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Collecting Information

This support material is incorporated into critical challenges at grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, however, it can be adapted for use at all grade levels.

The Collecting Information charts help students collect and organize information under a number of headings or themes. The following documents can be adapted and re-saved for your needs.

Assessing Evidence 
An assessment rubric is available for these charts.

Assembling Information 
This chart helps students collect information about one topic, e.g., a person, location, event or time period, according to agreed-upon themes or aspects. For example, students might collect information on various aspects, e.g., people, places, things, activities, of their home community. To use this chart, students:

• record identified themes or aspects at the top of the columns
• record relevant information for each theme or aspect under the respective options.

Character Profile 
This chart helps students collect information about the background statistics, personal qualities and significant contributions of an identified person. To use this chart, students:

• record background statistics, personal qualities and relevant information regarding the identified person
• record contributions in the left-hand column
• identify and record the impact for each contribution.

Location Profile 
This chart helps students record information about the location, description and main features of a selected site or attraction. To use this chart, students:

• record information regarding the selected site or attraction
• identify purpose for the selected site or attraction by checking one or more of the options provided
• identify and record 5 to 10 key facts and features.

Recording Our Ideas 
This chart is especially useful for emergent writers who will print in large letters or use drawings to represent their ideas. Students might us this chart to record their ideas in response to three or four questions framed within two contexts; e.g., before or after an event, comparing two characters in a story. To use this chart, students:

• record or read contexts provided for them at the top of the middle and right-hand columns
• record questions or read questions provided for them in the left-hand column
• record responses for one context in the middle column
• record response for the other context in the right-hand column.

Comparing Information 
This chart helps students collect information, according to agreed-upon themes across several locations, events or time periods. For example, students might collect information on various aspects of quality of life (e.g., freedom to act, basic necessities, opportunities) across four communities (e.g., India, Tunisia, Peru, Ukraine) or information about changes in a community (e.g., transportation, clothing, housing) over four time periods (e.g., 1880, 1920, 1960, 2000). To use this chart, students:

• list the identified dimensions or themes in the left-hand column
• gather information from the supplied sources and record the relevant information for each dimension under the appropriate location, event or time period
• compare differences for each of the identified themes.

Credits

Adapted from Critical Challenges Across the Curriculum series. Permission granted by The Critical Thinking Consortium for use by Alberta teachers.