research skills lesson middle school

Teaching Research Skills to K-12 Students in The Classroom

Research is at the core of knowledge. Nobody is born with an innate understanding of quantum physics. But through research , the knowledge can be obtained over time. That’s why teaching research skills to your students is crucial, especially during their early years.

But teaching research skills to students isn’t an easy task. Like a sport, it must be practiced in order to acquire the technique. Using these strategies, you can help your students develop safe and practical research skills to master the craft.

What Is Research?

By definition, it’s a systematic process that involves searching, collecting, and evaluating information to answer a question. Though the term is often associated with a formal method, research is also used informally in everyday life!

Whether you’re using it to write a thesis paper or to make a decision, all research follows a similar pattern.

• Choose a topic : Think about general topics of interest. Do some preliminary research to make sure there’s enough information available for you to work with and to explore subtopics within your subject.
• Develop a research question : Give your research a purpose; what are you hoping to solve or find?
• Collect data : Find sources related to your topic that will help answer your research questions. 
• Evaluate your data : Dissect the sources you found. Determine if they’re credible and which are most relevant.
• Make your conclusion : Use your research to answer your question! 

Why Do We Need It?

Research helps us solve problems. Trying to answer a theoretical question? Research. Looking to buy a new car? Research. Curious about trending fashion items? Research! 

Sometimes it’s a conscious decision, like when writing an academic paper for school. Other times, we use research without even realizing it. If you’re trying to find a new place to eat in the area, your quick Google search of “food places near me” is research!

Whether you realize it or not, we use research multiple times a day, making it one of the most valuable lifelong skills to have. And it’s why — as educators —we should be teaching children research skills in their most primal years. 

Teaching Research Skills to Elementary Students

In elementary school, children are just beginning their academic journeys. They are learning the essentials: reading, writing, and comprehension. But even before they have fully grasped these concepts, you can start framing their minds to practice research.

According to curriculum writer and former elementary school teacher, Amy Lemons , attention to detail is an essential component of research. Doing puzzles, matching games, and other memory exercises can help equip students with this quality before they can read or write. 

Improving their attention to detail helps prepare them for the meticulous nature of research. Then, as their reading abilities develop, teachers can implement reading comprehension activities in their lesson plans to introduce other elements of research. 

One of the best strategies for teaching research skills to elementary students is practicing reading comprehension . It forces them to interact with the text; if they come across a question they can’t answer, they’ll need to go back into the text to find the information they need. 

Some activities could include completing compare/contrast charts, identifying facts or questioning the text, doing background research, and setting reading goals. Here are some ways you can use each activity:

• How it translates : Step 3, collect data; Step 4, evaluate your data
• Questioning the text : If students are unsure which are facts/not facts, encourage them to go back into the text to find their answers. 
• How it translates : Step 3, collect data; Step 4, evaluate your data; Step 5, make your conclusion
• How it translates : Step 1, choose your topic
• How it translates : Step 2, develop a research question; Step 5, make your conclusion

Resources for Elementary Research

If you have access to laptops or tablets in the classroom, there are some free tools available through Pennsylvania’s POWER Kids to help with reading comprehension. Scholastic’s BookFlix and TrueFlix are 2 helpful resources that prompt readers with questions before, after, and while they read. 

• BookFlix : A resource for students who are still new to reading. Students will follow along as a book is read aloud. As they listen or read, they will be prodded to answer questions and play interactive games to test and strengthen their understanding. 

• TrueFlix : A resource for students who are proficient in reading. In TrueFlix, students explore nonfiction topics. It’s less interactive than BookFlix because it doesn’t prompt the reader with games or questions as they read. (There are still options to watch a video or listen to the text if needed!)

Teaching Research Skills to Middle School Students

By middle school, the concept of research should be familiar to students. The focus during this stage should be on credibility . As students begin to conduct research on their own, it’s important that they know how to determine if a source is trustworthy.

Before the internet, encyclopedias were the main tool that people used for research. Now, the internet is our first (and sometimes only) way of looking information up. 

Unlike encyclopedias which can be trusted, students must be wary of pulling information offline. The internet is flooded with unreliable and deceptive information. If they aren’t careful, they could end up using a source that has inaccurate information!

How To Know If A Source Is Credible

In general, credible sources are going to come from online encyclopedias, academic journals, industry journals, and/or an academic database. If you come across an article that isn’t from one of those options, there are details that you can look for to determine if it can be trusted.

• The author: Is the author an expert in their field? Do they write for a respected publication? If the answer is no, it may be good to explore other sources.
• Citations: Does the article list its sources? Are the sources from other credible sites like encyclopedias, databases, or journals? No list of sources (or credible links) within the text is usually a red flag. 
• Date: When was the article published? Is the information fresh or out-of-date? It depends on your topic, but a good rule of thumb is to look for sources that were published no later than 7-10 years ago. (The earlier the better!)
• Bias: Is the author objective? If a source is biased, it loses credibility.

An easy way to remember what to look for is to utilize the CRAAP test . It stands for C urrency (date), R elevance (bias), A uthority (author), A ccuracy (citations), and P urpose (bias). They’re noted differently, but each word in this acronym is one of the details noted above. 

If your students can remember the CRAAP test, they will be able to determine if they’ve found a good source.

Resources for Middle School Research

To help middle school researchers find reliable sources, the database Gale is a good starting point. It has many components, each accessible on POWER Library’s site. Gale Litfinder , Gale E-books , or Gale Middle School are just a few of the many resources within Gale for middle school students.

Teaching Research Skills To High Schoolers

The goal is that research becomes intuitive as students enter high school. With so much exposure and practice over the years, the hope is that they will feel comfortable using it in a formal, academic setting. 

In that case, the emphasis should be on expanding methodology and citing correctly; other facets of a thesis paper that students will have to use in college. Common examples are annotated bibliographies, literature reviews, and works cited/reference pages.

• Annotated bibliography : This is a sheet that lists the sources that were used to conduct research. To qualify as annotated , each source must be accompanied by a short summary or evaluation. 
• Literature review : A literature review takes the sources from the annotated bibliography and synthesizes the information in writing.
• Works cited/reference pages : The page at the end of a research paper that lists the sources that were directly cited or referenced within the paper. 

Resources for High School Research

Many of the Gale resources listed for middle school research can also be used for high school research. The main difference is that there is a resource specific to older students: Gale High School . 

If you’re looking for some more resources to aid in the research process, POWER Library’s e-resources page allows you to browse by grade level and subject. Take a look at our previous blog post to see which additional databases we recommend.

Visit POWER Library’s list of e-resources to start your research!

Save 10% today on your lessons using the code GIVEME10

10 Ways To Develop Research Skills in Middle School Students

Helping students develop research skills in middle school is useful and necessary for students to thrive later in life. In this blog post, Marypat Mahoney from Just Add Students and I explore practical ways to guide students in their journey to develop research skills through various methods. 

From determining citation methods and scaffolding each skill to embracing information literacy and integrating hands-on experiences, the post offers a comprehensive roadmap for educators to encourage and educate students on their research journey. 

Whether through prewriting activities, interview practice, small-scale exercises, or the analysis of primary sources, these strategies aim to equip students with the tools they need to navigate the research world confidently.

Get The Librarian Involved (Kristy)

If your school is fortunate enough to have a school librarian or media specialist, get them involved in helping your students develop research skills. School librarians can show the students what resources the school and/or the school board or district have and use hands-on activities to engage them in the research process. 

In this blog post, 12 Ways a School Librarian Can Help Teachers , Barbara Paciotti, retired School Librarian and Science teacher, shares how school librarians can be an asset to classroom teachers.

Determine How You Want Students To Cite Sources (Marypat)

Before even jumping into research skills, decide how you want students to cite their sources.  This can be as simple as students creating a list with clickable links or as complex as a works cited list that is in compliance with the MLA’s 9th edition .  

If you want a combo of the two, teach your students how to create an annotated works cited list.  This is a great way to get students thinking about why they are choosing sources and what the sources have to offer. 

Scaffold Each Skill (Kristy)

When seeking to develop research skills in middle school students, it is important to start with a small research project and work towards bigger, more independent projects. These mini-research projects help students develop the key skills needed for more intricate and self-directed assignments. 

