Self Guided Inquiry Packet for High Ability Students:

Every year I seem to have 2-3 students that come into my classroom way ahead of the pack. They finish early, they know the answers to my questions, and they are very good at independent tasks. I've always desired to challenge them in the way that they deserve to be challenged, but it can be overwhelming in the midst of Common Core rigor, the needs of struggling students, and the “busy work” of being a teacher.

I designed this to be an independent self-assessing packet to push our kiddos into deeper levels of thinking. They will research, question, organize, categorize, and create products that show their learning. If you have an assistant or media specialist that is willing to assist with the check-in points, then that would be very helpful. If not, then your students should be able to navigate through this with little nudges from you here or there.

Included:

*A note to Educators

*Parent Letter

*What is the inquiry cycle?

*Inquiry Folder Cover Page (can be attached to a folder)

*Student Contract

*Brainstorming Ideas. What do you want to learn more about?

*Exploring Topics and landing one

*Reporting your background knowledge regarding your topic.

*Getting more background knowledge to springboard research.

*Graphic organizers for research

*Understanding ways we research topics.

*How do we use encyclopedias? Books? People? Websites?

*Just Right Websites

*Miscellaneous citing recording sheet.

*Interview recording sheet

*Study Trip Record sheet

*Website Logs

*Reading Log- Becoming the Expert.

*Asking Questions- what questions will you answer for your audience?

*Organize and categorize your research.

*How to select keywords “hot spot” words.

*How to “Skim and Scan” and highlight our answers.

* How can we show what we’ve learned: Creating a product and presentation.

*Revise, edit, conference with peers about your presentation.

*Create your own rubric to assess your work.

*Reflection rubric (self-evaluation)