This is an extensive research study in which students research a topic of their own choice. It is an opportunity for students to be self-directed and engage in complex and indepth learning. Independent Study provides opportunities for students to be independent thinkers and producers of their own learning.

Ideas can come from anywhere. Often students have an area of interest or a passion that they would like to explore more deeply. Students are taught how to use a decision-making process to brainstorm possible topics and evaluate them using class-generated criteria.

After class discussions about plagiarism and reliable sources, the students begin researching and taking notes. Ask your QUEST teacher what organizational system the class is using to keep their notes organized. Sources should be cited in the student's bibliography. Notes are best written in the child’s own words, are short but complete enough to make sense, and relate back to the student's essential questions.

There are several excellent sites for research. Each school library has informational websites listed, and your QUEST teacher may have a classroom website listing additional Internet sites they use with the QUEST class. The district QUEST website also has several helpful resources posted at the link below.
classroom.leanderisd.org/webs/laura.lebsack/research_links_page.htm

The roles of the teacher and the parents are to be guides and supporters versus directors of the independent study. The teacher teaches the various processes of the independent study, including how to take efficient notes, cite sources in a bibliography, conduct an interview, create effective visual aids and products, and develop a creative format to captivate the audience.

An effective way to conduct an independent study designed to encourage in-depth, complex thinking by your child, is to encourage your child to think about problems and/or issues concerning their topic. Many times while researching and taking notes, your child will uncover a problem or issue concerning their topic. An example of this would be the discovery of the reasons the animal your child is researching is endangered.

A quality product takes careful analysis of notes and information, sufficient research and deeper thinking on the part of your child. Your child should think at the synthesis level, by creating something new that incorporates the knowledge they have acquired during their research. If the product they create could be made without complex research and analysis, then it is not a quality product for their independent study.

A multi-dimensional product has many layers of thought to it. The student's product must be the result of new learning through analysis of the research. Without this complexity of thought and synthesis of research, a model, time-line, poster, etc. cannot be a quality product. They may be quality visual aids but NOT products. Products must be able to stand alone and reflect the complex, indepth research of your child's study. For example, if a second grade QUEST student's research topic is tornadoes, a tornado in a bottle would be a great visual aid but NOT a product. A heat lamp with spiral paper cutouts used in a demonstration of how heated air currents move the paper spirals would be an example of deeper thinking that would make an appropriate product.

A visual aid is anything that the audience looks at to help elaborate/explain the student’s research and information. A poster is just one type of visual aid - a variety of visual aids are best. Your QUEST teacher can give your child more ideas of what can be used as a visual aid to enhance his/her presentation. Your child's visual aids should have some type of "WOW" factor. This would be something that is so unexpected, interesting, elaborate, surprising, unique, or unusual that it captures the audience's attention.

Depending upon the product, age of student and time frame of the QUEST class, students may do the actual construction of the product at home. This is because products may be fragile, take up much room or need to be constructed over several days. In the QUEST class, the students and their teacher are concentrating on working through the various steps of the independent study process, including gathering, organizing, analyzing and synthesizing their research, setting criteria for and seeing examples of quality visual aids and products, and setting criteria for and discussing quality presentations. Thus, the actual construction of the product may need to be done outside of the QUEST class. However, the QUEST teacher may offer additional time to provide assistance during special afterschool, Friday or other QUEST Lab times.

Quality Research means students should document their sources, use as many sources as possible, write new and accurate information in their own words, write legibly and organize their research.

Quality in Visual Aids means students need accurate information with correct spelling and punctuation. Visual aids must be neat and attractive with neat drawing, writing, and coloring and no scratch-outs or scribbling. They need to be carefully constructed, and tape and glue should be hidden neatly. Pencil is okay for the first draft but should be outlined in ink or marker for the final version. The visual aids should be creative and large enough for the audience to see.

A Quality Product means it must meet the class-generated criteria for a product. It must be neat and attractive with correct spelling and punctuation. Any coloring, writing, or drawing should be neat with no scratch-outs. It should be carefully constructed with tape neatly hidden. Pencil is okay for the first draft but should be outlined in ink or marker for the final product. Products should show creative thinking. They should NOT cost much money to create. Most importantly, a quality product must reflect complex learning resulting from an indepth analysis and synthesis of research.

A Quality Presentaton means students should focus on the complex issue or problem of their study. There should be a logical flow to the presentation, and students should use a creative format that hooks, engages or involves the audience in some way. In the presentation students should show and explain the product. There should be a variety of visuals aids to adequately enhance the presentation. Students should speak clearly, use good eye contact and appropriate body language. They should be organized, professional and polite. Students should be able to effectively answer questions from the audience. A quality presentation reflects sufficient practice on the part of the student.

