Grade 10 Interdisciplinary Unit Social Studies and English: Research

topic + search  facts = report

The ideas and information are not yours. You are simply reporting out factual information. You may learn something new, but you are simply reproducing what you find.

• Who invented the helicopter?
• What are the symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome?
• When was the cell phone first introduced to the public?
• Where can hand guns be used for hunting?
• How were helicopters used in Vietnam?

problem + inquiry investigation = research

The nature of your inquiry depends on the question(s) asked. The question asked will suggest personal connections and generate unique answers.

• Who is the most powerful man in America?
• Which treatments for cancer are the most humane?
• When should youth be allowed to vote in federal elections?
• What is the effect of technology on teen literacy?
• How do athletics impact student achievement?

What is an essential question?

Open-ended

no simple or single right answer
addressed through reason rather than opinion/belief

Thought-provoking

unique, often counterintuitive or controversial
answers through problem solving (not found, but invented)
generate new questions

Universal

addresses fundamental issues
addresses interdisciplinary concepts, central to greater understanding