each student to develop 1-2 independent questions that are specific to his/her interest. |
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SUGGESTION Instead of having every worksheet that a student might possibly need in the research journal when you distribute them, only include what is necessary (timeline, checklists, rubrics for journal and process, worksheet that have been completed so far, notes from class, etc). Then your students can add to their research journal as the inquiry process progresses and the educator can take a few moments to explain the worksheet at the time it is needed. |
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| ACTIVITIES TO MEET OBJECTIVES |
All resources are available in Adobe PDF
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| ELEMENTARY RESOURCES | SECONDARY RESOURCES | Big6™ COMPATIBLE RESOURCES | |
| Educator will discuss the need to reflect on a regular basis about what student is doing, learning, and thinking. Students will complete a Daily Reflection at the end of each day he/she works on his/her inquiry. For the first Reflection, educator may want to model. | Daily Journal |
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Elementary Secondary |
| Student’s Exploration Activity 3 papers are returned. Students take the suggestions given them and rewrite questions on Strategy worksheet. |
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| Follow up with a classroom discussion about how to select key words in the question and create related key words to represent the question, which will help students with search strategies. Each student develops key words for each questions, writing them on the Strategy Worksheet. | |||
| click here to go to Internet Evaluation | |||
| Pass out Information Bookmarks. Educator and class have a discussion about how to decide what type of resource is appropriate for a question. | |||
| Overhead-Creative Sources is used as educators coach the class to discuss ideas for how each resource could be used. Brainstorm to add other appropriate sources to the list. Students are given an overview of the location and access of resources available in the media center that might be useful. Students complete Strategy by selecting an appropriate source(s) to begin finding answers for each question. | |||
| Strategy worksheet is returned the next day with noted suggestions or encouragement. |
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| ACTIVITIES TO MEET OBJECTIVES |
All resources are available in Adobe PDF
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| ELEMENTARY RESOURCES | SECONDARY RESOURCES | Big6™ COMPATIBLE RESOURCES | |
| Educator will discuss the need to reflect on a regular basis about what student is doing, learning, and thinking. Students will complete a Daily Reflection at the end of each day he/she works on his/her inquiry. For the first Reflection, educator may want to model. | Daily Journal |
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Elementary Secondary |
| Educator will distribute Bookmark-the Process and discuss the importance of keeping those key, critical questions (Strategy Worksheet) in mind. |
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| Educator will incorporate Overhead-Reading for Understanding and Overhead-Taking Notes into mini-lessons at the beginning of a research session. Keep overhead up throughout the research session. |
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Overhead--Reading for Understanding
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| SUGGESTION—To help students quickly sort through the wide variety of sources available, copy your Source Notes on color paper so that they are easy to distinguish. For example, always make copies of the book source note in yellow, the encyclopedia in blue, the interview in yellow, internet website in green, etc. | |||
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Educator will explain the use of Source Notes and
practice using a citation format for bibliographic citations. Students will use a Source Notes (or Interview when appropriate) page appropriate for each useful resource. Educator will incorporate Overhead-Source Usefulness into a mini-lesson prior to a research session. Students will use the source note to store their notes, data, interpretation, analysis, hypothesis, thoughts, ideas, concerns, etc. Based on their findings and personal insights, students will meet with educator and discuss the need to adjust their questions or develop new ones for further inquiry or re-analysis. Educator will make note of students with certain abilities and have them share their expertise with students that need help in that particular area. |
click here to go to Primary Sources | ||
| Source Notes -- Book Book-lined Interview
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Overhead--
INTERNET:
Website
Simplified: |
Overhead--
Elementary Secondary Web Conference, Distance Learning INTERNET:
Website Simplified: |
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| PLEASE REMEMBER that it is important for educators to be observant. Be vigilant of each student’s progress and competency. Remediate or advance instruction with whole class, small groups and individuals as need arises. It is easy to base need on student's Daily Reflections, educator-student conferences and class discussions. | |||
| SUGGESTION—If your students are not yet prepared to keep multiple Source Notes for the same resource (each source note dealing with a different question from the Strategy worksheet), have them fold the Source Note. For example, if students are working with four critical questions on the Strategy, have them fold the Source Note into fourths (half then half again), re-open it, then have students assign a question to each quadrant on the back of the Strategy sheet-be sure that for every resource they use, they assign the same quadrant to the same question every time-this will make organizing information for the final product much easier. In this way students can take notes from the same resource for all question on the same Source Note sheet AND student can use the note taking space on the front of the Source Note for taking notes on interesting information related to new questions that arise as they research their initial Strategy questions. | |||
| Teacher guide students through the process of selecting the appropriate product for their inquiry using Dissemination worksheet and creating an overhead listing all the choices for final products the student can choose from. | |||
| Dissemination | |||
| Student should finalize the format he/she will use will use for the presentation, and will complete a Storyboard Activity/Graphic, Storyboard Static Display, or Storyboard Writing as appropriate to help organization. Classes will review information organization strategies using Overhead—Organizing Notes. |
Storyboard: |
Storyboard: |
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Students will begin organizing
their thoughts and information and discuss what they have learned with peers.
Toward the conclusion of the Investigation stage, students will begin to
organize their thoughts and information. Students will synthesize their
inquiry through an informal presentation and discussion to peers about their
inquiry –what he/she has learned and what he/she has concluded. Peers will
interact to help the student understand what needs more clarification and may be
confusing to an outsider about their expertise. Classes will be given
guidance on how to productively and positively evaluate peers. Students
will use their Strategy, Source Notes, and Storyboard during their Peer
Conference. Students will complete a Peer Evaluation, part 1 to assist
his/her peer to move toward Conclusion & Reflection.
Student will complete a Peer Conference, part 1 about him/herself.
Overhead-Peer Evaluation will be used to help facilitate discussions. During the Conference, you may use statements like these to help facilitate sharing. After the student has shared his topic, research and storyboard, pose these statements to the Evaluator and have him share his thoughts and ideas for the following (with the person being conferenced writing down the suggestions):
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Peer Conference
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Peer Evaluation, part 1
Peer Conference |
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Phase 5: Conclusion & Reflection
| ACTIVITIES TO MEET OBJECTIVES |
All resources are available in Adobe PDF
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| ELEMENTARY RESOURCES | SECONDARY RESOURCES | Big6™ COMPATIBLE RESOURCES | |
| Educator will discuss the need to reflect on a regular basis about what student is doing, learning, and thinking. Students will complete a Daily Reflection at the end of each day he/she works on his/her inquiry. For the first Reflection, educator may want to model. | Daily Journal |
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Elementary Secondary |
| After completing the Storyboard and Peer Conference, allow students more research time in order to make revisions, edits, corrections, and additions based on what the student learned during his/her peer conference. |
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| Students will organize their inquiry in order to prepare final products. Student will complete and present final products. Parent/Community involvement will be included. |
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| Student will complete a Self Evaluation and Educator Evaluation to gain a better understanding of the process and product. | Self Evaluation |
Self Evaluation
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Self Evaluation Secondary:
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| Each student will complete a Peer Evaluation, Part 2 for the same student that he/she did Peer Evaluation, Part 1. | Peer Evaluation, part 2 | Peer Evaluation, part 2 | |
| Click here to go to Annotated Bibliography | |||
| Click here to go to Assessment | |||
| Each student will follow a Checklist for organizing the research journal before turning it in. |
Checklist: Research Journal Checklist Starter |
Checklist: Research Journal Checklist Starter |
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| The teachers involved and media specialist complete an Educator Evaluation. Educators will complete an assessment of the process and make appropriate revisions for future use. | Educator's Evaluation | Educator's Evaluation | |
