RESEARCH GUIDE

1. Give the students a topic to research (or have them choose their own)
2. Outline your expectations for how much and what kind of information you want the students to gather about their topic(s)
3. Give the students time to research their topic(s)
4. Have the students use or share the information they found

Small group research: Rather than having the students do research on their own, consider having them work in small groups. You can strategically assemble these groups to provide extra support for students who need it. 

Presenting their findings: Many research activities are directly followed by informal or formal student presentations about what they learned. Similar to a jigsaw-style activity, the students may be tasked with gathering information about different topics. Then, they can report back to each other on what they found out. 

Building a foundation for future activities: Many research activities are designed to help students prepare for a future activity, like an essay or a discussion. The idea is that the students can use the information they gathered to form opinions and arguments, which they further develop and present through writing or discussion. 

Lightning research: “Lightning research” is like any other research activity, except that it involves a strict time limit. Assign different topics to different students, and then set them free to find as much information about them as they can within the time frame. Lightning research works well as an introductory activity. It may also serve as an alternative to direct instruction. The goal of lightning research is often to help students quickly gain background knowledge for an upcoming activity. 

Guided handout: When your students are doing research, you may want to provide some or all of them with a guided research handout. This will not only help guide their search for information, but it will also reinforce your expectations for the activity.