Writing Prompts for 5th Grade
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By fifth grade, students are developing basic fluency as writers. In order to hone their skills, fifth graders should practice supporting claims with factual information, conveying information clearly, and writing narratives in a logical order. The following fifth-grade writing prompts encourage students to develop their skills through topics that are meaningful to them.
Narrative Essay Writing Prompts
Narrative essays tell a story based on a student’s personal experience. They encourage students to use descriptive writing to reflect on their experiences, explain them in a logical manner, and draw conclusions from them.
- New Beginnings . This is your last year of elementary school. What are you most excited or most nervous about when you think of starting middle school ?
- Betwixt . Students in 5th grade are often referred to as “tweens,” meaning that they are between the young child and the teen years. What is the hardest thing about being a tween in today’s society?
- Besties . What is the best book you’ve ever read? What made it so special?
- Reflections . Do you remember your first-ever day of school ? Describe one vivid memory from that day.
- Bullies . Have you ever witnessed someone bullying another student? What happened and how did it make you feel?
- Man’s Best Friend . Do you share a bond with your dog or other pet? Describe your pet, and explain what makes your relationship unique.
- Families . A family isn’t always a mom, a dad, and their children. Write about the ways your family is the same as and different from other types of families and what makes your bonds so strong.
- Holiday Memories . Think about one of your favorite holiday-related memories. Write an essay describing it and tell why it is so unforgettable.
- Guilty . Think about a time you did something that made you feel guilty. Describe what happened.
- The Ultimate Field Trip . If you could choose anywhere in the world to go on a field trip , where would you choose and why?
- Family Game Night . Do you enjoy playing games with your family? Describe your favorite family game or activity.
- Tasty Treats . What is your favorite food? Describe it as if you were introducing it to someone who has never seen or tasted it.
- Someday . Have you thought about what you want to be when you grow up? Write an essay explaining why you think you’d like that career.
Persuasive Essay Writing Prompts
Persuasive essays are those written to convince another person to agree with the writer or take action. These persuasive essay prompts inspire 5th graders to share their passions with an audience.
- Pets Day . You’ve just gone to work with your parent for “bring your child to work day.” Write an essay convincing your school to have a “bring your pet to school” day.
- Yuck . What is your least-favorite cafeteria food? Give three compelling reasons why your school should quit serving it.
- Let’s Trade . Your friend’s lunches from home always look better than yours. Write an essay convincing your buddy that you should start swapping meals every day. Be sure to highlight the benefits of the food you bring!
- Home Alone . Write an essay convincing your parents that you are old enough and responsible enough to stay at home alone.
- Sunny Day . The weather outside is beautiful for the first time in weeks. Persuade your teacher not to assign any homework so that you’ll have time to go out to play.
- The Sequel . The long-awaited sequel to your favorite book or video game is now available. Convince your brother or sister to do your chores this week so that you have plenty of time for reading or gaming.
- Seating Chart . Because of your teacher’s seating chart, you’re not going to be able to sit next to your friend all year! Persuade your teacher to let students choose their seats.
- Birth Order . Are you an only child, the oldest sibling, the youngest, or the middle? What makes your birth order the best?
- The Ultimate Game . What is the best video game on the planet? Explain why it’s better than similar games.
- Life Lessons . What are the three most important lessons parents should teach their children and why?
- Test Time . Do you think standardized tests are helpful or harmful? Explain your answer.
- Tunes . Some studies have shown that listening to music can help students concentrate. Should students be allowed to listen to music using headphones during independent work times at school? Persuade the reader of your answer.
- Catch-22 . You’re not a big fan of writing. Write an essay convincing your teacher that you shouldn’t have to write any more essays this year.
Expository Essay Writing Prompts
Expository essays are often called how-to essays. They usually teach the reader something or provide facts about a particular topic.
- Let’s Play . Your family frequently attends community theater productions, but your friend has never seen one. Write an essay describing what he or she can expect during the evening.
- Band . You're graduating elementary school, and a younger student is taking your spot in the school band. Explain to him or her how to clean and care for your musical instrument .
- Lessons Learned . Write an essay to a younger sibling explaining two or three key strategies for having a positive 5th-grade experience.
