ReadWriteThink
Let It Grow: An Inquiry-Based Organic Gardening Research Project
How does your garden grow? An inquiry-based, organic gardening unit asks young scientists to research a vegetable or flower, create an environment for it, and then plant and tend to the seedling. Gardeners develop their own research...
Newseum
The First Amendment in Action Today
Young activists research a community issue and apply the rights defined in the First Amendment to develop a proposal that would solve the issue—using Pinterest's board "The Freedom to Make A Change Posters" as examples, groups design a...
Bonneville
Informative Writing: Where Does Energy Come From?
Get energized about all the different sources of energy. A research project has scholars investigate a renewable or non-renewable energy type of their choice. They write a report on their findings and decide on a way to publish their work.
Newseum
Civil Rights: Reporting Out
After brainstorming a list of contemporary local, regional, and national civil rights issues, pairs of scholars select one of these issues and design an information campaign to spread awareness of the issue.
Newseum
Civil Rights: Chronicling the Movement
Scholars investigate events in the civil rights era in their community and develop a multimedia presentation of their findings. They compare local events with national events discussed on a NewseumED timeline.
Bonneville
The Problem of Plastic Trash Islands
Trash collection can be a hassle, especially out in the ocean. The second of four parts in the Adrift in a Sea of Plastic unit has pupils research plastic trash islands in marine ecosystems. They investigate why they occur and potential...
School Journalism
Investigative and Data Journalism – Day Two
Class members use the Investigative Reporting Article Planner they completed the first day of the unit to guide the development of an infographic that displays what they have learned about the topic they researched.
School Journalism
Investigative and Data Journalism – Day One
A free press, free to investigate and report on responsibly, compelling stories, is essential to a democracy. A 10-slide presentation details where to get ideas, how to go about an investigation, gather data, and assure the accuracy of...
EngageNY
Forming a Research-Based Claim: Stakeholder Chart on Better Agricultural Water Management
How can industries manage water more sustainably? Building on the previous activity, scholars explore the topic by creating a stakeholder chart for agricultural water management. Next, they participate in the World Café discussion...
EngageNY
Forming a Research-Based Claim: Stakeholder Chart on Better Industrial Water Management
It's time to stake a claim! Working with partners, scholars create stakeholder charts for better industrial management of water. As they complete the chart, pupils consider an option for managing water more sustainably, identify...
EngageNY
Forming a Research-Based Claim: Cascading Consequences Charts
Life is all about choices and consequences. Using a Cascading Consequences chart, scholars create a visual map of the effects of a particular choice or action related to water management. With their researcher's notebooks and copies of...
EngageNY
Mid-Unit 2 Assessment: Research Task: Comparing and Contrasting Texts
It's the half-way mark! Pupils demonstrate understanding of unit standards by completing a mid-unit assessment. After reading an informational article about water management strategies, scholars complete a graphic organizer to identify...
EngageNY
Gathering Information about Water Management: Assessing and Reading Internet Sources, Day 3
Water is life! Using the informative resource, scholars first read two informational articles about water management in agriculture. Then, they use a Venn diagram to contrast the different types of evidence authors use to support a...
EngageNY
Gathering Information about Water Management: Assessing and Reading Internet Sources, Day 2
Accuracy, credibility, timeliness ... it's time to act on source reliability! Pupils continue conducting Internet research, selecting two questions about water management from their researcher's notebooks that they want to explore...
EngageNY
Using Effective Search Terms: Researching Water Management
Discover how to use search terms effectively! Scholars continue their exploration of Charles Fishman's The Big Thirst, engaging in a read aloud and then answering text-based questions. Next, pupils learn about using search terms and...
EngageNY
Contrasting Authors’ Use of Evidence: Bottled Water
Apples to oranges, Dasani to Aquafina. Using a Venn diagram, scholars contrast two authors' use of evidence on the topic of bottled water. Additionally, they continue reading Charles Fishman's The Big Thirst and answering text-dependent...
EngageNY
Finding Relevant Information and Asking Research Questions: The Big Thirst
Let's get to the gist. As scholars continue their study of Charles Fishman's The Big Thirst, they practice writing the gist of the text. Additionally, pupils add notes about the industrial uses of water to their researcher's notebooks.
EngageNY
Gathering Information about Water Management: Assessing and Reading Internet Sources, Day 1
It takes time to discover what makes a source accurate and credible. Using everything they've learned about source credibility, scholars begin researching supporting questions about how industry and agriculture manage water. They select...
EngageNY
Paraphrasing and Evaluating Sources: Pages 112–116 of The Big Thirst
Agriculture and water—it's a fine balance. So how exactly do industry and agriculture currently manage water? Pupils consider the question as they continue reading excerpts from Charles Fishman's The Big Thirst and adding notes to their...
EngageNY
Mid-Unit Assessment, Part II: Research Task: Comparing and Contrasting Texts
When it comes to comparing texts, it's apples to oranges. As part two of the mid-unit assessment, learners compare and contrast two texts about the Internet and brain health. While reading, scholars use a Venn diagram to compare two...
EngageNY
Using Effective Search Terms: Researching Screen Time
The proof is in the reading. Scholars read an article, "Attached to Technology and Paying the Price," and answer text-dependent questions. Next, they complete a Venn diagram to contrast two authors' use of evidence on the topic of screen...
EngageNY
Using Multimedia in Presentations: Preparing to Present Claims
Time to wrap it all up! Using facts, details, and examples, pupils present their claims about whether the American Academy of Pediatrics should increase its screen time recommendations. They incorporate a multimedia visual display and...
EngageNY
Using Multimedia in Presentations: Preparing to Present Claims
Eye contact, volume, pronunciation are all parts of a great presentation. Scholars create visual displays to clarify the claim for an upcoming presentation about whether the American Academy of Pediatrics should increase its screen time...
EngageNY
Choosing a Position: Screen Time and Adolescents
Time to pick a side! Building on the Fishbowl activity from the previous instructional activity, scholars choose a position about whether the American Academy of Pediatrics should raise its screen time recommendations. Using notes,...