State Research Report

This lesson was developed in the A-Z report format to encourage students to choose their own facts to research to develop and write a comprehensive report. You can decide if you wish to have your students complete all letters in the alphabet or a certain number.

Each letter of the alphabet has an idea box to show some facts to write about that begin with that letter. The ideas in these boxes are just a few ideas, but the student should be encouraged to choose whatever fact that begins with that letter in which there are interested. 

Also included:

• A-Z report format that has no idea boxes for students who need to be challenged or wish to develop their own ideas.

• One blank piece of lined paper that can be used to copy for an extra paper to expand the report where needed.

• State illustration, illustration, map, and picture templates that can be copied as needed, using as many or few as are desired to complete each student report.

• Handout to help give students ideas for where to find information for their report.

• Page for students to gather their information about the resources that they have used… this is an informal page for students to include as much information that they can about each resource.

• Bibliography page for the student to use if you would like them to do a more formal Bibliography. I have not included any format for the Bibliography because this can be a very personal decision for each educator.

• Pages to be copied for students to take notes. I have created two formats, one with lines and one with a bullet-type format. I copy both types and have two stacks for the students to choose which kind they’d like to use. I let the students create an information folder to keep all of their notes and resource page as they find new resources, cite them, and then gather and write down their information.

• Simple rubric to be used for you to assess and grade.

• Student checklist for students to use to make sure they are going through the revising and editing process prior to turning in their report.

• Common Core general standard that you can hang on your wall or near your reports.

• 77-page PDF ready-to-print with worksheets, teacher ideas, and grading rubric