Research Skills: Facts

Grade Level

3 (Ages 8–9)

Duration

50 minutes

Class Size

25 students

---

Curriculum Connections

British Columbia English Language Arts (2018)

• Reading and Viewing > Accessing Information and Ideas
  • Use print and electronic resources to locate and gather information relevant to a topic (Curriculum Competency: Students ask questions to locate, select, and organise information)
• Writing and Representing > Developing and Organizing Content
  • Demonstrate understanding of information by paraphrasing and summarizing (Curriculum Competency: Students create meaningful texts collaboratively and independently, choosing own words)
• Thinking > Critical and Reflective Thinking
  • Reflect on and question new information and ideas to form new understandings (Curriculum Content: Distinguish own ideas from others’ ideas)

Supporting Competencies:

• Communication (Express ideas clearly)
• Digital Literacy (Engage responsibly with digital resources)
• Personal and Social Responsibility (Respect intellectual property)

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Locate and gather facts about animals from books, approved websites, and videos.
2. Identify key information suitable for their animal report.
3. Understand the difference between copying exact text and paraphrasing in their own words.
4. Begin practicing paraphrasing simple facts from a source.
5. Demonstrate respect for intellectual property by acknowledging sources.

---

Materials Needed

• A selection of animal books (dyslexia-friendly fonts and format)
• Printed worksheets with short paragraphs about animals (font: OpenDyslexic or similar)
• Tablets or computers with pre-approved websites bookmarked (child-safe)
• Short, child-friendly animal video clips (3–5 minutes max) loaded on classroom devices/projector
• Chart paper and markers
• Paraphrasing example posters created beforehand
• Whiteboard and markers
• Sticky notes

---

Lesson Procedure

1. Engagement (10 minutes) – Activating Prior Knowledge

• Begin with a brief discussion: “Where do you find information if you want to learn about an animal?”
• Chart ideas: books, websites, videos, people.
• Introduce today’s goal: learning to find facts and how to use those facts in their own words.
• Show two examples on the board:
  • Copying: “Tigers have orange fur and black stripes.”
  • Paraphrasing: “Tigers’ fur is orange with black stripes all over.”
• Ask students which example sounds like they are speaking, not just repeating.

2. Exploration (15 minutes) – Gathering Information

• Divide class into groups of 5; assign each group a different animal.
• Provide each group:
  • One dyslexia-friendly book or printed short paragraph
  • A tablet/computer with an approved website
  • A short video about their animal.
• Give students a “Fact-Finder Sheet” with columns:
  • Source (Book, Website, Video)
  • Fact from source
  • Paraphrased fact (students fill in during activity)
• Move around to facilitate, prompt paraphrasing: “What words would you use to say this fact in your own way?”
• Encourage students to write short sentences in their own words.

3. Discussion (10 minutes) – Comparing Copying vs Paraphrasing

• Bring the class back together.
• Invite groups to share one copied fact and their paraphrased version.
• Discuss: why is paraphrasing important? (Shows understanding, avoids plagiarism)
• Introduce simple sentence starters to help paraphrase, e.g., “In my own words, …”, “This means that …”
• Highlight ethical use of information: always say where you found the fact.

4. Application (10 minutes) – Paraphrasing Practice

• Students receive a short paragraph about a new animal on their own worksheet with dyslexia-friendly font.
• Individually, they highlight one or two facts they find interesting.
• Then, on a separate sheet, rewrite those facts in their own words.
• Teacher supports students, especially those needing reading accommodation.

5. Reflection & Extension (5 minutes)

• Ask students to write a sticky note answering: “What is one thing you learned about finding facts today?”
• For advanced learners: choose two different sources about the same animal and compare facts for deeper understanding.
• Collect sticky notes for rapid formative assessment.

---

Differentiation & Supports

• Dyslexia-friendly texts with clear fonts and high contrast.
• Sentence starters for paraphrasing to scaffold writing.
• Visual aids and video clips for multimodal learning.
• Teacher or peer support during paraphrasing activities.
• Extension: Advanced students can research unfamiliar animals and prepare mini presentations for next class.

---

Assessment

• Formative:
  • Observation during group work — are students finding facts and attempting paraphrase?
  • Review “Fact-Finder Sheets” for understanding.
  • Sticky note reflections indicate understanding of lesson goals.
• Summative (in future lessons):
  • Students will incorporate paraphrased facts into their animal reports.

---

Classroom Management Tips

• Keep groups small for active participation.
• Set clear expectations on device use.
• Use timer to manage activity rotations.
• Celebrate all efforts to encourage confidence with research skills.

---

Additional Notes

• Emphasise digital citizenship when using websites.
• Use real animals to increase engagement, invite guest speakers or use virtual field trips in future lessons.
• Encourage ongoing reflection about the research process throughout the unit.

---

This detailed and engaging lesson ensures that students not only practice essential research skills but also understand the deeper value of using their own words to express knowledge respectfully—directly aligned with the British Columbia English Language Arts curriculum competencies and content for grade 3.