Inquiry & Research
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Inquiry and research are critical skills! The Library Media Center is here to provide resources and support as you wonder, investigate, and explore questions about the world around you using the SDMS Inquiry Model.
Inquiry and research are critical skills! The Library Media Center is here to provide resources and support as you wonder, investigate, and explore questions about the world around you using the SDMS Inquiry Model.
Use the links below to locate materials in our print and digital collections and access our digital databases.
Use the links below to locate materials in our print and digital collections and access our digital databases.
All of these resources require usernames and passwords.
Students can click here for a listing of usernames and passwords or see the library staff.
SDMS Inquiry Model.pdfPrint and Digital Collections
Print and Digital Collections
Databases
Databases
Provides safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate encyclopedia articles, multimedia, primary sources,, and other learning resources for Elementary, Middle, and High School. Built-in translation, read aloud feature, and images and website links as well.
WPS subscription for grades 7-12 includes feature news stories, and subject specific articles across subject areas. Reading level adjusts to student level. Students can highlight, annotate, take quizzes, and respond to teacher prompts. Students use their Gmail address to access.
Magazines are always available through Sora!Students can sign in using their Gmail account to get access to magazines any time!
Explora for Middle Schools
This is a comprehensive database with all subjects! Includes biographies, primary sources, and curated topics to explore.
Need a WPL card @ home! Do you need a card?
Click here.
A comprehensive database designed for middle school students and covering all subjects.
Need a WPL card @ home! Do you need a card?
Click here.
A full-text collection of the world's major news content including articles from newspapers from popular news sources.
PowerKnowledge Life Science has read content designed for easier science reading (grades 3-6). Includes aloud text, built-in translation, quick video introduction and articles covering all aspects of life science. Overview video for PK Science Suite.
PowerKnowledge Physical Science
PowerKnowledge Physical Science has content designed for easier science reading (grades 3-6). Includes read aloud text, built-in translation, quick video introduction and articles covering all aspects of physical science. Overview video for PK Science Suite.
PowerKnowledge Earth and Space Science
PowerKnowledge Earth and Space Science has content designed for easier science reading (grades 3-6). Includes read aloud text, built-in translation, quick video introduction and articles covering all aspects of earth and space science.Overview video for PK Science Suite.
Browse sceince categories and popular sources through this free online source from ResearchIT CT and EBSCO. Includes topics such as earth sciences, life sciences, scientists, and astronomy. The sky is the limit!
Provides middle school students with nonjudgmental, straightforward, curricular and self-help support on topics such as: diseases, drugs, alcohol, nutrition, fitness, mental health, diversity, family life, and more. Aligned to state and national standards and reviewed by medical professionals.
This database enables you to browse by subject and popular source. Topics include government, events, U.S. history, and more!
This database provides well-researched stories about Connecticut history using reliable primary and interpretive resources.
Browse or search for biographies across a variety of genres including activists, nobel prize laureates, presidents, authors, athletes, and more. Includes a featured biography.
Connecticut History Illustrated
Explore and search the digital archives that include documents, images, maps, and video from primary historical documents from across Connecticut's history.
Capstone interactive eBooks have science and social studies titles for easier reading. The books provide text highlighting, audio support, and high quality design.
TrueFlix eBooks focus on People, Places and History, and Science and Nature: Watch, Read, Explore: The eBooks are formatted with a quick introductory video, have built-in read along text in the digital flip books, and links for exploration.
BrainPOP has over 1,000 short animated movies for students in grades K-12 (ages 6 to 17), together with quizzes and related materials, covering the subjects of science, social studies, English, math, engineering and technology, health, and arts and music. BrainPOP Tutorial.
ResearchIT CT
ResearchIT CT
Citing Sources
Citing Sources
Instruction in Citations
Instruction in Citations
At Silas Deane Middle School, we expect students to research and use information responsibly. That means giving credit to authors, photographers, speakers, or video producers of work we use and refer to during research.
We provide instruction in creating MLA citations and responsible use. We also talk about how to take good notes and avoid plagiarism. In seventh grade, we focus on the elements that go into creating a citation. In eighth grade, we review those elements, challenge students to use and create citations for different kinds of sources, and offer lessons in online note taking and outlining for their major science research project using NoodleTools, an online research platform that helps students to organize their sources and citations.
Silas Deane Middle School LMC staff help students set up accounts to use NoodleTools, an online research platform.
Students can organize their sources, take notes, and generate MLA Style Works Cited pages within the website.
Students sign in using their Google Account
Need help? NoodleTools tutorials are available here:
Create a Project in NoodleTools
Elements of Citations
Elements of Citations
Most citations require one to answer four basic questions:
Who wrote it/created it? (Author)
What is the title? (name of webpage, name of website, name of online database)?
Where was it published/where can it be found again (online address or city of publication)?
When was it published (copyright year/date last revised online, date viewed online)?
General guidelines for citing sources properly:
Reverse-indent entries
Alphabetize
Punctuate properly
Evaluating Sources
Evaluating Sources
Evaluating Online Sources Can Be Challenging.
Evaluating Online Sources Can Be Challenging.
The SIFT STRATEGY can help you look at information more critically.
Some things you can do to check sources:
Stop.
Is it a source you’ve heard of? Reputation? Watch for how it makes you feel. Does it seem suspicious?
Investigate the Source
Check the About page of a website to learn more about the author or organization responsible for the site or look up the news site/website in Wikipedia to find out more about it
Find Other Coverage
Lateral Searching: Open a new tab and do a lateral search to see how other organizations, websites and/or news sites are covering the same information.
Trace claims, quotes, media to the original source or context using fact checkers:
Wikipedia (use footnotes to trace citations to the original source)
Reverse Image Search in Google (for Memes or Questionable Photos)
SDMS LibGuides
SDMS LibGuides
💡Here you can access Library Guides that include information and resources that will help with your inquiry and research project!
📌 8th Grade Human Impact on the Environment Inquiry Project
💡Here you can access Library Guides that include information and resources that will help with your inquiry and research project!
📌 8th Grade Human Impact on the Environment Inquiry Project
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