Embedded Files
In the second quarter of the course, students will spend time researching a topic of their interest and developing a research portfolio. Students will present their research findings at the end of the course.
research-unit-plan-g11-12.pdfUnit Plan
Unit Plan
This unit develops that explorative proficiency: researching to deepen understanding. It lays out a process through which students learn to explore topics with their learning community, posing and refining questions and listening to experiences, and discovering areas they wish to investigate. It develops their ability to determine what they don’t know or understand, and where and how to find that information. The unit also develops and supports student ability to archive and organize information in order to see and analyze connections in ways that aid comprehension, deepen their understanding and prepare them to express their evolving perspective.
Instruction in this unit is built around three components: a process for conducting research, a Research Portfolio developed by students throughout the process, and choosing a topic to research. The unit activities integrate these components in a learning progression that develops and supports proficiency in the entire research process.
Research Portfolio The Research Portfolio is a structured collection of the research and analysis that students compile in their investigation. The components of the portfolio guide and archive the student’s work in a way that teaches them key critical thinking, academic habits and organizational skills. By the end of the unit, students will have an organized, structured set of sources, annotations, notes, and analysis from which they can successfully accomplish any purpose they may have for their newly developed evidence-based perspective, whether that be an academic research paper or the construction of a product or process plan. Students should give a presentation at the end of the course publicly sharing their process, and knowledge gained from their research.
Student Research Plan.pdfIf young people are not prepared to critically evaluate the information that bombards them online, they are apt to be duped by false claims and misleading arguments. To help teachers address these critical skills, we’ve developed assessments of civic online reasoning—the ability to judge the credibility of digital information about social and political issues.
The activities linked above ask students to reason about online content. We’ve designed paper-and-pencil tasks as well as tasks that students complete online. These assessments are intended for flexible classroom use. We hope teachers use the tasks to design classroom activities, as the basis for discussions about digital content, and as formative assessments to learn more about students’ progress as they learn to evaluate online information. These tasks came out of research with thousands of students from across the country.
It is recommended that teachers give students several of these tasks prior to students conducting research on their own.
Research Graphic Organizers
Research Graphic Organizers
exploring-a-topic.pdfExploring a Topic
Exploring a Topic
After a class discussion of different topics that may be worthy of research, students complete this graphic organizer to help them narrow their own topic.
exploring-a-topic-annotated.pdfExploring a Topic (Annotated)
Exploring a Topic (Annotated)
This resource helps teachers guide students in choosing an area of investigation.
posing-inquiry-questions.pdfPosing Inquiry Questions
Posing Inquiry Questions
This handout helps students to write a good inquiry question for their area of investigation.
assessing-sources-handout.pdfAssessing Sources
Assessing Sources
This handout helps students determine a sources credibility, accessibility, and relevance.
taking-notes.pdfTaking Notes
Taking Notes
Students should first select an overarching inquiry question after they have selected a topic. They then conduct a search for sources. This graphic organizer helps students select details from sources that may be relevant to their research.
taking-notes-annotated.pdfTaking Notes-Annotated
Taking Notes-Annotated
This teacher resource helps teachers assess their students' ability to select relevant details from sources.
Research Frame.pdfResearch Frame
Research Frame
forming-ebc.pdfForming Evidence-Based Claims
Forming Evidence-Based Claims
This graphic organizer helps students to determine what information from the sources will be helpful in answering their inquiry/research question.
Organizing Evidence Based Claims
Organizing Evidence Based Claims
organizing-ebc-1pt.pdfOne supporting point
One supporting point
organizing-ebc-2pt.pdfTwo supporting points
Two supporting points
organizing-ebc-3pt.pdfThree supporting points
Three supporting points
writing-ebc-handout.pdfWriting Evidence Based Claims
Writing Evidence Based Claims
This handout spells out the process for writing evidence based claims.
connecting-ideas-handout.pdfConnecting Ideas
Connecting Ideas
This gives students transitional words and phrases to use in their writing.
research-evaluation-checklist (1).pdfResearch Evaluation Checklist
Research Evaluation Checklist
This resource can be used for students to self-assess the research they have conducted.
evidence-based-writing-rubric.pdfEvidence Based Writing Rubric
Evidence Based Writing Rubric
This rubric can be used as a self-assessment tool and/or a rubric for the teacher to self assess student writing.
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