An interview with an expert in the field of their research topic, either in the form of a face-to-face meeting, a written letter/email or a telephone call can be a great source of information. In addition to learning to effectively communicate, your child will enjoy having someone knowledgeable in the field answer some of their research questions. The QUEST teacher can help your student conduct an effective interview. Your child should brainstorm a list of broad questions that elicit the most information. They shouldn't ask a question they could find the answer to in a book or other research resource. An interview is great for getting someone’s opinion and first-hand experience. Some examples of good questions include the following.
What are your reasons for...
In your opinion...
Could you explain or compare...

The QUEST students present their independent studies to the campus students, parents and teachers. The real QUEST challenge is do this in an interesting and creative way that engages the audience versus just pointing to the visual aids or products and explaining facts.

QUEST students use creative formats to enhance their presentations. This may mean dressing up as a character from their research, using a different format such as a game show, acting out some of their information, using music to set a mood, or singing.

Students also try to involve their audience during their presentations by asking questions, having audience members being part of a demonstration, etc.

Presentations may take place in front of a small audience made up of QUEST classmates and a few parents, or may be in front of larger audiences. The goal is to help students become comfortable presenting in front of an audience. Some students who are extremely shy may have this format modified so they only present to their QUEST teacher, or they videotape their presentations. But, the ultimate goal is to increase their comfort zone with each presentation until they can speak to large audiences. The QUEST presentation is a time for the student to practice public speaking skills while presenting their information.

A QUEST Fair is an event held at each elementary school at the end of the school year after the QUEST students have presented to their QUEST classes. Its purpose is to allow the QUEST students to present their studies and teach others about a wide variety of subject areas. It is usually held in a large area so that many people can come to see the students’ extensive and creative independent studies. There is usually an elementary QUEST Fair held during school hours for the student population to attend and an elementary QUEST Fair held in the evening for parents, relatives, etc. to attend.

Provide regular time for your child to work on their research at home. Help your child find resources such as library books, Internet sites, magazine articles, educational videos, interviews, field trips, etc. Provide assistance in reading advanced materials. Provide assistance in using tools as needed. Provide space, clean recyclables and an ear for their brainstorming of ideas for creating the product. Provide time and an audience for practicing the presentation. Help them manage their time wisely in meeting due dates and deadlines.

How is it going? What have you learned so far? What are some questions you’ve come up with as you research? What do you need to do to complete the research step you are on right now? Tell me your plan on how to get there. Is there any way I can help?

This should be an interesting or surprising “hook” to “catch” the audience’s attention when your child presents their study. Some examples could include a costume related to the study, a special prop, lighting, music, performing a short skit, becoming an inventor, a game show host, a news reporter, a scientist, etc.

It is an unexpected twist that adds to a student’s information. Examples could include a 3-D element such as a popout or pullout part, a moveable part, an unusual design, or an interactive element to encourage the audience to participate.

A WOW factor usually catches someone's attention and helps them learn about the topic in an unique way.

In the beginning of their independent study, the students complete an organizational tool such as a web or a KWL chart to guide their study. They brainstorm higher level questions and avoid questions that can be answered with a single word or phrase. Complex questions allow for indepth research, facilitate deeper understanding of an issue and have greater impact on the student's learning.

Books, letters/emails written to experts, experiments, the internet, surveys, field trips, magazines, encyclopedia/other reference materials, guest speakers, photographs, newspapers, educational videos and programs, computer programs, interviews with an expert can all act as resources.
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At kindergarten and first grade, students usually do a guided independent study so that they learn the steps with the QUEST teacher.

However, here are some suggestions for helping young children with their studies.
Don’t do for your child what they can do for themselves, however. Tasks such as note-taking, typing, writing, reading highly advanced material, sewing, using scissors, glue guns, spray paint and other tools are areas where parental support may be necessary. One suggestion: after reading the material with your child, you could write down notes as the child dictates what they think is important. In school, the teacher will monitor the student's progress on whatever step of the independent study process they are working on. Communication between home and school is a very important factor in a successful independent study.

One of the challenges as a parent will be to help support and guide your child while letting the child keep ownership of the study and not doing it for the child. Time management is a valuable skill you can help your child learn. Discuss the project timeline frequently and remind your child to complete the study steps a little at a time rather than waiting until the last minute. Working 20-30 minutes a day on the study over ten weeks is less stressful than working nonstop the last two weekends. Being a facilitator may mean taking your child to the public library, brainstorming solutions when the child is stuck, helping your child work through any frustration, and providing time, recyclables/other materials and an ear for brainstorming ideas for the construction of the product.