Lesson Plan
Lesson 9: Research Skills – Note-Taking
A 60-minute lesson in which students will take appropriate notes from an informative text.
This lesson plan includes the following resources:
Lesson Plan
Tuning In
- Write the following sentence on the board twice, one underneath the other: Snakes are cold-blooded reptiles that can make venom.
- Using the first sentence, rub out the words snakes, cold-blooded, reptiles, and venom. Look at the words that remain (are, that, can, and make). Ask the students:
- Do these words provide any information about what the sentence is about?
- Is it possible to guess what the sentence is about using only these words?
- Explain to the students that these words are known as ‘connector words’. They provide no information about the content of a sentence.
- Using the second sentence, rub out the words are, that, can, and make. Look at the words that remain (snakes, cold-blooded, reptiles, and venom). Ask the students:
- Do these words provide any information about what the sentence is about?
- Is it possible to guess what the sentence is about using only these words?
- Explain to the students that these words are known as ‘informational words’. They provide the key information about the content of a sentence.
- Remind the students that they should only write down the informational words, not the connector words, when taking notes from informative texts.
Teacher Instruction
- Project the text about sharks from the Research Skills Worksheets – Note-Taking on the board. Discuss the instructions and hints in the box at the top of the page.
- Read the text together as a class. Discuss and model reading comprehension strategies, such as:
- looking at the title, subheadings, illustrations, and repeated words for hints about the main idea
- locating and defining the subject-specific words (words that are related to the main idea).
- Project the next page of the worksheet pack on the board. Discuss the instructions and hints in the box at the top of the page.
- Read through each paragraph together as a class. Discuss and model note-taking strategies, such as:
- highlighting the informational words only, not the connector words
- noting the key facts and details as single words or short phrases.
Guided/Independent Learning
- Provide the students with a copy of the Research Skills Worksheets – Note-Taking. Monitor and support the students as they work through the activities for the two remaining texts.
Wrapping Up
- Discuss the main idea and subject-specific vocabulary of the two remaining texts (astronauts and smartphones). Encourage confident students to share their bullet points with the rest of the class.
Differentiation
Extending Students
- Challenge any fast finishers to use their bullet points to create a fact file poster for one of the topics in the worksheet pack.
Supporting Students
- Allow any struggling readers to work on the note-taking task in a small group with a teacher or teacher aide.
Assessment Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
- used strategic whole class or individual questioning
- observed student participation during learning activities
- recorded student progress on a checklist
- annotated student work samples
- collected and reviewed student work samples
- facilitated whole class or peer feedback sessions
- encouraged student self-reflection
- administered formal assessment tasks.
Common Core Curriculum alignment
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.8
Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.8
Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Find more resources for these topics
English Language Arts and ReadingWritingInformative WritingInquiry and ResearchNote Taking
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