Before you assign a Research Project. . .<= /p>

Introduction

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Encouraging and nurturing curiosity in children is one of the most important things we = do as teachers. The “resea= rch project” is one of those traditional assignments that can be either a great awakening or a great turn-off. Bill and Pat have put together some guidelines that, they hope, will foster curiosity in children while minimiz= ing frustration We need to be deliberate and systematic in our planning in orde= r to make every minute count for our children.&= nbsp; The following two scenarios illustrate the two extremes of planning.=

Scenario #1

&nbs= p; On the way to the library or computer lab a Tea= cher A has a brainstorm. Since the b= ook they are reading in their literacy unit is set in a whaling community, stud= ents can do research on the internet about whales. When the class is in the lab, the teacher shares her brainstorm and tells students to begin to search.

Here are some samples of comments the adults hear:

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What are we supposed to do?

How do you spell whale?

Where do we go?

How do we search?

Do we have to look at all the sites?

I don’t know what whale to pick.

This is too hard to read!

That web site doesn’t work.

Hey, look at Disney.com.

I put in wale and I don’t get any hits.

Do I have to read this?

The adults run around the room putting out as many fires as they can, but because so many students need assistance that many have to wait. Frustration mounts, interest in the assignment wanes and students be= gin to look at familiar web sites and find “other” things to do.

Scenario #2

&nbs= p; Teacher B notes that his kids will be studying = salmon in their science unit. He reviews the Big6 format and arranges with Bill and Pat to have a meeting about the topic. In their planning, the three identif= y books, web sites, and periodicals to use. They determine which are appropriate to = the reading levels of individual students. They also note where the students ar= e at in computer skills. Before they begin the research Bill will need to teach students about minimizing screens, using the task bar at the bottom of the screen and navigating within the site.&nbs= p; Bill will put the web links that the teacher identifies on the class= web page. Pat and the teacher will need to review the literacy skills of identifying key words and note-taking.&nbs= p; Collaboratively the team does the necessary preparation for the stud= ents to begin the process.

&nb= sp; Teacher B does anticipation guides with his students and identifies questions stude= nts will explore. Students then go to the lab or library with their question and note taking strategies in hand and begin the research process. Comments are heard like:

Hey, I found out when salmon spawn.

My web site has a lot on information I needed.

I can’t find how long salmon live on this web site. I wonder where I can find that information?

&nbs= p; In this class setting, students are focused. Th= ey know what they need to know. = They know how to take notes. They know how to navigate to the web site. They know how to identify key words from both print and web materials. The frustration level is minimal for both students and teachers. Problems were anticipated-- thus lessening the number of fires to put out.

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Scenario 2 makes every minute count. I= t is the one we want for our children!

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Getting to Scenario 2

Step 1

TEACHER RESEARCH PLANNING CHECKLIST

___1. Did I identify a specific area of study?

___2. Did = I review Big 6 protocol for research? (See Researching Models)

___3. Did = I set up a time to meet with Bill and Pat?

___4. Did I schedule lab and library time?

___5. Have= I gathered books and periodicals that I need?

___6. Have= I researched web sites to find which ones were appropriate?=

___7. Did I determine how the kids will navigate to the web sites? (e.g. set up a link = on class web page or use the url.)

___8. Did I determine with Bill’s help which technology skills need to be taught before they begin the project?

___9. Did I determine with Pat and Bill’s help which literacy skills need to be taught before they begin the project?

___10. DID= I COMPLETE THE PROJECT MYSELF? (run through the project and see where snags might be.)

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Step 2 –Looking at a Model

&= nbsp; The Big6 is the model officially adopted by the Seattle School District. Below is a table Bill and Pat have prepared that makes the link between teacher and student activities and the= Big 6 model:

Big 6 skills	Activities
1. Task Definition	Adults guide the development of topics and critical questions. <= /span> Adults (with input from students) determine what end- product will be and p= lan timeline of activities.
2. Information Seeking Strategies	Adults select appropriate print and web sources.
3. Location and Access	Adults provide web links on class web page or gives url addresses. Adults collect print materia= ls (or students use OPAC to identify possible materials)<= /li> Students navigate within website, using key words as a guide. Students use non-fiction book features ( indexes, Table of Contents etc.) to locate information within print materials.
4. Use of Information	Students collect information in a format determined by teacher (e.g. tree map, double bubble)
5. Synthesis	Students (with adult modeling and scaffolding) synthesize information they ha= ve gathered by preparing a product (e.g. PowerPoint, 3 paragraph report, pamphlet, poster, etc.)
6. Evaluation	Adults prepare a rubric to be used as an evaluation product. Student fills out a refl= ection piece.

