DEFINING - What do we want to know about this topic?
When children begin to explore a topic they need to
clarify what is expected of them and plan for their achievement. They can begin
by asking some or all of the following questions:
- Why am I doing this task?
- What do I want to produce at the end of the task?
- What do I really want to find out?
- What difference will this learning make?
- What will I be assessed on?
ACTIVITIES - To help provide a focus for the task the following activities can be
used:
- Brainstorming
allows children the opportunity to record ideas in a non-threatening way.
(This also provides vital information to the teacher about what students
already know on the topic);
- Writing
focus questions provides
a clear focus for the research;
- Identifying
the type of information required will assist in the resource selection
process and the format for presentation (eg current statistical will not be found in a traditional encyclopaedia,
whereas to obtain opinions, pictures, diagrams etc will require specific types
of resources),
- Exploring the general topic before deciding on specific tasks (this may
include an excursion, video, guest speaker etc) will help develop the
conceptual and language base for the topic being explored.
- Other
activities may include: poster/chart display, living specimens, role-play,
mindmapping, craft activities, shared big book, classroom book display,
student interest expertise, painting & drawing, internet sites, reading,
newspaper study, interviews, CDroms, writing.
The strategies that you use in this stage should vary from
task to task and, as children become more proficient in using the process, they
will select their own strategies.
At
this stage children should also be aware of the criteria by which they are being
assessed. This might be achieved by
providing a checklist, rubric or other assessment sheet.
Assessment should also be provided for each stage of the Information
Process.
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