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Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Third Grade Research Research at A Glance
Topics/Essential Questions Mini-Lessons Written Component Required Research Links
Why are courts an important part of our government?
Why is volunteering good for a community and its people?
What makes bats interesting and useful?
How is a live performance different from other kinds of entertainment?
How do inventions help athletes?
Why is it important to grow food crops?
Why are stories from different cultures important?
What are some benefits of dogs interacting with people?
Why is it important to take care of our environment?
What can fossils tell us about the past?
What are some differences among types of
trees?
What are the coldest places on Earth like?
Lesson 1: Research Introduction and Virtual
Tour of a Museum (2 days)
Lesson 2: Selecting an Essential Question
(3 days)
Lesson 3: Essential Question Inquiry (1 day)
Lesson 4: Questioning (1 day)
Lesson 5: Developing and Modifying
Focus Questions (2 days)
Lesson 6: Vary Search Terms,
Use Domain-Specific Words (1 day)
Lesson 7: Evaluating and Selecting Sources
(2-3 days)
Lesson 8: Citing Sources (1 day)
Lesson 9: Paraphrasing Information
(2-3 days)
Lesson 10: Collecting Information (3-4 days)
Lesson 11: Organizing Information / Drafting
Written Pieces (4 days)
Lesson 12: Revising (2 days)
Lesson 13: Editing (1 day)
Lesson 14: About the Author/Reflection
(1 day)
Lesson 15: QR Codes (2 days)
Lesson 16: Museum Display (3 days)
Lesson 17: Oral Presentation Skills (1 day)
Descriptive Writing Text Features About the Author Reflection
5 Steps to Research Task Overview Sheet Informative/Explanatory
Writing Rubric
Research Element Checklist
Museum Presentation
Checklist
Self-Reflection
Technology
Word Google Docs Think Central Photo/Clip Art QR Code Vocaroo EasyBib
Rubrics/Checklist At A Glance
❏ Informative/Explanatory Writing Rubric (Grades 3-5)
❏ Research Element Rubric
❏ Museum Presentation Checklist
❏ Self-Reflection
Page 2 of 19
Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Essential Question Overview
Exemplar Essential Question: What was life on the prairie like for the pioneers? (Lesson 21)
Day Introduced
Journeys Unit
Essential Questions Journeys Lesson
Anchor/Paired Text Selections Online District Resources
Lesson 2 Day 1
1 Why are courts an important part of our
government?
2 “The Trial of Cardigan Jones” “You Be the Jury”
ThinkCentral BrainPop Discovery Ed.
1 Why is volunteering good for a community and its
people?
3 “Destiny’s Gift” “Kids Making a Difference”
2 What makes bats interesting and useful? 6 “Bat Loves the Night” “A Bat is Born”
2 How is a live performance different from other
kinds of entertainment?
9 “Kamishibai Man” “The True Story of Kamishibai”
Lesson 2 Day 2
3 How do inventions help athletes? 11 “Technology Wins the Game” “Science for Sports Fans”
3 Why is it important to grow food crops? 12 “Tops and Bottoms” “Goodness Grows in Gardens”
3 Why are stories from different cultures important? 13 “Yonder Mountain: A Cherokee Legend” “The Trail of Tears”
3 What are some benefits of dogs interacting with
people?
14 “Aero and Officer Mike” “Kids and Critters”
Lesson 2 Day 3
4 Why is it important to take care of our
environment?
16 “Judy Moody Saves the World!” ‘My Smelly Pet’ from Judy Moody
4 What can fossils tell us about the past? 17 “The Albertosaurus Mystery” “Finding Fossils for Fun”
4 What are some differences among types of trees? 18 “A Tree is Growing” “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening”
4 What are the coldest places on Earth like? 20 “Life on the Ice” “The Raven: An Inuit Myth”
Page 3 of 19
Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intentions
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 1: Overview of Inquiry-Based Research and Virtual Tour of a Museum
2 days We are learning to evaluate museum exhibits and analyze how information is displayed
I can:
Describe how information is displayed in a museum
Recognize text features that are used in museum exhibits
Describe what I liked and did not like
Introduce research project and the 5 Steps to Inquiry Based Research. Introduce “virtual field trip” to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Teacher
Demonstrates how to tour the museum - choose an exhibit, use arrows to move around, and how to zoom in to see written information
Students (independent or partners)
Use the museum tour organizer to analyze and evaluate exhibits- what visitors see, and how the exhibit organizes visual and written information
*Note: You may want to put the Smithsonian link into Google Classroom as an announcement in order for students to access the link independently.
