BEGINNING RESEARCH MODEL

OBJECTIVES: Students will learn the purpose and process of doing research. Students will exhibit interest, enjoyment, and confidence in the process, and all will succeed.

MATERIALS:
For the teacher: several childrenís books or articles from childrenís magazines on the topic of research.
For each student: A pencil and a teacher-made "book" of 7-10 pages, using lined paper appropriate to the age of the students and a construction-paper cover. (It can be cut to the shape of the topic, e.g. bunny-shaped, tree-shaped, etc.)

PLANNING: Very little planning is needed. The teacher merely finds several fact-filled, kid-friendly writings on a the research topic. Childrenís encyclopedias, Ranger Rick, and nature books for 2nd or 3rd grades work well. Your librarian can often help you find them.

PRIOR LEARNING (optional): The day before the research project, ask students to decide a topic they would like to research.

STEPS OF THE MODEL


 
SET Say, "Girls and boys, today you are going to learn how to do research, just like your older brothers and sisters do. Remember how yesterday we decided to study __(your topic, perhaps bunnies ) . Today you will tell me what you want to know about bunnies. Then you will all make a bunny book to add to your home library.

LESSON
Day One
1. Together, using Brainstorming or Kindling, generate a list of questions that interest your class. Typical questions might be: How far can a bunny hop? What do bunnies eat? Why do they wriggle their noses?

2. Decide on the number of questions that is about right for the development of your students, and vote to select that number. All students then write the 6-10 questions, one per page, into their individual books. (You can help those who have a hard time writing this much by finishing some of the sentences for them.)

Day Two
3. Bring out the books, have students read all the questions aloud together so that they are fresh in their minds. Then tell them that you found books that have the answers to their questions, and you will read them aloud while they all listen. Their job is to raise their hands whenever they hear an answer to their questions.

4. Read, stopping when hands raise. Students find the page with the corresponding question and record the answer. Students might tell you the words they want to write and you print it on the board for them to copy, or you could use phonetic spelling, depending on your writing goal.

5. Continue until all questions are answered. If you donít find the answers to some, thatís how research is. You might make a plan to call a zoo, or farm, or have one of your computer-gifted students ask the internet.

6. For beginning readers, you might want to have all students read their books to several other students for reading practice, perhaps signing each otherís books as each one finishes reading, then reading to another.

EVALUATION: Process: Note student interest and involvement. Product: Give feedback on the books.

NOTE: For older students, gather enough books on the topic for every other, or every 3rd student. Then have them get in groups and read aloud to each other, raising their hands to interrupt the class and share when they find an answer to any question. This makes the research much easier and more cooperative,
 

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