The document outlines a 7-step process for teaching research skills to students: 1) choosing a topic, 2) setting goals, 3) conducting research, 4) organizing notes, 5) evaluating goals, 6) creating a product, and 7) presenting findings. It emphasizes that research is a sequential process involving multiple sources. Students are guided to form questions, take notes, identify categories, and transform their understanding into a creative output to share with others. The document provides examples and templates to help students and teachers implement each step of the research process.

1. Organization
Product
Presentation
Research
TopicDevelopment
GoalSetting
http://www.iimresearch.com/
E.H. Eastman – MCLIMS.org
2015-16
Classroom
Research!
Tame the Chaos of…

2. 7 Steps to
Research!
7
Presentation1
Topic
2
Goal-Setting
3
Research
4
Organizing
5
Goal-Evaluation
6
Product
Successful

3. Research provides a Context for Integrated

4. Within framework of inquiry…
• Research is a sequential process.
• Answers come from a range of sources.
• Information must be analyzed and organized.
• Then it can be synthesized into a final product to share
with audience(s).
How to…
• Record information they already know (facts)
• Determine what they want to learn (questions).
• Cite all sources.
• Avoid plagiarism.
Students are learning…

5. Resources
… teach them not to expect instant magic answers
(& design assignments with this in mind)
… understanding will develop from many ideas
pulled from multiple sources
Grit
Persistence, & Self Management

6. Guide process
throughout with
the whole class
and research one
topic together.
Work through
research process
on
individual topics
in small groups or
independently, &
apply research
skills.
Group
IIM Process
Independent
IIM Process

7. Kindergarten

8. 55Fifth
Grade

9. Essential Questions
•Frame unit of study
•Connect what is learned to real world
•Require critical thinking to answer
•Allow students to form original ideas
instead of pre-determined answers.
•Point students toward key ideas & main
concepts we want them to understand
•Asked & re-asked
What does
it matter
if I know
this?
Why do I
have to do
this?
When will
I ever use
this?

10. Key starting points for planning effective units of study built
around key curriculum –based big ideas.
EXAMPLE: Natural Disasters
Topic: hurricanes
Essential Question: What are environmental
and cultural effects of a hurricane?
Guiding Questions:
•What are the characteristics of a hurricane?
•How are people affected by a hurricane?
•What is the impact of a hurricane on the environment?

11. Topic: habitat
Essential Question: How do living
things depend on one another and on their
environments?
Guiding Questions:
•How are living things connected?
•How does human activity affect environments?
•How are habitats alike and different?
At the end of a unit, what key understandings should
students have? --- > curriculum guides, TX-TEKS
EXAMPLE: Habitats

12. TOPIC
Step 1
Choose What to Study
• What do you already know?
• What do you want to find out?
CD forms 17-20—my topic, concept map, glossary sheet for individual work
•Spark Curiosity with Immersion Activities!
•Generate facts + questions.
•Organize & categorize (graphic organizer)
•Post glossary.

13. Use range of flexible strategies
to map out what we know & want to know
Concept Map
Diagram
Wonderwall
1
Topic

16. Development of student questions
1. On your own, or with a partner, choose a book on our topic that
interests you.
2. Write the title and author in your notebook or on an index card.
3. Under this, write: ‘I wonder…’
4. During your reading, list all the questions the information in the
book raises in your mind. These do not need to be questions
answered in the book—just things that make you wonder.
5. Here is an example:
1

17. Development of student questions
Distinguishing between ‘Thick’ and ‘Thin’ questions Flyer
1
Topic

18. GOAL
SETTING
Make a Plan
• Set goals for your project.
• What are the requirements?
CD forms 21-23: goal-setting sheets
Step 2
•Develop questions to direct research.
•Set goals for notefacts and new words.
•Define number & types of sources to be used

19. Clarity of purpose & expectations
Focused specific research
2

21. RESEARCH
Discover the Facts
• Use many resources.
• Cite your sources & record your notes.
CD forms 24,29,30-31,35,56
Step 3
•Introduce concept of plagiarism.
•Model & guide notefact-taking.
•Record source information and numbers.
•Reread & revise; encourage thinking &
analysis.
•Add new vocabulary to glossary.

