ALEX Classroom Resource

  

I Wonder: Writing Scientific Explanations With Students

  Classroom Resource Information  

Title:

 I Wonder: Writing Scientific Explanations With Students

URL:

 http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/wonder-writing-scientific-explanations-872.html

Content Source:

 ReadWriteThink
Type: Lesson/Unit Plan

Overview:

If you have ever had your class interrupted by a thunderstorm or by a bug crawling across the carpet, you know that students naturally question the world around them. This lesson encourages students to ask questions about a specific topic, choose a particular question to explore in detail, and research the question using a variety of resources. Students organize their information on a "What we think we know," "What we have confirmed we know," and "New facts we have learned through research" (TCF) chart. They then collaborate to write a class scientific explanation.

Content Standard(s):
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: K
R5. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
R5.
  • Writing process
  • Plan
  • Draft
  • Revise
  • Edit
  • Publish
  • Genres
Knowledge:
R5. Students know:
  • The writing process steps are to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish.
  • Various genres of writing.
Skills:
R5. Students are able to:
  • Plan writings in various genres.
  • Draft writings in various genres.
  • Revise writings in various genres.
  • Edit writings in various genres.
  • Publish writings in various genres.
Understanding:
R5. Students understand that:
  • The writing process is a set of steps that make writing easier.
  • There are different categories, or genres, of writing that can be used for different purposes.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: K
39. Participate in shared research and writing projects to answer a question or describe a topic.

a. Include information recalled from personal experiences in research and writing projects.

b. Gather information from provided sources for research and writing projects.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
39.
  • Participate
  • Shared research
  • Shared writing projects
  • Answer a question
  • Describe a topic
39a.
  • Include
  • Information
  • Recalled
  • Personal experiences
  • Research projects
  • Writing projects
39b.
  • Gather
  • Information
  • Provided sources
  • Research projects
  • Writing projects
Knowledge:
39. Students know:
  • Research and writing can answer questions or describe a topic.
39a.
  • Information recalled from personal experiences can be added to research and writing projects.
39b.
  • Information gathered from different sources can be added to research and writing projects.
Skills:
39. Students are able to:
  • Work collaboratively with peers and adults in research and writing projects.
  • Use research and writing to answer questions about a topic.
  • Use research and writing to describe a topic.
39a.
  • Recall information from personal experiences.
  • Include information from personal experiences in research and writing projects.
39b.
  • Use strategies to gather information from provided sources to research and write about a topic.
Understanding:
39. Students understand that:
  • Shared research and writing projects can help answer questions or describe a topic.
39a.
  • Information gathered from personal experiences can help to understand and write about a topic.
39b.
  • Gathering information from a variety of sources can help increase their understanding of a topic and improve their research and writing projects.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 1
R5. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
R5.
  • Writing process
  • Plan
  • Draft
  • Revise
  • Edit
  • Publish
  • Genres
Knowledge:
R5. Students know:
  • The writing process steps are to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish.
  • Various genres of writing.
Skills:
R5. Students are able to:
  • Plan writings in various genres.
  • Draft writings in various genres.
  • Revise writings in various genres.
  • Edit writings in various genres.
  • Publish writings in various genres.
Understanding:
R5. Students understand that:
  • The writing process is a set of steps that make writing easier.
  • There are different categories, or genres, of writing that can be used for different purposes.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 1
39. Improve writing, as needed, by planning, revising, and editing with guidance from peer editors, responding to their questions and suggestions.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
39.
  • Improve
  • Writing
  • Planning
  • Revising
  • Editing
  • Peer editors
  • Questions
  • Suggestions
Knowledge:
39. Students know:
  • The writing process includes planning, revising, and editing, incorporating guidance and suggestions from others.
  • The process for peer editing and review.
Skills:
39. Students are able to:
  • Plan, revise, edit, and use suggestions from peers to improve writing.
Understanding:
39. Students understand that:
  • To improve writing they need to follow all of the steps of the writing process.
  • Responding to peers' questions and suggestions during the peer editing process will help improve their writing.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 1
42. Participate in shared research and writing projects to answer a question or describe a topic.

