research

This issue is an online supplement to VUE 46, which addressed the topic of performance assessment – a personalized and rigorous alternative to standardized testing that allows teachers to build on individual students’ strengths and foster more equitable learning outcomes.   

VUE 47 adds...

Against a backdrop of the opportunities provided by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the challenges for education posed by the new federal administration, this issue of Voices in Urban Education (VUE) proposes performance assessment as a personalized and rigorous alternative to...

This unit is designed for students as a final project to connect learning they have done in content areas of Science and Social Studies throughout the year. They have already learned about landforms, rocks, soils, and have some research experience. Students will record all information for this...

In this module, students will conduct research, read, and learn how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. impacted history and why he was considered a great American Leader. Then they will write an informative article with an opening paragraph, body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph describing why...

The goal of this module is for students to learn about the importance of population balance in marine ecosystems and how human activities (specifically fertilizer run-off from nearby farmlands into the Mississippi River) can impact energy webs by changing predator/prey relationships. A lab...

In this task, students will play the role of a team hired to work for a non-profit environmental company, Invasion Free, to investigate an invasive species introduced locally. Students will learn about different types of invasive species and the distribution of these species in their local...

Students will begin learning what is considered an artistic and cultural trend. Next, they will begin doing background research on artistic and cultural trends that occurred in the United States from 1865 to the present. During their research students will examine how the trends reflect and/or...

Students first select and research a policy issue, then a corresponding interest group. Students write a 5 to 6 page proposal to their chosen interest group, suggesting which branch of government the interest group should attempt to influence and explaining why they believe that branch is the...

Current educational standards call for students to engage in the skills of research and inquiry, with a focus on gathering evidence from multiple information sources, evaluating the credibility of those sources, and writing an integrated synthesis that cites evidence from those sources....

This common analytic rubric evaluates students' research skills and can be used independently or in tandem with another rubric.

This common anlaytic rubric evaluates skills that cut across disciplines, with a focus on college and career readiness. Dimensions include research & investigation, ideas & content, reading & analysis, communication, organization, accuracy, and experimental design.

This common analytic rubric can be used with English language arts performance tasks to assess research and/or argumentation skills.

For this task, students will work in collaborative lab groups to observe pillbugs in their natural environment before developing an experimental question. Students will conduct reliable research to then create a model of their experiment and a scientific sketch of the pillbug. Once students have...

Students explore the subject of antioxidants and their benefits to humans. Students research the reaction between antioxidants and free radicals and must decide how this reaction is related to basic chemical bonding. Students summarize their research in a 2-page paper.

Given Chinese history and culture, as well as its current economic, political and social situation, what type of business venture will succeed in China?

Students will identify a business venture/product for use in China and "appear" on an episode of Shark Tank to pitch...

Students write a research paper about a topic that has been touched on in class that they would like to know more about. This is a common task and rubric for research papers. As shown, this is the final research paper of the year, however the task and rubric may be applied to other research...

In this task students assume the role of a futurist, a person who studies the future in order to help people understand, anticipate, prepare for and gain advantage from coming changes. Students act as part of a team of futurists working for a company called Foresight Enterprises that has been...

In this task, students assume the role of a Political Party Research Officer. Their boss (a state Congresswoman) is on her way to a conference on a controversial current issue and the student is tasked with creating a playlist of relevant resources that she can listen to/watch on her ipod while...

Student teams will research and define the terms “efficiency” and “energy efficient.” Based on their research, teams will design and build a vehicle. Then they will experimentally test the vehicle’s efficiency.

After analyzing the initial data of the vehicle’s performance, teams will re-...

In this task, students take on the role of a research assistant in a materials lab tasked with testing various materials to determine the best materials to use in a sports helmet to limit the force of impact.

Students will conduct research on what is already known about helmet design,...