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Stretch Your Brain

Research Model
Moscow School District, Grades 7-12

Step One – Discovery

·        Teachers and/or teacher-librarians identify initial sources

·        Students generate keywords, Boolean operators, phrases, search techniques

·        Students locate and evaluate sources

·        Students begin with encyclopedias, books, periodicals; then they continue using Websites, indexes, databases

·        Students read, print, take notes, refine keywords, search techniques

Step Two – Essential Questions

·        Students develop main research question(s) to guide research: Why? How? Which is best?

·        Students develop subtopic questions

·        Students continue locating and evaluating information and sources

Step Three – Refining Research

·        Teachers and/or teacher-librarians lead students in use of MLA format, including page numbers, parenthetical documentation, quotes

·        Students record sources/citations

·        Students record note facts

·        Students identify validity and reliability of sources: Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose

·        Students review essential question(s)

·        Students identify gaps in research (return to sources/add to sources)

Step Four – Organize – Sort – Evaluate Information

·        Students synthesize information

·        Students organize (and reorganize) notes into categories

·        Students structure or outline the information

·        Teachers select product/presentation formats

Step Five – Product/Presentation (Bing-Bang-Boom)

·        Students write, edit, and finish their work

·        Students present their product/presentation

·        Students conduct peer review/response

·        Teachers give final evaluation

Step Six – Self-Reflection

·        Students consider their process and their product

o       What went well?

o       What would ‘I’ have done differently?

o       How has my understanding of the topic changed?