Page 69 - SpringBoard_Writing_Workshop_Grade8_Flipbook

Writing Workshop 6 (continued)
My Notes
ACTIVITY 1
Discovering the Elements of Research Writing
Before Reading
1. Think about your previous experiences with research. In small groups, discuss the following questions. You will share your responses with the group.
• How did you choose a topic to research?
• What role did audience and purpose for writing play in helping you to choose a topic?
• How did you find sources to research your topic?
• What types of sources did you use?
• How did you decide which sources were good?
• How did you take notes and summarize the information you found?
• How did you write about or present your findings?
During Reading
2 Below is a sample research presentation for your review.
• What is the research topic? What do you think would be a good research
question for this topic?
• Circle the major idea of the research paper.
• Underline key points of information in each paragraph.
• Note where quotations are incorporated into the research paper. Are
they used smoothly and cited correctly?
• Look at the sources for the information presented. How do you know
they are good sources? Which are primary and which are secondary sources? Which is a print source and which is electronic?
Sample Student Text
Banning Soda in Schools—
Is It Enough?
Many schools are changing. The long line of soda machines in the halls are disappearing. Bottled water is replacing Coke and Pepsi, and for a good reason. Seventeen percent of children in this country are obese. That is three times as many children as there were in the previous generation (“Childhood Overweight”). It’s important to do what we can to fight obesity and poor nutrition, especially in our schools. Banning soda from schools is one step to improve this problem, but we’re learning that it can’t be the only one. More information is showing that banning soda doesn’t do enough to really improve students’ diets.
Once soda machines were removed from schools, many thought there would
be a quick reduction in the amount of obese students. That is understandable, soda “accounts for more calories than any other food or beverage groups for teens between the ages of 14 to 18” (Park). However, a recent study showed that, in fact, the move
2 SpringBoard® Writing Workshop with Grammar Activities Grade 8
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