Digital Research Breakout: Introducing Research to Budding Middle Grades Scientists

When a science teacher at our school approached me about introducing research concepts to several of the grade level science classes, I tried to keep my mouth from dropping in excitement.  When she told me I only had one 45 minute class period to introduce our databases, plagiarism, and citing sources, my excitement turned to panic. That's so much to cover and you know how hard it is to sit in a long lecture on how to find databases and citing sources without glazing over.  Knowing I needed something engaging and that our students have one-to-one iPads, my first thought was to find a digital breakout on research concepts for our students. 

Where are all the cool library breakouts?!

I looked. Not having a BreakoutEDU subscription anymore (having switched schools this year), I went to other sources I have used like the Facebook group on Breakouts and Twitter. Nada. There were none.  Lots of talk about creating one, but none actually accessible.  So, I made one.  And I'm sharing it here for you so we can start sharing awesome, library-content rich breakouts. Am I the first to have done this? Probably not. But I do hope this sparks a conversation about sharing our content. Our students loved this activity and were engaged the entire time. They were able to think critically about the content as they reviewed the material.

Link to Digital Research Breakout

Folder of Resources for the Breakout

Never done a Breakout? Here's why I and so many other educators use BreakoutEDU:
BreakoutEDU is a game that will have your students thinking critically, problem-solving, troubleshooting, working collaboratively and having so much fun they won't even realize how much they are using their brains!