1. K-5 Research Project Scenario
A lower elementary teacher comes into the school library
Connecting
ready to schedule his class’s visit for “animal research.”
The teacher has brought a copy of his graphic organizer
that asks students to find and record the animal’s
appearance, habitat, diet, babies, and enemies. Students
will use that research create a KidPix slideshow
presentation with a drawing and fact on each slide.
Students will show off their presentations on Relatives
Day, when a special relative or friend visits them at
school. The teacher won an educational technology
integration award for this project about fifteen years ago.
To preserve the teacher’s pride but move students
toward questioning, deeper thinking, and synthesis, what
“nudges toward inquiry” can you suggest?
Scenario taken from Nudging toward Inquiry: Re-Envisioning the Animal Report. (2009). School Library Monthly, 26(4), 5-6.

2. Middle Grades Research Project Scenario
A teacher is preparing for “the country report.” His or
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her graphic organizer asks students to find and record
the country’s capital, the population, languages spoken,
major exports, currency, tourist attractions, flag, etc.
At home, students will create a poster that contains the
information they found. The teacher is proud of this
lesson and says that parents love seeing their children’s
work hanging in the hallway during parent-teacher
conferences. You are concerned that this project will do
little to build students’ skills beyond finding and
copying information. To preserve the teacher’s pride
but move students toward questioning, deeper
thinking, and synthesis, what nudges can you suggest?
Scenario case taken from Techman, M., Black, D., Lincoln, M., Phipps, A., & Rannow, B. (2009). Nudging
toward Inquiry: Re-Envisioning the Country Report. School Library Monthly, 26(3), 5.

3. High School Research Project Scenario
A teacher comes to the school librarian to schedule a
Connecting
class visit for “biography report” research. The
teacher’s graphic organizer asks students to find and
record the birth and death dates of the person. The
students will also find information about the famous
person’s childhood, adulthood, and notable
contributions, and create a PowerPoint that provides
the responses to this information. Students are
encouraged to dress up as that famous person. The
teacher is proud of this lesson. To preserve her pride
but move students toward questioning, deeper
thinking, and synthesis, what “nudges toward inquiry”
can the school librarian suggest?
Scenario case taken from Re-Envisioning the Biography Report. (2009). School Library Monthly, 26(1), 5.