Time required: 40 minutes

Materials: Research Resources (PDF) student reproducible #1, pen or pencil

Directions:
1. Distribute Research Resources (PDF) student reproducible #1 and read it aloud. Explain the concept of research (study or investigation in a particular subject or field to learn new facts).
2. Discuss how research can be conducted and distinguish between documented fact, opinion, and commentary.
3. Review the list of research resources on the reproducible, and discuss what types of information can be found in different sources.
4. Let students pick partners, and assign each pair of students a reference search topic (see suggestions below).
5. During class or as a homework assignment, have students go to the school library and complete the worksheet.

Suggested Reference Search Topics:
Famous athlete (e.g., John Elway); state (e.g., Virginia); animal (e.g., llama); former president (e.g., John F. Kennedy); sport (e.g., ice hockey); country (e.g., Japan); planet (e.g., Jupiter); artist (e.g., Andy Warhol); famous inventor (e.g., Alexander Graham Bell).

Wrap-Up:
Have students share any new sources that they found in the the library. Help them discover that information can also be gathered from non-library sources (e.g., observation and interviews).