Anchor Chart: 5 Steps to Inquiry-Based Research poster
Teacher Resource:
Exemplar Final Product Students Resources:
5 Steps to Research Task Overview Presentation Rubric Museum Tour Organizer
Materials:
Virtual Tour: Smithsonian (best) Other options: International Spy Museum
Boston Children’s Museum
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Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 2: Selecting an Essential Question
3 days We are learning to select an essential question to research
I can:
Brainstorm key words and questions related to an essential question
Select an essential question that I want to research
Day 1 Video/book reading of What Do You Do With An Idea and class discussion.
Day 1-3 Teacher
Presentation of 4 essential questions and reminders of anchor texts that went with them
Students
● Gallery walk daily essential question choices in groups. Discuss anchor texts to spark ideas, identify key words and brainstorm questions
● Individually post what interests them most about each essential question
● Choose their favorite essential question of the day and record it on the Museum Madness Graphic Organizer
Day 3
Students
Number their three questions in order of preference
Teacher
Assigns questions to all of the students
Teacher Resources: Essential Questions What Do You Do With An Idea
video reading Students Resource:
Museum Madness Graphic Organizer
Materials:
Journeys Anchor texts Chart Paper or Digital Pages Post-Its
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Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 3: Essential Question Inquiry
1 day We are learning to explore an essential question in order to focus our research
I can:
Identify what I already know about a topic
Identify what I want to learn more about
Teacher
Uses T-chart and exemplar essential question, models how to list prior knowledge and questions/interests about the topic
Students
● Independent: Use T-chart to identify what they think they already know about the topic, and what they want to learn/ what questions they have about the topic
● Small group share of ideas and questions
Teacher Resource: Exemplar T-Chart
Students Resource:
T-Chart
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Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 4: Thick vs. Thin Questioning
1 day, ongoing
We are learning to generate questions about our topics in order to guide our research
I can:
Identify the difference between thin and thick questions
Generate thick questions about my topic
Teacher
Discusses different types of questions-- thin questions as “right there” questions, and thick questions as search and find. Models how to create thin and thick questions using the exemplar question
Students
● Revisit their questions from the Essential Question Inquiry. Categorize their current questions as thick or thin, and then expand their questioning to create additional thick questions
● Work individually to create questions, and then partner-share to help sort questions and generate more. Students will place Post-Its on question organizer once sorted
Anchor Charts:
Teacher Resource:
Thick /Thin Question Resource
Students Resource:
Thick Thin Question Organizer for Students
Materials:
Post-Its or Index Cards
Page 7 of 19
Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 5: Research Developing and Modifying Focus Questions
2 days We are learning to use our questions to help guide our research
I can:
Select focus questions that I think can help my research
Use my focus questions to search about my topic
Modify my questions to find useful information in my research
Day 1 Teacher
Models how to select 3 focus questions for research, and how to use the questions to conduct beginning research
Students
Select questions, and use to start research using kid safe search engines
Day 2
Teacher
Models how to refine/modify questions if students are not getting research results, and how to generate follow-up questions related to the focus question
Students
Continue to research, refining questions and creating follow-up questions based on their search results. Collect promising links (paste in student research organizer) and books
Idea: If using print copies of the student sources organizer, use a different color for each focus question. This will help with organizing later.
