Unit Plan 16 (Grade 8 ELA): Mini-Research – Reading Across Sources
8th graders develop research skills by crafting focused questions, evaluating credible sources, and taking organized notes. They paraphrase and cite accurately, analyze conflicting information, and use tech tools to create concise, visual research briefs.
Focus: Focused questions; note-taking; assessing credibility; tech tools
Grade Level: 8
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Writing—Research; Reading—Informational; Speaking/Listening—Presentation)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Students launch a short research project by generating and refining focused questions, using tech tools to search, organize notes, evaluate credibility/accuracy, and synthesize findings across multiple sources. They will paraphrase and quote responsibly with citations and produce a concise research brief with a visual.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Plan and conduct a short research project answering a focused question, refining it as new lines of inquiry emerge (W.8.7).
- Gather relevant information from multiple print/digital sources, use effective search terms, evaluate credibility/accuracy, and quote/paraphrase while avoiding plagiarism with basic citations (W.8.8).
- Analyze how two or more texts on the same topic agree or conflict, identifying disagreements in fact or interpretation (RI.8.9).
- Use technology to draft, organize, and publish a brief that efficiently presents relationships between ideas (W.8.6).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 8
- W.8.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including generating focused questions), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
- W.8.8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; use search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
- RI.8.9: Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.
- W.8.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently.
Success Criteria — student language
- I wrote a focused research question and refined it after preliminary reading.
- My notes include accurate paraphrases/quotes with citation starters and credibility ratings.
- I can explain how/where sources conflict and which source is more credible (with reasons).
- My brief uses clear organization, a visual, and correct citations.