Where's the data? After choosing from a list of business topics, scholars embark on a research project. They develop a strong thesis statement, follow MLA formatting requirements, select sources, and write a five-paragraph research...

Answering questions is the best way to hone and revise your argument. Foster receptive writers with a workshop activity that promotes peer editing and argumentative writing skills. Given lists of both friendly and skeptical...

Young researchers use the Internet or books to find out about colonial women during the American Revolution. They organize information in a graphic to demonstrate their understanding of the research they gathered before writing a...

The right to vote and freedom of expression are democratic principles that fall under the study of political science. A handout describes writing assignments that are common in political science college classes and gives tips and...

The opening exercise in this instructional unit introduces class members to the writing process they will follow to craft an informative, expository research paper that addresses their research question. To begin, writers are asked to...

Writers complete editing and polishing the final draft of their research paper and submit the document for assessment.

Use a set of 30 writing bell ringers to get through the month of February. Writers tap into and write about how February makes them feel, what it smells like, and all types of celebrations that occur during the month.

Speaking of the Internet. The culminating lesson for the unit on the Internet challenges pupils to prepare short, two-minute speeches on an issue facing society. The pupils chose from three topics that connect the Internet and...

The eighth lesson in the editing process focuses on flow and cohesiveness in the entire research paper. Class members examine color-coded pre- and post-revision model paragraphs and then work in pairs to revise and peer-review their papers.

Having formulated a list of inquiry questions based on a reading of Temple Grandin's Animals in Translation, high schoolers complete a frame tool for their research. They categorize their questions based on preliminary research and trace...

Ninth graders hone their research questions in a lesson focusing on accurate search engine techniques. Continuing a unit on inquiry-based learning based on Temple Grandin's Animals in Translation, the lesson guides learners through the...

You can't argue with the numbers. Scholars complete activities to prepare for writing a data analysis report. Writers select a research topic and complete a data analysis tool. They share their questions based on the data with peers and...

Once you find and evaluate your sources, it's time to discern the most helpful information. In a research lesson plan based on questions derived from Temple Grandin's Animals in Translation, practice annotation and taking notes.

After a peer review of their outlines, class members examine a model of an effective, engaging introduction and then craft the first draft of the introduction to their research paper.

After watching West of the West's documentary on Catalina Island, The Magic Isle, class members research how Walt Disney's and William Wrigley's different visions impacted the island.

What makes a source primary or secondary? Middle schoolers read a definition of each term before exploring different examples and applying their knowledge to a research project.

Choose your path carefully. When beginning research, learners must figure out which inquiry path to follow. After determining a path, scholars guide their research based on the chosen theme to further refine the questions they...

Whether preparing your second graders for an expository writing proficiency assessment or just planning on introducing the writing process, this 37-page packet is for you. The unit has everything you need from scripted lessons to...

Four lessons make up a unit focused on writing persuasive essays. Each unit builds on the last, ultimately taking pupils through the writing process. Scholars make a claim, create an argument, debate both sides, then state their opinion....

Is there an underlying message? After looking at an excerpt from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, scholars discuss how the author uses words to present a claim. Learners work through an evidence tool and guided questions to support...

Young researchers create a class Cascading Consequences chart to see how the industrial food chain affects people, animals, and the environment. They also work in teams to complete a Stakeholders chart for the industrial food chain model...

Researchers continue determining the effects of the industrial organic food chain that Michael Pollan describes in The Omnivore's Dilemma. In teams, pupils add to their Cascading Consequences charts and complete Stakeholders charts based...

The Boston Massacre may be an iconic event in American history, but perhaps the British soldiers had another point of view. Using primary sources, including reports from Boston newspapers and secondary sources from the British...

Let's get to the gist! Pupils work in research teams to gather information about specific refugee experiences from Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Kurdistan. Scholars then try to find the gist of informational texts about their topics,...