ELA Grade 5: 1st 9 Weeks

Research Project
W.5.7:
Focus my research around a
central question that is
provided or determine my
own research worthy
questions. (S).
Choose several sources and
gather information to
answer my research
questions. (R)
Analyze the information
found in my sources to
determine if it provides
enough support to answer
my question. (R)
Create additional focused
questions that relate to my
original topic to further
investigate my research. (P)

W.5.8:
Determine the credibility of
a source by reviewing who
wrote it, when it was
written, and why it was
written. (R)
Gather information needed
to support my research. (S)

Journeys Text and/or Exemplary

Text Correlation

Web Resources

As a starting point/hook, use the NY

times Whats Going On in This Picture?
blog to model and practice questioning
and searching.

Practice asking questions

about the picture

Discuss types of
sources/where to find info and
practice searching

Use think-aloud modeling to

analyze information found

Identify questions that come

up as a result of research

Give students their own

pictures for guided practice

The text will depend on what is being

studied in the classroom; however, the
text can be the starting point for a
larger research project.

NY Times learning blog

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/cat
egory/lesson-plans/whats-going-onin-this-picture/?_r=0

Then, design a research project with a

teacher that uses and teaches the
Research Cycle process (emphasizes
questioning).

Determine an essential
question that relates to
curriculum OR

Allow students to develop

essential questions about
topics that are important to
them.
As an introduction to research or before
a specific research project:

Students would use the Research Cycle

to ask questions about, search for info
about, and investigate notable
scientists.

Media Specialist/Teacher Connection

-Discuss what it means to use reliable

or credible resources. Have students
share what they know about evaluating
sources.
-Introduce and explain the CAPOW
method for evaluating sources; compare
to students prior knowledge; model
using CAPOW to evaluate a source (print
and non-print).
-Students use CAPOW to evaluate a print
and non-print source; sources could be
related to research project topic and be
similar in theme/content; students
compare their CAPOW findings between
sources.

W.5.9:
Determine textual evidence
that supports my analysis,
reflection, and/ or research.
(R)
Compose written responses
and include textual evidence
to strengthen my analysis,
reflection, and research. (P)

For example,
Who was Albert Einstein? by Brallier
and Parker (CCSS suggested text)
could lead to this essential question:

Who shaped modern

science and how have their
contributions and lives
impacted our lives?

These were chosen as examples of

sources that are similar in topic and
theme. The texts should relate to
whatever is being studied or
researched.

Possible hook for engagement &

discussion starter
State Farm State of Disbelief
Commercial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3
DZbSlkFoSU

Print texts to be used as sources for

evaluation:

Hoax sites for further discussion

about online sources:
http://allaboutexplorers.com/
http://www.dhmo.org/

Journeys text Revolution and Rights

by Ann Jackson
If you Lived at the Time of the American
Revolution by Kay Moore
(CCSS suggested text)
Websites to be used as sources for
evaluation:

Possible strategies: Jigsaw, partner work,

stations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America
n_Revolution

-Assessment: students present findings;

students complete CAPOW for at least
one of their project sources.

Database article from: World Book

Student or other reliable source

Using the pictures and research from the

Whats Going On in This Picture?
activity (see above, W.5.7)

Journeys text example

Students complete a Textual

Evidence graphic organizer
(model first).
Students use their graphic
organizers to write a
paragraph response to
answer the question, Whats
Going On...?
Assessment: Students can
post evidence based

The Research Cycle (slightly

outdated site but the process is still
the same)
http://www.fno.org/dec99/rcycle.htm
l

Read Quest for the Tree Kangaroo by

Montgomery
Use the graphic organizer to answer
the question, Why is it important to
research and protect endangered
animals?

Hoax sites lesson:

http://www.readwritethink.org/classr
oom-resources/lesson-plans/hoaxhoax-strategies-online1135.html?tab=3
CAPOW explanation (for teaching
reference)
http://www.learninghouse.com/blog/
publishing/assignment-101evaluating-web-sites-using-capow
CAPOW slide
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxL
4fdt1VlYFTENZUm5wc2lPVG8/view?u
sp=sharing
NY Times learning blog
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/cat
egory/lesson-plans/whats-going-onin-this-picture/?_r=0

comments to the NY Times

blog or create a Word
document that includes the
picture and their paragraphs.
Integrate the graphic organizer and
summary response into research
projects.
Use the graphic organizer to practice
determining textual evidence with any
Journeys or CCSS exemplar text (see next
column).
RL/RI.5.1:
Read closely and find
answers explicitly in text
and answers that require an
inference (S)

Discuss the meaning of inference and

what readers use to make inferences
(text clues + prior knowledge).
Intro/Hook: Present students with an
accessible text: For example, Norman
Rockwells The Young Lady with a
Shiner. Ask questions that require
students to pay attention to details.
Model making inferences with an It Says,
I Say and So chart:

What is the girl thinking?