Step 3--STUDENT RESEARCH SKILLS CHECKLIST

In tech= nology students are able to:

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&n= bsp; = Navigate to a specific web site.

&n= bsp; = Use the task bar at the bottom of the screen.

&n= bsp; = Minimize screens

&n= bsp; = Navigate within a website.

&n= bsp; = Scroll down.

&n= bsp; = Copy and paste phrases and keywords (4^th & 5^{th grade})<= o:p>

&n= bsp; = Save work to the server.

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In lite= racy skills students are able to:

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&n= bsp; = Scan and look for key words.

&n= bsp; = Determine importance of information.

&n= bsp; = Use Literacy Initiative thinking maps for taking notes e.g. tree map, double bu= bble etc. (See guidelines for taking notes in appendix)

&n= bsp; = Cite references

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Step 4--Citing References<= /h3>

Students should learn at the earliest possible time to give credit for the informati= on they have used. A very simple bibliography is recommended.

Primary Grades

Books—title, author

Example: Hearing Things by All= an Fowler

Encyclopedia-Title, volume, page number=

Example: Student Discovery Encycloped= ia, Vol. 3, p.16.

Website—title

Example: Enchanted Learning

Intermediate Grades

Same as above but students with the addition of copyright date for print materia= ls and a cut and paste of URL of website.

Example: Fowler, Alan, Hearing Things, 1991.

Example: www.enchantedle= arning.com/subject/dinosaurs

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“Seize the Moment” Assignments

   &nbs= p;        But, but . . .

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        &= nbsp; There are “seize the moment” or unique situations in which a t= eacher legitimately just doesn’t have the time to spend preparing for research. For example, Mount Rainier has just erupted and now is the time = to capitalize on student interest. For these high interest/little prep time situations, here are some favorites si= tes (courtesy of Mary Palmer at the Seattle Public Library) for finding timely information quickly and in a format students can read. You probably = have your own favorites.

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Discovery= School
http://school.discovery.com/homeworkhelp/bjpinchbeck/bjevents.html

Kids newsroom

http://www.kidsnewsroom.org/=

Time for Kids

http://www.timeforkids.com/= TFK/parents

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Again, students can use literacy maps for individual note-taking or this mi= ght be a good opportunity for whole class note-taking with e.g. a bubble map.

Appendix

Guidelines for Taking Not= es

Write key words and phrases only. Leave out words that are not important. Do not write complete sent= ences.

It is never OK to copy out of a = book or website. If you feel that you need to = use the exact words in the book or website, put quotation marks around tho= se words so you and your reader will realize that they are someone else’s words, not yours. Do not print off a website without permission from a teacher.

Be sure to include any numbers a= nd statistics in your notes.

Write quickly. Do not take the time to write= in your very best handwriting ( but make sure that you can read wh= at you have written!)

Always write down the source of = your information. You need to= do this for every different source (book, website, magazine) that you use= .

Research Models

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Big6<= /o:p>

http://www.big6.com/kids/index.= htm

The Super = 3 is the primary version of the big 6

http://www.big6.com/kids/K-2.htm

There are = other variations on the research model. Two that we found useful were the Jamie McKenzie model (found on the= Bellingham School District web site listed be= low) and the Research Quest (Vancouver Public Library.)

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We are inc= luding some rubric examples for teachers to use taken from the Bellingham web site. We got a lot of great ideas form t= his web site and would highly recommend that teachers become familiar with it a= nd its links.

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http://www.bham.wednet.edu/studentgal/onlineresearch/newonline/onli= ne.htm

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Process Ru= bric

http://www.bham.wednet.edu/studentgal/onlinere= search/newonline/docs/general_process_rubric.doc

Presentati= on Rubric 1

http://www.bham.wednet.edu/studentgal/on= lineresearch/newonline/docs/General_Presentation_Rubric1.doc=

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Presentati= on Rubric 2

http://www.bham.wednet.edu/studentgal/on= lineresearch/newonline/docs/General_Presentation_Rubric2.doc=

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Reflection= Piece

http://www.bham.wednet.edu/studentgal/onlineresear= ch/newonline/docs/General_Reflection.doc

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