- Class Pet . You’ve cared for your class pet this week, but now it’s another classmate’s turn. Explain how to feed and care for the pet properly.
- Upgrade Ahead . You have an idea to improve your school. Explain it.
- Safety Zone . Explain three of the best steps kids can take to be safe online.
- Family Traditions . Does your family have any customs or traditions that might be unfamiliar to a classmate? Describe them.
- Pen Pal . Describe for your pen pal who lives in another state an animal native to your area, including its physical characteristics, behaviors, and any sounds that it makes.
- Creepy Crawlies . Compare and contrast two insects or animals that are similar, but have different characteristics such as a bumblebee and a yellow jacket or a horse and a mule. How are they alike and how are they different?
- Clean Up . Your class is going to spend a day cleaning up at a local park. You’ve done this with another group before, but some of your classmates haven’t. Explain the process.
- Action . Your favorite book was made into a movie. Compare and contrast the film and book versions.
- Team Players . Explain how contributing responsibly helps or how it hurts a group when someone doesn’t do his part.
- Tell and Show . Your class is having a “tell and show” day. You have to describe your item in as much detail as possible without naming it. Only when the class guesses or gives up can you show your item. Write out the description of your item.
Creative Writing Essay Prompts
Creative writing allows students to engage their imaginations and story-telling skills while also practicing vital writing skills such as sequence and description.
- Magic Lamp . You’ve just found a magic lamp. What happens when you rub it?
- Say Cheese . You are given an exceptional camera. Everything you take a picture of becomes yours, but you can only take three pictures. Tell a story about the photos you take.
- Invisible Man . One morning, you glance in the mirror and realize that you don’t have a reflection. You’ve become invisible! Write a story about your day.
- Gone to the Dogs . Write a story from your pet’s point of view.
- All Hail the King . Imagine that you discover an uncharted land that you claim as a new country. And, you’re the ruler! Describe your country, its people, and your newfound position of power.
- Part of the Story . One night, you doze off after reading the latest book in your favorite series. When you wake, you discover that you’re in the story! Write about your adventures.
- Before or After . Imagine that you live either 100 years in the past or 100 years in the future. What is your life like?
- Dr. Doolittle . You’re walking through a pet store when you discover that you can talk to the animals. What happens next?
- Meet and Greet . Imagine that you can meet anyone you’re studying in school right now from famous scientists to historical figures to the characters in the class read-aloud . Write a story about your meeting with that person.
- Switcheroo . If you could switch lives with anyone in your school, who would it be? Write about your day in the life of that person.
- Holiday Loop . Imagine you get to relive your favorite holiday every day. What’s that like?
- Tall Tales . Tall tales are possibly true stories that contain highly exaggerated actions or events. Create a tall tale about something that happened in your family.
- Teacher's Pet . Imagine that your teacher is actually your parent. Describe a day in class.
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If you are struggling with teaching the research report process, you are not alone. Seriously, we’ve all been there!
I spent several years avoiding research reports in my classroom or depending on the Library-Media Specialist to teach the research process.
One year, I decided to take the plunge and teach my students how to research a topic and write a research report.
The process was clunky at first, but I learned a lot about how students approach research and how to guide them from choosing a topic to completing their final copies.
Before we discuss the HOW , let’s talk about the WHY .
Why should you assign research reports to 5th and 6th grade students?
I have three main reasons for assigning research reports to my students.
First, the skill involved in finding reliable sources and citing sources is valuable.
Beginning in 5th grade, and possibly even before, students need to be able to discern the reliability of a source . They should be able to spot propaganda and distinguish between reputable sources and phony ones.
Teaching the procedure for citing sources is important because my 5th grade students need to grasp the reality of plagiarism and how to avoid it.
By providing information about the sources they used, students are consciously avoiding copying the work of authors and learning to give credit where credit is due.
Second, by taking notes and organizing their notes into an outline, students are exercising their ability to find main ideas and corresponding details.
Being able to organize ideas is crucial for young writers.
Third, when writing research reports, students are internalizing the writing process, including organizing, writing a rough draft, proofreading/editing, and writing a final draft.
When students write research reports about topics of interest, they are fine-tuning their reading and writing skills.
