Page 64 - Paths to Change

Notes on the Student Essay The students’ culminating product should be a piece of writing in which they cite evidence from multiple documents in the text set to both support their claim and inform the reader. This task should be well- researched and well-scaffolded based on the unique needs of your students. While the prompt on the following page includes bulleted directives for what should be included in the essay, it is expected that these requirements will be revised and/or scaffolded at the educator’s discretion. Inquiry-based learning using texts sets not only develops students’ ability to analyze and synthesize information, but to share that information through coherent and well-planned writing. In short, when students learn to think, they learn to write. Consider providing additional tools or organizers for students to draft claims and capture evidence. Provide a rubric that will allow students to assess their own writing and allow time for revisions based on feedback. The beauty of inquiry-based learning is that outcomes can and should be as varied as the students themselves. Allow for freedom of thought and expression with no absolute right or wrong answer. If we get it right, we will cultivate classrooms full of students who ask better questions and seek ideas instead of answers. The Black Inquiry Project 63