Rome wasn't built in a day, but researchers can be with proper scaffolding. This writing unit has scholars write a research paper through scaffolding of various parts of the process. Learners begin with identifying a topic and crafting a...

Break down some of the most foundational components of writing a research paper, such as incorporating and formatting citations, creating a thesis statement, and using quotes effectively, into manageable tasks for your young writers.

The lesson guides young academics through the steps in producing a 10-page research paper on any topic in American history. Historians begin by formulating a thesis and gathering resources, then move on to creating an outline, and end...

Help young researchers find credible sources online. Modeling with a Google search for information about Shakespeare’s Macbeth, use a computer projector or Smart Board to show class members how weak the top three search results are....

If you are planning on working on a research paper in your class, take a look at this resource first. Starting off with information about plagiarism, the series of activities briefly described here should give your pupils a general idea...

Here is a fantastic World War I research project that includes clear guidelines for topic choice, guiding questions, and suggested presentation products. Research subjects range from battles of the war, trench warfare, and weaponry, to...

As the culminating project for a unit study of The House of the Scorpion, class members craft a multi-genre research paper to demonstrate not only their depth of knowledge of a topic of interest to them, but also their...

Demonstrate how to cite information from Internet sources without plagiarizing. If your class is working on an Internet research paper, and you have observed learners cutting and pasting directly from the Internet, the activities and...

Students compare paper making by hand and by assembly line. In this manufacturing activity, students compare and contrast the two main ways to make paper, by hand or by machine.  Students research paper making and have a class...

Give your junior high researchers a clear concept of how to go about starting their research paper with the resources available in this exercise. Middle schoolers develop an idea to research, and spend time in the library or computer lab...

Pupils work through the steps of writing a research paper in this lesson. They define their problem and decide what sources of information to use. They read, take notes, and organize the collected data. Finally, they write the...

After reading on the topic of their paper, high schoolers work in pairs to assess how to write powerful, precise thesis statements. The introduction contains three statements: a universal statement, a bridge statement, and a thesis...

Before beginning F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, create a historical context of the Roaring 20s with this lesson. Set up a gallery walk with the provided PowerPoint, which features 10 topics related to the 1920s. Then begin...

Discuss controversial issues with your charges. More importantly, discuss how you have to research both sides of a controversy before taking a stance. In groups, middle schoolers research the controversial issue of dog sled racing. They...

Researching facts about owls can be a hoot for your class. Let them wisely collaborate on this writing project. The resource is the second part of three parts. It is best to use all three lessons in order. 

Learners view a PowerPoint presentation on biomes and their classifications. Divide them into groups and assign them each an individual biome to research. There are pictures of the PowerPoint slides and notes about what to teach for...

Much like the methods of group work, the writers of the Federalist Papers worked together to advocate for their viewpoints against the anti-federalists. The resource enables learners to break into small groups and conduct research before...

Gather some information, print it onto sentence strips, and then have your class physically shuffle the cards to better understand the importance of organizational patterns in writing. Middle school learners examine information for a...

The Paradise Papers, a year-long research project from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalism (ICIJ) exposed how political leaders, business people, and wealthy individuals used offshore entities to avoid taxes and hide...

Fifth graders practice writing research papers by investigating U.S. history. In this Revolutionary War lesson, 5th graders identify the British and American roles in the historic war by researching the Internet. Students prepare a...

Students finalize and polish a research paper.  In this research writing lesson, students revise and double-check the corrected version of their first draft.  Students peer edit and create a final draft.  Students create a...

Students choose an appropriate subject for a research project.  In this choosing a research subject lesson plan, students discuss the purpose and process of writing a research paper and read a sample paper.  Students create a...

Students use their completed outlines, notecards, and opening paragraphs to create a first draft of their research paper.  In this research writing lesson, students focus on the body of their paper as they compile their information...

Learners complete a works cited page, make revisions on their writing, and improve their writing skills.  For this writing a research paper lesson, students create a bibliography using MLA format and peer evaluate the papers of...