Once students are ready for more independence, it is still important to break down larger assignments into smaller, manageable tasks. Guide students through the process of selecting topics, conducting research, and presenting findings. I love to work on each step as a class and then give students more independence once they have demonstrated they are on the right track. 

For an example of how I scaffold for my students, check out this Article of the Week framework . 

Student Driven – Use The Scientific Method – Start With A Question (Marypat)

Students will be more engaged and excited about starting a research project when they are curious and invested in the topic. And, even more importantly, when they can choose their own topic. 

But helping students choose that topic can be a challenge. One thing that helps is using the scientific method . This starts with asking a question. The more questions students ask, the easier the research topic will be to choose. Students will end up with a list of questions they want to know more about. 

Teach Information Literacy (Kristy)

In today’s digital world, not everything is as it seems online. Focus on teaching students how to evaluate sources, spot bias, and differentiate between reliable and unreliable information/sources – this can be a key element when striving to help students develop research skills. 

Emphasize to students that going beyond surface-level acceptance of digital content is key. Teach them how to analyze information and think critically about the content they consume. The goal is to nurture students to be capable of confidently navigating the digital world.

If you want help with lesson ideas on these topics, read my posts, Why Teach Fake News in the Middle School ELA Classroom? – 2 Peas and a Dog and Engaging Middle School Digital Citizenship Lessons – 2 Peas and a Dog . 

Generate Prewriting Ideas (Marypat)

Prewriting is often a quickly completed activity, but with research, prewriting can help students flesh out ideas, generate more questions, and dig into deeper research.

Encourage students to “follow the questions” they have about their topic by generating more questions that they want answered. A simple graphic organizer like a KWL chart is a good place to start. But don’t stop there. Offering multiple prewriting activities helps students not only get excited to get started but they’ll develop a plan forward.     

Interview Practice (Kristy)

Conducting primary research is a key skill that some people require in their careers. It does not have to be formal research conducted by a university or a think tank. People need to acquire information by talking to other people and then making informed decisions. 

Teach students basic interview techniques and have them conduct interviews with school staff, local experts, or community members, then present their findings to their peers. When I taught Grade 6 Social Studies, students had to interview someone who had immigrated to Canada from another country. 

They could interview a family member or a friend of the family. They were also permitted to get the story from their parents if no direct contact could be made with the relative who immigrated to Canada. This helped students learn how to talk to adults and gather information that they made into a presentation to share with the class. 

A project that will help students learn the interview process and further develop research skills is my Biography Symbolism Assignment . Student can create a life map outlining the important events in their chosen interviewee’s life. It doesn’t have to be huge, but something to get students heading in the right direction when it comes to the interview process. 

How can you incorporate interviews into your lessons? Check out this list of 32 Fun Project Ideas That Aren’t Overused For Middle School Students to think of different ways to change up your lessons.  

Small Scale Practice With Note Taking, Summarizing, And Quoting (Marypat)

Once students have their idea and their research sources – the next big step is recording information. Summarizing material is often challenging for students.  Make this easier by using texts that students are already familiar with: fairy tales, fables, popular movies, or even songs. 

Take out the writing aspect and allow them to share a short summary with a partner. Can they do this in less than 30 words? You’ll be able to add new texts as students build confidence. Use this summarizing skills freebie to help you get started .

Analyze Primary Sources (Kristy)

Another way to develop research skills is to introduce historical primary sources (letters, diaries, speeches) and guide students in interpreting and analyzing these documents.

This is something I try to do with my students in my Canadian history lessons as well as when I am teaching a novel if I can find sources that align with the concepts or events. Students need to understand that not all content comes from secondary sources. Sometimes, they can use primary sources as a way to gather information. 

Create a sharing wall (Marypat)

Provide a “Did You Know?” wall for students to share information about their topic that they think is interesting. Sometimes, students find information that doesn’t quite fit into their research topic, but it is still interesting to them.  A sharing wall is the perfect spot for that random information.  As a side benefit, students are sharing their research!

The journey to help students develop research skills can be a collaborative effort that involves educators, librarians, and the entire school community. Developing these skills is not a one-size-fits-all process but rather a multifaceted approach that encompasses citation methods, scaffolding, information literacy, and hands-on experiences. 

By incorporating strategies like prewriting, interview practice, small-scale exercises, and the analysis of primary sources, educators can empower students to confidently navigate their research. I hope you can use some of these ideas to develop research skills in middle school students.

Marypat has been a classroom teacher for over fifteen years and a  mentor teacher for over ten.  Her experience ranges from fourth grade to college, but the majority of her time has been in middle school teaching ELA. She created Just Add Students to support busy teachers who may be struggling with teaching reading and writing to upper elementary and middle school students. She also sells teaching resources on Teachers Pay Teachers and on her website .

Kristy has taught ELA and other subjects to middle school students for over 17 years in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada. She is guilty of always having a book in her hand – even at the dinner table! She shares teaching content on her website, 2 Peas and a Dog , and sells middle school education resources on Teachers Pay Teachers or Shopify .

Related Posts

This FREE persuasive writing unit is

• Perfect for engaging students in public speaking and persuasive writing
• Time and energy saving
• Ideal for in-person or online learning

By using highly-engaging rants, your students won’t even realize you’ve channeled their daily rants and complaints into high-quality, writing!

K-12 Internet Resource Center

A totally free index of Internet resources for the K-12 Community.

How to Help Students Build Research Skills

Do you want to support students at your school as they conduct research this year? You can help students build research skills starting in elementary school. One of the hardest parts of getting started is finding resources that are just right for this age group of readers. We often associate teaching research skills with the work taking place in secondary classrooms. Middle school and high school students might synthesize information from a variety of sources for a research project. Research skills are important in elementary classrooms, too.

Elementary educators can introduce informational text to students as they take on the role of a fact-finder who gathers information to share with an audience.

Dr. Monica Burns October 18, 2023

Attributes: 1-3 4-5 Lesson Plan

Resource Link:  https://classtechtips.com/2023/10/18/how-to-help-students-build-research-skills/

• Research Skills

50 Mini-Lessons For Teaching Students Research Skills

How can you fit teaching research skills into a busy curriculum? This post outlines 50 mini-lessons for students from middle primary school to senior high school. PDF summary included!

Become An Internet Search Master (Google Slides Presentation For Students)

Teach your students how to become an internet search master with this Google Slides presentation from Noah King.

How To Evaluate Websites: A Guide For Teachers And Students (Free Poster)

This post zooms in on a particular part of the research process — evaluating websites. It includes a printable flowchart that will assist you in your teaching!

How to Teach Online Research Skills to Students in 5 Steps (Free Posters)

*Updated 2020* Our world is becoming increasingly information-saturated. Knowing how to effectively research online and filter information is an essential life skill. I suggest 5 simple steps to teaching information literacy and summarise the tips in a handy poster and eBook for your classroom.

Ten Tips for Teaching Students how to Research and Filter Information

I was recently involved in a conversation about how difficult it now is to filter what is on the internet and research effectively. In the past, students would primarily use books to research; being overloaded with possibly unreliable information wasn’t really an issue. Teaching students research skills is becoming increasingly important. Some refer to the […]

• Professional Learning

How Has Teaching Changed?

If you’re a teacher who is trying to encourage other staff to use ICT, you have probably heard this before? When do I have the time to learn about this? Learning through Twitter, blogs, online conferences etc is just part of my day-to-day life as I have described in this post. This is extremely foreign […]

Final Summer I 2024 Application Deadline is June 2, 2024.  

Click here to apply.

Featured Posts

10 AI Project Ideas for High School Students

The Warner Bros. Reach Honorship Program — Should You Apply?

10 Free Summer Programs for High School Students in NYC (New York City)

Is Applying to Tech Flex Leaders Worth It?

8 Awesome Biology Articles for High School Students

8 Medical Camps for Middle School Students

10 Graphic Design Internships for High School Students

10 Art History Summer Programs for High School Students

Everything You Need To Know About College Tours as a High School Student

MITE at UT Austin- Is it Worth it?

