Unit Comparison


The same basic set of skills is emphasized in my detailed lesson plans for both units. In both lessons, I am teaching students to recognize important facts and turn them into notes. They are also expected to cite their sources. However, what a second grade student can be expected to accomplish at these tasks is much different from what a sixth grade student can do. Second graders are most likely having their first encounter with a research project, while it is safe to assume that sixth graders have done several such projects.

When starting second grade students on the road to taking notes and citing sources, I am concentrating on helping them identify what a fact is, in the first place (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How). That is something I would not expect to have to do with a sixth grade class.

The search for fact fragments becomes a much more complex task in the time between second and sixth grades. It is not difficult for second grade students to locate facts in the very short, simple informational texts they will be using. They are not expected to skim and scan for keywords or go through a relevant paragraph line-by-line, or word-by-word. The younger students would not have the ability to concentrate on a task that minute even if their texts provided the depth. However, by the time they get to sixth grade, I expect students to be able to understand the concept of keywords and to practice identifying synonyms and broader and narrower terms. They use the keywords to locate information in tables of contents or indexes, or by scanning headings, captions, and bold type. They cross out any irrelevant words or phrases to narrow down fairly complex information to just the facts that answer their research questions.

Both grades are asked to consider the benefits of taking very brief notes. Second graders are given very concrete reasons, such as their hands will hurt if they write every word. They are introduced to the concept of notes in everyday life through an example that is relevant to them, making wish lists at the book fair. Sixth grade students are given reasons for brief notes that relate to the use of paraphrasing, and an example of note-taking that relates to a common occurrence in their lives, taking phone messages.

When introducing second graders to source citation, I keep it very simple. I don't use the word plagiarism, but I do appeal to their sense of fair play. The citations they are required to produce are very simple. Sixth graders are given a more detailed lesson on plagiarism and how to avoid it by paraphrasing. They are asked to consider that failing to cite sources is not only unfair, but could get them into trouble at school, now and in the future.

The scaffolding I use with the two ages is similar in nature, but differs in complexity. Second graders are given note cards for data collection. Sixth graders use a data chart for the same function. When it comes time to organize their notes, the older students are expected to create an outline from the notes of three or more people, and to create a group project that covers essential questions and considers different perspectives. Second graders need only choose three features of their animal to include in a creative product with their partner, and are given guidelines about what to include in their short written report.

As they progress as learners, the scaffolding changes with the expectations. Sixth graders still have several scaffolds because their project is much more complex, but the scaffolds they have are less rigid and serve more as a reminder of what is expected, rather than as the relatively strong guidance needed by the second graders.

Second grade students are certainly novice information scientists [1]. They have limited life experiences and limited experiences with solving information problems. They are likely to have trouble recognizing many patterns in information and are likely to need encouragement to pose questions during the research process.

Sixth grade students are not yet expert information scientists, but they have come a long way. They have handled similar information needs before and have other life experiences to draw from. They should have a much easier time recognizing patterns in data and looking at issues from multiple perspectives. They should be able to generate their own questions to aid them in their research.

One characteristic of the information scientist that I am teaching to both age groups is the ability to separate relevant from irrelevant information. As I discussed above, this process becomes much more complex at the sixth grade level than it is at the second.

I believe that the skills of note-taking and source citation that I propose in this unit would help students with more than just this one inquiry project. My goal is to build knowledge and skills that will transfer to later assignments and to the everyday lives of the students. Hopefully, the students would be able to "use what was learned to solve new problems, answer new questions, or facilitate learning new subject matter" (Mayer and Whitrock, 1996, as cited on http://virtualinquiry.com/scientist/scientist1a.htm).


[1] Callison, Daniel and Lamb, Annette, 2005. "Expert vs. Novice Information Scientists." http://virtualinquiry.com/scientist/scientist1a.htm Accessed December 7, 2005.