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Guide for 4th Graders on How to Write a Research Paper

Related articles, a step-by-step on how to do a background study for a thesis, tools to help you organize thoughts & write a research paper, how to write an explanation essay.

  • Lesson Plan to Teach Attention Grabbers in Writing
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Writing a research paper is a very grown up and exciting project for many 4th graders. Students can look at a research paper as an opportunity to teach someone else about a topic they have studied. Most 4th grade research papers will focus on non-fiction content from the school's curriculum. In order to write a research paper, 4th grade students should think carefully about the topic they choose and follow the steps of the writing process.

Prewriting Phase of Research

Before you can write a research paper, you need to choose a topic, do some research and brainstorm ideas. Research papers are non-fiction writing, so you will most likely be writing about a real person, place, event or thing -- perhaps an animal or an invention. Choose the topic you are going to write about from the subject or list your teacher gave you, from a seed idea in your notebook or by thinking about subjects that interest you. Gather information about the topic by doing research on the Internet, in books, or by interviewing experts. Take notes as you gather information so you can remember what you learned.

Drafting Phase of Research

Once you have completed your research, you are ready to write the first draft of your research paper. The most important part of this draft is your topic sentence. In your first paragraph -- your introduction -- you want to make sure you tell readers the main idea of your research paper. Everything you write in your paper is going to be related to that sentence. Reread the notes that you took during prewriting, organize your thoughts, and use your own words and ideas to explain what you learned. Most 4th grade research papers are five paragraphs long with one introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs and a conclusion paragraph.

Edit and Revise

After you finish writing your first draft, take a short break from your research paper. Don't look at it for at least a day. When you go back to it, read it over very carefully, looking for places where you can make your writing better by adding, deleting or rearranging information. Make these changes on the computer or by hand. Then reread it very carefully, sentence by sentence, looking for mistakes in spelling, grammar and punctuation. Fix or mark the mistakes that you find. Finally, ask at least three other people to read your research paper and give you opinions and suggestions. Once you have revised and edited your own writing and asked for feedback from others, rewrite your first draft.

Publish Your Research Paper

By this point in the writing process, your research paper is sounding pretty good. Your topic is explained clearly, your writing is all related to your topic, your paper is broken up into an introduction, a body and a conclusion and you are ready to turn in your work. The final step in the writing process is publishing. This is the step where you make sure that your writing looks neat and professional and ready to share with others. You might share, or publish, your work by turning it in to your teacher, showing it to your classmates or displaying it in the classroom or hallway.

  • Great Schools: Your Fourth Grader and Writing

A lifetime resident of New York, Christi O'Donnell has been writing about education since 2003. O'Donnell is a dual-certified educator with experience writing curriculum and teaching grades preK through 12. She holds a Bachelors Degree from Sarah Lawrence College and a Masters Degree in education from Mercy College.

A Simple Way to Teach Third Graders How to Write a Simple Paragraph

5 step writing process for kids, strategies for how to overcome the challenges of writing a paper, importance of doing an outline prior to writing, steps for writing a personal experience essay, elementary activities for first & third person point of view, seven ways to write a research paper, how to write a thesis statement for an autobiographical essay, teaching how to read editorials in fifth grade, most popular.

  • 1 A Simple Way to Teach Third Graders How to Write a Simple Paragraph
  • 2 5 Step Writing Process for Kids
  • 3 Strategies for How to Overcome the Challenges of Writing a Paper
  • 4 Importance of Doing an Outline Prior to Writing

The Classroom | Empowering Students in Their College Journey

How to Make an Outline for a Fourth Grade Research Paper

How to Write an Expository Essay for Grade Three

How to Write an Expository Essay for Grade Three

Writing an outline helps you organize your ideas into the best order for your paper. You collect a lot of information to write a research paper, and it can be hard to figure out which details you need and how to put them together. Your outline tells you where each piece of information belongs in your paper, and it helps you make sure that every sentence you write is relevant to your topic. Outlining a research paper is simple -- you begin with an introduction, continue with examples or key points, and finish with a conclusion.

