INFORMATIVE WRITING LESSONS UNIT & RESEARCH PROJECT BUNDLE Around the World

***SEMESTER-LONG UNIT! UPDATED 2024! BUNDLE & SAVE 30%!*** Teach informative research writing in a way that is engaging and memorable with this no-prep 416-page Informative Writing & Country Research Unit BUNDLE with Writing Skills, Project, Presentation, & Party. In this unit, students will learn critical Research and Informative Writing Skills, then use these acquired skills to create a research project about a country of their choice. They will present their projects at a culminating “It’s a Small World Party”! Use this SEMESTER-LONG thematic unit to learn about informational writing skills, celebrate diversity, and culture, while students practice research skills, report writing, technology skills, manners, presentation, speaking, and listening skills!

First, students will learn and practice a variety of informative writing skills. PowerPoints, Guided Notes, Guided Practice, Teacher Directions, CCSS-alignment, and Answer Keys are included for all skills, and most skills include additional practice, activities, and/or tests. Scroll down for a suggested schedule. THESE WOULD MAKE WONDERFUL LONG-TERM SUB PLANS!

Next, students will complete a Research Project about a country of their choice. They will research the land, people, a current event, and compare/contrast their own traditions to that country using a variety of provided internet sources. They will use the information to complete an outline. The students will use the outline to create a research paper which will be taken through the writing process. They will then create a PowerPoint or Google Slide presentation correlating with their research.

Then comes the best part- “It’s a Small World” Presentation Party Day! Students will present and discuss their presentations, eat foods from around the world, and practice manners. Everything you need to make this party happen is included (see below for a full list of what’s included).

What’s Included

Informational Writing Lessons:

•How to Avoid Plagiarism: PPT, Guided Notes, Guided Practice, Multiple choice practice

•How to Use Descriptive Writing: PPT, Guided Notes, Guided Practice, Multiple choice practice, Scavenger Hunt activity

•How to Hook Your Reader: PPT, Guided Notes, Guided Practice

•How to Research: PPT, Guided Notes, Guided Practice Link to Scavenger Hunt

•How to Write an Organized Paragraph: PPT, Guided Notes, Guided Practice, Multiple choice practice

•How to Avoid Fake News with Reliable Sources: PPT, Guided Notes, Guided Practice, Link to Online Scavenger Hunts

•How to Revise & Edit: Revising PPT, Revising Guided Notes, Revising Guided Practice, Revising Checklist, Editing PPT, Editing Guided Notes, Editing Checklist

•How to Identify Text Structures: PPT, Guided Notes, Guided Practice, 3 multiple-choice practices, Sentence writing activity, Multiple choice quiz

•How to Use Transition Words: PPT, Guided Notes, Guided Practice, Sentence writing activity, Anchor chart (4 sizes)

•Text Structure Writing: Handout, Graphic Organizer, Writing Frame, DIY Paragraph Sheet, & Rubric for these structures: Sequential, Compare/Contrast, Cause/Effect, Problem/Solution, Descriptive, & Story Summary

•How to Make a PowerPoint/Google Slide: Step-by-step directions to create a PowerPoint or Google Slide Presentation

•Slide Presentation Planning Sheets: Editable PPT/Google Slide Planning Template

Research Project:

1.Explanation sheets (3 versions-Report Only, Presentation Only, Whole Project)

2.List of countries to choose from

3.Suggested research website links

4.Outline to complete with research (2 versions-with topics & without topics)

5.Revising/editing checklists & Color-coding chart

6.PowerPoint Mini-Lesson: How to Transfer Your Outline to a Report

7.PowerPoint Planning Sheet (2 versions)

1.Intro, Land, People, Current Event, Interesting Info, Conclusion

2.Intro, Sequence Historical Events, Cause and Effect, Description, Persuasive, Summary

8.3 Presentation Listening Skill Activities (to complete during presentations)

1.Presentation BINGO

2.Presentation Question Cards

3.Presentation Powerpoint

9.Rubric (3 versions-Report Only, Presentation Only, Whole Project)

Presentation Party:

1.Letter to Parents (editable)-explains the research students have been doing, what students will do for the party, and how they will be assessed

2.Rubric (editable)-students will be assessed on table manners & discussion

3.Presentation Question Cards

4.Presentation BINGO

5.Decorative banners (“It’s a Small World” and ”Around the World”)-cut, hole punch, and string these up to decorate your room

6.8 Center/8 Group signs-cut, hole punch, & hang these to show centers/group locations

7.PowerPoint and editable agenda slides (“Around the World” and “It’s a Small World”)-post this on the board to add some decoration. Agenda slides are editable so you can put what you want on them