How to Teach Research Reports in Grades 5 & 6
As a veteran upper elementary teacher, I know exactly what is going to happen when I tell my students that we are going to start research reports.
There will be a resounding groan followed by students voicing their displeasure. (It goes something like this…. “Mrs Bazzit! That’s too haaaaaaard!” or “Ugh. That’s boring!” *Sigh* I’ve heard it all, lol.)
This is when I put on my (somewhat fictional) excited teacher hat and help them to realize that the research report process will be fun and interesting.
Step 1: Choose a Topic and Cite Sources
Students definitely get excited when they find out they may choose their own research topic. Providing choice leads to higher engagement and interest.
It’s best practice to provide a list of possible research topics to students, but also allow them to choose a different topic.
Be sure to make your research topics narrow to help students focus on sources. If students choose broad topics, the sources they find will overwhelm them with information.
Too Broad: American Revolution
Just Right: The Battle of Yorktown
Too Broad: Ocean Life
Just Right: Great White Shark
Too Broad: Important Women in History
Just Right: The Life of Martha Washington
Be sure to discuss appropriate, reliable sources with students.
I suggest projecting several examples of internet sources on your technology board. Ask students to decide if the sources look reliable or unreliable.
While teaching students about citing sources, it’s a great time to discuss plagiarism and ways to avoid it.
Students should never copy the words of an author unless they are properly quoting the text.
In fact, I usually discourage students from quoting their sources in their research reports. In my experience, students will try to quote a great deal of text and will border on plagiarism.
I prefer to see students paraphrase from their sources because this skill helps them to refine their summarization skills.
Citing sources is not as hard as it sounds! I find that my students generally use books and internet sources, so those are the two types of citations that I focus on.
How to cite a book:
Author’s last name, First name. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher, Date.
How to cite an internet article:
Author’s last name, First name (if available). “Title of Article or Page.” Full http address, Date of access.
If you continue reading to the bottom of this post, I have created one free screencast for each of the five steps of the research process!
Step 2: Take Notes
During this step, students will use their sources to take notes.
I do provide instruction and examples during this step because from experience, I know that students will think every piece of information from each source is important and they will copy long passages from each source.
I teach students that taking notes is an exercise in main idea and details. They should read the source, write down the main idea, and list several details to support the main idea.
I encourage my students NOT to copy information from the source but instead to put the information in their own words. They will be less likely to plagiarize if their notes already contain their own words.
Additionally, during this step, I ask students to write a one-sentence thesis statement. I teach students that a thesis statement tells the main point of their research reports.
Their entire research report will support the thesis statement, so the thesis statement is actually a great way to help students maintain a laser focus on their research topic.
Step 3: Make an Outline
Making an outline can be intimidating for students, especially if they’ve never used this organization format.
However, this valuable step will teach students to organize their notes into the order that will be used to write the rough draft of their reports.
Because making an outline is usually a new concept for my 5th graders, we do 2-3 examples together before I allow students to make their outlines for their research reports.
I recommend copying an outline template for students to have at their fingertips while creating their first outline.
Be sure to look over students’ outlines for organization, order, and accuracy before allowing them to move on to the next step (writing rough drafts).
Step 4: Write a Draft
During this step, each student will write a rough draft of his/her research report.
If they completed their outlines correctly, this step will be fairly simple.
Students will write their research reports in paragraph form.
One problem that is common among my students is that instead of writing in paragraphs, they write their sentences in list format.
I find that it’s helpful to write a paragraph in front of and with students to remind them that when writing a paragraph, the next sentence begins immediately after the prior sentence.
Once students’ rough drafts are completed, it’s time to proofread/edit!
To begin, I ask my students to read their drafts aloud to listen for their own mistakes.
Next, I ask my students to have two individuals look over their draft and suggest changes.
Step 5: Final Draft
It’s finally time to write final drafts!
After students have completed their rough drafts and made edits, I ask them to write final drafts.
Students’ final drafts should be as close to perfect as possible.
I prefer a typed final draft because students will have access to a spellchecker and other features that will make it easier to create their final draft.
Think of a creative way to display the finished product, because they will be SO proud of their research reports after all the hard work that went into creating them!