10 Great Research Topics for Middle School Students

Middle school is the perfect time to start exploring the fascinating world of research, especially if you're passionate about STEM and the humanities. Engaging in research projects now not only feeds your curiosity but also develops critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a love for learning. Whether you're intrigued by the secrets of the universe, the beauty of numbers, or the complexity of robotics, there's a research project that you can pursue to help you build your knowledge. Let's dive into some advanced yet accessible research topics that will challenge you and enhance your academic journey.

1. Program your own robot

What to do:  Start by defining the purpose of your robot. Will it be a pet robot that follows you around, or perhaps a robot that can help carry small items from one room to another? Sketch your design on paper, focusing on what sensors and motors you'll need. For instance, a robot that follows light might need light sensors, while a robot that avoids obstacles will require ultrasonic sensors. Use an Arduino or Raspberry Pi as the brain. You'll need to learn basic programming in Python (for Raspberry Pi) or C++ (for Arduino) to code your robot's behavior.

Tips to get started:  The official websites for Arduino  and Raspberry Pi  offer tutorials for beginners. For more specific projects, such as building a pet robot, search for guides on Instructables  that detail each step from hardware assembly to software programming.

2. Design a solar-powered oven

What to do:  Investigate how solar ovens work and the science behind solar cooking. Your oven can be as simple as a pizza box solar oven or more complex, like a parabolic solar cooker. Key materials include reflective surfaces (aluminum foil), clear plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect, and black construction paper to absorb heat. Experiment with different shapes and angles to maximize the heat capture and cooking efficiency. Test your oven by trying to cook different foods and measure the temperature achieved and cooking time required.

Tips to get started:  The Solar Cooking  wiki is an excellent resource for finding different solar cooker designs and construction plans. YouTube also has numerous DIY solar oven tutorials. Document your process and results in a project journal, noting any changes in design that lead to improvements in efficiency.

3. Assess the health of a local ecosystem

What to do:  Choose a local natural area, such as a stream, pond, or forest, and plan a series of observations and tests to assess its health. Key activities could include water quality testing (for pH, nitrates, and phosphates), soil testing (for composition and contaminants), and biodiversity surveys (identifying species of plants and animals present). Compile your data to evaluate the ecosystem's health, looking for signs of pollution, habitat destruction, or invasive species.

Tips to get started:  For a comprehensive approach, NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory  provides information on atmospheric and environmental monitoring techniques. Tools like iNaturalist  can assist in species identification, and water and soil testing kits are available from science education suppliers.

4. Develop an educational app

What to do:  Identify a gap in educational resources that your app could fill. Perhaps you noticed that students struggle with a particular math concept, or there's a lack of engaging resources for learning a foreign language. Outline your app’s features, design the user interface, and plan the content it will deliver. Use MIT App Inventor  for a drag-and-drop development experience, or Scratch  for a game-like educational app. Test your app with classmates or family members, and use their feedback for improvements.

Tips to get started:  Both MIT App Inventor  and Scratch  provide tutorials and community forums where you can learn from others’ projects. Begin with a simple prototype, focusing on one core feature, and expand from there.

5. Model rocketry: design, build, and launch!

What to do:  Dive into the basics of rocket science by designing your own model rocket. Understand the principles of thrust, aerodynamics, and stability as you plan your rocket. Materials can range from simple kits available online to homemade components for the body, fins, and nose cone. Educate yourself on the proper engine selection for your design and the recovery system to ensure your rocket returns safely. Conduct a launch in a safe, open area, following all safety guidelines.

Tips to get started:  The National Association of Rocketry  is a treasure trove of information on model rocket safety, design, and launch procedures. For beginners, consider starting with a kit from Estes Rockets , which includes all necessary components and instructions.

6. Create a wearable electronic device

What to do:  Envision a wearable device that solves a problem or enhances an aspect of daily life. It could be a smart bracelet that reminds you to stay hydrated or a hat with integrated LEDs for nighttime visibility. Sketch your design, listing the components you'll need, such as LEDs, sensors, a power source, and a microcontroller like the Adafruit Flora or Gemma. Plan your circuit, sew or assemble your device, and program it to function as intended.

Tips to get started:   Adafruit’s Wearables  section offers guides and tutorials for numerous wearable projects, including coding and circuit design. Start with a simple project to familiarize yourself with electronics and sewing conductive thread before moving on to more complex designs.

7. Explore the science of slime and non-Newtonian fluids

What to do:  Conduct experiments to understand how the composition of slime affects its properties. Create a standard slime recipe using glue, borax (or contact lens solution as a safer alternative), and water. Alter the recipe by varying the amounts of each ingredient or adding additives like cornstarch, shaving cream, or thermochromic pigment. Test how each variation affects the slime’s viscosity, stretchiness, and reaction to pressure.

Tips to get started:  The Science Bob  website offers a basic slime recipe and the science behind it. Document each experiment carefully, noting the recipe used and the observed properties. This will help you understand the science behind non-Newtonian fluids.

8. Extract DNA at home

What to do:  Use common household items to extract DNA from fruits or vegetables, like strawberries or onions. The basic process involves mashing the fruit, adding a mixture of water, salt, and dish soap to break down cell membranes, and then using cold alcohol to precipitate the DNA out of the solution. Observe and analyze the DNA strands.

Tips to get started:  Detailed instructions and the science explanation are available at the Genetic Science Learning Center . This project offers a tangible glimpse into the molecular basis of life and can be a springboard to more complex biotechnology experiments.

9. Investigate the efficiency of different types of solar cells

What to do:  Compare the efficiency of various solar panels, such as monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin-film. Design an experiment to measure the electrical output of each type under identical lighting conditions, using a multimeter to record voltage and current. Analyze how factors like angle of incidence, light intensity, and temperature affect their performance.

Tips to get started:  Introductory resources on solar energy and experiments can be found at the Energy.gov  website. Consider purchasing small solar panels of different types from electronics stores or online suppliers. Ensure that all tests are conducted under controlled conditions for accurate comparisons.

10. Study ocean acidification and its effects on marine life

What to do:  Simulate the effects of ocean acidification on marine organisms in a controlled experiment. Use vinegar to lower the pH of water in a tank and observe its impact on calcium carbonate shells or skeletons, such as seashells or coral fragments. Monitor and record changes over time, researching how acidification affects the ability of these organisms to maintain their shells and skeletons.

Tips to get started:   NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program  offers educational materials and experiment ideas. For a simpler version of this experiment, see instructions for observing the effects of acidified water on eggshells, which are similar in composition to marine shells, at educational websites like Science Buddies .

By pursuing these projects, you will not only gain a deeper understanding of STEM principles but also develop invaluable skills in research, design, and critical analysis. These projects will teach you how to question, experiment, and innovate, laying the groundwork for future scientific inquiries and discoveries.

One other option – Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program

The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is a program for middle school students to work one-on-one with a mentor to explore their academic interests and build a project they are passionate about .  Our mentors are scholars from top research universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke and LSE.

The program was founded by a Harvard & Oxford PhD who met as undergraduates at Harvard. The program is rigorous and fully virtual. We offer need based financial aid for students who qualify. You can find the application in the brochure ! 

To learn more, you can reach out to our Head of Growth, Khushi Malde, at [email protected] or go to our website .

Multiple rolling deadlines for JEP cohorts across the year, you can apply using this application link ! If you'd like to take a look at the cohorts + deadlines for 2024, you can refer to this page!

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

• middle school students

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Teaching ELA with Joy

Middle School ELA Resources

10 Ideas to Make Teaching RESEARCH Easier

By Joy Sexton 1 Comment

I enjoy diving into research units with my students because they get to learn new things, and I do, too! But teaching research skills is a gigantic task! And one thing’s for certain: I’ll have to break the research process into steps to keep my middle school students from feeling overwhelmed. I want them to have that “I’ve got this” attitude from the moment I introduce the project.

Of course, as teachers, we need to be prepared and have our research assignments clearly-designed. But a big key to making the process easier for me and my students, what makes the most impact I think, is modeling . If you can model what you want students to do (as opposed to just telling them), your expectations become clearer. Not everything can be modeled, but whenever the opportunity arises, it’s powerful!

