ScienceQuest: I-Search process

This chart summarizes the team's work from beginning to end through the I-Search Phases. This structure is flexible and adaptable and should provide guidelines - not limitations - for working effectively and efficiently with youth. More information and details are in the coaches' section.

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How to Do It Guides	Phase 1: Immerse in Science	Phase 2: Make a Plan	Phase 3: Investigate!	Phase 4: Build a Web Site
Goals	To become immersed in science, to inspire and excite, to identify areas of interest and to find a passionate question.	To design a search plan and create a schedule that covers the Read, Watch, Ask, and Do categories.	To gather information that helps to answer team question, to synthesize information into a form to be presented on web site.	To produce and disseminate a team-built web site, to learn the skills necessary to build a web site, to learn how to upload web site on to server.
Timeline (minimum time for activities)	3 to 5 activities over two or three sessions or until a passionate question emerges.	1 session of discussion.	Five sessions, overlapping with Phase 4: Build a Web Site.	At least three sessions, overlapping with Phase 3: Investigate!
Sample Activities	Lead an activity from the ScienceQuest Online Resources. Look for examples of science around neighborhood. Take a field trip to the zoo. Do not randomly surf the web.	Group brainstorm on plan. Talk with a librarian. Look on Online Resources. Find out about museum exhibits. Think about the "Read, Watch, Ask, Do" categories.	Do experiments, go on field trips, conduct Internet searches, speak to an expert. Be sure to take notes on all activities.	Look at other web sites for models, build pages, create links, check criteria list
Questions to Ask Team Members	What happened? Why? What do you think would happen if….? What did we learn? What do we want to learn more about? How can we record our experience?	How are we going to find the answers? What is available to us in the four categories: Read, Write, Ask, Do?	What do we do first? What did we learn? What do we want to learn more about? Are we answering part of our question?	How can we show people what we are learning? How can we help them learn what we learned? What will make for a great web site?
Brief Checklist for Moving On ...	Gone on at least one field trip; Completed at least two hands-on activities; Documented the immersion activities; Agreed as a team on one question; Helped each team member begin a journal to record experiences.	Made sure that each team member knows s/he will contribute to the investigation; Identified sources of information that include reading, watching, asking, and doing activities; Had each team member write search plan in journal.	Revisited the plan and checked that all ideas were covered; Gathered information from the reading, watching, asking, and doing categories; Synthesized information Made sure that the team feels the question now has an answer; Kept journal updated.	Created a Web site using Homestead software; Reviewed the ScienceQuest checklist for web sites; Made sure the web site has info about team, graphics, images, original text, engaging style; Made sure the site was checked for accessibility; Made sure that all links work; Double-checked to make sure there are no more mistakes; Upload site on Homestead server.