When grading the reports, use a rubric similar to the one shown in the image at the beginning of this section.
A detailed rubric will help students to clearly see their successes and areas of needed improvement.
Once students have completed their first research projects, I find that they have a much easier time with the other research topics assigned throughout the remainder of the school year.
If you are interested in a no-prep, step-by-step research report instructional unit, please click here to visit my Research Report Instructional Unit for 5th Grade and 6th Grade.
This instructional unit will guide students step-by-step through the research process, including locating reliable sources, taking notes, creating an outline, writing a report, and making a “works cited” page.
I’d like to share a very special free resource with you. I created five screencast videos, one for each step of the research report process. These screencasts pair perfectly with my Research Report Instructional Unit for 5th Grade and 6th Grade!
Research Report Step 1 Screencast
Research Report Step 2 Screencast
Research Report Step 3 Screencast
Research Report Step 4 Screencast
Research Report Step 5 Screencast
Hi, If i purchase your complete package on grade 5/6 writing does it come with your wonderful recordings on how to teach them? Thanks
Hi Gail! The recordings on this blog post can be used by anyone and I will leave them up 🙂 The writing bundle doesn’t come with any recordings but I did include step-by-step instructions for teachers. I hope this helps!
Thank you for sharing your information with everyone. I know how to write (I think, haha), but I wanted to really set my students up for success with their research and writing. Your directions and guides are just what I needed to jar my memory and help my students become original writers. Be blessed.
You are very welcome, Andrea! Thank you for this comment 🙂
Hi Andrea, I am a veteran teacher who has taught nothing but primary for 25 years. However, this is my first year in 5th. I’m so excited to have found your post. Can you direct me to how I can purchase your entire bundle for writing a 5-paragraph essay. Thanks, Sue
Sure, Susan, I can help with that! Here is the link for the 5th Grade Writing Bundle: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/5th-Grade-Writing-Bundle-3611643
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How to Do a 5th Grade Research Paper
Christy scannell.
Fifth grade is a turning point for many students because it is the school year when academic demands increase. By fifth grade, it becomes clear which students exhibit gifts or challenges in certain areas, such as writing. Although most students will have written research papers in fourth grade or earlier, a fifth grade objective is to write a research paper of more than four pages that is in-depth and better sourced. Writing a fifth-grade research paper may seem daunting, but it just involves selecting a topic, researching it and writing the paper.
Explore this article
- Think about what interests you
- Once you select your topic
- Visit the library
- Read your sources and take notes
- Once you have gathered all your sources
- Organize your ideas using an outline
- Write your first draft
- Has several paragraphs
- Write the bibliography
- Proofread your paper
1 Think about what interests you
Think about what interests you. If something strikes your curiosity, such as how airplanes stay in the air, that might be a good topic for you. Animals, travel and sports are other areas to mine for topics, although the choices are endless.
2 Once you select your topic
Once you select your topic, be sure it isn't too general. For example, Lions of Africa would cover too much ground, but "Hunting and Diet Habits of African Lions" would allow you to focus more tightly.
3 Visit the library
Visit the library to find periodicals and books that contain information on your topic. Ask a librarian to help you if you are unfamiliar with how a library is organized. Also, surf the web for information. As you use a source, jot down the name of the publication or website, the author, the publisher and the date of publication.
4 Read your sources and take notes
Read your sources and take notes. Some people like to use three-by-five index cards, writing one idea and its source on each card to stay organized. If you copy something from a source, be sure to put quote marks around it so you remember that it is a quote to avoid plagiarizing (illegally copying) another writer.
5 Once you have gathered all your sources
Once you have gathered all your sources, shuffle your cards into subtopics.
6 Organize your ideas using an outline
Organize your ideas using an outline. Jot down all of your main ideas, then under each one, write some of the ideas that support it. For example, a main idea might be that lions hunt for their food, while supporting ideas might be what animals are their prey. Avoid repeating ideas.
7 Write your first draft
Write your first draft. The paper should include an introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction identifies the topic, tells the reader your opinion on the topic and why the reader should be interested in it.
8 Has several paragraphs
The body has several paragraphs that develop your ideas in more detail. Each paragraph should have no more than one idea, although you can use more than one paragraph per idea. The conclusion is a summary that repeats your main idea.
