Writing

Research Report

For the next several weeks we will be working up to the unit writing prompt, which is a research report.

We will focus our writing lessons and practice on skills that the students will need to be successful in this genre of writing.

We will also continue working with the 6 Traits to strengthen our writing.

Writing Prompt: The Unexpected

Write a research report about an event in history or nature that was unexpected. Tell readers how and why it happened and what resulted from the event. Find information in sources such as books, magazines, encyclopedias, and the Internet. Conduct a first-hand interview with a friend or family member who remembers the event.

Purpose: Inform the reader

Audience: Your classmates

Traits of a Good Research Report

• Focus/Ideas - The research report is well focused on one event in history or nature.

• Organization - Topic sentences and detail sentences are organized in paragraphs. Events are told in time order.

• Voice - The writer is knowledgeable about the topic.

• Word Choice - The writer paraphrases facts and uses vivid images to create suspense.

• Sentences - Sentences are of varied lengths and structures.

• Conventions - Correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar are used throughout the report.