Why is she there?

Journeys text:
Off and Running by Soto

Infer character feelings and

actions

Apply this process to a print text. Choose

a text that supports what has been
studied in the classroom or what is being
read for a project.
RL/RI.5.2
Determine two or more
main ideas of a text. (R)
Identify theme of a story,
drama, or poem. (K)
Compose a summary stating
the key points of the text,
story, drama, or poem. (P)

RL/RI.5.3
Identify individuals, events,
ideas, and/or concepts in
historical, scientific, or
technical texts, and
characters, settings, and
events in a story or drama.
(K)

When planning a research project with a

teacher, integrate a note-taking lesson
that involves using Cornell Notes.

Model Cornell notes with an

informational text.

Give students the opportunity

for guided practice with their
own informational text
(something they might find
through their research).

Engage students in shared

writing and complete a Cornell
Notes page using students
responses from their own
practice.
Use the same Cornell Notes lesson to
reinforce the literary text skills a teacher
has taught/introduced.

Identify the notes/main ideas

of a story, drama, or poem.

Use the notes to include the

theme in the summary.
Using an informational text being studied
in class (or an exemplar that relates to
the theme/topic being studied), help
students create a Readers Theatre
performance that shares the story or
information.
Use databases to conduct research, if
needed.

Texts will depend on research project

focus and classroom instruction.

Cornell Notes
http://coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/c
ornellnotes.html

Journeys Texts:

Databases for informational texts

http://tntel.tnsos.org/
http://www.limitlesslibraries.org/rese
arch-tools/

Main Ideas:
Cougars
Theme:
A Royal Mystery
Elisas Diary

Journeys text:
Pea Islands Forgotten Heroes by
Munzenmaier
CCSS Exemplar texts (Appendix B):
Toys! Amazing Stories
Flight to Freedom: The Story of the
Underground Railroad by Buckmaster
Exemplar biographies

Discuss what makes a story a story

what are the essential elements?
Students Think/Pair/Share or Jot
Thoughts on sticky notes.
Students receive the elements of a story
and work in pairs or small group to
develop quick stories using those
elements. Students share their stories.

Story elements chart example:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com
/Product/Story-Elements-Chart855067

Read a story aloud and model using a

story elements chart to identify
characters, setting, and events.
RL/RI.5.4
Use various strategies (e.g.,
context clues, root words,
affixes, etc.) to determine
the meaning of words and
phrases. (S)
Identify various forms of
figurative language (e.g.,
simile, metaphor,
personification,
alliteration,
onomatopoeia, etc.) (K)
Identify general academic
and domain-specific words
or phrases in a text. (K)
Use various strategies to
determine the meaning of
general academic and
domain-specific words and
phrases in a text. (S)
Locate and use resources to
assist in determining the
meaning of unknown words
and phrases. (S)
RL/RI.5.5
Determine the overall
structure of an
informational text. (R)
Explain the different
structures used in
informational text (i.e.,
chronology, comparison,
cause/effect,
problem/solution)
Recognize that chapters
are found in stories,
scenes are found in
dramas, and stanzas are
found in poems. (K)
Explain how chapters,
scenes, and stanza fit
together to form stories,
dramas, or poems. (R)

Create subject-specific word walls in the

library to reinforce the vocabulary being
studied in class.
When students use databases,
demonstrate how to use the Dictionary
tool to define unknown words.

Identify basic points of view

as first person, second
person, or third person. (K)
Determine an authors,
narrators, or speakers point
of view in a text. (R)
Explain an authors purpose
for writing the text. (R)

More Vocabulary Ideas

http://www.readingrockets.org/articl
e/10-ways-use-technology-buildvocabulary
Word Map Graphic Organizer
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/
resources/lesson_images/lesson307/
wordmap.pdf

Model using context clues, root words,

etc. when practicing with texts during
note taking lessons and text studies.
Collaborate with a teacher or team to
host a Vocabulary Expo. Students
become the expert in a word they have
been studying and present that word to
others using a creative format
(multimedia, drama, music, original
written work...)
Conduct classroom read aloud lessons
that emphasize the vocabulary being
studied in class. Use the read aloud as a
vocabulary discussion starter. Design a
brief activity that reviews the vocabulary
and relates to the read aloud.