9 Write the bibliography
Write the bibliography, which is the list of reference works used in the paper.
10 Proofread your paper
Proofread your paper. Read it aloud to yourself to find errors. Have a parent read it to check for anything confusing or incorrect. Make any corrections required.
- Be careful to follow your teacher's rules in writing your report. Some teachers might want you to format your paper in a certain way, for example, or include photos or other graphics. These are all good learning opportunities that will affect your grade.
- Use the spell-check function on your computer to catch any spelling and/or grammar mistakes in your paper before you submit it.
- 1 Scholastic: Preparing for 5th Grade
About the Author
Christy Scannell has been writing professionally since 1985 with work in many publications, including the "San Diego Union-Tribune," "Outreach" magazine and "Marriage Partnership" magazine. She has also written a three-novel series, “Secrets from Lulu’s Café,” for Simon & Schuster. Christy has a Master of Arts in communication from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication from Anderson University.
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Writing Research Papers
This research writing unit of study is designed to guide your students through the research writing process.
This is a free writing unit of study from the curriculum corner..
This research writing collection includes mini lessons, anchor charts and more.
Mention the words “research writing” in an intermediate classroom and you might be met with moans & groans or perhaps even see fear in the eyes of some students.
In all seriousness though, writing can be intimidating for many children in our classrooms.
Guided and focused your mini-lessons can be helpful for students. Also, the more examples you can get students to interact with, the more they will understand the expectations. Finally, the more modeling that you do for them, the more they can view writing as less overwhelming.
Download the free resources to accompany this unit of study at the bottom of this post.
Lesson Ideas for Writing Research Papers:
Lesson 1: Noticings
- Begin by getting your students familiar with what research writing looks like.
- Have them work in pairs or small groups to read pieces of research writing. They will record their “noticings” about the writing.
- Then, come together in a community circle to discuss and create a class anchor chart.
- You will find a blank anchor chart and one with noticings already recorded.
- Here is a link we found that contains some student-created examples of research writing: Student Writing Models . Simply scroll through the grade levels for different samples.
Lesson 2: Opinion vs. Facts
- Begin with a brief review of opinions vs. facts.
- Use the six paragraphs we share in our resources to give your students some practice differentiating between the two.
- Each of the paragraphs contains both opinions and facts.
- Students will read the paragraphs and record the facts and opinions from their paragraph onto the recording page.
Lesson 3: Choosing a Topic
- We know that providing choice will allow for greater engagement and success. We want to help students to narrow their choices by giving them some guidance.
- Gather students and begin a discussion about choosing a research topic.
- Ask them to think of topics they already know a little about, have interest in or is important/relevant to their lives.
- You might pose the question “Why is that important in research writing?” and discuss their thoughts.
- For this lesson we have provided a page where students can individually brainstorm topics. You can circulate the room during this process to help students to narrow their topic.
- If you feel your class may need help to narrow their choices, think about giving them a broad topic, such as animals, and then have them choose a sub-topics from the bigger umbrella topic.
- If you feel like your students need an added level of support you might think about creating an anchor chart from a class brainstorming session about possible appropriate topics and then display this in your room.
Lesson 4: Where to Find Accurate Information about a Topic
- Help students to begin to understand where they might find accurate information about their topics.
- Where are the places you can begin to look for information about your topic?
- Why would the copyright date on a book be important in doing research?
- Is everything on the internet true?
- Why is it important for your research to contain accurate information?
- Where do you begin to look for information that will accurate
- One way to help students think through appropriate sites on the internet is to pass out the ten cards provided in our resources.
- Have students read the cards and discuss what kind of a website it is.
- Talk about whether they know or have heard of the sites. Would they consider the sites “trusted” enough to gain knowledge about their topics. Then have them talk about why or why not these sites would be trusted.
Lesson 5: Double Check Your Facts
- We want our students to get into the habit of double checking their facts. This will help ensure what they are learning is correct.
- To do this, you might want them to practice this skill. In this lesson use the page provided to have each student find and record a fact about a topic of their choice on the internet.
