Essential Questions

Do students
understand that
curation an
important skill to
develop in order to
manage and make
sense of the deluge
of information all
around them?
Can students skim,
scan, and scour
digital content in
order to curate
appropriately?
What processes and
tools should students
use for curation and
what digital
literacies are
required?
Do students exhibit
proficiency in using
digital tools for
accessing
information and
pursuing inquiry?
How do students
collect and organize
information it so that
it can be retrieved
when needed?
Do students collect
digital content from
a variety of sources?
Are students aware
of algorithms and
ways to refine
searches to ensure
they can reach
diverse
perspectives?
Can students
synthesize their
curation effectively,
ensuring that
multiple
perspectives are
gathered and

Student
Knowledge
Students understand
that it is important to
make sense of the
flow of information
around them.
Students know how
to skim, scan and
scour to
authenticate and
curate information
for retrieval when
needed.
Students understand
how to use digital
curating tools to
effectively associate
content (including
the use of keywords
and tags) in order to
easily retrieve
information,
allowing for a
diverse knowledge
base to be drawn
upon.
Students know that
good curators
analyze and
evaluate
information from a
variety of sources to
see it if it is reliable,
relevant or current.
Students know that
they can use digital
tools to access
information and
pursue inquiry.
Students understand
of how to use
search tools and
techniques to
access relevant and
quality content
using methods such
as triangulation.
Students know that
the best curators

K-3
Elementary
Knowledge & Skills

4-8
Middle Years
Knowledge & Skills

9-12
High School
Knowledge & Skills

Students understand
that there is a
tremendous amount
of information
available in our
world, varying from
digital to print to
face to face, and
they are beginning
to organize
information selected
by the teacher.

Students understand
that they live in the
Information Age
and there are digital
tools to help
organize this
information to help
make sense of it.
Students begin to
find their own
materials with
teacher and/or
teacher librarian
guidance.

Students are
beginning to
understand that
information must be
examined critically,
and that it needs to
be verified by more
than one source.

Students understand
that information
must be examined
critically, and that it
needs to verified
through multiple
mediums and that
this an essential
aspect of the
research process.

Students understand
the purpose of and
use simple
bookmarking tools
for digitally
capturing websites
for future reference.

Students make
effective use of
bookmarking tools
to curate
information and are
starting to explore
other tools to curate
information for
inquiry and research
(i.e. OneNote).

Students will explore

the different ways
we can find
information and
sources, in both print
and digital media.
Students are starting
to do basic
searches using age
appropriate

Students have a
better
understanding of
how to access
information and
sources. Students
are starting to refine
searches using
Boolean search
techniques and age
appropriate

Students are deeply

aware that they live
in the Information
Age wherein
streams of
information are
constantly moving
and developing.
Students continue to
develop proficiency
in collecting,
organizing, and
making sense of the
information, and are
more able to do this
independently.
Students have a
more developed
understanding of
the research
process. Students
gather information
from various sources
and mediums and
critically examine
their findings more
intuitively in order to
authenticate,
perceive meaning
and explore
significance.
Students make
effective use of
bookmarking tools
and can more
independently use
advanced curation
tools (i.e. Pearl Trees
or Noodle Tools) to
support their inquiry
and research within
both a classroom
and personal
learning context.
Students are aware
of the presence of
algorithms and have
a basic
understanding of
their influence.
Students have
developed a higher
capacity to use
Boolean and
triangulation search

represented, in
addition to their
own?
Do students see the
benefits of sharing
information as part
of a collective? Are
students engaged in
sharing information
in participatory
environments as a
component of
metaliteracy (ie:
social
bookmarking)?
Do students know
how to hyperlink to
cite information in
digital platforms?
Do students selfmonitor their search
processes for
effectiveness,
progress, identify
gaps in information,
and adjust when
necessary?

collect diverse
perspectives and
worldviews. They
also understand that
there are unique
search techniques
involved in attaining
diverse
perspectives.

databases and
search engines.

databases and
search engines.

techniques to
explore more
diverse sources of
information.

Students understand
the benefits of
sharing their curated
information in order
to support the
learning of others as
well as extend and
enhance their own
learning.

Students are
beginning to see the
benefit of sharing
resources with
others. Students
share and
contribute to a
collaborative
curated digital
space created by
the teacher.

Students see the

benefit of sharing
resources through
collaborative
curation. Students
share and
contribute to a
collaborative
curated digital
space created by
the teacher as well
as collaborative
classroom curated
spaces.
Students are able to
independently
navigate curated
resources and are
beginning to
understand the
purpose of digital
and social
bookmarking.
Students are
beginning to
understand how to
utilize these tools as
a means of guiding
research for an
intended audience.

Students are
proficient in
collaborative
curation and curate
independently, as
well as understand
of the importance of
sharing their
personal curation
with others in
support others in
making sense of
information.

Students understand
what a hyperlink is
and the function it
serves as a means of
sourcing or
referencing
information.
Students are
beginning to
understand how to
hyperlink and
digitally cite sources
of information and
create hypertexts
(ie: blog posts).

Students understand
that there are
different standards
for referencing
information (i.e.
MLA, APA, etc).
Concerning digital
citation, students
understand what a
hyperlink is and the
function it serves as
a means of sourcing
or referencing
information.
Students are
proficient in using
hyperlinks and
digitally cite sources
of information and
create hypertexts
(ie: blog posts).
Students push
themselves to find
the original source
of information where
possible.

Students understand
that hyperlinks send
readers directly to
the source and
regard it as a
modern form of
citation.
Students understand
how to self-monitor
their search for
information.

Students explore
teacher-curated
resources, such as
social bookmarks for
learning.

Students are able to

recognize hyperlinks
in text and
understand the
function it serves as
a means of sourcing
information and/or
providing additional
information.

Students are able to

independently
navigate curated
resources and
understand the
purpose of digital
and social
bookmarking.
Students have a
deeper
understanding of
how to utilize these
tools in an
advanced manner
as a means of
guiding research for
an intended
audience.

With teacher
guidance and
prompting, students
can do a basic selfassessment to
determine if they
are where they
need to be in their
search and whether
they need more
information.

With teacher
guidance, students
are able to monitor
their search
processes during
their inquiry process,
make some
adjustments, and
can identify gaps in
their search for
information.

Students are able to

independently
monitor their search
processes during
their inquiry process,
effectively adjust as
needed, and can
identify and resolve
gaps in their search
for information.