Discuss non-fiction text features and

their importance to readers. Ask
students to share what they already
know.
Set up Text Feature Stations and have
students complete a text feature
scavenger hunt (see web resources).
Design mini-research projects for each
text structure type (examples):

Read about a science topic and

discuss cause/effect structure

Create How-To presentations

and discuss chronological or
sequential structure

Research a social issue and

discuss problem/solution
structure
Students can write articles that present
their findings and use the structure
appropriate for their research topic. LIS
can help the class publish their articles in
a class newspaper format.
Compare/contrast texts that use two
different structures but share a similar
topic (see next column).

RL/RI.5.6

Texts will be determined based on

conversations with teachers.

Introduce and discuss basic points of

view. Share examples of each. Have
student illustrate the meaning of each
point of view.
Design a fractured fairy tale unit that
examines point of view across texts.
Discuss the authors purpose in writing
the stories and changing the points of
view. Discuss how point of view changes
the message or purpose.

Journeys Texts:
Sequential:
Double Dutch: A Celebration of Jump
Rope, Rhyme, and Sisterhood
Comparison:
Off and Running

Text Features Posters, Etc.

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/t
op_teaching/2011/03/my-march-topten-list-nonfiction-reading-resources
Opposing Viewpoints in Context
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/?p=O
VIC&u=tel_s_tsla

Cause/Effect:
Quest for the Tree Kangaroo
Story Structure:
A Package for Mrs. Jewls
Drama:
A Royal Mystery
Poetry:
Score!
Words Free As Confetti
Compare & Contrast texts as
structure study (CCSS Appendix B):
Casey at Bat by Thayer (poetry)
We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro
League Baseball by Nelson
(informational)

Fairy Tales to Consider

Three Little Pigs
Cinderella

Fractured Fairy Tale Lesson

Example
http://www.readwritethink.org/classr
oom-resources/lesson-plans/wolfanalyzing-point-view-23.html

RL/RI.5.7
Recognize that authors use
various formats when
presenting information. (K)
Identify information
presented in formats other
than words and/or visual
elements (e.g., graphs,
pictures, diagrams,
photographs, drawings,
cartoons etc.). (K)
Locate information from
multiple print or digital
sources to answer question
and solve problems quickly
and efficiently. (S)

RI.5.8
Locate the reasons and
evidence an author uses to
support particular points in
a text. (K)

Design a WebQuest that involves the use

of print, non-print, and graphic
resources.
Example:

Students read/study A History

of US: The New Nation by
Hakim

Through a WebQuest, students

explore online databases,
graphs, pictures, cartoons, and
other print sources to learn
more about our government,
the party system, etc.

Assessment: Students answer

an essential question and
present their findings (citing
textual evidence) EQ and
presentation format to be
determined through
collaboration with teacher
Using a familiar text that has been read
or discussed in class (Journeys text) talk
what the author has done to try and
persuade a reader.

A History of US: The New Nation 1789

1850 by Joy Hakim (CCSS Appendix B)

WebQuest Design Information

http://www.educationworld.com/a_te
ch/tech/tech011.shtml

Journeys text:
Vote for Me! by Zarn

Opposing Viewpoints
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/?p=O
VIC&u=tel_s_tsla
Making Evidenced Based Claims
(scroll to end for graphic organizer;
change language on organizer to be
5th grade appropriate)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxL
4fdt1VlYFaVRuQUkzY19fMFk/view?us
p=sharing

Model identifying the main point or

argument (claim) and the
reasons/evidence presented as support.
Use an appropriate graphic organizer.
Change the language to include: Main
Point, Reasons, Evidence
Give students a choice of topic. Have
students read the pro/con on that topic
using Opposing Viewpoints. Use the
Lexile tool to choose articles that are
readable on a 5th grade level.

RL/RI.5.9
Locate information from
several texts on the same
topic. (S)
Identify similar themes and
topics found in stories from
the same genre. (K)

Students complete a graphic organizer

and present their findings.
For the first standard, refer to RL/R.I.5.7.
Students will meet this standard when
completing a WebQuest and finding
information from a variety of sources.
**This is one area where it might be more
appropriate to help determine resources.
Using your knowledge of texts and short
stories, help a teacher identify two or
more stories that could be compared for
similar themes/topics.

Pink and Say

Henrys Freedom Box

Assist the teacher in developing a graphic

organizer to aide in the identification of
theme.
To provide further practice for students,
conduct a read aloud lesson during which
you discuss theme. Use picture books.

Additional Teaching Notes:

Although each set of standards is listed separately, many standards could be included across lessons or
projects. In some instances, that crossover has been mentioned. Certain research projects could be
extensive enough that multiple standards would be addressed.