CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.7

ELA4th GradeResearch to Build and Present Knowledge

The Standard

Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Writing Standards

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students investigate a focused topic by asking questions about several parts of it. They gather information from more than one source and organize their findings into a short report or presentation.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student asks related questions about several parts of a focused topic. The student gathers relevant facts from multiple sources, organizes the findings, and presents them clearly.
Common Misconceptions: Students may copy whole sentences instead of taking brief notes in their own words. They may use one source, collect unrelated facts, or investigate only one part of the topic.
How to Assess It: Give students two short texts about bees. Ask them to write a paragraph that combines facts about bees’ habitats, behavior, and role in nature.

Lesson moves

Give groups fact cards about volcanoes and have them sort the cards into causes, types, locations, and effects.
Ask students to write three research questions that examine different parts of a topic such as animal migration.
Play a source hunt where teams use two classroom texts to find facts that answer three posted questions.
Have students investigate school lunch waste by observing leftovers, interviewing cafeteria staff, and reporting possible causes and solutions.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.7, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

Learning progression

See the whole path on the Writing progression map.

If students are struggling here, check these first.

Mastery here sets students up for these next.

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