- The page then has students write where they found the fact, and also has them list a corresponding fact from a different source.
- Finally they determine if the facts are the same or different. You may have to further the lesson by discussing approximations. For example one site might say that an animal can weigh up to 1,500 pounds, while another might state that the animal weighs between 1,200 and 1,500 pounds.
- You will need to talk about how those facts might both be accurate even though they are stated differently. If they seem to check out, then help students generalize the information for a research paper.
Lesson 6: Taking Notes
- Sometimes giving students resources and a blank sheet of notebook paper can be too overwhelming. You have students who simply copy everything from the text or you have others who have no idea where to start.
- We need to guide them to read to pull out facts & relevant information.
- For this lesson we have provided various templates for note-taking. Whatever method or template you choose for helping your students learn to take notes, model it several times in front of the class Demonstrating for them how to write the notes as they read about a topic will be helpful.
- After initial teaching, you may find that you need to pull small groups for extra practice. Some might need a one-on-one conference.
Lesson 7: Paraphrasing vs. Plagiarism
- Students will need to learn how to paraphrase their research. This will help them avoid plagiarizing words from their resources.
- Discuss why plagiarizing is something that they shouldn’t do in their writing because it is “stealing” another’s words.
- Tell the students that there is a way to use another author’s ideas in an appropriate way without copying their words. First, they need to paraphrase and then they need to cite the source where they found the information.
- Display the anchor chart “What is Paraphrasing” and discuss the definition.
- Next, pass out copies of “My Own Words” to pairs of students. Explain that their task will be to find a paragraph or passage in a nonfiction book. They will paraphrase the author’s words, keeping the same ideas.
- Finally, gather students together to share their paraphrasing efforts. Each pair of students can read the paragraph/passage from the book and then the paraphrasing that they wrote. Discuss the words and decisions the students made in their paraphrasing.
Lesson 8: Word Choice in Research Writing
- To help students think about making their writing more interesting, have them brainstorm words that could add voice to their writing.
- After working independently on the word choice page provided, have them meet with partners. They can talk about nouns, verbs and adjectives that relate to their topic.
Lesson 9: Writing Sketch
- This graphic organizer can be used for students to plan their writing.
- If your writers are more advanced you might choose to skip this step, It could be a big help for students who have taken notes and have too many facts.
- Be sure to model how to write the facts & ideas from your notes onto your planner. Students will see first hand how to make sure to only add what is relevant and important to their writing.
- Some questions you can pose: What will be the focus of each paragraph in your research writing? What do you want to include from your notes? Why is it important to the research? What facts don’t quite fit into the paragraphs you’ve decided upon? Should you change some of the paragraphs so that they better support the research and what you want your readers to learn?
- Once the planner is finished, they can use it as a guide to help their writing stay focused.
Lesson 10: Writing Introductions to Research
- Teach students how to think about their introduction as a way to grab their readers’ attention.
- Our anchor chart has some ideas to get writers started. You might also extend the anchor chart to include ideas from your students. (We have included some blank anchor charts at the very bottom of the download.)
- Discuss the parts that need to be included in the introductory paragraph first. Then, move on to some of the ways that might engage readers. As always be sure to model how you would go about writing an introductory paragraph using your Writing Sketch.
Lesson 11: Developing Your Paragraphs
- Next, help students stay focused and develop complete paragraphs.The next graphic organizer will get them to think through the specifics of each paragraph.
- Again, this may not be needed for all of the students in your classroom, but it might be something to think about using with all of them for at least their very first attempts at writing research papers.
- Model how to use the Writing Sketch planner to develop their paragraphs more fully on this organizer.
Lesson 12: Writing a Conclusion to Research
Providing a solid concluding paragraph is also something that needs modeled for your students.
Use the anchor chart with ideas to get you started with the modeling of this as well.
***If you would like for your students to write their first drafts on something that continues to support organization for them, you will find guided lined paper.
Lesson 13: Research Rendezvous Celebration
We love ending a unit of study with a celebration.
For this particular celebration, you might invite students to bring in a visual to help illustrate their topic.
Invite parents and other special adults from your building to the celebration and think about providing a snack.
You can also print out our “Congrats Author!” certificates to give to each student during the celebration.
