You and your partner will decided what problem needs solving.  What specific pollutant do you feel the fourth grades students need to be educated about?  I have gathered a number of resources that pertain to air and water quality. You may research my Hot Topics List to find a pollutant topic. The Hot Topics List is a list of links to web sites that contain information about air quality, water quality, and pollution.

1. What problem needs solving?
 
 

2. Why do fourth grade students need to know this problem?
 
 

Decide what will be the best sources to provide information on your topic.  Which sources are the most reliable?  On or off-line? On-line databases?  Internet or printed materials?

1. Where might the best information lie?
 
 

2. Which resources are reliable?
 

3. How will you protect against bias and develop a balanced view?
 

Time to research and save your information.  You must use Microsoft Word to save the information you gather in your researching.  Copy and paste from the net and/or type information from printed materials.  Remember to cite your sources.  Gather as must information as you can! Use the Hot Topics List.

1. How did you save your information?  How many files to do have?  Do you have the information saved on two different disks? (in case someone is absent)
 
 
 
 

2. Pick three of your sources and answer these questions.  You will need to use another piece of paper.
    A. What was the purpose of this article or web site?
    B. Summarize the information from the article/web site.
    C. Develop a graphic organizer to display the important ideas in the article/web site. (Use Inspiration)
    D. What other information that you did not find in this article/web site do you need to better understand this topic?
 
 

You and your partner will now sort and sift through the data you  have collected  Find the information that best helps you to understand your topic.  Remember who you audience is!

E. THE SYNTHESIZING STEP:

You should now begin to arrange and rearrange your information so that some sort of product/presentation begins to appear.  Note the causes, effects and solution(s) to your pollutant topic.

2. What is the working solution you will present to your audience?

Is your information complete?  What is missing?  Will you be able to present an age appropriate engaging Hyper studio presentation to a fourth grade audience with the information you have found? The presentation must include causes, effects and provide a solution(s).

1. Describe three changes you made after repeating the research cycle.