3A Language Arts: Research Portfolio
(In your lessons, this portfolio is called: Explanatory Essay.)
U13:L5 & U15:L5 Portfolios
READ ALL THE WAY TO THE END
You have been learning about explanatory essays in this unit. Today, you will begin writing your rough draft. The rough draft is your ‘sloppy copy.’ Your final draft which is due in Unit 15 will be your nice and neat finished product.
The rough draft MUST BE HANDWRITTEN!
WRITING PROMPT: You will handwrite a research paper that explains in detail, information for readers to learn about a topic you choose.
Suggested topics: a sport, a hobby, an animal, video game
Sometimes writers want to share information about a topic. They gather facts, definitions, and details about a topic by researching the information. You are using a writing form known as an explanatory essay/research paper. An explanatory essay has these features:
● It introduces a topic and shares information about it.
● It uses paragraphs to give facts, definitions, and details about the topic.
● It uses linking words that connect ideas.
● It has a concluding statement or section
Step 1 - Choose a topic following the writing prompt and suggested topics above.
Step 2 - Find your sources. (at least 1 source required) You do not have the facts and information about your topic all in your head. You have to research the information from other sources such as a book or from the internet.
Groiler Online/Internet- Name the complete website. Use Groiler Online and
click on
Example: "Invention." Scholastic GO!,
go.scholastic.com/content/schgo/D/article/100/041/10004171.html. Accessed 20 Jan. 2021.
****Do NOT cite google, bing or Wikipedia as sources. It needs to be a specific website where you read and research the information.****
Book Example:
Name the author, name the title, and the page numbers where you got your information. Example:Davis, Alexander Graham Bell Amazing Inventor, Pages 8 –10
Step 3 – Research and find at least 2 facts about your topic.
Step 4 – You are now ready to write your paragraphs. Write 3 paragraphs using all the information you gathered.
Your research paper MUST include all of the items below:
You will write 3 paragraphs. (8 or more sentences)
Paragraph 1: This is your introductory paragraph where you will write your topic sentence introducing your topic. (at least 1 sentence)
Paragraph 2: Include at least 2 Facts about the topic you chose. It must include details about your topic and give reasons why you chose to research this topic. (at least 6 sentences)
Paragraph 3: This will be your closing paragraph. You will use your
introductory paragraph as a guide. These sentences wrap up your paper to show that you have completed the research. It leaves the reader with
something to think about. (at least 1 sentence)
Once you have handwritten your rough draft, please use a red pencil/pen or a different color pencil/pen to do your revising and editing.
The following Rough Draft Checklist MUST be completed on your Rough Draft before submitting in U13:L5.
Rough Draft Checklist: Edit it to improve it!
Submit:
You will submit your rough draft in Unit 13: Lesson 5 Explanatory Essay Draft in the dropbox in Unit 13 - Lesson 5 Please include your sources used to gather the research information about your topic.
Unit 15 Research Paper Final Draft
BEFORE writing your final copy, be sure to read your Teacher’s Feedback Comments from your Unit 13 Rough Draft. Make all of the corrections needed first on your rough draft. Then, you will handwrite or type your final research paper. This is your nice and neat finished product. Please include your sources used to gather the research information about your topic.
Please submit in the dropbox in Unit 15: Lesson 5 on slide 8 both your final draft and your sources.
FINAL COPY SAMPLE