21 Things for Students

Introduction

You have made it through all of the training and the top secret Big6 briefing and simulation! You are now ready to take off into Cyberspace and conduct research for the citizens of your community (school). You will conduct research on the Rock Cycle. Remember special agent, all sites that you use will need to be evaluated and cited. Your SSI Chief should have informed you of the website evaluation format you are required to use (either BASIC or CARRDSS ) If you haven't completed the Be Legal & Be Fair quests, please meet with your SSI Chief to discuss how you will complete this training. All evaluations and research will need to be saved to your secret file space for your SSI Chief to review.

Steps

1. Secret Agent, before you blast off into Cyberspace, make sure you have protected your mission by turning on your safe settings options on Google, or perform advanced searched as shown to you in your last training session.

2. You will be conducting research on the Rock Cycle. You will need to be able to explain the following when you have completed all research:

      a. Explain how a sedimentary rock is formed.
      b. What makes a sedimentary rock unique?
      c. Explain how a metamorphic rock is formed.
      d. What makes a metamorphic rock unique?
      e. Explain how an igneous rock is formed.
      f. What makes an igneous rock unique?
      g. Explain how the rock cycle is different from a plant or animal life cycle.

3. You must include five sources. Two of the sources will be from MeL (Michigan eLibrary) or another database.

   Click on the image to view a Flash-based video about MeL.

4. The other sources can be from a search engine such as Google and should include a blog, wiki and website.

5. Save your evaluations on your secret file space. Below are the links to these evaluation forms.

       a. How to evaluate a website using CARRDSS    
       b. How to evaluate a website using Basic
       c. How to evaluate a blog
       d. How to evaluate a wiki

6. Now that you have found your credible sources, you need to check the information with the Big6 Checklist to make sure the information fits your research mission. If the information does not, you will need to go back into Cyberspace and find another source.

7. Save your notes and answers to the Big6 on your secret file space.

8. Finally, you need to give credit where credit is due. Please cite your sources using one of the citation makers. Check out these Citation Makers, including Landmark Citation machine, BibMe, KnightCite, EasyBib, Citation Center, and eTurabian. You need to check with you SSIx Chief and see if you are required to use a specific citation maker.

9. Save your citation information along with your research on your secret file space.

Resources

Here are several other resources that will you help you complete your research mission.

Thinkfinity- Thinkfinity provides free homework help, online learning interactive games and activities and excellent research sites

Fact Monster- Research site for students

Check this Quest off on your tracking document once you and your SSI Chief have confirmed completion all the activities.