A Research Project

a Research Project

For 3rd, 4th, & 5th Grades

Created by Lisa Lilienthal

Included are:

lesson plans ? Fan-N-Pick cards & directions for brainstorming activity ? list of websites for research ?

note-taking pages ? example notes ? bibliography poster ? transitions/linking words poster ?

example

student report ? publishing pages for: deserts, grasslands, temperate forests, tropical rain forests, tundra, & wetlands ? blank publishing pages for other ecosystems ? student editing checklist ? grading rubric ?

"I learned" follow-up activity cards *NEW UPDATES AT THE END*

Common Core Standards

? 3rd Grade: W.3.2 a-d Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and

information clearly. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details. Use linking words and

phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information. Provide a concluding statement or section. W.3.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic. W.3.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief

notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories. ? 4th Grade: W.4.2 a-e Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and

information clearly. Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples

related to the topic. Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because). Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. W.

4.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. W.4.8 Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and

digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources. ? 5th Grade: W.5.2 a-e Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and

information clearly. Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related

information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information

and examples related to the topic. Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., in contrast, especially). Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or

explanation presented. W.5.7 Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. W.5.8 Recall relevant information from experiences or

gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.

Ecosystem or Biome?

It seems like the terms ecosystem and biome are often used interchangeably. I mainly use the term ecosystem with my students. However, many of the websites use the word biome. Even so, there is a difference between biomes and ecosystems.

What is a biome? A biome is a large region of the world that has similar plants, animals, and other organisms that are adapted to the climate, weather, and terrain of that region. Biomes are considered the world's major communities or habitats. A biome can be thought of similar ecosystems throughout the world grouped together.

What is an ecosystem? An ecosystem is smaller than a biome. It is a community of living things and the physical environment. Plants, animals, and other organisms interact with each other and with their environment in an ecosystem.

Project Ideas/Lesson Plans

Prewriting/Brainstorming

? To activate prior knowledge about ecosystems, do the Fan-N-Pick activity. I like to print several sets of the cards on cardstock and laminate them to use each year.

? The cards show illustrations of the ecosystems that students will be able to choose from for their research projects. They say, " What kinds of animals do you think live in wetlands?" and "What do you link the plant life is like in wetlands?"

? Discuss the questions with students before doing the activity. ? For the animal question cards, students should look at the

illustrations and use prior knowledge to guess what kinds of animals they think might live in the ecosystem. They can also tell why they think an animal might live there. For example, alligators might live in wetlands because they live in areas with water. ? For the plant question cards, students should look at the illustrations and think of what kinds of plants might grow in the ecosystem, if there are many or few plants, and if they grow close together or not.

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