Here are 10 ideas to make teaching research skills manageable and successful:

1.  Make sure students start out with more than one topic option . What I mean is, it helps for each student to have “back up” topics ready to go in case the first choice isn’t panning out.  For example, I’ve had students who chose a topic they were very passionate about. But it turned out that once they got searching, not enough information was turning up. In most cases, these students had decided to research very current topics like a YouTuber or a new version of iPhone or even a specific automobile. They searched and searched, but the few sites they located just repeated the same smattering of facts. It REALLY helped that the assignment required three topic choices, with students prioritizing their choices . Instead of getting all stressed out, the students just went with their second choice, and got right into note-taking. Or let’s say you are assigning topics, for example, for Holocaust research.  Once they start researching, students may find a certain topic too complex and would feel more supported if they had other options.

2.   Don’t rule out books and other print sources. Now that so many students carry laptops, we’ve come to expect research to be Internet-based. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that! With just a few clicks, students have access to SO MUCH information. But some of my students come and ask if they can go to the library for printed sources because they prefer taking notes from books. That reminds me that we all learn differently. It might be to our amazement, but library research is alive and well for a portion of our students. Sometimes it’s my struggling learners who go for the printed sources, but I’ve also had more advanced learners hit the books as well. Even if you’ve got kids on their laptops or in the computer lab, find a way to incorporate different types of sources in their search so you differentiate . FYI, the Common Core Standards for W.8 (the research writing) state “Gather information from multiple print and digital sources . . .” So, it looks like using some print sources is still an expectation (but not for every assignment) if you follow Common Core. Definitely let your librarian in on whatever type of research assignment you have going on. They’re usually very eager to provide support !

3.  Emphasize the need to narrow search terms . So often, students just want to plop their main topic into the Google search bar, right? Unfortunately, what comes up is usually current information that is not necessarily going to hit what they need. That’s how time gets wasted. You can quickly model this skill for students with an example using a celebrity. Say you are needing information on a certain celebrity’s life—some facts about their rise to fame. Place just the name in the search bar, and what most likely comes up are articles that have been in the news about the person. Then place the name with the word “biography” in the search bar and have students notice the difference.

4.  Explain the connection between research and reading . Once they have a topic, students are so ready to start note-taking! But wait, do your students understand that research starts with careful reading? First, they’ll need to preview several websites before taking any notes. I call it “Ten Minutes, Reading Only.” That’s the least they can do to look for sources that not only match their topic but meet their readability needs . Let’s face it, many websites or even printed sources are written well above some of our students’ reading levels. Let them know that if they are finding long sentences with numerous unfamiliar words, it’s time to move on. Then, once they do locate a few good sources, they still need to read! When they come upon information they understand that really hits the topic, BINGO. That’s when note-taking should begin.

5.   Model note-taking using a bulleted list of short phrases . One thing is for sure: we don’t want students to copy full sentences, word for word, when they take notes. So modeling this when you’re teaching research skills is huge. I always tell students that they will create their own complete sentences when they are drafting . Note-taking is for short phrases . Just give them a heads up that they have to be able to understand the shortened information! I’ve had students who wrote phrases too short for the complex information they represented. A problem arose, of course, when trying to draft sentences. The students couldn’t remember what was actually meant by the few words they had copied down.

You can easily model note-taking by choosing a paragraph of nonfiction from a website or online encyclopedia. Project it on your whiteboard or pass out copies to the class. You can have students work with a partner to take notes in short phrases on a bulleted list. Students could then exchange papers several times to see what others came up with, and then share out what they noticed. Or, you may prefer to make the notes on your whiteboard with whole-class participation.

6.  Show students the citation generator you want them to use and how it works. Teaching research skills always includes citing sources. So if you approve of students having citations created for them, I’m with you! Just be clear on which citation generator to use. I’ve always preferred www.Bibme.org , but now with all the ads on these sites, and Google Docs’ own generator, there are other options. Again, you can do a quick modeling on your Smartboard using a website. It’s a good idea to walk around during note-taking and check that each student is comfortable using the citation generator. Sometimes students are unsure but might not want to ask.

7.  Offer creative formats for students to use as their research product. If you can, let them infuse some of their own passion into the topic. Let’s face it, teaching research skills is easier when students are personally invested. Your standards or district curriculum may require a research-based essay , and that’s fine. With lots of scaffolds and modeling, the results can be awesome! But how about having students report out in a newsletter format? They can break the information down into four short articles and give each one a title. Now the assignment becomes more motivating. Or require a slide presentation, with a paragraph of text on each slide along with visuals.

Another creative format is a Q & A page . My students enjoy a short project called Research Q & A , where they choose a topic they’d like to learn more about and create two questions to research. They report their findings on a Q & A sheet, using a template they type into, along with visuals.

8.  Have students color code their notes . This is an incredibly helpful scaffold to producing an organized draft! Once the research is completed, students should look over their notes and on a sheet of paper, list the “sub-topics” they have covered. For example, if they are writing an informational article about an athlete, their list might include childhood, training, early career steps, and best achievements. Then, with 4-5 colored pencils, they underline each sub-topic with a different color. Students then read through their notes, placing a colored bullet to match as they find content corresponding to the sub-topic.

The color coding helps make drafting each paragraph so much easier! Students just focus on all the green information on their notes pages when drafting the first body paragraph, all the purple information when drafting the second, etc.

9.  Require editing and revising using a different color . As English teachers, we want the revising and editing step to be meaningful. When revisions stand out this way, both students and the teacher get to visibly see a growth process.  They understand that they are expected to and can notice weaknesses and make their product better.  I always keep red and green pens available.  And I sense that kids like using them. Another BIG plus here: individual conferencing becomes quick and easy when you can see by the colored ink which revisions have (or have not!) been made.

10.  Work in some peer exchange opportunities . Students benefit from regular check-ins, but you don’t always have the time. So why not have students check in on each other? Decide on a few times in your assignment when students will need to “take stock” of things. That’s when you’ll say, exchange with a partner, and look at x, y, or z. The check can be as simple as the partners write feedback in the margin of each other’s paper, or on a post-it, or have a short discussion. For example, let’s say you allot two periods for research, and you expect three solid pages of notes. When the second class period is drawing to a close, have a partner exchange. Peers have two tasks: rate the quality of the notes on a scale of 1-5 and suggest whether note-taking is complete or more needs to be done as homework.

Students love to read each other’s papers, so work in a peer exchange during revising and editing. Have peers place a question mark in the margin next to any area that doesn’t make clear sense. You could also choose a couple specific topics for their focus, such as capital letters and commas. Students enjoy these roles and checks like these build skills and confidence .

Our goal, of course, is to make research motivating for every one of our students. By using some of these strategies, teaching research skills should become easier! I think your students will experience excitement over all the new learning their efforts bring.

I’ve developed some print-and-go research activities that students enjoy and have success with. They include step-by-step scaffolds and mentor texts to save you time. Just click on the images to have a closer look.

Join the Newsletter

Reader Interactions

April 21, 2021 at 11:47 pm

This looks amazing. I’m so glad I found this article. I am guiding my 7th grader through a year-end research project at home and this is exactly what I needed to help guide me through it first!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• International
• Topical and themed
• Pre-K and Kindergarten
• Middle school
• High school
• Special education
• Schools directory
• Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search

Middle school research and essay skills resources

• Handwriting
• Research and essay skills

All Research and essay skills subjects

• Creative writing
• Grammar and punctuation
• Language and linguistics
• Non-fiction
• Phonics and spelling
• Reading and comprehension
• Speaking and listening
• Whole School Literacy

Tes English resources is home to a huge range of teaching ideas and activities for use in middle school English lessons to help develop research and essay skills. Our unrivalled range of materials includes: - Lesson plans for Research and Essay Skills projects - Research guides - Essay writing activities And that's just the beginning! Whatever you need, you're sure to find it amongst the thousands of free and premium resources available for you to download and use.

• Resources Home
• Middle School
• English language arts

AQA English Language Paper 1 May 2024

Guide to Writing AQA GCSE English Literature Essays PPT

Shark Information Pack

COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF 53 FIGURES OF SPEECH & LITERARY DEVICES: CAIE AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE (9093)

SAMPLE TEXT ANALYSIS OF PROMOTIONAL BLOG POST: CAIE AS ENGLISH LANG (9093)

SAMPLE TEXT ANALYSIS OF BIOGRAPHY: CAIE AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE (9093)

"Sizzlin' Summer Fun: Facts, Worksheet & Answers!"

