ELA.6.C.4.1

Conduct research to answer a question, drawing on multiple reliable and valid sources, and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.

Clarifications

Clarification 1: While the benchmark does require that students consult multiple sources, there is no requirement that they use every source they consult. Part of the skill in researching is discernment—being able to tell which information is relevant and which sources are trustworthy enough to include.
General Information
Subject Area: English Language Arts (B.E.S.T.)
Grade: 6
Strand: Communication
Standard: Researching
Date Adopted or Revised: 08/20
Status: State Board Approved

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
1000010: M/J Intensive Reading 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
1000020: M/J Intensive Reading and Career Planning (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2019, 2019 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
1001010: M/J Language Arts 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1001020: M/J Language Arts 1 Advanced (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1002000: M/J Language Arts 1 Through ESOL (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1006000: M/J Journalism 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
1007000: M/J Speech and Debate 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2019, 2019 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
1009030: M/J Writing 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1100000: M/J Library Skills/Information Literacy (MC) (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1700060: M/J Career Research and Decision Making (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2019, 2019 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
7810011: Access M/J Language Arts 1  (Specifically in versions: 2013 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1007025: M/J Speech and Debate (Specifically in versions: 2015 - 2019, 2019 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
ELA.6.C.4.AP.1: Conduct research to answer a question, identifying valid and reliable sources, with guidance and support.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Lesson Plans

The Democratic Process: Influences of Modern U.S. Democracy:

This is lesson #2 in the text unit series for The Democratic Process by Mark Friedman. Students will build on to the knowledge gained from the previous lesson. The lesson and activities will allow students to be more autonomous with their learning and apply knowledge of primary vs. secondary sources, reliable and unreliable sources, and facts and opinions to identify influences of ancient Greece and Rome on modern day U.S. Democratic Republic through a collaborative research project. Students will identify similarities and differences between ancient Greek and Roman democracies and identify their influences on modern day U.S. Democratic Republic.

The unit will prepare students to understand Greek and Roman influences on democracy in the United States, identify individual rights and freedoms, determine the difference between protected and unprotected rights, examine the rule of law, and evaluate the relevance of modern-day government. The activities in the unit will allow students the opportunity to participate in close reading, annotate text, and collaborate on research projects to gain a deeper understanding of democracy, government, and the rule of law

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Democratic Process Lesson 4: The Origins of Democracy and Republic:

This is lesson 4 for the text unit focused on The Democratic Process. Teachers can expect students to evaluate their understanding of democracy, the progression of individuals' freedoms and rights, along with the influence of the Founding Fathers. The point of this lesson is not just for students to collect textual evidence to support their original viewpoints. The unit will prepare students to understand Greek and Roman influences on democracy in the United States, identify individual rights and freedoms, determine the difference between protected and unprotected rights, examine the rule of law, and evaluate the relevance of modern-day government. The activities in the unit will allow students the opportunity to participate in close reading, annotate text, and collaborate on research projects to gain a deeper understanding of democracy, government, and the rule of law.

The unit will prepare students to understand Greek and Roman influences on democracy in the United States, identify individual rights and freedoms, determine the difference between protected and unprotected rights, examine the rule of law, and evaluate the relevance of modern-day government. The activities in the unit will allow students the opportunity to participate in close reading, annotate text, and collaborate on research projects to gain a deeper understanding of democracy, government, and the rule of law.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Ancient Greek Government Part 2:

Once students have identified and explained the democratic principles of government in ancient Greece in Part 1, they are ready to identify the ways in which ancient Greece influenced the development of democratic principles of government in the American colonies.

In this lesson, students will analyze ways in which the democratic principles developed in ancient Greece served as a foundation for the United States constitutional republic. Students will compare the democratic principles identified in part 1 to democratic principles in modern-day American government. In groups, students will collect information from various resources, combining the information onto one poster paper, to explain the similarities and differences between the political systems of ancient Greece and the current United States government.

Type: Lesson Plan

Researching Athenian Democracy: Part 1:

In the first part of this four-part lesson, students will collaborate to research an assigned topic to learn about the influence of Athenian democracy and its governing principles. Students will compile their research and cite their sources.  Students will then reflect on their learning and their collaboration.  In the subsequent parts of this lesson, students will continue collaborating to turn their research into a multimedia presentation and will finally demonstrate their learning individually by responding to a writing prompt.

