Curriculum Objectives

DEVELOPING CONTENT-AREA KNOWLEDGE

This category is open ended. Depending on the content/topic of your curriculum unit (e.g., immigration, colonization, or westward expansion) and depending on which content area teachers are participating in in the unit (e.g., language arts, social studies, mathematics, and/or science), you'll be identifying the key concepts that you want students to understand.

[ Top | Bottom ]

CARRYING OUT THE I-SEARCH PROCESS

These process oriented objectives focus on the student's ability to carry out the four phases within the I-Search process: posing questions, developing a research plan, gathering and integrating information, and producing/disseminating the individual report and group project.

Examples of objectives for carrying out the I-Search Unit are:

• identify prior knowledge and relevant experiences

• become familiar with I-Search format

• pose personally meaningful questions related to the overarching concepts

• devise a search plan using a variety of materials and resources

• extract relevant information and record it in an organized format

• revise search plan, as needed

• summarize information from different sources

• use computer applications to locate and organize information

• produce drafts of report

• extract relevant information from report to contribute to a group report

DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE SEARCH BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDES

These objectives focus on the student's ability to function as an "investigator," as an individual, and as a contributing member of a team or small or large group. Examples of objectives for developing these behaviors and attitudes are:

• persevere in unearthing new information and constructing knowledge

• be flexible in altering search strategies

• reflect on changes in one's own thinking

• take ownership for learning and contribution to the group process

• give feedback

• draw on feedback, reactions, and suggestions to revise writing

• share materials and resources with others

• collaborate in assembling resources and pooling information

• develop a sense of competence an confidence in writing abilities

• take pride in a finished product that communicates information to others

• acknowledge the work and contribution that others make to a task or project

©2000 Education Development Center, Inc.