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During
Preparation
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During
Implementation
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During
Evaluation and Debriefing
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| School
Library Media Specialist(s) |
- facilitates group meetings to plan the inquiry learning unit
- trains teachers in inquiry learning* and information
literacy** if necessary
- co-plans the unit with the content teacher and other
teachers involved
- creates pathfinders, Webquests, and other lists of
resources for the unit
- creates mini-lessons, tutorials, scavenger hunts, etc. for
teaching information literacy
- develops collections that include information resources,
multimedia resources, and hands-on experimental resources
- reserves the library for times when the students will need
access to its resources, facilities, and services.
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- teaches the students information literacy skills** through
traditional methods (e.g. explanation, modeling, and guided practice)
and/or non-traditional methods (e.g. scavenger hunts, tutorials, guided
navigation, games, etc.). See the AT&T/UCLA Initiative 21st
Century Literacies for excellent lesson plans to use as
mini-lessons throughout the unit.
- provides easy access to relevant, age-appropriate, and
quality resources (both print and online)
- provides resources to meet diverse needs
- provides frequent individual instruction
- provides guidance and expert models if students get stuck
in the research process
- redirects students' attention back to their main research
questions if they get off-track
- arranges the library media center in a way that optimizes
effective use
- allows for flexible scheduling
- invites and facilitates thoughtful student questioning
- monitors and assesses the students' skills, understanding,
and progress
- facilitates on-going meetings with the other teachers to
assess the unit and student progress and to discuss ways to meet needs
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- helps evaluate the students' final projects, presentations,
and products
- reflects on the unit with the staff
- writes a brief final evaluative report about the unit,
recording successful activities, strategies, and lessons to be repeated
in the future, as well as areas that need improvement
- provides a forum for student feedback about the unit
- celebrates the students' accomplishments through intercom
announcements, bulletins, local newspapers, or other media.
- displays student work in a prominent place in or outside
the library
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| Content
Teacher(s) |
- chooses the standards, objectives, theme, and assessments
- co-plans the unit with the library media specialist and
other teachers involved
- becomes trained in inquiry learning and information
literacy, if necessary
- communicates with parents about the inquiry unit (re.
purpose, instructions, evaluative criteria, tentative timeline of due
dates, ways parents can support their child's learning process, etc.)
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- introduces the unit in a way that generates student
enthusiasm,
- facilitates in-depth class discussion about the theme and
essential questions of the unit
- with the students, creates a web, map, or list of related
questions, problems, issues, etc.
- helps each student choose their own questions to investigate
- gives the students problems to solve, projects to work on,
essential questions to explore
- asks the students questions that help them to:
- engage in learning,
- make predictions
- think divergently,
- clarify and defend their position,
- overcome obstacles,
- make applications,
- assess their progress,
- reflect on their learning.
- provides frequent individual instruction
- provides guidance and expert models if students get stuck
in the research process
- redirects students' attention back to their main research
questions if they get off-track
- teaches the writing process, if used in the unit
(pre-writing, note-taking, construction and defense of thesis, forming
an outline, writing drafts, revision, editing, publication)
- orchestrates assessment by implementing strategies for
self-assessment, peer-assessment, and parent-assessment.
- continually assesses each student's progress.
- makes adjustments to the unit, if necessary
- meets with the school library media specialist and other
teachers involved on a regular basis to discuss student progress and
ways to meet needs.
- communicates with parents about student progress
- arranges for parent-teacher-student conference, if necessary
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- evaluates the students' final projects, presentations, and
products
- helps the students reflect on their learning in order to
make new meaning and apply it to future contexts. Asks questions
such as
- "What did you learn?"
- "How might you use this knowledge in other areas?"
- "What was happening in your head as you learned?"
- "How did you deal with obstacles?"
- "When did you feel successful? "Why?"
- provides a forum for parent feedback about the unit
- reflects with the staff on what went well and how this type
of unit could be improved in the future
- records successful activities, strategies, and lessons to
be used in the future as well as areas that need improvement
- celebrates students' accomplishments
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| Special
Education Teacher(s) |
- co-plans the unit with the content teacher, library media
specialist, and any other teachers involved
- modifies assignments, instruction, and evaluation
- creates graphic organizers
- becomes trained in inquiry learning and information
literacy, if necessary
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- provides extra or modified instruction and materials for
students who need it
- helps students organize their materials, ideas, and writing
- continually assesses his/her students' progress
- meets with the school library media specialist and other
teachers involved on a regular basis to discuss student progress and
ways to meet needs
- communicates with parents about student progress
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- evaluates his/her students' work
- reflects with the staff on what went well and how this type
of unit could be improved in the future
- celebrates students' accomplishments
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| Technical
Support |
- prepares the technology needed for the unit, ensuring that
it is easy for the students to navigate and use
- reserves the computer lab for times when the students will
need access
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- gives point-of-need instruction in technological matters
- provides assistance for technical problems
- helps students design and create their final projects, if
technological in nature
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- reflects with the staff on what went well and how this type
of unit could be improved in the future
- records the technological glitches, needs, or wishlist
items so that these can be addressed in the future
- celebrates students' accomplishments
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| Administration |
- understands and values the goals of the unit
- provides or allows for teacher training in inquiry
learning, collaborative instruction, and information literacy
- provides or allows for a lengthy meeting time for staff to
plan the unit
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- provides or allows for regularly-scheduled meetings for
sharing, problem solving, and continued planning
- makes possible the use of school facilities (library,
computer lab, etc.)
- makes suggestions he/she might have about the unit
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- attends or makes an appearance at the students' final
presentation time
- reads the brief final evaluative report about the unit
- celebrates students' accomplishments
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| Parents |
- help their child establish good study habits
- read teacher-prepared materials about the inquiry unit to
help their child prepare for the unit
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- serve as a sounding board for their child's ideas
- encourage their child in their research, giving guidance
without doing the work for him/her
- assess their child's work according to the teacher's and
child's criteria
- encourage good inquiry habits at home
- be an audience as their child practices his/her presentation
- attend parent-teacher-student conferences, if requested
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- provide feedback on the unit
- become advocates of inquiry learning
- celebrate child's accomplishments
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Students
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- maintain valid library cards for neighborhood library
- have parents sign permission slips for any fieldtrips or
special events in connection with the inquiry unit
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- generate their own inquiry questions
- locate and retrieve resources that address their research
questions
- read their resources and identify the information relevant
to their research
- form and test their own hypotheses
- evaluate the authority, bias, reliability, etc. of their
sources
- set performance criteria and goals for themselves
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- are an engaged audience for their classmates' presentations
- monitor and evaluate their own learning
- discuss the process of their learning with their classmates
- critically evaluate the unit and suggest ways to improve it
- celebrate their accomplishments
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