Research- Based Information Writing

Preparing to Write Informational Essays: Session 3

Researching...

• I know as you read your 1st source, you started to get an idea of what teen activism is.
• Then you read a 2nd source, and it offered up another viewpoint or way of understanding teen activism.
• So you got another part of the topic.

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Today’s Goal

Today I want to teach you that when writers want to become expert on a topic, they read, trying to build a mental model of the whole topic. This means that if they read about one example or one part of the topic, they think, ‘How does this go with what I know about the whole topic?”

Teacher Thought Model

What sticks in my mind about Malala is the way she talks-she uses such strong words and ringing phrases...she sounds so professional! Now that I think about it, I wonder if someone is coaching her in how to give speeches and all, because how else would she know how to do that so well? Does she have a parent who is like a coach to her? I am thinking of the boy, Alex Lin, who wanted to get rid of e-waste in Rhode Island, who came up with bills against e-dumping? The story about him quoted his father a lot so clearly his father was involved.

Your Task

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• Today continue researching and growing the big picture about this topic in general.
• Come up with an idea or theory about teen activism and find examples/evidence to support it.

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