Grade 4 social studies Research unit

The following slides describe a unit I prepared and delivered in the library with grade 4 students and their teachers

PUrpose of task

• Collaborate with the classroom teachers for student success!
• Learn how to ask good inquiry questions for research
• Use a graphic organizer (e.g. fishbone) to organize research and notes
• Explore media sources (e.g. books and websites) for information
• Prepare a non-fiction report guided by a co-created criteria (rubric)

Step 1 : Learning about Reports

• Students used graffiti boards to identify what they know about reports
• Concept Attainment helped to illustrate good questions for research
• Students created questions for research based on personal interest
• Students worked in small groups, with the TL and classroom teacher
• Sticky notes were used to help students organize thoughts and ideas

Step 2: gathering information

• Students created fishbone organizers with headings (different topics)
• Pictures and/or words were used to record information and ideas
• Jot notes were recorded on small sticky notes
• Students had to use their own words since they were limited by space
• The fishbone allowed differentiation - all students were successful!

step 3: organizing information

• Students worked together to 'trash or treasure' their sticky notes
• Treasured notes were moved and manipulated to organize ideas 
• Students used headings from their fishbone as their report headings
• Teacher modeling and constant feedback ensured success
• Conferenced with every child before they began to write report

step 4: Final product and reflections

• Using jot notes, students wrote their reports in the computer lab
• Taught revising and editing technique to prepare for published version 
• Students completed their final reports and shared with other classes
• Reports were assessed by the TL using the rubric co-created at the start
• All students were successful!