Fay School Faculty Guide to Student Writing & Research
Developed by Fay department chairs, these guidelines are based on research in student learning that identifies best practice for middle school students.

• Here's the rubric for grading student writing to print and attach to each student's work.
• Here's the rubric in Microsoft Word™ if you'd like to adapt it. (To fit it on one page, all margins must be set at .3")
• Essential Question Worksheet
• Research Question Worksheet

Research Skills Scope & Sequence
Six standards to help you and your favorite librarian teach students essential, age-appropriate research skills. These standards were created by educators at seven independent schools in the Greater Boston area.

The Research Road
The Research Road, Fay School's own online tutorial, is a personal research assistant, ready to guide the student through any research project step by step. RESEARCH ROAD TEACHER'S PAGE has a Research Timeline & Checklist and a Science Fair Timeline & Checklist. Both are in Word™ format and are easy to customize for your own classes.

So You Think You Can Cite
This is a guide to citing sources, and every Upper School student has a copy in their planner. Extra copies are available in the library.

NoodleBib Guide for Teachers
When students "share" their works cited lists with you, you can track their progress and even give feedback through NoodleBib. Try it, you'll love it!

Web Site Evaluation
An interactive tool for students to determine if the web site they have found using a search engine (like Google) is a good source for research. If you show your students how to use this, they will always have good sources for their research.

Create Engaging Projects

• Essential Questions
  A teacher's effective questioning strategy is the most important ingredient in making your students really THINK. Jamie McKenzie shows the way.
• Rethinking Reports
  Here are good ideas you can use right now to turn that ordinary report into an alternative research assignment that will engage your students and help develop higher-level thinking skills.
• Are Your Students Researching or Reporting?
  Carol Gordon's article, "Students as Authentic Researchers: A New Prescription for the High School Research Assignment", will help you design research projects that will engage your students! Rubrics included.