22. 3
Research

23. NOTEFACTS are…
make sense.
phrases
own words.
questions.
Research

26. • Short but complete enough to
make sense.
• Written in your own words.
• Use phrases instead of complete
sentences.
• Connect to your questions & focus
on
important ideas.
• Useful, meaningful, and easy to
read.
Notefacts
SHORT(note) +TRUE (fact)
3
Research

27. Taking Group Notefacts
•
•
•
•

29. 3Research
Kid-Friendly Search Tools

30. ORGANIZING
Build a Framework From Your Notes
• Put your notes in categories.
• Analyze & interpret your findings
Step 4
•Reread notefacts & look for categories.
•Cut & manipulate, sort.
•Refer to guiding questions.
•Write category choices on organizing charts.
•Color code magnifying glasses.
•Group/regroup/ cut+ paste.
CD forms 36-37

31. Organizing
Student researchers will:
• Identify useable categories.
• Organize with color-coding.
• Sort, cut & paste.
• Begin to analyze and interpret findings toward a
written product or project.
ACTIVITY : Categorization of Notefacts
Putting it all together
4
Organizing

32. Organizing Chart: Kindergarten
Initially, students’developmental levels may require more teacher control over the process.
4
Organizing

33. Organizing Group Notefacts
•Read notefacts together.
•Review guiding questions.
•List possible categories on chart paper.
•Make final choices and color code.
•Cut notefacts into strips and model with 1 or 2
•Give notefact to pair of students who will explain choice
to class, color & glue

36. Organize information to create a clearer picture of new knowledge.
4
Organizing

38. Use a variety of flexible
strategies to represent
new ideas & information.
Organizing

42. GOAL EVALUATION
Check Your Progress
• Look back at Step 2.
• How did you do?
Step 5
•Requirements met for notefacts connected to questions?
• Number of sources & type?
•Where are gaps or holes from research plan?
•Gather additional facts & glossary words as needed.
•Identify/Summarize key findings
CD forms 38-40

43. Student researchers will:
• Review goals set in Step 2.
• Decide if they have fulfilled the requirements.
• Evaluate the quality of their work in steps 1-4.
• Move forward in the process or identify areas
for refocus.
• Summarize key findings
Goal Evaluation
What was accomplished?
5
Goal-Evaluation

45. Goal Evaluation
MY GOALS:
My Notefact Goal: 30
Required Glossary Entries : 5
Required # of Resources: 3
Required Resource Types:
• Non-fiction Book
• My choice: Online Encyclopedia
• My choice: Video Clip
What I Did:
Note facts Written:
of Glossary Words
# of Resources Used:
Resources Used:
√
√
√
Evaluating Research Goals (What I Learned)
KEY FINDINGS ABOUT MY TOPIC:
(What are the most important findings you want to share when you get to Step 6 – Product)
1.
2.
3.
MY KEY GLOSSARY WORDS:
24
9
3
5

47. PRODUCT
Create Something New
• Write about it!
• Share what you learned.
Step 6
•Choose audience & presentation format.
•Plan, design, and write final products.
•Develop topic sentences, develop written product, use
evidence to support conclusions.
•Use technology to publish work for specific audience.
CD forms 41-42: Choosing My Product & My Product Plan

48. Product
Student researchers will:
• Make a plan.
• Identify tools and resources needed.
• Use writing and technology skills to transform
new understandings into diverse creative
products.
Create Something to Show What Was Learned

49. Expository
Paragraph &/or
Essay Writing
•Lead or Hook
•Topic sentences-main ideas
•Summarize findings with descriptive evidence to
support
conclusions
•Elaborative details compiled from range of sources
•Conclusion
Organized
Notefacts
Extended
Writing
(to inform)

50. Role of the
Writer
• Who or what
are you as the
writer?
• A character? A
reporter? An
eyewitness?
Audience
• Who will read
your writing?
• A friend? Your
teacher? Other
students, a
parent, or
people in the
community?
Format
• In what format
are you writing?
• What is best way
to present your
ideas?
• A letter? A
narrative? A
speech? A
persuasive
article?
Topic &
Strong Verb
• What are you
writing about?
• Why? What’s the
subject or the
point?
Students should process and transform information,
rather than simply write out answers to questions.
Writing
R.A.F.T.

51. Pre-Kindergarten

52. Fifth
Grade

53. Planning
• Role, Audience, Format, Topic
• Layout & design
• Tools needed

56. PRESENTATION
Step 7
• Who’s the audience?
• Present what you know.
CD forms 43-44: Listening & presentation forms
•Prepare/practice speaking &
listening skills for presentations.

57. PRESENTATION
Student researchers will demonstrate
essential presentation skills.
Sharing New Knowledge
•Prepared and confident
•Speak clearly & use new vocabulary
•Knowledgeable and accurate
•Look at audience & use visual tools as support
•Respond to questions
•Share sources of information
7Presentation

58. References
“The IIM Model." IIM - Independent Investigation Method.
Web. 31 Mar. 2011. <http://www.iimresearch.com/ii>
Nottage, Cindy, and Virginia Morse. IIM Teaching Research
Skills in Grades K-5: TEKS Edition. Epping, NH, 2013.
Nottage, Cindy, and Virginia Morse. 7 easy steps to successful
research for students in grades K-12: Teacher manual. Epping,
NH, 2006.