CurriculumGrade 9English Language Arts

Conducting Focused Research

Aligned to W.9-10.7 — Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.

What this lesson teaches

Research answers a question by gathering and synthesizing several sources rather than reporting one; narrow the question so the sources connect.

Worked example

Asking 'why did a local library close?' a student combines a news article, a budget report, and an interview, synthesizing them into one explanation instead of three separate facts.

Practice questions

  1. Turn a broad topic into a researchable question.
  2. Explain how two sources could be synthesized into one point.
  3. Identify what a third source would add that the first two miss.

Watch the lesson

Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

▶ Watch this lesson

En español

Realizar una investigación enfocada

La investigación responde una pregunta reuniendo y sintetizando varias fuentes en vez de reportar una sola; acota la pregunta para que las fuentes se conecten.

Ejemplo: Al preguntar «¿por qué cerró la biblioteca del barrio?», un estudiante combina una nota periodística, un informe de presupuesto y una entrevista, y los sintetiza en una explicación en vez de tres datos sueltos.

More Writing lessons

Argument with Claims and CounterclaimsW.9-10.1Informative, Narrative & Research WritingW.9-10.2Crafting a NarrativeW.9-10.3Writing for Task and AudienceW.9-10.4Revising with PurposeW.9-10.5Publishing and Linking OnlineW.9-10.6

Teach this lesson today

An AI tutor that guides with questions instead of just giving answers — all K–12 core subjects, every child in the family.

Start free — no card required