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CONTENT-AREA READING

SESSION 1  |  Grades K-12 / ELL  |  Handout

Redefine research experiences

Integrate frequent research experiences

Honor the process over the product.

How do I balance long, traditional versus short research-writing tasks?

Teach research writing
in smaller mini-units.

Simulate research-writing tasks during eLearning.

Execute research in groups, with partners, or individually.

Scaffold writing experiences.

Create group products with Think, Ink, Pair, Square.

Seek an answer to a question—through research

Provide a “Wonder Wall” to capture students’ questions during a unit.

Google a topic (flood) and scroll below the results to read frequently asked questions.

This informational site provides answers to kids real questions about the world.

Build knowledge about a topic

Establish a general understanding of a new unit or topic—through research.

Clarify the role of Wikipedia.

Expect students to build their own background knowledge.

Rethink the possibilities
when using search sites.

Collect research from images.

Provide students a means of collecting fast facts.

Challenge partners to collect 10 facts about a new concept in 10 minutes. (Use this graphic to announce the task.)

Challenge small groups to find as many ABC facts
(about a new topic) as they can in 5 minutes.
Poster | PDF| Google Slide | Jamboard | Smartboard

Deepen understanding further—through research.

Honor students’ prior knowledge with this alternative to the traditional KWL.

Part way through a unit, students research for new information that has not yet been learned about the topic.

After laying a solid foundation, research for other perspectives or opinions.

Question “facts” and bust myths—through research.

Keep track of which sources provided what information.

Expertise does not come from reading one text.

Organize information collected from sources.

Primary students collect information in simple lists. | PDF

PDF

Jamboard | Google Slide

Purchase the XL all-class poster.

Fine-tune online searching skills

Read from relevant sources.

Explain the value
of multiple sources.

Define what makes
a source relevant.

Sources of information can
come in various text formats.

Navigate the internet.

Navigate the internet.

Advanced Searching PDF

Alert readers to subtle misspellings in fake websites.

Fact, Fiction, or Opinion? Evaluating Online Information

Ads for “dehydrated” water | Warnings against dihydrogen monoxide (H2O = water) | 
“Help Save the Endangered Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus” | Dangers of bread | 
Product catalog for mail-order gas (and other fuels) | Promotion for ideal living community for dogs