Inquiry and Research: Grade 8 Overall Expectations By the end of Grade 8, students will: prepare for research: define information needs using a variety of strategies explore information using a variety of group activities identify varied ways of organizing information relate prior knowledge to information tasks; access resources: locate a variety of appropriate resources from a variety of sources select information appropriate to needs using a variety of strategies gather information from resources using internal organizers and conventions of texts collaborate with others to share findings and ideas; process information: analyze and evaluate information using a variety of strategies test ideas to adjust research and problem solving strategies sort information using a variety of organizers and formats synthesize findings and formulate conclusions; transfer learning: revise product appropriate to purpose, audience and format present research findings in a variety of forms for a variety of audiences reflect on and evaluate product and process transfer new information skills and knowledge to solve problems and make decisions.

Expectations in Specific Areas
Reasoning	Organizing
By the end of Grade 8, students will: - recognize elements of potentially successful research questions - ask higher-order questions - select CD ROM databases - select biographical resources - compare and verify statements from two or more sources - examine assumptions and bias in information - identify criteria used to evaluate information - articulate the stages of the research process - assess bias in data collection methods - examine assumptions in product and process	By the end of Grade 8, students will: - describe the features and conventions of a variety of reference materials - use bibliographies and suggested readings in reference materials to investigate further sources - use simple print or online indexes to periodicals - create paraphrases - use legends - use matrices to record variables for decision making - sort collected information, using general and sample data - edit product for unity - verify the accuracy of examples and quotations from primary sources - check product for bias
Communicating	Applying
By the end of Grade 8, students will: - use simulation strategies to explore ideas during research process - participate in an electronic conference to share and contribute ideas - use paraphrase in peer and teacher conferencing to check progress and test clarity of ideas - maintain an appropriate tone in presenting research through diction and detail - manipulate and present data using spreadsheets - begin to use presentation software to present research	By the end of Grade 8, students will: - use previous research folder to generate ideas and approaches - compare predicted and experimental results - begin to use community resources and organizations for information - begin to search the Internet using a range of strategies available in a variety of single search engines - identify cause and effect relationships in information - determine trends and patterns in information - make inferences and convincing arguments based on data analysis - recast a product in a new format for a range of purposes and audiences - make judgments and draw conclusions to solve problems