All the research writing resources described above can be found in one download here:
Writing a Research Paper Resources
As with all of our resources, The Curriculum Corner creates these for free classroom use. Our products may not be sold. You may print and copy for your personal classroom use. These are also great for home school families!
You may not modify and resell in any form. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Elizabeth Braden
Thursday 14th of April 2022
Thank you soo very much for sharing these materials. I tutor non-English speakers from K through adults. These resources are a God send!!! Thanks so very much for sharing!
Dulce Hernandez
Thursday 8th of April 2021
Thank you so much. I tutor non-English speakers from K-9th grade. These resources are a God send!!
Monday 25th of May 2020
I cant download it, where do you download it?
Jill & Cathy
Wednesday 2nd of September 2020
Here is the link: https://www.thecurriculumcorner.com/thecurriculumcorner456/wp-content/pdf/writing/research/researchwriting.pdf
Graphic Organizer for Research Papers - The Curriculum Corner 4-5-6
Tuesday 19th of November 2019
[…] You might also like our unit of study for writing research papers:How to Write a Research Paper […]
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Thursday 14th of November 2019
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Writing a Research Report (Gr. 5)
Scott Foresman, an imprint of Pearson
Featured 5th grade resources.
Related Resources
Elementary Assessments
9 Fantastic 5th-Grade Research Topics Students Love
Fifth graders do well learning about complex subjects by selecting 5th grade research topics that are high-interest.
In order to expedite the process of choosing a subject, we’ve gathered 9 tried-and-true 5th grade research topics that are sure to be a hit.
These topics are both interesting and full of easy-to-digest information that is certain to spark creativity in even the most reluctant fifth grader.
So be sure to include these fun research project ideas in your lesson plans soon.
5th Grade Research Topics to Get Excited About
1. producers, consumers, and decomposers.
Learning the complex way that the world around us works is a subject that is sure to catch the attention of the scientifically-minded 5th grader.
One of the more fascinating scientific processes going on everywhere you look is the flow of energy. This flow is maintained by producers, consumers, and decomposers.
A research paper detailing the differences and relationships among these three organisms will be just challenging enough that a 5th grader won’t become bored writing it.
The subject matter is broad enough that they will never have a hard time finding the information needed.
2. Weathering, Erosion, Deposition
It can come as a surprise to fifth graders that the ground we walk upon is still changing to this day!
The processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition are constantly occurring plus shaping the world every minute.
Knowing that these processes literally move mountains, albeit over time, is sure to catch the attention of fifth-grade students.
Anything that has happened since the Earth was first formed definitely has a plethora of information available for a research topic, too.
A 5th grader could focus on how weathering has formed rivers and immense cave systems.
Or she may want to explore how all three processes created the Grand Canyon.
3. Earth’s Rotation
If you’re looking for short research projects 5th-grade students enjoy, suggest this topic.
Earth’s rotation around the Sun, the Moon’s rotation about the Earth, and the rotation of the Earth on its own axis are three parts of one great research topic.
Interestingly, this rotation causes much more than just the day and night cycle!
Students will love to research the lengthening and shortening of days depending on Earth’s position.
They will also explore how rotation affects the seasons and how everything can stay in one place when the Earth is turning so fast!
There are so many nuances to this research subject that 5th grade students will never get bored.
This list of 5th grade research topics wouldn’t be complete with a subject related to space.
Related Post:
11 Interesting Research Topics for Kids
4. States of Matter
Solids, liquids, gases, and even plasma make splendid research topics. They are the perfect entrance into the world of chemistry for 5th graders.
The differences between the 4 states of matter may seem obvious.
However, when students get down to the molecular level, the seemingly dull differences between liquid, water, and ice suddenly become fascinating!
Plus, what even is plasma?
Fifth graders are often shocked to learn that this lesser-known form of matter is actually the most prevalent form of matter in the universe
5. Insulators and Conductors
The subject of electricity is sure to lend a spark to even the dullest lesson.
So it stands to reason that electricity and its many nuances would be a brilliant research topic for 5th grade.
For kids in this grade, insulators and conductors are important, accessible subjects.
A charge transfers through the free flow of electrons in conductors.
