Name: Research Guide: Space Exploration
SKU: 62321d4ae8dcec671cb20cf1
Price: 39.99 USD
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About this resource

What's inside this resource

Space exploration is one of the most fascinating and significant periods in modern history and what could be more exciting than providing your students with the opportunity to research and write about the life of a significant space explorer? This carefully scaffolded and easy-to-assign-AND-assess resource has been designed to guide student learning from simple (and multiple choice!) space exploration figure selection, to subject fact-collection, essay planning, and the development of a properly-cited and well-organized five-paragraph research essay.

Implementing this lesson into your social studies or language arts curriculum is so simple! Start by handing out the background research and note-taking worksheet (you could also ONLY hand this out if you want a shorter lesson!). Once students have selected their subject, all you have to do is provide them the opportunity to conduct research using the straightforward information planner, then distribute the essay outline activity, which guides students step-by-step through the requirements of their research essay. From there, essay drafting, using the provided peer review checklist, and submitting their final draft will be easy for even the most reluctant writers! And then you can assess their work with the provided Common Core-aligned rubric! That’s right: there’s no need to write a rubric!

Use this entire resource as a complete research lesson or just part of it as a short research activity or sub plan!

This TeachSimple download includes:

A significant space explorer essay writing assignment with directions, requirements, research essay writing tips, a peer review checklist, and Common Core-tied grading rubric
An editable rubric, provided as a link, that lets you make adjustments to the grade values and guidelines. This link is provided as as Google Sheet specifically built for integration into Google Classroom, although you can also modify it for use in other Learning Management Systems (LMSs)
A space explorer note-taking worksheet that will guide your students through information gathering. This straightforward two-page handout includes instructions for background research, subject selection section (with 1-2-sentence biography summary), a fun drawing section, and an area to cite quality sources and organize conducted research
A research essay outlining worksheet, so students build on their selected subject notes in a clear and simple manner as they build their work towards a draft and final paper
All 6-pages of this lesson are provided in full-color and B&W versions

Although this resource can be fitted for any secondary classroom, it has been carefully designed to work best in grades 7 through 10. The included rubric is subtly but specifically tied to Common Core ELA Standards for Language (3) and Writing (2, 5, and 7). This resource is provided as a print-ready, bookmarked, and adjustable PDF file. The rubric is also included as an editable Google Sheet.

This resource contains 6 pages and 1 Google Sheet.

In the classroom

Teaching tips & learning objectives

Learning objectives

Write a thesis-driven research essay about a figure in space exploration
Support body paragraphs with facts from at least three cited sources

Teaching tips

The planner suggests a Wikipedia-type source for basic facts, while the essay requires three sources; it may help to discuss which sources count toward that three.

Skills covered

Research note-taking — filling in basic biographical facts about a chosen explorer
Peer editing — reviewing a partner's draft against the shared writing-tips checklist

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Curriculum

Standards, concepts & topics

Standards

CCSS.W.6.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. a. Introduce a topic; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. c. Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the information or explanation presented.
CCSS.RL.7.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/ effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. c. Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.
CCSS.W.8.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.
CCSS.W.9.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).
CCSS.W.10.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).
CCSS.W.6.5 — With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade 6 on page 53.)
CCSS.W.7.5 — With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade 7 on page 53.)
CCSS.W.8.5 — With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade 8 on page 53.)
CCSS.W.9.5 — Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grades 9–10 on page 55.)
CCSS.W.10.5 — Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grades 9–10 on page 55.)
CCSS.W.6.7 — Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
CCSS.W.7.7 — Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.
CCSS.W.8.7 — Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
CCSS.W.9.7 — Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
CCSS.W.10.7 — Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
CCSS.L.6.3 — Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. a. Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/ listener interest, and style.* b. Maintain consistency in style and tone.
CCSS.L.7.3 — Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. a. Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action; expressing uncertainty or describing a state contrary to fact).
CCSS.L.8.3 — Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. a. Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action; expressing uncertainty or describing a state contrary to fact).
CCSS.L.9.3 — Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. a. Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., MLA Handbook, Turabian’s Manual for Writers) appropriate for the discipline and writing type.
CCSS.L.10.3 — Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. a. Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., MLA Handbook, Turabian’s Manual for Writers) appropriate for the discipline and writing type.

Core concepts

Space exploration
Research essay
Thesis statement
MLA format
Works cited

Topics

essay rubric worksheets research MLA Common Core Space Exploration

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Research Guide: Space Exploration