Lesson Idea | Research Lesson Plan: Research to Build and Present Knowledge

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Research, and supports the standard of gathering relevant information from multiple sources. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
Prompt students to think of a time they had to do research, either for school or for themselves. Ask:

1. How did you determine what information to look for?
2. What went well? What was challenging?

Step 2: BUILD BACKGROUND
- Read aloud the description on the Research topic page.
- Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding.
- Have students read one of the following Related Reading articles: “Way Back When” or “In Depth.” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: ENGAGE
Students express what they learned about research while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

1. Make-a-Movie: Create a tutorial that answers this question: What are the steps for writing a research report? (Essential Literacy Skill: Acquire and use domain specific words and phrases).

2. Make-a-Map: Make a spider map in which you state a research question in the center, and around it, identify sub questions and sources for finding answers in order to write a research report. (Essential Literacy Skill: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources).

3. Creative Coding: Code a museum where each artifact represents a component of the research process. (Essential Literacy Skill: Make logical inferences from explicit details).

Step 4: APPLY & ASSESS
Apply: Students take the Research Challenge, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Assess: Wrap up the lesson with the Research Quiz.

Step 5: EXTEND LEARNING
Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of research with these topics: Online Sources, Internet Search, and Citing Sources.