Short Research Projects
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic, gather information from print and digital sources, and take brief organised notes
What a learner can do afterwards
- Generate three research questions about an assigned topic and identify two sources for each
- Take brief notes from a print source, sorting key facts into provided categories
- Write a short summary paragraph synthesising information gathered from two different sources
The lesson
A short research project has four steps. First you ask questions about your topic. Then you find sources, like books or websites, that can answer them. Next you take notes on what you learn. Last, you write it all up in your own words.
Maya is researching octopuses. She writes three questions: What do octopuses eat? How many arms do they have? Where do they live? For each question, she finds one book and one website, so she has two sources for every question.
When you take notes, don't copy whole sentences. Sort key facts under short headings, like Food, Body, or Home. Notes are just a few words each, enough to jog your memory later.
When you write your summary, blend the facts from both sources into one paragraph instead of two separate lists. Put what you learned together, in your own words.
Research means asking good questions, checking two sources for each one, jotting brief notes in your own words, then writing it all up together.
Watch it
Where it sits
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.