Decide on the main point of your paper. This will be your thesis statement, which will come at the end of your introduction. For example, if your research paper is about what makes your home state special, your main point might be that the Grand Canyon is your state's most remarkable landmark.

Begin your outline by writing the Roman numeral I, then write the word "Introduction" next to it. You don't have to outline your introduction in detail, because it won't have many specific pieces of information in it. Under the word "Introduction," write your thesis statement -- for example, "There are lots of special things about Arizona, but the state is most famous for the Grand Canyon."

Think of three key points to write about in your research paper. For the Arizona example, you might decide to write about how the Grand Canyon was formed, the tourists who come to visit it and what other states have similar landmarks, on a smaller scale.

Write the Roman numerals II, III and IV on your outline paper, and leave lots of space between each one. Write a title for each key point next to one of the numbers. You don't have to write complete sentences -- a word or short phrase is enough. For example, write "II. History," "III. Tourists" and "IV. Other states' landmarks."

Do your research. Read books, articles and websites about the topic of your paper. Look for any details, facts or statistics about your three key points.

Write sentences with information your research reveals about your key points -- in your own words -- onto index cards. Use one index card for each piece of information. Write the name of the source, the author and the page number on each card as well.

Separate the index cards into three piles, one for each of your key points. Think about what questions the information answers. For example, if one index card says that people visit the Grand Canyon from other states and another card says that people visit from Mexico, both those cards answer the question: "Where do Grand Canyon tourists come from?" Put all the cards that answer the same question together.

Write a heading for each major question your cards answer under the Roman numeral for the paragraph. For example, if your cards talk about where tourists come from, how long they stay and what they do while they are at the Grand Canyon, write "A. Tourists' homes," "B. Visit length" and "C. Activities" under "II. Tourists." Leave two or three lines between each letter.

Put a number for each specific detail you want to write about under the letter headings. For example, under "A. Tourists' homes," write "1. Other states" and "2. Mexico." Add numbers for all the details until each index card has a place in your outline.

Leave a space for your conclusion at the bottom of your outline. Write "V. Conclusion," and write your concluding sentence. This should be something that sums up your main point, such as "The Grand Canyon makes Arizona different from all the other states."

  • After you have finished writing your outline, you may still have some index cards that don't seem to have a place in the essay. Put those cards aside. Sometimes essays change, and you might need them later. But for now, they don't help you make your main point, so you shouldn't include them.

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Topics for Fourth-Grade Research Papers

Kristen hamlin.

Research papers help fourth-graders learn more about a single topic while developing research skills.

Most fourth-graders are assigned a research paper at some point during the school year. Research papers allow students to combine research skills and language arts with the knowledge they have gained in other subjects, such as science, social studies and history. The research paper ties everything together, and defining the right topic for the paper helps ensure that students will stay interested and engaged with the assignment while learning valuable skills.

Explore this article

  • Single Topic
  • Problem-Solution
  • Compare and Contrast
  • Research Studies

1 Single Topic

Fourth-grade students can complete straightforward research papers on a particular topic, such as U.S. presidents, U.S. states or foreign countries. Place slips of paper with these topics listed on them in a hat or basket, and have children choose a topic from the hat. This method ensures that the topic selection is fair, and students are more likely to choose a topic they know little about. Students could also write research papers on subjects tied to current events or recognition months; for example, in February, students could write about famous Black Americans in recognition of Black History Month, or well-known women during October for Women’s History Month.

2 Problem-Solution

To boost fourth-graders’ critical thinking skills, assign a research paper in the problem-solution format. The topic should be a problem, such as global warming, illiteracy or animal welfare, that the students can research and then develop their own ideas for a solution. Choosing a problem-solution type of topic will encourage students to study current events and become more engaged in the world around them.

3 Compare and Contrast

Comparing and contrasting is another paper type that can develop students’ critical thinking skills. Ask students to choose a research paper topic that compares two similar concepts, such as two states, two sports or two historical events. Students can research the basic facts about the topics, and then explore what makes them similar and different. As an alternative, the research paper could be designed to be a persuasive paper, in which the student must make a case for why one idea is better than another.

