Standard: 5.W.7 – Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
Grade level: Grade 5
Subject: English Language Arts
Domain: Writing
Teacher Overview
This standard emphasizes the importance of conducting short research projects using multiple sources. It is crucial for developing students’ abilities to investigate topics thoroughly and present their findings. Mastery of this standard prepares students for more complex research tasks in higher grades. Students should be comfortable with basic reading comprehension and have experience with note-taking and summarizing single sources.
After mastering this standard, students will be able to synthesize information from multiple sources and present it coherently, a skill that is essential for advanced research and writing tasks.
Common Misconception 1
A common misconception is that one source is sufficient for research. This is incorrect because relying on a single source can lead to a limited or biased understanding of the topic.
Intervention 1
Use a variety of sources in classroom projects and show examples of how different sources can provide different perspectives on the same topic.
Common Misconception 2
Another misconception is that copying text directly from sources is acceptable. This is incorrect because it does not demonstrate the student’s understanding and can lead to issues of plagiarism.
Intervention 2
Incorporate lessons on paraphrasing and summarizing, and provide practice opportunities for students to rewrite information in their own words.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should have basic skills in reading comprehension, note-taking, and summarizing information from single sources.
Subsequent Knowledge
Students will develop the ability to synthesize information from multiple sources and present their findings in a coherent manner.
Instructional Activities
- Group research projects on various topics with each student responsible for a different source.
- Creating a research portfolio with notes, summaries, and reflections on multiple sources.
- Class presentations where students share what they learned from different sources.
