Over the years I have shared many different ideas and activities for researching topics in the classroom. Especially animal research! It may even seem redundant, but there’s a reason why! Did you know that incorporating research into reading and writing is extremely beneficial for elementary students?
It’s true! After doing some research of my own, I quickly learned that the many benefits of incorporating research in the classroom cannot be overlooked. We can enhance reading comprehension skills and encourage independence as students conduct research.
Today, we’ll dive into student-led penguin research with tips on how to structure your lesson for maximum impact!
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Researching topics deepens students’ understanding of the world and provides them with relevant background knowledge. More than likely students have some knowledge of penguins. They may have background knowledge from movies they’ve seen or books they’ve read. They may have even seen penguins at their local zoo!
We can use that background knowledge to our advantage and build upon it by exposing them to informational text and kid-friendly websites about penguins. They are likely already interested in penguins, so we want to capitalize on that interest!
Start with a chart to activate students’ prior knowledge and keep track of new research. This approach lets students connect what they already know to new information and build a foundation of understanding.
The chart can focus on three categories of information:
Using a learning chart helps students track their learning journey, encouraging them to organize what they know and helping them stay focused during research.
Research involves reading for information, which supports literacy skills such as:
And so much more—like understanding true and false. Did you know that when students learn to distinguish true vs. false statements they are critically evaluating the information?
When conducting Penguin research, students have an opportunity to discuss true vs. false statements. The information they research from books and websites will allow them to thoughtfully determine whether a statement made about penguins is correct or not. They use their new learning to evaluate and apply it as they gather their research.
When students use graphic organizers and note-taking strategies, they are learning to organize and summarize the information. Without even realizing it, students are filtering through the information to determine which facts they should compile and present.
There are many ways that a student can showcase what they have learned about penguins. They can make a slideshow, create a penguin booklet, or summarize their research on a recording sheet.
Encourage students to select only the most essential facts to include, helping them to practice narrowing down information. This will allow them to effectively organize their information about penguins.
Research in the classroom often involves reading, writing, science, and social studies. This helps students to see the connection between subjects. Penguins make an exciting topic for classroom research activities, especially when you incorporate both fiction and nonfiction texts about penguins.
As students are researching on their own, continue building upon the interest that is increasing day by day as they learn new information. Students will become little penguin experts, sharing facts with their friends and families!
Here’s a list of my top five penguin stories, but check out this complete list of some of the best penguin books to use with penguin research!
Hey, y’all! My name is Amy Lemons and I am passionate about providing students with both engaging and effective standards-based Math and ELA lessons.
Sample a day of Rooted in Reading with these lesson plans and activities for Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Grammar!
