Unit Plan 16 (Grade 1 ELA): Mini-Research – Ask & Answer Questions
Introduce first graders to research through curiosity and discovery. Students learn to ask who/what/where/why/how questions, locate key facts in short texts and visuals, take simple notes, and name their sources—building early research and comprehension skills.
Focus: Wonder questions; note simple facts; gather from a source
Grade Level: 1
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Research • Reading Informational)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Young researchers start with wonder. This week, students practice asking strong who/what/where/when/why/how questions, reading/listening to short sources to find key details, and recording simple notes (words, labels, quick sketches). They’ll work in small groups on a shared mini-research task and present a one-sentence answer with a named source.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Ask and answer questions about key details in a short informational source (RI.1.1).
- Gather information from a provided source (text, image, chart, brief audio/teacher read-aloud) or from experience to answer a question; record simple notes (W.1.8).
- Participate in shared research and writing with peers to plan a question, collect 2–3 facts, and share an answer (W.1.7).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 1
- RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
- W.1.7 Participate in shared research and writing projects.
- W.1.8 With guidance and support, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
Success Criteria — student language
- I can write or say a wonder question that fits the topic.
- I can find a key detail in the source that helps answer my question.
- I can take simple notes (words/labels/picture) about what I learned.
- I can tell my answer in one clear sentence and say where I found it.