"UK's General Election: Compare & Contrast Who Makes a Better Leader - Rishi Sunak vs. Keir Starmer"

"Keir Starmer: The Ultimate Fact File for the United Kingdom's General Election"

"Rishi Sunak: The Ultimate Fact File for the United Kingdom's General Election"

SHAKESPEARE-ANALYTICAL COMPREHENSION-HAMLET-TO BE OR NOT TO BE

"Mastering the UK's General Election: Essential Keyword Bank for 4th July 2024"

Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Read our research on:

Full Topic List

Regions & Countries

• Publications
• Our Methods
• Short Reads
• Tools & Resources

Read Our Research On:

• How Teens Do Research in the Digital World
• Part IV: Teaching Research Skills in Today’s Digital Environment

Table of Contents

• Part I: Introduction
• Part II: The Mixed Impact of Digital Technologies on Student Research
• Part III: The Changing Definition of “Research”
• Part V: Teachers’ Concerns About Broader Impacts of Digital Technologies on Their Students
• Methodology

Given these findings about how students today define “research” and approach the research process, teachers are faced with identifying and teaching middle and high school students the skills they will need to be smart information seekers in the digital age. The data indicate that teachers in this study place tremendous value on research skills, with most reporting assigning a research paper to their students in the 2011-2012 academic year and spending class time teaching various research skills to their students.  These lessons are aimed at addressing deficits they see in today’s students.  Most notable among these is the inability to judge the quality of information, a skill the vast majority of teachers deem “essential” for their students’ future success.

Most teachers in the study assigned a research paper in the 2011-2012 academic year

Among the teachers in the study, the majority assigned at least one research paper to their middle and high school students in the 2011-2012 academic year.  As the graphic below suggests, among this sample of teachers, short essays and journaling are the most commonly assigned writing tasks, with more than half of the sample (58%) having their students write short essays, short responses, or opinion pieces at least once a week and 41% having students journal on a weekly basis.

Research papers—along with multimedia assignments and creative writing in the form of plays or short stories—are not assigned by many teachers on a frequent basis, but are assigned at some point during the academic year by most of the teachers in our sample.  Just over three-quarters of these teachers report having students complete a research paper (77%) or a multimedia project (77%) at some point during the current academic year.  Two-thirds (66%) have students complete a creative writing assignment during the year as well, such as writing poetry, a play, a short story, or piece of fiction.

Some teachers are more likely than others to assign a research paper; not surprising given the different skills and subjects being taught.  Fully 94% of the English teachers in this sample assigned at least one research paper in the past academic year, compared with 83% of history/social studies teachers, 68% of science teachers, and 36% of math teachers.  Almost nine in ten teachers who participated in the NWP Summer Institute (88%) reported assigning a research paper in the 2011-2012 academic year.

Most teachers rate their students “good” or “fair” on a variety of specific research skills

Despite the overall perception that the internet and digital technologies have a “mostly positive” impact on students’ research habits, in most cases the AP and NWP teachers surveyed rate the specific research skills of their students “good” or “fair.”  Very few teachers rate their students “excellent” on any of the research skills asked about in the survey.

Overall, teachers gave students the highest ratings on their ability to use appropriate and effective search terms and understanding how online search results are generated.  Yet even for these top items, only about one-quarter of teachers rated students “excellent” or “very good.”  And in focus groups, many teachers suggested that despite the current generation of middle and high school students being raised in the “digital age,” they are often surprised at how poor their students’ search abilities are.

It kills me to see students typing in whole questions: “What does it mean to leave a digital footprint on today’s society?” into Google. The funny thing is they actually get disappointed when it doesn’t spit back an answer. I have actually found this to be a great lesson on synonyms – helping them to come up with other key words that might be helpful in their search as well. We will also spend some time looking at how advanced searches work.  – National Writing Project teacher

Reflecting teachers’ concerns about the impact of the internet on students’ expectations of “instant information,” the skill they rate students lowest on is “patience and determination in looking for information that is hard to find.”  Fully 43% of the teachers participating in the survey said that overall they would rate their students “poor” in this regard, and another 35% rate their students “fair” when it comes to patiently pursuing information they need.

A majority of survey respondents also described their students as “fair” or “poor” when it comes to:

• Using multiple sources effectively to support an argument
• Assessing the quality and accuracy of information they find online, and
• Recognizing bias in online content

These relatively low ratings (of what are by and large honors and advanced students) may reflect teachers’ expectations of the skill level they would like to help their students reach, yet survey results indicate that teachers see room for students to improve in most, if not all, of these areas.

Two patterns emerge in looking at the ratings teachers give their students on their research skills.  In the case of all but one skill asked about, more teachers of the lowest income students rate their students “poor” than do teachers of higher income students.  The only exception to this pattern is “Patience and determination in looking for information that is hard to find” on which teachers across different socioeconomic levels rate their students equally.

A second consistent pattern that emerges is that teachers with more classroom experience (16 years or more) perceive their students’ skills more positively across the board.  Teachers who have been in the classroom for 15 or fewer years, in contrast, seem to have more negative views of their students’ research skills and more of them rate their students “poor” on every skill asked about.

When it comes to patience and determination finding information, the lowest marks come from English teachers, 50% of whom rate their students “poor” in this regard.  Looking just at National Writing Project teachers, 53% of this group give their students the lowest rating of “poor.”

What research skills should be taught?

Both the survey and focus group asked teachers which research skills, in particular, are critical for the current generation of middle and high school students to learn. In focus groups, the most commonly cited skills were how to evaluate the quality of information, how to recognize what information is and is not relevant to the question at hand, and how to synthesize information from multiple sources into a coherent piece of work.

They need to know how to find information and how to judge how appropriate and accurate the material is. They need to be able to assess the biases in their sources. They need to be able to find the material that will help them.  –AP US History teacher

[the most critical skill is]

The Internet is empowering, but it’s empowering everyone’s opinion and everyone wants to get their information out there, and we need to try to teach the students to be more discriminators – have greater discrimination about the quality of the information they’re accessing.  – Teacher at College Board School

I teach tenth grade and twelfth grade Social Studies. It’s becoming much more important that the students – it’s wonderful to have the access to information – but now more than ever, I feel that they need to be smart consumers of information. And I feel students are progressively losing their ability to sort out what’s good information, what’s reliable information, and basically filter…As schools go on and Internet access becomes more prevalent and computers standard in the classroom, teaching is changing from not just teaching you how to process and restate and think about information, but also we’re going to have to teach them the skill to know how to filter this information.  – Teacher at College Board School

Survey findings echo these sentiments.  The vast majority of teachers surveyed feel that “courses or content focusing on digital literacy  must  be incorporated into every school’s curriculum,” indicating just how critical they feel the ability to locate and assess information in the digital world is. About half of the teachers in the study (47%) say they “strongly agree” and another 44% “somewhat agree” with this proposition, meaning that 93% of teachers support this curriculum change.  NWP Summer Institute teachers are particularly likely to take this view, with 59% saying they “strongly agree” that this curriculum change is needed.  Also expressing strong views on this question are teachers of students living below the poverty line, 60% of whom “strongly agree” such courses are needed.

Moreover, asked to place a value on various skills today’s students may need in the future, “judging the quality of information” tops the list, along with “writing effectively.”  These two skills were described as “essential” by 91% of the teachers who participated in the survey.  Other skills relevant to the current digital culture also ranked high, with large majorities of teachers saying that “behaving responsibly online” (85%) and “understanding privacy issues surrounding online and digital content” (78%) are “essential” to their students’ later success in life.

While evaluating the quality of information tops the list of essential skills, 56% of survey participants also feel that “finding information quickly” is essential to success.  Another 40% describe this skill as “important, but not essential,” indicating that while teachers place tremendous value on teaching their students to assess the quality of information, they also appreciate the importance of speed in today’s fast-moving digital world.  Those who have been teaching longer (16 years or more) are slightly more likely than those teaching 15 years or fewer to describe this skill as “essential” (60% of more experienced teachers v. 52% of newer teachers) but otherwise no notable differences exist across subgroups of teachers.

