When students are first given an assignment, they must identify what they want to learn about their topic. Exploring their topic by reading and listening to get background information will help them to decide what they want to learn.
Students can further their choice of topic by examining what they already know and deciding what are some questions that they have about the topic.
Students will need to plan by thinking about how they will find the answers to their questions.
By making connections, students bring personal meaning to the task.

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Key:

Student sites

Teacher sites

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Get Ideas

BCPS databases - Use special reference sources to familiarize you with the subject of the assignment. When you use this in school, no password is needed; however, when you use them at home, you will need the passwords provided by your school library media specialist.

Destiny - Use your school library catalog, to find books, videos and internet sites.

Plan

Research Helper Primary Research Map - When you receive your task or assignment you need to clarify what you have to do to successfully complete the task.

Internet Public Library – KidSpace – Have a question? Ask an IPL Librarian

Plan Research - elementary level research guide from Oregon State Library Information System

Ask Questions

Classroom Strategies to Engender Student Questioning – K-12 - This is a must article by Dr. Jamie McKenzie for all teachers. Provides excellent strategies to teach questioning skills

The Critical Thinking Community - Sentences that Ask – Grade 2 Lesson - This is a great resource developed by the Foundation for Critical Thinking that includes strategies to foster critical thinking and excellent articles on the subject.

Questions or Statements? – Utah Education Network - Kindergarten - This activity teaches children six question words: who, what, when, where, why and how

Narrowing Your Article Topic by Asking Questions About It - (Tutorial) - Click the who, what, where, how, how-come words to use power questioning to help form your focus.

Brainstorm

Research Helper – Brainstorming tutorial to guide you through the process.

Free Brainstorming Training (Lesson Ideas)

Boolify – Refining Search Results - Students often don’t understand that some keywords can mean different things. This activity helps them limit their results to the topic of their choice.

Read

Word Wizard - Vocabulary and spelling practice for words from popular children’s books!

Family Education -Reading and Language Arts Skill-Builders For Grades Pre-K – 1 – Activities, games, and printables - Family Education Network

Family Education -Reading Printables - Ages 7-11 - Family Education Network

Literacy and Language – provides reading assessment and student center activities

Skimming and Scanning - There are different styles of reading for different situations, especially when exploring for information.

The Four Block Literacy Model - Six strategies are outlined that play an important role in the brain's ability to comprehend text. These are connecting, predicting/anticipating, summarizing/concluding, questioning/monitoring, image/inferring, and evaluating/applying.

Independent Learners – Utah Education Network - Kindergarten - Students will develop a sense of self through building confidence in their abilities to become independent learners. They will also develop those strategies needed to communicate their ideas and knowledge of concepts taught.