4 Research Studies

Asking students to design their own research studies is bound to create some fun and creative research topics. If your students are learning about performing research experiments in science class, ask them to develop their own study for a research paper. The research paper can explore the students' hypothesis, and allow them to design their own “study” to prove or disprove the hypothesis. Students could conduct a survey of their classmates about their feelings about a particular subject, for example, and combine that research with information they learned about the topic through library research.

  • 1 Education.com: Finding a Topic: Research Paper Study Guide
  • 2 Education.com: Research Paper Building Blocks
  • 3 Education.com: List of Research Paper Topics: Research Paper Study Guide

About the Author

An adjunct instructor at Central Maine Community College, Kristen Hamlin is also a freelance writer on topics including lifestyle, education, and business. She is the author of Graduate! Everything You Need to Succeed After College (Capital Books), and her work has appeared in Lewiston Auburn Magazine, Young Money, USA Today and a variety of online outlets. She has a B.A. in Communication from Stonehill College, and a Master of Liberal Studies in Creative Writing from the University of Denver.

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The Curriculum Corner 4-5-6

Writing Research Papers

research paper for 4th graders

This research writing unit of study is designed to guide your students through the research writing process. 

This is a free writing unit of study from the curriculum corner..

This research writing collection includes mini lessons, anchor charts and more.

Mention the words “research writing” in an intermediate classroom and you might be met with moans & groans or perhaps even see fear in the eyes of some students. 

In all seriousness though, writing can be intimidating for many children in our classrooms.

Guided and focused your mini-lessons can be helpful for students. Also, the more examples you can get students to interact with, the more they will understand the expectations. Finally, the more modeling that you do for them, the more they can view writing as less overwhelming.

Download the free resources to accompany this unit of study at the bottom of this post.

writing research papers

Lesson Ideas for Writing Research Papers:

Lesson 1: Noticings

  • Begin by getting your students familiar with what research writing looks like.
  • Have them work in pairs or small groups to read pieces of research writing. They will record their “noticings” about the writing.
  • Then, come together in a community circle to discuss and create a class anchor chart.
  • You will find a blank anchor chart and one with noticings already recorded.
  • Here is a link we found that contains some student-created examples of research writing: Student Writing Models .  Simply scroll through the grade levels for different samples.

Lesson 2: Opinion vs. Facts

  • Begin with a brief review of opinions vs. facts.
  • Use the six paragraphs we share in our resources to give your students some practice differentiating between the two.
  • Each of the paragraphs contains both opinions and facts.
  • Students will read the paragraphs and record the facts and opinions from their paragraph onto the recording page.

FREEBIE! Research Writing Unit of Study FREE from The Curriculum Corner - mini lessons, anchor charts, graphic organizers & more!

Lesson 3: Choosing a Topic

  • We know that providing choice will allow for greater engagement and success.  We want to help students to narrow their choices by giving them some guidance.
  • Gather students and begin a discussion about choosing a research topic.
  • Ask them to think of topics they already know a little about, have interest in or is important/relevant to their lives.
  • You might pose the question “Why is that important in research writing?” and discuss their thoughts.
  • For this lesson we have provided a page where students can individually brainstorm topics. You can circulate the room during this process to help students to narrow their topic.
  • If you feel your class may need help to narrow their choices, think about giving them a broad topic, such as animals, and then have them choose a sub-topics from the bigger umbrella topic.
  • If you feel like your students need an added level of support you might think about creating an anchor chart from a class brainstorming session about possible appropriate topics and then display this in your room.

Lesson 4: Where to Find Accurate Information about a Topic

  • Help students to begin to understand where they might find accurate information about their topics.
  • Where are the places you can begin to look for information about your topic?  
  • Why would the copyright date on a book be important in doing research?  
  • Is everything on the internet true?
  • Why is it important for your research to contain accurate information?  
  • Where do you begin to look for information that will accurate
  • One way to help students think through appropriate sites on the internet is to pass out the ten cards provided in our resources.
  • Have students read the cards and discuss what kind of a website it is.
  • Talk about whether they know or have heard of the sites. Would they consider the sites “trusted” enough to gain knowledge about their topics.  Then have them talk about why or why not these sites would be trusted.