Among the skills included in the survey, those viewed as less essential to students’ success are “presenting themselves effectively in online social networking sites” and “working with audio, video, or graphic content.”  Fewer than one in three teachers saw either of these skills as “essential” to their students’ later success, though substantial percentages do describe each of these skills as “important, but not essential.”

When should these skills be taught, and by whom?

While the AP and NWP teachers in the study generally agreed on what skills are needed and that these skills should be a part of standard curricula, there was less consistency in their opinions of when these skills should be taught and by whom.  Asked at what point in their educational careers students should learn these critical research skills, many focus group participants felt they should be taught in elementary school, and that students should  already possess these skills prior to entering middle school or high school.  Others felt that elementary students may not be ready to learn the nuances of bias, fair use, and salience, and that these more advances skills are better taught later in a student’s career.

The question of who should be mainly responsible for this part of the curriculum was also open to debate in focus groups, with some teachers openly acknowledging that they do not currently feel qualified to teach some of these skills.  Some reported that their school’s English department takes the lead in developing research skills, and that their own role is mainly reinforcing these skills.  Yet others suggested these skills need to be taught by all teachers across the curriculum, and that library staff can be a key part of that process.

The first thing students need to learn is to discern the quality of a source. After that, they need to be able to compile information from various sources and synthesize their own work, in their own words. Students must cite all sources for their work. This should start in the elementary grades, and does in my district.  – AP Chemistry teacher

Credibility, validity, purpose, and reliability are all important aspects to consider when viewing an electronic resource. Also, students need to be aware of how recent web based information is by knowing how to check publishing dates. I think some of these skills can be taught as early as 3rd or 4th grade from the standpoint of ‘how do you know when something is true?’  –AP Biology teacher

Teachers must take the time, and take on the responsibility of teaching students how to search more wisely on the internet. I do not think enough time is devoted to this task because everyone thinks it is someone else’s job to do it…Regardless of what is done, these skills have to be explicitly taught.  – National Writing Project teacher

I find that my students do not have sound research skills in place in the 8th grade…and I’m not so certain that it is the best use of their time to tackle an isolated weighty research project. My instincts tell me to develop ongoing research expectations, in smaller, manageable chunks, so that they receive more guidance on more of the work/research. I’d rather know that my students had a chance to get better at the process of reading and researching for one focused idea than raking them through a project just to rake them through a project. There is less of chance that a student would plagiarize and an even better chance that they would learn what the difference is between work that is plagiarized and that which is not.  – National Writing Project teacher

I demonstrate how to do good research in my class and then I assign projects and papers where they have to research. I do source checks before the projects are due to make sure students are on the right track. I really rely on skills they learned in their English classes.  –AP Biology teacher

I try my best to teach students how to choose credible sources, but I rely on the expertise of others for the ins and outs of this very difficult to navigate lesson. Thank goodness there are so many resources to help me with this, but I admit. I have to do more.  – National Writing Project teacher

Current approaches to teaching critical research skills

Asked about different approaches they use to develop effective research skills in their students, two different tracts emerge—first, spending class time teaching and developing these skills, and second, designing assignments that require students to use new or different approaches.

In terms of devoting class time to this area, fully eight in ten of the AP and NWP teachers who participated in the survey report spending class time discussing how to assess the reliability of online information, and seven in ten spend class time generally discussing how to conduct research online.  Fewer teachers, but still a majority, say they spend class time helping students improve search terms and queries, yet just one-third devote class time to helping students understand how search engines work and how search results are actually generated and ranked.

A second strategy these middle and high school teachers use is intentionally constructing or shaping research assignments in ways that either direct students to the best online resources, or require students to expand the repertoire of sources they use.  Nine in ten survey respondents report directing their students to specific online resources they feel are most appropriate for a particular assignment, and 83% develop research questions or assignments that require students to use a variety of sources, both online and offline.  Substantially fewer teachers, just 29%, assign work to students in which they forbid the use of online sources.

Suggestions in the focus groups that English teachers generally take the lead on teaching these skills were echoed by survey results.  English teachers in this sample are the most likely to report implementing each one of these lessons/approaches, followed closely by history/social studies teachers.  For example, 93% of English teachers in the sample report developing assignments that require students to use a variety of sources, followed by 91% of history/social studies teachers, 77% of science teachers, and 47% of math teachers.  Similarly, when it comes to spending class time discussing how to assess the reliability of information, English teachers take the lead (94%), followed by history/social studies teachers (90%), then science teachers (69%) and math teachers (46%).

The merits of these latter strategies—structuring or shaping assignments in ways that required students to use particular sources or more varied sources—was discussed at length in focus groups.  Many teachers reported requiring students to utilize offline resources in an effort to familiarize them with materials they might not otherwise use.  Others said they stress to their students the importance of paying attention to website domains, and encourage or require them to use .gov, .org or .edu sites.  And many teachers reported banning the use of particular online sources, most commonly those with user-generated content such as Wikipedia, or telling students exactly which online resources are most useful or even permissible for particular assignments.

At the same time, teachers felt that eliminating the use of all online resources or even particular online resources in assignments is unrealistic and can be counterproductive.  Because students are already reliant on these sources when they arrive in middle and high school, and have a comfort level with them, many teachers feel a better approach is to teach students how to use these tools effectively.  Indeed, in student focus groups, teens acknowledged that even when they are “not allowed” to use Wikipedia in their research, it is still often their “first stop” in completing an assignment.  Students feel that Wikipedia’s fairly short encyclopedic entries provide them with a quick “overview” of a topic from which to orient their research process, and some teachers agreed.  Thus, rather than attempt to control which websites students utilize in completing school assignments, or even their very use of online resources, the underlying philosophy for many is teaching their students to be better information consumers in the digital arena.

I’d take the choice out of it. I’d tell them which sources to access, because the bottom line is, I’m so pressed for the time that rather than risk them going out and finding the wrong information, I tell them what sources to access and then you give them five sources and you say, ‘These are the approved sources. Do not go outside this realm.’ And ultimately that’s probably self-defeating because they’re not always going to be given that narrow focus like that, but I don’t teach in a theoretical world.  – Teacher at College Board School

We almost do the opposite in our classroom. I’m a special education teacher and we tell them what sources we don’t like and so now they can tell us what sources we don’t like that they shouldn’t use.  – Teacher at College Board School

I assign work that requires them to use online resources such as JSTOR, EBSCO, Proquest, and other databases to which our school subscribes.  –AP English Language teacher

Credibility and usefulness of sources is a part of every conversation about research/inquiry projects that we undertake. This can take many forms. For some assignments I have mandated that kids solely get research from articles found in one of the databases the school subscribes to. For other projects we discuss this idea of credibility and I walk around and look at where they’re headed for research and if I need to step in and start a conversation about a particular source my student and I have that discussion.  – National Writing Project teacher

Many focus group participants also reported assigning a large research project to be completed over the course of the full academic year, which they can break into smaller steps to help students develop an understanding of the various pieces that go into successful research as well as the time that must be devoted to each.  In designing these research assignments, focus group participants suggested the following elements are particularly important:

• Showing students how to develop a focused research question and a plan of what they should be looking for, to help them “sort through the noise”
• Requiring students to utilize more than online resources
• Teaching students how to properly cite the sources they use, particularly online sources
• Developing a student’s ability to determine the timeliness, relevance, and quality of the online information they find
• Teaching students how to appropriately paraphrase and synthesize information

In all of my classes, we are visiting the library/lab on some kind of regular basis whether it’s for a persuasive essay, speech, research paper, etc. Students mark up the article, find the author’s argument/thesis, create their own, find opposing views, find supporting views, etc. These are all research skills—break it down (analyze) to write it down (synthesize).  –AP English Language teacher

Much of searching for information today is about evaluation of sources. Students often stick to what they know and they often do not expand on utilizing their search skills, so yes, I teach them about it. They tend to stick to Google. I challenge them to use various sources and explore databases. When teaching this I often explore various false sites with them. Sometimes I establish various credibility tests. I find fun material and they have to determine if it is credible or not and why. I pull material from various websites, to tabloids, to internet email hoaxes, to credible sources. They decide if it is credible material or not and how to determine if something is credible. We explore various criteria for exploring if something is credible. I also teach this with visual literacy and we explore doctored images, etc. I love pulling an image of a website that states that something happened to their favorite celebrity. They debate what is true and how to find the truth.  – National Writing Project teacher

