Unit Plan 16 (Grade 5 ELA): Mini-Research — Reading Across Sources
Grade 5 research and technology unit: develop focused questions, evaluate sources, take accurate notes, synthesize information, and publish findings using digital tools.
Focus: Focused questions, note-taking, source quality, tech tools
Grade Level: 5
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Writing/Research, Reading Informational, Technology Integration)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
This week, students become researchers who can ask focused questions, locate and evaluate sources, take useful notes (quote, paraphrase, summarize), and synthesize information across texts—using technology to organize and publish their work. By Friday, each learner can plan a mini-inquiry, pull notes with basic citations, integrate ideas from two or more sources, and produce a short, polished tech-enabled product.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Plan and carry out a short research project by generating focused questions and refining them as they learn (W.5.7).
- Gather information from print/digital sources; quote/paraphrase accurately; avoid plagiarism; and record basic bibliographic info (W.5.8).
- Integrate information from several texts on the same topic, identifying agreements, differences, and what’s most important (RI.5.9).
- Use technology to take notes, draft, and publish; collaborate with peers (W.5.6).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 5
- W.5.7, W.5.8, RI.5.9, W.5.6
Success Criteria — student language
- I can write a researchable question and a plan (where I’ll look and why).
- My notes include quotes (with quotation marks), paraphrases (in my own words), and a source label.
- I can combine ideas from at least two sources and explain how they connect or differ.
- I used a shared doc/slide to create and share my final product with correct source list.