Research for Writing WebQuest

What makes a research paper great? Can you just start writing about a topic without researching? Well, this week you are going to learn how to research for writing. You will learn what kind of information to look for and how to organize your information for your paper.

You are going to be researching a famous athlete from another country (the country that your family history traces back to) and writing a 5 paragraph paper on them.

You will follow the steps below to research and write your paper.

1) Choose a famous athlete from whichever country you can trace your families history back to.

2) Look up information on this person and find at least 3 good websites with information that is true and interesting. (Remember to use all of the strategies for checking for accuracy.)

3) Print off 3 pages worth of interesting facts along with a timeline of the life of your favorite athlete.

4) Highlight all information that you would like to put in your paper. 

5) Now that you have all of your information, read over it and seperate your facts into 3 main categories (Remember! Each category will represent one of your body paragraphs.)

• You might want to seperate your information according to level of importance or by sequencing the information.

6) Create a Block Out of your paper. In the introduction Paragraph Box, write the name of your Famous Person and the country where they are from. In the body paragraphs write the three categories you created with you research information. Remember to put them in an order that makes sense. Least Important to Most Important or Sequential. In the conlusion Paragraph, write your characters name again and the words "Concluding Thought."

7)Now use your research to fill in the outline given to you in class, make sure to include all of the following:

• HOOK! Grab your reader's attention by telling them a few interesting facts about your famous athlete and what country they are from.
• Thesis: Write 1 sentence that introduces the 3 main categories of your paper. Remember these categories will each represent one of your body paragraphs.
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• Topic Sentence: Write one sentence introducing the topic of your first body paragraph.Be sure to start with a transition word or phrase.
• Support your topic with details and facts.Remember to explain your details with new information for the reader. Write at least 5-7 Sentence 
• Conclusion Sentence/Transition:Restate your topic and then transition into your next topic of your body paragraph #2
•  
• Topic Sentence: Write one sentence introducing the topic of your first body paragraph. Be sure to start with a transition word or phrase.
• Support your topic with details and facts.Remember to explain your details with new information for the reader. Write at least 5-7 Sentence 
• Conclusion Sentence/Transition:Restate your topic and then transition into your next topic of your body paragraph #2
• Topic Sentence: Write one sentence introducing the topic of your first body paragraph. Be sure to start with a transition word or phrase.
• Support your topic with details and facts.Remember to explain your details with new information for the reader. Write at least 5-7 Sentence 
• Conclusion Sentence/Transition:Restate your topic and then transition into your next topic of your body paragraph #2
•  
• Conclusion Paragraph:Beginning with a transtion word,restate your thesis from the Introduction Paragraph.
• Concluding Thought: Tell the reader your overall thoughts about your famous athlete after your research and tell the reader something that you learned.

8) Edit and Revise

• Use proofreading marks to check for punctuation and grammar mistakes.
• Use 5 Paragrpah Paper Checklist to check for all parts.
• Reread twice and make changes that are needed.

9) Type your final draft. 

10) Reread Again to Check for mistakes.

11) Present your paper on a small poster board with a picture of your athlete. (This picture may be printed or drawn) Be Creative with how you present your writing.

Congratulations! You have done it! You have researched in written a beautiful 5 Paragraph Paper! Bring your posters to share with the class on Monday!

Step Up to Writing is credited with Method of Teaching the 5 Paragraph Paper 

This assignment could be modified for different types of writing such as persuasive or reflevtive writing.

For Persuasive, a list of prompts could be given in the introduction and then each student could choose which one they would like to do.

*This WebQuest is designed to teach writing curriculum and cultural education at the same time, encouraging students to research their history and to feel happy and proud to share about it.