Teacher Resources: Kid Safe Search Engines Exemplar Student Sources Organizer
Exemplar Question Sample Sites
Students Resources:
Student Sources Organizer Kid Safe Search Engines
Materials:
Colored paper - if using print copies of student sources organizer (1 color for each focus question)
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Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 6: Research Use Domain Specific Words to Vary Search Terms
1 day We are learning to determine important vocabulary to help us research
I can:
Brainstorm words related to my focus questions
Use content words to help guide my research
Analyze the results of my research
Teacher
Models how to broaden or narrow research questions by using related words/terms. Models creating a web of terms related to an exemplar focus question and think aloud how to use them to search
Students (independent or small groups)
List terms related to focus questions, revisit focus questions to refine to help with research
Continue to research and collect sources
Anchor Chart:
Teacher Resource:
Exemplar Question Sample Sites
Students Resource:
Student Sources Organizer Materials:
Post-It Notes
Page 9 of 19
Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 7: Research Evaluating and Selecting Sources
2-3 days We are learning to evaluate tools for research We are learning to monitor the success of our research
I can:
Explore different types of available sources
Use strategies to find reliable sources
Find the best sources for information related to my focus questions
Day 1 Teacher
Reserves time with media specialist to organize Library Search Day for students to explore books related to focus questions
Day 2-3
Teacher
Models how to use anchor chart to evaluate several sites
Displays reliable and unreliable sites for guided practice
Students
● Small student groups will use the anchor chart to practice evaluating the displayed exemplar sites
● Independent/partners - begin to identify most useful sources, using the anchor chart to evaluate
● Students will choose two to three of their most useful sites found for each focus question
Anchor Chart:
Teacher Resource: Exemplar Question Sample Sites
Students Resource:
Student Sources Organizer Materials:
Kid Safe Search Engines
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Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 8:
Research
Citing Sources
1 day We are learning to cite sources used during research
I can:
Record the resources I found most useful
Sort sources by type
Use a bibliography website to cite sources appropriately
Teacher
Shows BrainPop Citing Sources video
models how to use EasyBib to input source information
Copies and pastes citations into Bibliography Organizer by type of source
Students
Use EasyBib to cite sources they have chosen for their research
Copy and paste citations into Bibliography Organizer by type of source
Brain Pop Username: MOMS Password: moms123
Teacher Resources: EasyBib Site EasyBib How-To Exemplar Bibliography Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Citation Site BrainPop Video: Citing Sources Media Specialist
Students Resources:
EasyBib Site EasyBib How-To Student Bibliography Organizer
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Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 9: Research Paraphrasing Information
2-3 days We are learning to collect and summarize information from sources
I can:
Identify information important to my focus questions
Use my own words to paraphrase the information
Use key words and important facts to summarize information
Day 1 Teacher
Uses Text Says, I Say as digital organizer to model how to identify important information related to focus question: copies and pastes text into the Text Says column, then thinks aloud to paraphrase information in the I Say column (“what does this mean in my own words?”)
Students
Partners- guided practice using an exemplar site: decide on information important to the focus question, cut and paste in Text Says column, then work together to paraphrase information for the I Say column
Day 2-3
Teacher
Using a different exemplar site, models how to identify important information related to focus question: uses Map it Out as print organizer to read aloud, identify key words and details, and then uses to summarize
Students
Partners- guided practice using an exemplar site
Follow teacher model using Map it Out
Anchor Chart:
Anchor Charts: Text Says, I Say and Map it Out Teacher Resources:
Exemplar Question Sample Sites (for Lessons 5-9) Exemplar Text Says, I Say
Exemplar Map it Out
Discovery Education, (2006). Gathering Information. [Video Segment]
Students Resources:
Text Says, I Say
Map It Out Materials:
Colored paper - if using print copies of student organizers (1 color for each focus question)
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Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 10: Research Collecting Information
3-4 days We are learning to collect important information for our focus questions
I can:
Record and paraphrase important information
Organize the information according to my purpose for researching
Students
Using either note-taking structure, collect and paraphrase information from their chosen resources
Teacher
Conferences with students and meets with small groups for needs-based mini-lessons such as paraphrasing print or video sources, note-taking, summarizing, finding key words, etc.
Students Resources: Text Says, I Say Map It Out
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Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 11: Writing Organizing Information and Drafting Written Pieces
4 days We are learning to organize our information to communicate our learning
I can:
Establish my purpose for writing
Determine the important information from my research that I want to include and draft my written pieces
Select text features to organize my information in written and visual form
Day 1 Teacher Models how to:
● Organize information according to focus questions
● Plan out museum poster: where descriptive
pieces will go, and what text and graphic features to include to organize and communicate the information using Museum Exhibit Planner
● Use the information to draft descriptive
pieces
Day 1- 4 Students
● Organize research
● Plan using the Museum Exhibit Planner
● Draft written pieces, create text and graphic features
● Begin to plan 3-D/interactive component
Teacher Resources: Exemplar Museum Exhibit Planner
3-D / Interactive Ideas District Research Rubric Informative/Explanatory Rubric Exemplar Final Product
Students Resources:
District Research Rubric Informative/Explanatory Rubric Museum Exhibit Planner
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Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 12: Writing Revising
2 days We are learning to clearly communicate information by revising our writing
I can:
Understand the difference between revising and editing
Revise my writing for content
Day 1 Teacher
Using exemplar writing sample and rubric trait strips, models how to revise for ideas and organization. Reminds students to be sure the writing relates to the focus question, and to consider the audience when revising.
