Research Curriculum
The Research curriculum is designed to create 21st century learners who are able to use research skills
when searching for a variety of informational needs. Students who complete four years of Research at
City High will be prepared to access and responsibly use a variety of informational sources to research
topics in multidisciplinary areas. This is represented in the culmination of the Research curriculum in the
independent Graduation Project, which takes place in the junior and senior year. Successful completion
of the Graduation Project is a high-stakes activity at City High; it is a requirement for graduation.
Freshman and sophomore year are spent introducing and applying research skills for the successful
completion of the Graduation Project. The Research curriculum is aligned with the AASL’s Standards for
the 21st Century Learner, National Educational Technology Standards and Common Core Standards in
English Language Arts and Mathematics.
9th Grade
The freshman Research class is team-taught by two Research teachers during a two-hour block. Each
team has the course for one trimester. Freshman Research class is structured around the question what does it mean to be a digital citizen? Students will learn the basic skills necessary to conduct
research on their own or in groups and to understand the concepts of digital citizenship, structured into 4
units: Information Literacy, Creative Credit & Copyright, Digital Footprint & Reputation and Privacy and
Security.
By the end of the 9th Grade Research class, students will be able to:
● explain the Research process.
● identify and create different types of questions.
● identify different types of sources.
● use searching techniques to find information and evaluate sources for usefulness.
● take dot-jot notes on informational sources.
● write an informational report/summary using proper citation technique in order to avoid
plagiarism.
● present information using multimedia in an oral presentation.
● use information and technology ethically and responsibly.
● work independently to research a topic of their choice.
10th Grade
The sophomore Research class is team-taught by two Research teachers during a two-hour block. Each
team has the course for one trimester. Sophomore Research is structured around the question - what
does it mean to think like a scientist? Students will apply the research skills that they have learned to
research projects on diseases and controversial scientific issues. The Hot Zone is the text used to
structure the curriculum.
By the end of the 10th Grade Research class, students will be able to:
● understand the fundamentals of epidemiology and the role epidemiologists play in research.
● apply the research process to explore a research topic in depth using multiple sources and
appropriate citation methods.
● track independent work to monitor progress.
● locate appropropriate resources in a database.
● create interpretive questions about a topic.
● objectively research both sides of an issue.
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develop interview questions for a specific subject.
create an outline based on notes.
write an informational paper supporting a thesis using paraphrasing and direct quotes.
design an action project based on research.
work in teams to conduct research.
11th Grade
The junior Graduation Project class is taught by a Research teacher during a one-hour block. Each team
has the course for one trimester. Junior Grad Project is structured around a student’s essential question
that they develop independently about a topic of their choice. Students will plan, propose and design a
research project demonstrating their ability to apply, analyze, synthesize and evaluate information.
By the end of the 11th grade Grad Project class, students will be able to:
● define a topic of interest and develop essential and foundation questions about the topic.
● locate primary and secondary sources about the topic.
● write annotations for selected sources.
● create interview questions and conduct an interview with an expert.
● take notes on multiple sources using appropriate citation techniques.
● organize notes into an outline.
● use multiple methods of organizing and tracking independent work.
● demonstrate aspects of appropriate presentation technique.
● make a plan for executing an independent action project.
12th Grade
The senior Graduation Project class is taught using the Senior Independent Model. Students have two
hour-long seminars a week with the 12th grade Research Teacher. The 11th grade Research Teacher
provides support to students as they work independently. Students complete their literature review,
action plan, technology piece and oral presentation.
By the end of the 12th grade Grad Project class, students will be able to:
● work independently in the 12th grade Independent Learning model.
● write a research paper in MLA format using appropriate citations and editing skills.
● execute an action project related to essential question.
● create a technological piece that relates to essential question.
● apply public speaking skills and techniques to a presentation for an outside panel of judges.
● evaluate their own work in reflections on the Grad Project process.
Research Curriculum Framework
Over the course of the 4 years, students will continually understand and apply the steps of the research
process and how to be an ethical user of information and a “digital citizen”
Specifically, students will be able to:
9th
Defining
10th
11th
Identify
factual/interpretive
questions
Create interpretive
questions about all sides
of a topic
Define topic of interest
Locating
Identify Primary and
Secondary Sources
Use Databases
Gather info from books,
primary sources,
secondary sources
Selecting
Evaluate websites
based on criteria
Choose multiple sources
to show all sides of an
issue
Create Annotations from
selected sources
12th
Create
Essential/Foundation
Questions
Choose
appropriate primary
sources
Organizing
Use dot jot notetaking format
Understand MLA
citation format
Take in-depth notes using
multiple sources and
categorizing details
Conduct interview
Create outlines
Know when to
paraphrasing/direct quote
Creating
Write an
informational
report/summary
Write an informational
paper based on thesis
Present multimedia
Present
multimedia/info
Take notes using multiple
sources
Create an Outline using
appropriate use of direct
quotes
Plan for action project
Use appropriate
presentation technique
Debate different sides of
an issue
Write MLA
research paper
Execute action
project
Create tech
piece
Presentation
Evaluating
Use rubrics to assess
progress
Track independent work
Peer-edit
Self-edit
Use Web 2.0 tools to track
independent work
Edit research
paper
Work
appropriately in
12th grade IL
model
Reflect on
graduation
project process