Research Writing Unit of Study FREE from The Curriculum Corner - mini lessons, anchor charts, graphic organizers & more! Completely free!!!

Lesson 5: Double Check Your Facts

  • We want our students to get into the habit of double checking their facts. This will help ensure what they are learning is correct.
  • To do this, you might want them to practice this skill.  In this lesson use the page provided to have each student find and record a fact about a topic of their choice on the internet.
  • The page then has students write where they found the fact, and also has them list a corresponding fact from a different source.
  • Finally they determine if the facts are the same or different. You may have to further the lesson by discussing approximations.  For example one site might say that an animal can weigh up to 1,500 pounds, while another might state that the animal weighs between 1,200 and 1,500 pounds.
  • You will need to talk about how those facts might both be accurate even though they are stated differently. If they seem to check out, then help students generalize the information for a research paper.

Research Writing Unit of Study FREE from The Curriculum Corner - mini lessons, anchor charts, graphic organizers & more! FREEBIE UNIT!

Lesson 6: Taking Notes

  • Sometimes giving students resources and a blank sheet of notebook paper can be too overwhelming. You have students who simply copy everything from the text or you have others who have no idea where to start.
  • We need to guide them to read to pull out facts & relevant information.
  • For this lesson we have provided various templates for note-taking. Whatever method or template you choose for helping your students learn to take notes, model it several times in front of the class Demonstrating for them how to write the notes as they read about a topic will be helpful.
  • After initial teaching, you may find that you need to pull small groups for extra practice. Some might need a one-on-one conference.

Lesson 7: Paraphrasing vs. Plagiarism

  • Students will need to learn how to paraphrase their research. This will help them avoid plagiarizing words from their resources.
  • Discuss why plagiarizing is something that they shouldn’t do in their writing because it is “stealing” another’s words.
  •  Tell the students that there is a way to use another author’s ideas in an appropriate way without copying their words. First, they need to paraphrase and then they need to cite the source where they found the information.
  • Display the anchor chart “What is Paraphrasing” and discuss the definition.
  • Next, pass out copies of “My Own Words” to pairs of students. Explain that their task will be to find a paragraph or passage in a nonfiction book. They will paraphrase the author’s words, keeping the same ideas.
  • Finally, gather students together to share their paraphrasing efforts. Each pair of students can read the paragraph/passage from the book and then the paraphrasing that they wrote.  Discuss the words and decisions the students made in their paraphrasing.

Lesson 8: Word Choice in Research Writing

  • To help students think about making their writing more interesting, have them brainstorm words that could add voice to their writing.
  • After working independently on the word choice page provided, have them meet with partners. They can talk about nouns, verbs and adjectives that relate to their topic.

Lesson 9: Writing Sketch

  • This graphic organizer can be used for students to plan their writing.
  • If your writers are more advanced you might choose to skip this step, It could be a big help for students who have taken notes and have too many facts.  
  • Be sure to model how to write the facts & ideas from your notes onto your planner. Students will see first hand how to make sure to only add what is relevant and important to their writing.
  • Some questions you can pose: What will be the focus of each paragraph in your research writing?  What do you want to include from your notes?  Why is it important to the research?  What facts don’t quite fit into the paragraphs you’ve decided upon? Should you change some of the paragraphs so that they better support the research and what you want your readers to learn?
  • Once the planner is finished, they can use it as a guide to help their writing stay focused.

Lesson 10: Writing Introductions to Research

  • Teach students how to think about their introduction as a way to grab their readers’ attention.
  • Our anchor chart has some ideas to get writers started. You might also extend the anchor chart to include ideas from your students. (We have included some blank anchor charts at the very bottom of the download.)
  • Discuss the parts that need to be included in the introductory paragraph first. Then, move on to some of the ways that might engage readers. As always be sure to model how you would go about writing an introductory paragraph using your Writing Sketch.