At least half of my curriculum is devoted to doing research online. We spend a lot of time noticing differences between sources, but without judgment. Instead of asking about the credibility of sources, we spend a lot more time wondering if a particular source is of value to my writing. A personal reflection in a blog might provide the perfect turn of phrase to quote in your own argument. We also spend a lot of time teaching student how to cite their sources, and in this process we talk about reliability and the need to have more than one source, no matter where it comes from. I could go on for some time about this. It is the heart of my work with students, but it isn’t something that easily fits into a set of lessons. There are slowly evolving critical lenses that I see my students beginning to use when they are immersed in self directed, passion-based projects. The simple ways of determining credibility just don’t make sense. Who is to say that a podcast is less reliable than a Wikipedia page. A lot depends on your purpose, your critical use, and the other sources that surround any one source. It’s too complicated to teach outside of the ongoing practice of doing research.  – National Writing Project teacher

Usually when we are doing some kind of research in my class I will scaffold it enough where students have a pretty good idea where to go, but the issue also becomes what do they do when they get to where they need to be. I read an interesting study about how people read websites, much different based on age and much different than we read print. I usually bring this study up with the kids so we can have conversations about how to best use our time and find the best information.  – National Writing Project teacher

I usually preface a long-range research assignment with a challenge of my own. I’ll remind them of our discussion about “Is Google Making us Stupid?” where they essentially said that their generation is being dismissed too quickly by the pundits who say they can’t think deeply. When I remind them that a lot of people say that their generation wants instant gratification of information, that raises some hackles. If they’re aware of the obstacles of an in-depth assignment, they’re more prepared to challenge those assumptions. I guess I’d say that a big part of my teaching is attuning my students to how we think as we move through the research process. Make those negative assumptions part of the discussion and a lot of the students see that as a call to move past them. My students aren’t shallow, lazy and stupid, and they don’t want to be thought of as such.  – National Writing Project teacher

Challenges to teaching research skills in today’s digital environment

In general, the AP and NWP teachers in the study feel their students are very receptive to learning effective research skills, but point out that teaching these skills is not without challenges.  By far, the most commonly cited challenge is simply a lack of time to devote to developing effective lessons and teaching skills in class.  Teachers repeatedly noted the difficulty in covering these skills in addition to the other content they are required to cover.  They also note that they themselves must become savvy information consumers before they can impart these skills to their students.

Among other challenges teachers report facing are pay walls separating them and their students from the best information online and digital access issues among their students.  Teachers stressed that the best, most credible resources on the internet are often available only by subscription, thus many schools and students do not have access to what is truly the highest quality information in a particular field.  In addition, they point out that for many of their students, research time is restricted by a lack of internet access at home and/or limited library hours.

The biggest challenge in any AP class in my experience is time. The volume and depth of the material is so extensive that finding the time to teach effective research is very difficult.  – AP US History teacher

Time. There is never enough time to get through all of the standards and spend adequate time teaching research skills also. It takes a lot of time to do justice to teaching research skills.  – AP Biology teacher

Time and access to technology are always hurdles to teaching anything. A lot of times we assign a research assignment and turn the students loose into the world to research on their own. Too often, parents do not even know what is going on in regards to this. Maybe we should work harder on getting them involved in this process. Most students are receptive to methods that will speed their research but not with what will make it better. This is another obstacle to overcome.  – AP US History teacher

The other problem is the…limited number of resources that are available for free; most of the primary resources, most of the better resources have to be paid for by subscription.  – Teacher at College Board School

[other teacher]

If we had laptops in every room, we would be able to champion tat cause of ‘this is how you do research’ more, rather than just showing them our laptop….They have to do the research at home and they’re kind of on their own. We give them pointers, but…  – Teacher at College Board School

The survey also indicates that these teachers face a variety of challenges   in effectively incorporating online content and digital tools into their classrooms, some of which may hinder their ability to teach students how best to conduct research online. Virtually all teachers surveyed report working in a school that employs internet filters (97%), formal policies about cell phone use (97%), and acceptable use policies or AUPs (97%).  The degree to which teachers feel these different policies impact their teaching varies, with internet filters cited most often as having a “major impact” on survey participants’ teaching (32%).  One in five teachers (21%) say cell phone policies have a “major” impact on their teaching, and 16% say the same about their school’s AUP.

Looking more closely at subgroups of the teachers surveyed, it becomes clear that those  teaching in urban areas and those teaching the lowest income students are feeling the impact of these types of restrictions more so than those living in other community types and those teaching students from mainly upper and upper middle income households.  In particular, teachers of students living in poverty are at least  twice as likely  as those teaching the most affluent students to report these policies having a “major” impact on their teaching.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter

Fresh data delivery Saturday mornings

Sign up for The Briefing

Weekly updates on the world of news & information

• Online Search
• Teens & Tech
• Teens & Youth

Is College Worth It?

Half of latinas say hispanic women’s situation has improved in the past decade and expect more gains, a quarter of u.s. teachers say ai tools do more harm than good in k-12 education, most americans think u.s. k-12 stem education isn’t above average, but test results paint a mixed picture, about 1 in 4 u.s. teachers say their school went into a gun-related lockdown in the last school year, most popular.

1615 L St. NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 USA (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax (+1) 202-419-4372 |  Media Inquiries

Research Topics

• Email Newsletters

ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of  The Pew Charitable Trusts .

Copyright 2024 Pew Research Center

ChatGPT for Teachers

Trauma-informed practices in schools, teacher well-being, cultivating diversity, equity, & inclusion, integrating technology in the classroom, social-emotional development, covid-19 resources, invest in resilience: summer toolkit, civics & resilience, all toolkits, degree programs, trauma-informed professional development, teacher licensure & certification, how to become - career information, classroom management, instructional design, lifestyle & self-care, online higher ed teaching, current events, five free websites for students to build research skills.

Finding free Web resources for building research skills is essential for teachers who are on a restricted budget. Teachers can use the Internet to access amazing research resources, thanks to the U.S. government. From finding lesson plans to scanning patent applications, teachers can uncover a wealth of information on history, art, science, language arts, math, health and social studies on the Web.

Here are five highlights of these free research resources:

1. Library of Congress

The U.S. Library of Congress has a page on its website that is tailor-made for teachers who can download classroom materials via primary sources from the library’s vast collection. Educators will discover lesson plans customized to fit the current Common Core State Standards for schools as well as other state and national standards for education. Two examples:

• A lesson plan titled “The Constitution: Drafting a More Perfect Union.”
• Presentation resources under the headline “Elections … The American Way.”

2. National Archives

The U.S. National Archives has lesson plans and free eBooks that feature content that is acceptable according to state and national standards. For example, one of the eBooks, “The Meaning and Making of Emancipation,” discusses the Emancipation Proclamation and its significance with American society. The eBook also has photo copies of primary sources via documents housed at the National Archives.

3. U.S. Department of Agriculture

The USDA offers educators a plethora of resources that are useful for creating research skills lessons. Most of the information on the site is geared at the history and application of agriculture in the U.S. There is also information on the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

Educators interested in addressing health and nutrition with their students can find a section focused on food and nutrition resources. Also, publications detailing crop genetics resources and the Journal of the Extension are provided on the website.

4. Federal Resources for Educational Excellence

FREE is another governmental website that provides animations, primary documents, photos and videos that are excellent for educators to use as resources. Subjects include art, music, health, American history and math. The categories are easy to sort as each subject features subtopics along with a number that shows how many resources are offered on that subtopic. For example, under U.S. History, one of the subtopics is Movements. Items available for this subtopic include:

• Civil rights (43)
• Women’s history (38)
• Transportation (28)
• Immigration and migration (28)

5. National Writing Project

The National Writing Project focuses on improving students’ writing and literacy. There are several resources including professional development resource topics such as:

• Teacher research/inquiry
• Teaching reading
• Teaching writing
• Standards and assessment
• Being a writer

The site also accepts submissions from students, which is a great resource for promoting publication and exposure for students’ ideas. As the site is focused on encouraging reading and writing, educators can put their ideas related to research skills into action. Students have a place to go to present their works that stem from library research while being in a safe and constructive educational space online.

