Embedded Files
Introduction
Introduction
In this lesson you will engage in research to develop your content knowledge about a topic that matters to you. You will use a series of suggestions for research to demonstrate that you have thought carefully about your topic and hence you are equipped to write purposefully about this topic.
During this lesson you will:
demonstrate your understanding of how to research effectively
engage in the process of research to extend your understanding of a topic that matters to you.
Watch the video Writing matters to see an introduction to this lesson sequence.
Student Booklet
Student Booklet
To open your student booklet in Microsoft Word (Docx 137KB), select the icon. It will download automatically.
To open your student booklet in Google Docs, select the icon then select 'Use Template' to create a copy for yourself.
Pre-learning activity - Choosing a topic to research
Pre-learning activity - Choosing a topic to research
In the previous lesson sequence, you used visual organisers to brainstorm topics that matter to you.
Task
Task
Watch the video Using graphic organisers to choose a topic to see an introduction to this lesson.
Self-assess the brainstorm and planning session you completed in lesson six of the ‘Writing with authority’ lesson sequence.
If you need to, revisit Lesson 6, Activity 3 - Brainstorming.
If you believe you have engaged in comprehensive thinking and planning, you are ready to move on to the next stage of learning.
Using graphic organisers to choose a topic
Duration: 5:27
Activity 1 – Stretch your thinking
Activity 1 – Stretch your thinking
Watch the video Stretch your thinking to see an introduction to this lesson.
Activity 1 - Stretch your thinking
Duration: 1:35
Task
Task
To determine if your topic is relevant to you, your community and the wider world, respond to these sentence starters.
The topic that matters to me is...
The reason this matters to me is...
When I talk or write about this topic, the main message I want to communicate is...
This topic is relevant to my community because...
It is also a topic that is relevant to the state or country because...
Think about how different people respond to this topic. Complete these sentence starters.
People who care about this topic understand that...
People who don’t care about this topic need to be informed about...
Respond to the sentence starters in the downloadable student booklet or in your English book.
Your answers will help you to decide your topic and audience.
Activity 2 – Research
Activity 2 – Research
Task 2 - Selecting sources
Task 2 - Selecting sources
To make the process of your research efficient identify the type of information you want to source. Use the following questions as a guide.
Do you want to find sources that provide facts and statistics about your topic? Are you looking for quotes by individual experts in the topic?
Identify the key words your source should include.
When you find a source, you can then skim read and identify if these words or phrases are present. If they are, you will know this is a relevant source.
For example, if you were conducting a search online about the impact of plastics on the ocean you might search ‘impact of plastics on the ocean’ or ‘consequences of plastics on sea life’, or ‘harm caused by plastics to the ocean’.
If your source is a person, you will be interviewing them and it is important that you make a list of the questions you will ask.
Remember to use key words or phrases about your topic.
For example, if you were talking about the harm caused on the ocean by plastics you might include phrases such as ‘impact of plastics on the ocean’ or ‘consequences of plastics on sea life’, or ‘harm caused by plastics to the ocean’. This helps ensure the interviewee speaks about the focus of your concerns.
Take the rest of this lesson to engage in research, using the resources available to you.
The aim is to find two reliable and informative sources.
Take notes of the sources you find so you can then skim and scan these and identify the two most useful and reliable.
Record your note in the downloadable student booklet or in your English book.
Task 3 - Research brainstorm
Task 3 - Research brainstorm
Use these subheadings and instructions to make notes during your research.
Key words:
Sources (include the name of the source, the author, the date it was composed, the URL if it is an online source, the name of the publisher)
Source 1:
Source 2:
Source 3:
Source 4:
Source 5:
CC0 Public Domain
Next Lesson
Next Lesson
In lesson two, you will use a series of guided questions to organise the content of your research into ‘ready to use’ information.
Handing in your work
Handing in your work
Don't forget to hand in the work you completed today!
Your teacher will have told you to do one of the following:
Upload any digital documents you created and any photos you took of your written work to your Learning Management system (MS Teams, Google Classroom for example).
Email any digital documents you created and any photos you took of your written work to your teacher.
Make sure you keep any hand written work you did in your exercise book or folder as your teacher may need to see these when you are back in class.
Student reflection
Student reflection
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