Researching a Cause

Lesson Overview

This lesson (Lesson 14 of 30) in the unit "Real World Connections" focuses on students researching a cause aligned with their interests. Their goal is to gather information that supports their upcoming persuasive texts. The lesson is designed for Year 5-7 students in Australia, following the Victorian Curriculum English standards. It runs for 47 minutes with a class of 15 students.

Learning Objectives (Victorian Curriculum Alignment)

Students will be able to:

VCELY339 (Year 5) / VCELY382 (Year 6) / VCELY411 (Year 7):
- Plan, gather, and record relevant information and ideas from a range of print and digital sources.
- Use comprehension strategies to interpret, analyse and synthesise information, comparing information on a topic from different sources.
- Identify and assess the reliability of various sources of information.
VCELY340 (Year 5) / VCELY383 (Year 6) / VCELY412 (Year 7):
- Understand how to use metalanguage to describe grammar and text structures.
- Use appropriate language features and persuasive devices in writing.
VCELY342 (Year 5) / VCELY387 (Year 6) / VCELY416 (Year 7):
- Plan and organise ideas, information and resources for a text using appropriate digital or non-digital tools.

Cross-curriculum priorities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding - exploring social issues (causes).

Success Criteria

I can select a cause that interests me and formulate specific questions to guide my research.
I can find relevant and reliable information from a variety of sources.
I can take notes summarising key facts and ideas about my cause.
I can use metalanguage to discuss and explain text features that will help make my persuasive text stronger.
I can organise my information logically to prepare for writing a persuasive text.

Resources Needed

Laptops or tablets with internet access (for research)
Research worksheet / graphic organiser
Whiteboard or flipchart
Examples of persuasive texts focusing on causes
Headphones (optional for audio/video resources)

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (7 minutes)

Welcome and recap of previous lessons about persuasive texts and real-world causes.
Briefly introduce the lesson’s goal: students will research a cause and collect information to support their persuasive writing.
Show 2-3 quick examples of causes (e.g., environmental protection, animal welfare, anti-bullying) and short persuasive extracts related to them.
Discuss: Why is research important before writing persuasively? (Activate prior knowledge.)

2. Guided Research Planning (8 minutes)

Explain how to choose a cause related to personal interests and how to generate guiding research questions.
Model the process of creating 3-4 questions for a cause, e.g., "What problem does this cause address?", "Who is affected?", "What actions can people take?"
Students independently choose their cause and write their own guiding research questions on the worksheet.
Teacher circulates to support especially students with learning difficulties by providing question stems or prompts.

3. Research and Note-taking (20 minutes)

Students research their cause using safe, pre-vetted online sources and available print materials.
Emphasise using reputable sources and checking author/expertise.
Students fill in their worksheet/note-taking template with key points and brief summaries, focusing on:
- What the cause is about.
- Why the cause is important.
- Facts and examples to support the cause.
Provide scaffolds: graphic organiser, vocabulary banks with persuasive language and metalanguage terms (e.g., claim, evidence, audience).
Use assistive technology or paired work for students needing additional support.

4. Sharing and Reflecting (8 minutes)

Pair-share or small group discussion: students present their cause and one key fact they found.
Teacher facilitates discussion about which facts might be most persuasive.
Reflect on the research process: What helped you find good information? What was difficult?

5. Plenary and Next Steps (4 minutes)

Recap with students the purpose of this research for writing their persuasive text in upcoming lessons.
Set brief homework: find one more piece of information or an image related to their cause.
Reinforce success criteria and self-assessment: students tick off what they achieved in the lesson.

Differentiation Strategies

Student Need	Differentiation Strategy
Students with learning disabilities	Provide step-by-step templates for research and note-taking; use visuals and simplified texts; allow use of text-to-speech tools.
EAL (English as Additional Language) students	Pre-teach key vocabulary; provide bilingual glossaries if needed; allow collaborative research tasks.
Advanced learners	Encourage exploring multiple perspectives or counterarguments; research more complex causes.
Students needing engagement	Allow choice of topic; use multimedia resources (videos, podcasts); provide oral response options.

Assessment / Feedback

Formative assessment through observation and notes during research and sharing.
Collect and review students’ research worksheets for completeness, relevance, and understanding.
Use exit questions on success criteria for self-assessment.

Notes for Teachers

Emphasise the importance of ethical research: cite sources, avoid plagiarism.
Encourage questioning of sources: Who wrote it? Why? Is it trustworthy?
Link future lessons to this research to develop persuasive texts using these facts and arguments.
Incorporate digital literacy skills in evaluating online content.

This lesson directly aligns with designated Victorian Curriculum English standards for Years 5-7 in research, comprehension, and persuasive writing preparation, supporting students' development of critical literacy skills needed for real-world writing purposes . Differentiation provisions cater to diverse learning needs, including those requiring learning support, ensuring inclusivity in learning.

If you would like, I can also provide templates for the research worksheet and graphic organisers tailored to this lesson.

Teaching Instructions