Type: Lesson Plan

Ancient V. Modern Democratic Principles:

In this lesson plan, students will review the attributes and principles of democracy in ancient Athens and compare it to the democratic principles shown in the United States government today. Students have the opportunity to conduct in-depth research on each government to complete their Venn Diagram. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Researching Rome’s Republic: Part 1:

In the first part of this four-part lesson, students will collaborate to research an assigned topic to learn about the influence of the Roman Republic and its government principles. Students will compile their research and cite their sources. Students will then reflect on their learning and their collaboration. In the subsequent parts of this lesson, students will continue collaborating to turn their research into a multimedia presentation and will finally demonstrate their learning individually by responding to a writing prompt.

Type: Lesson Plan

Ancient Greek Government Part 1:

Students will research ancient Greece to learn about democratic principles of government in ancient Greece using informational texts, websites, and other resources. Students will each complete their own KWHL graphic organizer, then work with a group to paraphrase information gathered from the texts, and create a group poster containing important facts/information learned about the ancient Greek democratic principles of government. 

Type: Lesson Plan

What's the influence? Part 1:

Students will research significant leaders of ancient Greece and ancient Rome to explore their influence on civic participation and governance in the ancient world, in this lesson plan. 

This is part 1 of a 4 part series that integrates Civics with Computer Science and Coding.

Type: Lesson Plan

Cyberbullying Awareness:

Using the case study, “Suffering in Silence: The Effects of Cyberbullying”, students will identify elements of cyberbullying and the effects on both the victim and the bully. Students will research ways to respond to cyberbullying, ways to report it, and organizations that prevent/monitor cyberbullying. This research will be used to create a public service announcement (PSA) to inform the public about cyberbullying.

Type: Lesson Plan

Conflict Resolution in the Workplace:

This is lesson two in a three-part lesson series where students research and develop appropriate conflict resolution strategies to be applied in the workplace. In part one of the series, students researched conflict resolution and reviewed examples of both proper and improper workplace conflict resolution strategies. In this lesson, part two of the series, students use the research they conducted in part one to create a conflict resolution plan to use in the workplace. In part three of the series, students will be presented with a conflict and will need to use the plan they’ve created to resolve the conflict.

Type: Lesson Plan

Vacation Destination: An Introduction to Advertising:

In this lesson, students have an opportunity to make real-world connections by choosing words and phrases for effect and determining an audience and purpose for writing. They will practice using common persuasive techniques used in argumentative writing and advertisements. The lesson includes a summative assessment and rubric in which students design their own ads for a vacation destination of their choice.

Type: Lesson Plan

Out of the Dust: Visions of Dust Bowl History:

This is a Library of Congress lesson plan about "seeing" the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl through the eyes of children by reading the novel Out of the Dust.

Type: Lesson Plan

Analyzing Central Ideas and Details to Answer a Research Question:

In this lesson, students will formulate a research question, practice analyzing the central ideas and relevant details of informational texts they locate during a partner research activity, and then synthesize this information into an expository paragraph.

Type: Lesson Plan

Destination: Poland and Germany:

This lesson was designed to provide students the opportunity to conduct research using a variety of resources to gather information about the countries of Poland and Germany during World War II. In small groups, the students will conduct research using a variety of resources. They will create a digital presentation with the accompanying information to share with the class. This lesson can be taught at the start of a Holocaust novel study unit for Daniel's Story by Carol Matas or another novel.

Type: Lesson Plan

Exploring Technology Part 1: Inventions & Innovations:

Students will complete a graphic organizer to record information from their online research on various technological inventions and innovations as an introduction to technology. After completing their research, students will reflect on the relationship between people and technology in this lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Leadership Part 2: Leaders- Who are they and what do they do?:

In groups, students will conduct online research and complete a graphic organizer on the characteristics and responsibilities of leaders from various industries in this lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

Leadership Part 3: Leaders- A Closer Look:

In groups, students will conduct additional online research and write a profile on the characteristics and responsibilities of two leaders. Students will design a slide for each leader’s profile to add to their leadership presentation in this lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

Lessons in Leadership:

Using the case study, “What Makes a Leader,” students will evaluate the dilemma a student has of trying to prove they are capable of obtaining a leadership role within the school. In this lesson plan, students will analyze, research, and discuss the characteristics of effective leaders and how leaders can build trust with others.

Type: Lesson Plan

Orientation to Career Clusters: Education and Training Career Research Part 2:

Students will choose a career within the Education and Training Career Cluster to research. Student research will focus on training and education requirements for the career, the skills, abilities, and talents needed to be successful in the career and showcase a business or organization that employs individuals within the career. Students will compile their research as they create a poster presentation.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Six Essential Elements of Geography: Application to a City:

This is lesson five of a five-part unit on the Six Essential Elements of Geography. Students will conduct a short research project and select textual evidence and images from their research as they apply the 6 Essential Elements to a city as a framework for understanding it and the people who live there. They will synthesize their research into a poster or PowerPoint and present their work to the class.

Type: Lesson Plan

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