A student expectation is directly related to the knowledge and skills statement, is more specific about how students demonstrate their learning, and always begins with a verb. Student expectations are further broken down into their component parts, often referred to as “breakouts.”
A knowledge and skills statement is a broad statement of what students must know and be able to do. It generally begins with a learning strand and ends with the phrase “The student is expected to:” Knowledge and skills statements always include related student expectations.
Demonstrated Proficiency of ELA.3.13.A
During one-on-one conferences, ask students to generate meaningful questions as they determine a topic and plan for a research project.
Further Explanation
Students are expected to be involved in an ongoing process of gathering and examining information in different ways. Students should be able formulate appropriate questions that will guide their research work and continue to clarify questions as an ongoing process throughout the research work. Students should also be able to differentiate between formal and informal inquiry.
Glossary Support for ELA.3.13.A
Students will learn that informal and formal inquiries require different types of questions. Formal inquiries require an established process and typically include a specific goal. For example, a formal inquiry into how students can manage homework in an effective way might generate a question such as “What strategies can students use to complete homework on time?” An informal inquiry does not require the same complex process as researching a formal topic. The goal of informal inquiry is often to gain context for something or to begin exploring a new topic in a general way. For example, students investigating a simple topic such as favorite music amongst students may generate questions such as “What is your favorite song? Or If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a classroom, what would it be?”
During inquiry and research, students are expected to formulate questions to guide their research. As the research process evolves, the original questions change due to new information, findings, or reflections on the subject being researched. When students modify, or clarify, their questions, they refine the analysis of their topic. The clarification of questions is ongoing throughout the research process.