Making Connections

Making connections involves a process of connecting prior knowledge and experiences to new knowledge. In social studies, learners need to make connections among a variety of sources to deepen their comprehension and support their responses to inquiry questions.

When do learners make connections?

Learners make connections when they:

access prior knowledge before engaging with a source.
use information from multiple sources to develop an idea or argument as part of the research process.
relate what they are learning to real-world contexts.

choose what information to use when responding to an inquiry

Why should learners make connections?

Making connections allows learners to:

build on their prior experiences to construct new knowledge.
better understand information in the sources they explore.
become more engaged in their research.

How to make connections

You may be observing learners are struggling making connections in the texts they encounter in social studies. If you notice learners engaging in any of the following, try the accompanying strategies to support them in making connections.

Big Idea

Learners need to activate prior knowledge to better understand the sources they explore.

If you observe:

Learners do not use prior knowledge to better understand the sources they explore. Try:

Image Brainstorm

Sources are easier to understand if learners can connect information to their prior knowledge or experiences. Learners can draw on their prior knowledge at the beginning of an inquiry to support their understanding.

• Learners choose an image (photo, artwork, etc.) that illustrates new concepts and/or content being introduced.

• Learners share thoughts and ideas in relation to the image.

• Learners use their responses to make connections to new vocabulary or key concepts they will encounter as part of the inquiry.

Connect and Stick It

Sources can contain information that connects to learners’ own experiences, to other sources of information they have reviewed, or to events happening in the world around them. Learners can use these connections to collectively build their understanding.

• Learners use sticky notes in three different colours.

• As learners review a source, they use their sticky notes to jot down connections they make to their own experiences, to other sources, and to real-world events.

• In a small group, learners place their sticky notes on an interactive anchor chart and discuss connections.

• The whole class can review the connections made in the small groups to support building background knowledge.

Big Idea

Learners can use the sources they explore to construct knowledge by building on what they have learned from other sources.

If you observe:

Learners find it challenging to use information they gather in one source to develop their understanding of another source. Try:

Personal Understanding Timeline

Sources can be used to deepen learners’ understanding of a concept or topic. Learners can use information from multiple sources to deepen their understanding over time.

• Curate several sources on one topic for learners to explore in response to an inquiry question

• Starting with the first source, learners note what they have learned about the topic on a Personal Understanding Timeline

• Learners continue adding new information from each source over time

• Learners can use alternate colours or sticky notes to indicate conflicting information found in various sources, add questions, or use symbols to indicate main ideas

Mind Map

Sources can be used together to provide more information on a concept as learners develop their understanding. Learners consider how information from various sources can be used to respond to an inquiry question.

• Curate or have learners locate several dependable sources in response to an inquiry question

• In partners or small groups, ask learners to explore the sources and identify the main ideasand supporting details

• Once learners have reviewed the sources, ask them to identify 3-5 main ideas

• Learners can begin to create a mind map using different colours, words, and images to represent their main ideas

• Learners can then make connections between supporting details from various sources and the main ideas as they continue to develop their mind map

Big Idea

Learners become engaged in research when they make real-world connections.

If you observe:

Learners are not engaged in their historical inquiries. Try:

Connections Carousel

To encourage students to engage with their research, it helps to support them in making connections between the sources they are using and their own lives or current events.

• As an introduction to a new topic, create 5-6 stations in the classroom

• At each station, include a question (on chart paper, in a shared Google doc, etc.) that connects the topic to contemporary issues or contexts

• In small groups, learners spend a few minutes discussing a question and adding what they know to the chart paper. Learners can include connections to other classes, events in the news, or their own communities.

• After learners have visited each station, the teacher can lead a short discussion to review

Double Entry Journal

When learners connect information from sources to their thoughts, emotions, and curiosity, they become engaged in the research process.

• Learners create a two-column table

• As learners explore a source, in one column they record quotations or paraphrases from the source that sparks connection (e.g., connections with self, another source, current events)

• In the second column, learners record their connections; learners record their thoughts, prior knowledge, feelings, and questions

• In partners, learners can compare connections

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