Insulators, in contrast to conductors, prevent electrons from freely flowing from atom to atom and molecule to molecule.
To put it simply, conductors help electricity along while insulators impede the flow of electricity.
This is one of the 5th grade research topics kids absolutely love!
6. Landforms – Deltas, Canyons, and Sand Dunes
A deep dive into the different landforms of the Earth is a must in any 5th-grade lesson plan.
There is enough variety in these landforms that any single one of them would make a great research paper.
Three easier-to-understand landforms are deltas, canyons, and sand dunes.
These formations are made from combinations of wind, water, and ice, among other things.
Fifth-grade students will love researching how even a gentle stream can create something spectacular over time.
7. Black History Inventors
While your fifth graders may be familiar with Black History Month and the achievements of Martin Luther King, Jr., there are countless black figures who hardly get the recognition they deserve.
From cataract surgery to street lights, encourage fifth graders to explore these brilliant innovators who achieved greatness despite racial barriers.
Be sure to include this subject as one of your 5th grade research topics.
See a list of black inventors .
8. Scientists and Inventors
Humans have studied the world around them for centuries.
Fifth graders love to learn about scientists who are responsible, whether directly or indirectly, for so many of the medicines, procedures, and processes we use today.
Dive into information about great scientists !
9. Natural Disasters
If you’re seeking an independent research project 5th graders enjoy, try severe weather.
Natural disasters are arguably one of the most popular 5th grade research topics.
Fifth graders explore the different types of natural disasters, how they are predicted plus controlled, where in the world they are likely to occur, and the negative impact these disasters have on the population.
Also, consider having 5th graders research how natural disasters can be prevented and damage from them greatly minimized.
10. Animal and Habitats
Have students complete animal research projects about their favorite animals or any they find interesting.
Fifth Grade Research Topics Students Love
Now you have a ready-supply of 5th grade research topics for students to explore.
These research topics will surely excite fifth graders and motivate them to deepen their knowledge of concepts, ideas, places, and people.
Research Writing (Grades 4-6)
Our Research Writing lesson plan for grades 4-6 teaches students how to write a thoroughly researched and factually accurate five paragraph essay. Students write an essay based on research they conduct in order to practice this type of writing.
Description
Additional information.
Our Research Writing Lesson Plan for grades 4-6 teaches students about the importance of researching and reporting findings accurately and effectively. Being able to clearly and accurately inform and communicate findings through writing is a valuable skill that students will need in many areas of their lives. Gathering and summarizing key information will also be a powerful tool for academic reading and writing throughout upper grades and higher education. In this lesson, students are asked to use the information they have learned to research and write a research paper from start to finish, including brainstorming and outlining.
At the end of the lesson, students will have written an essay based on a topic of their choosing with sources cited.
State Educational Standards : LB.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.A
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Research Writing
I have not started this with my child yet, but I have looked over the information. I am really looking forward to using this. Very informative.
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Excellent curriculum
Lots of subjects and ways to teach kids. Love the packets
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Language Arts > Writing | Grade 5 | Curriculums
Lucy Calkins Writing for 5th Grade | Unit 4: Research-Based Argument Essay
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Microsoft PowerPoint
About This Product
This is Lucy Calkins Writing for 5th Grade.
This download is for Unit 4: Research-Based Argument Essay.
You will have everything you need to take students through all 22 sessions included in Unit 4.
Included for each session:
- Connection
- Teaching point
- Active engagement
- Mid-workshop
What's Included
300-slide PowerPoint
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Browse Printable 5th Grade Research Writing Worksheets. Award winning educational materials designed to help kids succeed. Start for free now!
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Students are introduced to writing and editing a research report through this writing process teacher model. It includes a model time line, a blank time
5th Grade Research Topics to Get Excited About · 1. Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers · 2. Weathering, Erosion, Deposition · 3. Earth's Rotation · 4. States of
Our Research Writing lesson plan for grades 4-6 teaches students how to write a thoroughly researched and factually accurate five paragraph essay.
5th Grade Writing. Sample of an outline for a research paper (5th grade).
This is Lucy Calkins Writing for 5th Grade. This download is for Unit 4: Research-Based Argument Essay. You will have everything you need to take students