Students
(Partners or independent) Revise writing for ideas and organization using Rubric Trait Strips
Day 2 Teacher
Using exemplar writing sample and rubric trait strips, models how to revise for voice, word choice, and sentence fluency.
Reminds students to be sure the writing relates to the focus question, and to consider the audience when revising.
Students
(Partners or independent) Compare their writing to the Rubric Trait Strips and revise writing for voice, word choice, and sentence fluency
Anchor Chart:
Teacher Resources:
Exemplar Writing Revising Rubric Trait Strips Rubric Trait Strips Version 2 – One Trait per Page for Color Copying
Students Resources:
Rubric Trait Strips
Sample Resources for Word Choice Revision:
Word Choice Anchor Chart Exemplar Teacher Model
Student Practice Sheet
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Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 13: Writing Editing
1 day We are learning to clearly communicate information by editing our writing
I can:
Edit my writing for mechanics
Day 1 Teacher
Using Exemplar Writing sample and rubric trait strips, models how to edit for conventions
Students
Edit for conventions
Teacher Resources:
Exemplar Writing - Editing Rubric Trait Strips Rubric Trait Strips Version 2 – One Trait per Page for Color Copying
Students Resources:
Rubric Trait Strips
Page 16 of 19
Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 14: Reflection About the Author
1 day We are learning to reflect on the research process and describe ourselves as authors
I can:
Reflect on myself as a researcher
Teacher
Models using the exemplar: shows the organizer, written script and finished QR code with audio reflection
Students
Partners: Reflect on their writing
Independent: Use the About the Author graphic organizer (optional: write a script)
Teacher Resources: About the Author Exemplar Exemplar QR Code
Students Resource:
About the Author Graphic Organizer
Page 17 of 19
Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 15: Creating QR Codes to Display Information
2 days We are learning to create and display QR codes as a way to present information
I can:
Create a QR code that links to something I would like to share with an audience
Guide viewers on how to access information from a QR code
Day 1 Teacher
Using About the Author Exemplar and QR Code Audio How-To, models/guides students through how to create a QR Code. Copies QR code and pastes in QR Code Holder.
Students
Create audio QR code of About the Author reflection, copy and paste on QR Code Holder
Day 2
Teacher
Using Exemplar Bibliography and QR Code How-To, models/guides students through how to create a QR Code
Copies QR code and pastes in QR Code Holder
Students
Create QR code for their Bibliography
Copies and pastes QR Code on QR Code Holder
Optional: Students may create additional QR Codes: examples may include additional audio, acceptable online videos, or anything else created with a link
Teacher Resources: How-To QR Code for Audio File QR Code How-To Exemplar Bibliography
Exemplar QR Code Holder
Students Resources:
How-To QR Code for Audio File QR Code How-To QR Code Holder
Page 18 of 19
Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 16: Museum Exhibit Display
3 days We are learning to publish and present our research
I can:
Organize my components for my museum exhibit
Construct my exhibit
Day 1-2 Teacher
Uses museum exhibit checklist and museum organizer to review exemplar display (written pieces, text and graphic features, QR codes, hands-on component)
Students
Organize museum display, create/finish hands-on component
Teacher Resources:
Exemplar Final Project Students Resources:
Museum Presentation Checklist Museum Exhibit Planner
Page 19 of 19
Mount Olive Township Public Schools Grade 3 Research September 2017
Lesson
Duration Learning Intention
Success Criteria Mini-Lesson Activities
Materials/Resources
Lesson 17: Oral Presentation Skills
2 days We are learning how to present information to an audience
I can:
Guide visitors through my exhibit
Share important information about my research
Answer questions about my research
Use good speaking manners when speaking to an audience
Day 1 Teacher and Students
Students establish criteria for oral presentation by making a list of successful speaking skills. (plan, practice, perform, posture, etc.)
Students
● Role play examples and non-examples of what successful speaking and presenting looks like and sounds like
● Practice presenting information for their exhibit
Day 2
Museum Day!
Anchor Chart: Anchor chart created with the class
Teacher Resource:
Oral Presentation Checklist Students Resource:
Oral Presentation Checklist