Educators can find a wide range of free research opportunities online, including websites that don’t require users to sign in or create an online profile. These sites are good places that students can visit to develop their own research skills.

You may also like to read

• Web Research Skills: Teaching Your Students the Fundamentals
• How to Help Middle School Students Develop Research Skills
• Popular Science Websites for Students
• 5 Methods to Teach Students How to do Research Papers
• Websites Featuring Free Printable Math Quizzes
• Building Math Skills in High School Students

Categorized as: Tips for Teachers and Classroom Resources

Tagged as: Engaging Activities ,  School Supplies

• Teacher Resources for Social-Emotional Develo...
• COVID-19 Teacher Toolkit: Resilience Through ...
• Online & Campus Master's in Higher Education ...

Join Pilot Waitlist

Home » Blog » Lesson Plans » Responding to Feelings: Interactive Worksheet and Lesson Plan for Middle School Students

Responding to Feelings: Interactive Worksheet and Lesson Plan for Middle School Students

Introduction

Emotional intelligence is a crucial skill. It involves the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions, as well as to perceive and responding to feelings of others. Fostering emotional intelligence is particularly important, as it equips students with the tools to navigate social interactions and build meaningful relationships. One fundamental aspect of emotional intelligence is identifying feelings and recognizing them in others. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of teaching middle school students this skill and provide a detailed lesson plan centered around an engaging activity aimed at enhancing emotional recognition and empathy.

Why Teach Middle School Students Responding to Feelings?

Middle school is a critical time in a student’s emotional development. As they navigate the challenges of adolescence, including peer pressure, identity formation, and fluctuating emotions, it becomes increasingly important for students to develop empathy and learn how to respond to the feelings of others. By teaching middle school students how to respond to feelings empathetically, we empower them to build stronger relationships, communicate effectively, and navigate conflicts more successfully.

Cultivating empathy during adolescence lays a foundation for lifelong emotional well-being. Research suggests that individuals with high levels of empathy are better equipped to manage stress, collaborate with others, and lead fulfilling lives. By fostering empathy in middle school students, we not only enhance their academic success but also contribute to their overall socio-emotional development.

Lesson Plan: Responding to Feelings Practice

The objective of this lesson is to enhance students’ ability to identify feelings and practice responding with empathy.

Materials Needed

• Interactive worksheet: Responding to Feelings Practice (provided below) 
• Pencil and paperclip to create a spinner (follow the instructions in the worksheet to create a spinner)

Introduction (5 min)

• Begin by discussing the importance of identifying feelings and recognizing them in others. Emphasize how this skill can improve communication, empathy, and social relationships.
• Introduce the activity, “Responding to Feelings Practice,” as a fun and interactive way to practice emotional recognition and empathy.

Unlock the Responding to Feelings Practice Interactive Worksheet

by signing up for a free trial today – no credit card required!

Get your Interactive Worksheet here!

Instant access to thousands of no-prep social skills activities, over 800+ video lessons, and engaging games designed to enhance learning and development.

Activity Instructions (10 minutes)

• Divide students into small groups.
• Provide each group with a spinner containing scenarios where someone expresses a feeling without stating it.
• One student spins the spinner and reads the scenario aloud without revealing the emotion.
• Group members discuss and identify the emotion conveyed.
• Prompt brainstorming of empathetic responses.
• Encourage considering the scenario’s context and cues.
• Rotate turns and facilitate discussions.
• Provide examples for understanding.
• Emphasize empathy and understanding.
• Record identified emotions and responses for reflection.

Activity Implementation (20 minutes)

• Allow each group to take turns spinning the emotion spinner and engaging in the activity.
• Circulate among the groups to provide guidance, facilitate discussions, and ensure active participation.
• Encourage students to consider the perspective of the person experiencing the emotion and to brainstorm appropriate responses that demonstrate empathy and understanding.

Reflection (10 minutes)

• Reconvene as a whole class to reflect on the activity.
• What emotions did you encounter during the activity?
• How did you approach guessing the emotions?
• What were some of the empathetic responses brainstormed by your group?
• Emphasize the importance of considering others’ feelings and responding with empathy in real-life situations.

Lesson Conclusion (5 minutes)

• Summarize the key takeaways from the lesson, reinforcing the importance of identifying feelings and practicing empathy.
• Encourage students to apply the skills learned in their daily interactions both inside and outside the classroom.

Teaching middle school students to identify feelings and recognize them in others is a crucial step towards fostering emotional intelligence and promoting positive social relationships. By incorporating engaging activities such as the “Responding to Feelings Practice,” educators can provide students with valuable opportunities to enhance their emotional recognition and empathy skills. By investing in the socio-emotional development of students, educators play a pivotal role in preparing them for success both academically and in life.

Sample Video

Students learn best from watching real students their own age model skills. Try out this sample video lesson. We offer our entire Social-Emotional Learning platform free for 14 days here !

Related Blog Posts:

Conversation Skills Game for Middle School

Supporting Feeling Identification through Facial Expressions: SEL for Middle School Special Education

Conversation Skills Worksheet for Middle School

Looking for Free Social Skills Samples? Click here!

FREE MATERIALS

Better doesn’t have to be harder, social skills lessons students actually enjoy.

Be the best educator you can be with no extra prep time needed. Sign up to get access to free samples from the best Social Skills and Social-Emotional educational platform.

Get Started Instantly for Free

Complete guided therapy.

The subscription associated with this email has been cancelled and is no longer active. To reactivate your subscription, please log in.

If you would like to make changes to your account, please log in using the button below and navigate to the settings page. If you’ve forgotten your password, you can reset it using the button below.

Unfortunately it looks like we’re not able to create your subscription at this time. Please contact support to have the issue resolved. We apologize for the inconvenience. Error: Web signup - customer email already exists

Welcome back! The subscription associated with this email was previously cancelled, but don’t fret! We make it easy to reactivate your subscription and pick up right where you left off. Note that subscription reactivations aren't eligible for free trials, but your purchase is protected by a 30 day money back guarantee. Let us know anytime within 30 days if you aren’t satisfied and we'll send you a full refund, no questions asked. Please press ‘Continue’ to enter your payment details and reactivate your subscription

Notice About Our SEL Curriculum

Our SEL Curriculum is currently in a soft product launch stage and is only available by Site License. A Site License is currently defined as a school-building minimum or a minimum cost of $3,000 for the first year of use. Individual SEL Curriculum licenses are not currently available based on the current version of this product.

By clicking continue below, you understand that access to our SEL curriculum is currently limited to the terms above.

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

A lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• Drowning Prevention
• Risk Factors
• Reducing Risk
• Health Disparities
• Drowning Data
• Drowning Facts
• Drowning Prevention Resources

What to know

• Drowning is a leading cause of death for children.
• Drowning can be fatal or nonfatal.
• Nonfatal drowning can result in long-term health problems and costly hospital stays.

What is drowning?

Drowning is the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid. Drowning happens when a person's nose and mouth are under water for too long, making it impossible to breath. Drowning is not always fatal.

Fatal drowning happens when the drowning results in death.

Nonfatal drowning happens when a person survives a drowning incident. Nonfatal drowning has a range of outcomes or results, from no injuries to very serious injuries such as brain damage or permanent disability.

Every year in the United States there are an estimated:

• that is an average of 11 drowning deaths per da y.
• that is an average of 22 nonfatal drownings per day. 1

In the United States:

• More children ages 1–4 die from drowning than any other cause of death. 1
• For children ages 5–14 , drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes. 1

• An average of 4,083 unintentional drowning deaths occurred each year from 2012–2021.
• An average 8,111 estimated emergency department visits due to non-fatal drowning occurred each year from 2012–2021.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) . Accessed 27 November 2023.
• Spack L, Gedeit R, Splaingard M, Havens PL. Failure of aggressive therapy to alter outcomes in pediatric near-drowning . Pediatric Emergency Care 1997;13(2):98–102.
• Suominen PK, Vähätalo R. Neurologic long term outcome after drowning in children . Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine 2012;20(55):1–7.
• Suominen PK, Sutinen N, Valle S, Olkkola KT, Lönnqvist T. Neurocognitive long term follow-up study on drowned children . Resuscitation 2014;85(8):1059–106

Drowning is a serious public health problem. Learn more about Drowning Prevention.