Wednesday, April 28, 2010

sweetSearch Student Search Engine




Click here for a direct link to the sweetSearch site where you can explore your chosen topic. You can also use the sweetSearch Widget that has been added to the sidebar of our blog! Happy researching!

Writing a Thesis and Using KWL for Brainstorming & Inquiry

You have now had your conference regarding a topic for research and have received approval. It is time to turn your topic into a thesis statement which will serve as your claim for your evaluative research paper. Your thesis needs to be one sentence and you need to use the main words of your title that you wrote. Try removing the How or Why of your title, but remember that you aren't limited to the words that remain. You can add phrases or clauses for more detail and complexity.

Your prior knowledge needs to be recorded so that you can distinguish between what information belongs to you and the new information that you will gather through your research. Using a KWL chart, record everything that you can recall about your thesis. Allow that thesis to be the focus of your research. Then, jot down questions that you want to learn about your topic. This will help guide your research if they are thoughtful, meaningful questions.

I found the following from www.youthlearn.org that will help you with inquiry.



Check out my new digital learning website: GrammarCloud!

Fifth Grade Topics for Research

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Think Tank is a great tool to use for generating ideas for topics of interest. Click on the image below to begin the interactive brainstorming tool:
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Read and answer the following questions.  Your answers do not have to be in complete thoughts, so use bullet points for each idea.  The more you brainstorm, the more options you will have to choose from when selecting your topic for research.
  • What am I interested in?
  • What do I like to do for fun that might translate into an interesting paper topic?
  • What do I feel strongly about?
  • What do I know a lot about?
  • What would I like to know more about?
  • What are some issues or topics that are in the news right now that I find interesting and important?
  • What are some issues or topics at my school that I find interesting and important?
  • Can my friends or family members offer me suggestions for topics that I find interesting and important?
Pick the topic on your list that you find most interesting and important. Remember, it's much easier to write a paper that you find interesting than one you do not, so take the time to pick out a topic you truly care about. The topic can NOT be something that you already know a great deal about.  It defeats the purpose of needing to research to learn more about it.
My top three topics that I want to further explore through research are the following:
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2.
3.

After brainstorming and choosing your top 3 choices for a research topic, explore this link and choose three more possible choices that you would find interesting. Add the topics of choice to your list.
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2.
3


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The following are some research topics my 5th graders came up with:


5A Research Topics:
Why Lacrosse is a challenging sport
Why the Vietnam War was One of the Worst of All Time
How Nuclear Missiles Cause Devastation
Why Steve Nash is the Best NBA Player
How Pirates have evolved Over Time
How Aircraft Carriers Can Improve
Autistic Savants: Drawbacks and Advantages
Why Jamar Chaney is the Best Rookie Linebacker in the NFL
The Challenges of Conquering Mt. Everest
Why Gil Stovall is One of the Best Swimmers in America
The Reasons for Butterfly Migration
Why High Fructose Corn Syrup is Unhealthy
UFO's: Myth or Reality
Why Golf is One of the Most Challenging Sports
Why the Octopus is One of the Most Exotic Animals Ever
Why Football is the Best Sport to Play

5B Research Topics:
The Causes and Effects of Sun Exposure
Why Mt. Everest is the Hardest Mountain to Climb
The Causes and Effects of Arthritis
The Cruelty of Using Animals for Entertainment in the Circus
Why Black Hawk Down Went so Bad
Why Beagles are Unique Dogs
The Importance of Recycling
What Makes America's Armed Forces the Most Advanced in the World
Why Golf is the Best Sport Ever
Why the Swine Flu is such a Perilous Disease
Why the University of Alabama is the Best College
The Negative Effects of Cigarettes
Why Alcatraz is World Famous
The Reasons Why Pet Snakes Should be Prohibited

5C Research Topics:
The Devastating Effects of World War II
Why the Red Birds is the Best AAA Baseball Team
How the Zulu Tribe of Africa lives a Unique Life
The Effects of Steroids
How Shoes Affect Your Running Form
The Yeti: Myth or Reality
Why Nike is the Best Brand in the World
The Causes and Effects of Tornadoes in Tornado Alley
Why Al Capone is the Most Notorious Gangster of all time
Why Ole Miss is the Best College
Why 9/11 was the Most Tragic Attack on America
How the Traditions of the Masters Were Created
The Causes and Effects of Snake Venom
Why Hurricanes are the Most Devastating Natural Disasters
The Causes and Effects of Dreams
UFO's: Myth or Reality

5D Research Topics:
Why Football is the Best Sport of all Time
The Benefits of Boy Scouts
Why Exotic Cars are the Fastest Cars Ever Made
Why Nike is the Best Merchandising Brand
Why German Shephards ard the Best Breed of Dog
Why Football is the Best Sport
The Likes and Differences of Native American and American Lacrosse
Lochness Monster: Myth or Reality
Why It's Essential for Kids to Play Sports
How the Mayans Created Amazing Architecture
Why the Beatles Are the Best Rock Group of all Time
The Benefits of Modern Day Warfare
Why Basketball is the Best Sport of all Time
How Lacrosse is the Most Strategic Game Invented


Check out my new digital learning website: GrammarCloud!

Explore Your Interests for a Research Topic



* What am I interested in?
* What do I like to do for fun that might translate into an interesting paper topic?
* What do I feel strongly about?
* What do I know a lot about?
* What would I like to know more about?

* What are some issues or topics that are in the news right now that I find interesting and important?
* What are some issues or topics at my school that I find interesting and important?
* Can my friends or family members offer me suggestions for topics that I find interesting and important?

Evaluate each appropriate topic for ease and quality.
How difficult will this topic be to research and write about?
Is the topic too broad?
Is the topic too narrow?
Remember to get help from the teacher to find out if your topic is manageable. You also might need to do some library and computer research to find out how much information is available about your considered topic.

Pick the topic on your list that you find most interesting and important. Remember, it's much easier to write a paper that you find interesting than one you do not, so take the time to pick out a topic you truly care about.

Get permission from the teacher to make sure that your topic is appropriate and not controversial। Then, let the fun begin as the research process unfolds during English class! Follow my blog posts as I take you through the steps of researching and writing a paper on your approved topic.

Check out my new digital learning website: GrammarCloud!