a. Recall information from experiences to contribute to shared research and writing projects.

b. Gather information from provided sources.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
42.
  • Participate
  • Shared research projects
  • Shared writing projects
  • Question
  • Describe
  • Topic
42a.
  • Recall information
  • Experiences
  • Contribute
  • Shared research projects
  • Shared writing projects
42b.
  • Information
  • Sources
Knowledge:
42. Students know:
  • Research and writing projects can answer a question or describe a topic.
42a.
  • Information recalled from personal experiences can be used in research and writing projects.
42b.
  • Information can be gathered from a variety of sources.
Skills:
42. Students are able to:
  • Participate in shared research and writing projects.
  • Answer questions about a topic in writing.
  • Describe a topic in writing.
42a.
  • Recall information from previous experiences.
  • Contribute this information to shared research and writing projects.
42b.
  • Use strategies to gather information from provided sources to write about a topic.
Understanding:
42. Students understand that:
  • Shared research and writing projects can help answer questions or describe a topic.
42a.
  • Information gathered from personal experiences can be contributed to research and writing projects.
42b.
  • Information gathered from other sources can be contributed to research and writing projects.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 2
R5. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
R5.
  • Writing process
  • Plan
  • Draft
  • Revise
  • Edit
  • Publish
  • Genres
Knowledge:
R5. Students know:
  • The writing process steps are to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish.
  • Various genres of writing.
Skills:
R5. Students are able to:
  • Plan writings in various genres.
  • Draft writings in various genres.
  • Revise writings in various genres.
  • Edit writings in various genres.
  • Publish writings in various genres.
Understanding:
R5. Students understand that:
  • The writing process is a set of steps that make writing easier.
  • There are different categories, or genres, of writing that can be used for different purposes.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 2
46. Gather and use research to answer questions to complete a research product.

a. Create topics of interest for a research project.

b. Create questions to gather information for a research project.

c. Find information from a variety of sources.

Examples: books, magazines, newspapers, digital media

d. Define plagiarism and explain the importance of using their own words.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
46.
  • Gather
  • Research
  • Questions
46a.
  • Create
  • Topics
  • Research project
46b.
  • Questions
46c.
  • Variety of sources
46d.
  • Plagiarism
Knowledge:
46. Students know:
  • Information must be gathered from a variety of sources, and the information can be used to answer questions.
46a.
  • A topic of interest must be selected before beginning a research project.
46b.
  • Generating questions and finding information to answer those questions is an important component of a research project.
46c.
  • A variety of sources can be used to find information and answer research questions.
46d.
  • Plagiarism is presenting someone else's words or ideas as their own without crediting the source.
Skills:
46. Students are able to:
  • Gather and use the research to answer questions and create a research product.
46a.
  • Generate a list of interesting topics for a research project.
46b.
  • Create questions and gather information to answer those questions to complete a research project.
46c.
  • Find information to answer research questions using a variety of sources, such as books, magazines, newspapers, or digital media.
46d.
  • Define plagiarism.
  • Explain the importance of using their own words in their writing.
Understanding:
46. Students understand that:
  • A research product requires gathering information from a variety of sources and using the research to answer questions.
46a.
  • Creating topics of interest prepares them for the writing process.
  • By creating topics of interest for a research project, they are completing the brainstorming part of a research project.
46b.
  • Asking questions helps get information for their research projects.
  • Creating questions helps guide their research and that questions may be changed or added based on answers to previous questions.
46c.
  • Information can come from a variety of sources.
  • They should use different sources to gather information for a research project.
46d.
  • It is important to use their own words and ideas in writing and/or presentations.
Tags: details, Fact Fragment Frenzy, organize, question, resources
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Author: Cassie Raulston
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