Presentation for #PSLA16

1. INCORPORATING
RESEARCH SKILLS
ACROSS THE
GRADE LEVELS
AND CURRICULUM
PRESENTED BY:
KAREN HORNBERGER & AMBER SCHLOSSER

2. WHO WE ARE
KAREN HORNBERGER
• Librarian at Palisades High School
AMBER SCHLOSSER
• English teacher at Palisades High School

3. HOW TO ACCESS THIS SLIDESHOW
http://bit.ly/1rLOABU

4. OUR PURPOSE AND PHILOSOPHY
Our group started three years ago with the
philosophy that we wanted to introduce students
to research skills in various grade levels and
various courses. We felt that we were isolating
the skills to be taught mainly during the senior
research paper process and worried that the
students were not given enough time to master
the skills and exhibit them during different
curricular areas.
As a result, we developed a study group to
approach our concerns.

5. THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION,
ATTENDEES CAN…
Investigate a model on a
research skills integration
study group
Look through our
resources and see which
seem useful to utilize
within their own programs

6. YEAR ONE
2013-2014

7. GOAL ONE
Set a vertical alignment/scope and sequence to
incorporate research skills into projects during 9-12 grade
English and social studies classes.

8. GOAL TWO
Identify research skills (aligned with AASL standards) that
we wanted to ensure were covered.

9. GOAL THREE
Survey former students and college librarians on
preparedness concerns.

10. GOAL FOUR
To create and improve existing resources through:
• Design/test run new resources
• Development of discussion questions
• Examination of student work
• Modify/tweak resources

11. GOAL FIVE
To develop a research check-in.

12. YEAR ONE ANALYSIS
WHAT WORKED WELL
• Set a framework based upon guidelines
• Improved resources
• Research check-in procedure (extremely
valuable)
WHAT DID NOT WORK WELL
• Difficult to survey former students
• Discussion questions were a good idea
but ones that were originally developed
were not high level (Amber and Karen
followed up by taking a course during
year three)

13. Example of Research Check-in responses (teacher view)

14. YEAR TWO
2014-2015

15. GOAL ONE
Coach/mentor within department.

16. GOAL TWO
Initiate middle school collaboration.

17. GOAL THREE
Research and differentiate between long and short term
research.

18. GOAL FOUR
Begin to instruct students to evaluate sample work against
rubrics.

19. GOAL FIVE
To develop a system for progress monitoring and
feedback.

20. GOAL SIX
To focus upon teaching using primary source documents.

21. YEAR TWO ANALYSIS
WHAT WORKED WELL
• Beginnings of a research-centered
relationship with middle school
• Student evaluation of sample work
against rubrics (extremely valuable)
• Identifying short versus long term
research opened an important discussion
WHAT DID NOT WORK WELL
• Coaching/mentoring (too hit and miss)
• Instruction on primary source
documents needed to be stretched into
English classes

22. YEAR THREE
OUR CURRENT YEAR: 2015-2016

23. GOAL ONE
Incorporate scholarly journals and primary source
documents into English classes more successfully.

24. GOAL TWO
Align with school improvement plan.

25. GOAL THREE
Create consistency with editing.

26. GOAL FOUR
Develop skill specific rubrics (along with modified
versions).

27. GOAL FIVE
To create launchpads for units.

28. GOAL SIX
To align summer reading assignments.

29. YEAR THREE ANALYSIS
WHAT WORKED WELL…SO FAR!
• Skill specific rubrics
• Google Site launchpads
• Integration of scholarly journals into
English
• Alteration of summer reading
assignments…so far ☺
WHAT DID NOT WORK WELL…SO FAR!
• Editing comment banks – not much
feedback

30. PHILOSOPHIES

31. HELP TO CREATE CONSISTENCY
Developing a Launchpad for important research units helps to have all teachers teaching the
course access the same resources.
Integrating the same resources across the board helps students familiarize with expectations.
Offer to teach any lessons that you can.
Karen sat with each department and we determined in which units we would integrate which
skills.

32. BE FLEXIBLE AND UNDERSTANDING
Trust teacher’s professional judgment. Don’t worry how teachers are using the resources; be happy
that they are using the resources while trying to get them to use and understand consistent resources
(English example with units & skill specific rubrics example).
Recognize not all teachers are trained English teachers. The teachers you work with may need
professional development combined with patience and time to explain concepts that you want the
students to understand.
Develop resources prior to running it by peers; limit to review/feedback.
View yourself as an educational support leader.

33. BALANCE THE WIDE PICTURE (SCHOOL AND DISTRICT
GOALS) WITH SMALLER DETAILS (STUDENT READINESS
AND RESPONSES)
Work with students individually to see where they commonly struggle and try to develop
assistive resources.
Align to wider (national, state, and school (local) goals.
Plan professional development on the larger level (inservice days) and the smaller level (ask
to meet during department meetings, meet one-on-one, etc.)

34. Time to Explore!
Thank you! We hope our resources are useful to you!
Contact info:
Karen: khornberger@palisadessd.org
Amber: aschlosser@palisadessd.org