8.Door sign (“Around the World” and “It’s a Small World” ),-directions to print this in poster-size are included

9.Collaborative Block Poster-create a 3’x4’ poster by giving each student a different sheet of this poster to color then put together; 20 sheets

*****************CLICK THE PREVIEW TO SEE IT ALL!********************

Suggested Schedule

Week 1 Lesson: Text Structures PPT, Notes, & Practice

Week 2 Lesson & Writing: Text Structure Writing-Sequence Writing

Week 3 Lesson & Writing: Text Structure Writing-Cause/Effect Writing

Week 4 Lesson & Writing: Text Structure Writing-Compare/Contrast

Week 5 Lesson & Writing: Text Structure Writing-Problem/Solution Writing

Week 6 Lesson & Writing: Text Structure Writing-Descriptive Writing

Week 7 Lesson & Writing: Text Structure Writing-Story Summary Writing

Week 8 Introduce Research Project (Explanation sheet in Project pack)

Lesson: How to Research PPT, Notes, & Practice

Lesson: Reliable Sources PPT, Notes, & Practice

Week 9 Writing: Research and complete Outline

Week 10 Lesson: Avoid Plagiarism PPT, Notes, & Practice

Week 11 Lesson: Organized Writing PPT, Notes, & Practice

Week 12 Lesson: How to Transfer Outline to Report PPT

Writing: Draft Research Report

Week 13 Lesson: Writing Introductions PPT, Notes, & Practice

Writing: Fix paragraph introductions in report

Lesson: Transition Words PPT, Notes, & Practice

Writing: Fix transition words in writing in report

Week 14 Lesson: Descriptive Writing PPT, Notes, & Practice

Writing: Fix descriptive writing in report

Week 15 Lesson: Revise & Edit PPT, Notes, & Practice

Writing: Revise & Edit your own report

Writing: Revise & Edit a partner’s report

Week 16 Writing: Write/type final copy of report

Lesson: How to Make a PowerPoint/Google Slide Presentation

Introduce PowerPoint/Google Slide Presentation

Writing: Plan PPT/GS presentation (use PPT Planning Sheets)

Week 17 Writing: Create PPT/GS Presentation

Speaking/Listening: Practice presentation

Week 18 Speaking/Listening: Presentation Party!

What Are Guided Notes?

Guided Notes make note taking easy! The PowerPoint and the Notes go together. As the teacher presents the PowerPoint, students fill in the blanks on the Guided Notes sheet. This strategy helps students focus, ensures that they get the required information, but makes it easy for them to keep up. PLUS you can provide the answer keys to absent students, to differentiate for special needs students, or on your LMS as a study guide.

Skills

Text features; Avoid plagiarism; Paraphrasing, summarizing, quoting sources; Main idea and supporting details; References sources; skim and scan; Close reading strategies; research papers; outlines; organizing writing; creating multimedia that goes with writing; selecting supportive graphics; writing process; presentation skills; Introductory writing hooks; Descriptive writing; Organized paragraphs-introduction, supporting details, conclusion; PowerPoint/Google Slide presentations; Avoid fake news, reliable sources; How to research; Keywords; Revising & Editing; Text structures; Transition Words; Cause & Effect, Compare & Contrast, Problem & Solution, Sequential, Story summary

Ways to Use

•International Day/Week, Multicultural Day/Week, Earth Day, Around the World Camp, It’s a Small World Study, End of the Year, or culture unit.

•History class, World Geography class, ELA class, or Enrichment/Gifted class

•Pick and choose which activities to use, or use them all!

•In-person or virtually

•Practice Speaking, Listening, and Research Skills

•Informative Writing Mini-Lessons

•Test Prep for skills students need more explicit practice with

•Great for Long-Term Sub Plans! Just print and go!

*****************************Related Resources*****************************

Check out the Informational Writing section of the Megan Memories store for these related resources:

• Countries Research Report
• Countries Research Presentation
• Countries Research Project
• Countries One Day Research Sheets
• It’s a Small World Presentation Party
• Around the World Day
• Christmas Around the World
• Descriptive Writing Mini-Lessons
• Key Words Mini-Lessons
• Organizing Your Writing Mini-Lesson
• Revising & Editing Your Writing Mini-Lessons
• Text Structures Mini-Lessons
• Quoting, Summarizing, Paraphrasing Mini-Lesson
• Transition Words & Phrases Mini-Lesson
• How to Research Mini-Lesson

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