Kiriaki+Inquiry+Activity

1. Description of Online Activity __Activity:__ Where would you settle? []

· This activity is designed for fifth graders to make an informative decision, based on their research, as to which of the original 13 U.S. colonies they would choose to live in. They are to make this decision as if they were alive in the 1600s, traveling from a country across the Atlantic Ocean to one of the colonies. The main purpose for this activity is for the students to work collaboratively, by researching the internet to answer and discover “How geography, culture, and economy affect where people live.” The group has to produce a PowerPoint presentation of their findings. As a final assignment, each students will write an individual letter to his/her family back home, informing them of his/hers final decision of which colony he/she would like to move to and the reasons why. This makes this activity multidisciplinary, bringing in English Language Arts into Social Studies.

2. Standards I.1 Determines the roots and impact of expansion on the United States I.9 Understands historical periods of United States history and reasons for their classifications I.10 Understands how colonial government developed and how European ideas influenced religious, economic, and political life in the American colonies I.11 Identifies causes and effects of immigration to the United States I.13 Recognizes point of view of various groups to adverse conditions II.14 Write diary accounts, journal entries, letters, news accounts from the point of view of particular time periods or individuals in history
 * a. ** NYS Standards: Social Studies Grade 5
 * Standard 1 **: History of the United States and New York
 * Standard 2: ****World History **

III.5 Investigates how different groups live and interact with their environment III.9 Knows different types of climate and the effect climate has on a place III.10 Analyzes demographic data
 * Standard 3 **: Geography

IV.1 Investigates how different societies and countries solve problems related to satisfying basic needs IV.10 Identifies personal economic decisions they will make IV.11 Understands that the natural resources of an area affect what is produced and impacts the life of the people
 * Standards 4:** Economics

2b. National Education Technology Standards 2. **Communication and Collaboration**: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. 3. ** Research and Information Fluency: **Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. 4. ** Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making: ** Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. 5. ** Digital Citizenship: ** Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.

3. Revised Definition and Rubric __My Definition of //Inquiry//__ Inquiry is the force that drives you to challenge your curiosity by: (1) motivating you throughout the process to complete the task; (2) taking you through a process of discovery by means of different research tools to gather information; (3) getting you involved with activities that promote higher-level thinking; (4) encouraging you to obtain the insights and opinions of others to perform a task; and (5) allowing you to relate your findings to other aspects of your life, beyond school boundaries.

__My Rubric:__

The task does not motivate the student to fulfill the assignment. || //Somewhat.// The task motivates the student with a good introduction, by relating to their interests, however, does not maintain the motivation throughout the process. || //Yes.// The task maintains motivation throughout the entire process, by keeping in mind the student’s interests. (i.e. age-appropriate graphics, visuals, sounds, and language) ||  || At most 1 resource is used by the student, with no opportunity to create an inference based on the information gathered. || //Somewhat.// Some resources are used by the student which helps create few opportunities to develop inferences based on the information gathered. || //Yes.// A variety of resources are used by the student which helps create opportunities to develop inferences based on the information gathered. ||  || The student is only asked to restate factual information. || //Somewhat.// Students are given a task that requires some higher level thinking (i.e., analyzing and synthesizing information) but still contains some tasks that require only lower level thinking (i.e., memorization as a proof of comprehension). || //Yes.// Task requires synthesis of information and application to real-life situation. Students solve problems using critical thinking and higher level thinking (i.e., making observations, considering evidence, using reasoning skills, etc.) ||  || The task can be performed individually. || //Somewhat.// The task involves 2 or more perspectives; the student’s and others’, however different roles are not assigned that interact with one another. || //Yes.// The task incorporates 2 or more perspectives to be completed, with different and interacting roles assigned for each student. ||  || The task only focuses on the facts learned in the one subject field given. || //Somewhat.// The student is asked to relate and make connections with their new knowledge to other school subjects. || //Yes.// The task supplied the student with the opportunity to reflect on his/her learning and to connect their new knowledge to concepts found in the real world, other than school subjects. ||  ||
 * **Criteria** || **Beginning**
 * 0** || **Developed**
 * 1** || **Accomplished**
 * 2** || **Score** ||
 * 1. Does the task compel and encourage the student to complete the job? || //Not at all.//
 * 2. Does the task provoke the student to use various tools to gather information? || //Not at all.//
 * 3. Does the task ask the student to solve problems using higher level thinking? || //Not at all.//
 * 4. Does the task involve gaining and using the insights of others to be completed? || //Not at all.//
 * 5. Is the student asked to relate this task to other parts of his/ her life, other than school, as part of the process? || //Not at all.//