Lesson 11: Developing Your Paragraphs

  • Next, help students stay focused and develop complete paragraphs.The next graphic organizer will get them to think through the specifics of each paragraph.
  • Again, this may not be needed for all of the students in your classroom, but it might be something to think about using with all of them for at least their very first attempts at writing research papers.
  •  Model how to use the Writing Sketch planner to develop their paragraphs more fully on this organizer.

Lesson 12: Writing a Conclusion to Research 

Providing a solid concluding paragraph is also something that needs modeled for your students.

Use the anchor chart with ideas to get you started with the modeling of this as well.

***If you would like for your students to write their first drafts on something that continues to support organization for them, you will find guided lined paper.

Lesson 13: Research Rendezvous Celebration

We love ending a unit of study with a celebration.

For this particular celebration, you might invite students to bring in a visual to help illustrate their topic.  

Invite parents and other special adults from your building to the celebration and think about providing a snack.  

You can also print out our “Congrats Author!” certificates to give to each student during the celebration.

Free unit! Research Writing Unit of Study FREE from The Curriculum Corner - mini lessons, anchor charts, graphic organizers & more!

All the research writing resources described above can be found in one download here:

Writing a Research Paper Resources

As with all of our resources, The Curriculum Corner creates these for free classroom use. Our products may not be sold. You may print and copy for your personal classroom use. These are also great for home school families!

You may not modify and resell in any form. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Dulce Hernandez

Thursday 8th of April 2021

Thank you so much. I tutor non-English speakers from K-9th grade. These resources are a God send!!

Monday 25th of May 2020

I cant download it, where do you download it?

Jill & Cathy

Wednesday 2nd of September 2020

Here is the link: https://www.thecurriculumcorner.com/thecurriculumcorner456/wp-content/pdf/writing/research/researchwriting.pdf

Graphic Organizer for Research Papers - The Curriculum Corner 4-5-6

Tuesday 19th of November 2019

[…] You might also like our unit of study for writing research papers:How to Write a Research Paper […]

Planning a Dynamic Writing Workshop - The Curriculum Corner 123

Thursday 14th of November 2019

[…] Writing Research Papers […]

Language Arts in the Middle School and High School Years

Thursday 11th of May 2017

[…] The middle school years can also be a good time to introduce writing a short research paper if your student is ready.  Introduce how to do research, how to make an outline, and how to write a short research paper, including how to cite sources. Here’s a website that has a free introduction to writing research papers: https://www.thecurriculumcorner.com/thecurriculumcorner456/writing-research-papers/. […]

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4th Grade Writing Research Papers

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Writing a Compare-and-Contrast Essay (Gr. 4)

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Research Writing (Grades 3-4)

Our Research Writing lesson plan for grades 3-4 teaches students how to write a thoroughly researched and factually accurate five paragraph essay. Students practice researching a topic, summarizing and citing their information, and consolidating it into paragraphs.

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Additional information.

Our Research Writing Lesson Plan for grades 3-4 teaches students about the importance of researching and reporting findings accurately and effectively. Being able to clearly and accurately inform and communicate findings through writing is a valuable skill that students will need in many areas of their lives. Gathering and summarizing key information will also be a powerful tool for academic reading and writing throughout upper grades and higher education. In this lesson, students are asked to use the information they have learned to research and write a research paper from start to finish, including brainstorming and outlining.

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to successfully write a five paragraph research paper which clearly provides factual information and/or explanations about an expository topic.

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4th grade writing

by: Jessica Kelmon | Updated: August 4, 2022

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Your 4th grader's writing under Common Core Standards

In fourth grade, study skills play an important role in your child’s writing. Kids do research using multiple sources. They also learn to take notes on what they research, read. and hear. And even stories are more advanced, with more developed characters who show their feelings and react to what happens. And perhaps most important, your child is expected to analyze a book’s structure, logic, details, and evidence in their writing. It’s all pretty impressive!

Building 4th grade study skills

This year taking notes is an important skill. Fourth graders are expected to use books, periodicals, websites, and other digital sources to conduct research projects — both on their own and as part of group work with peers. Your child should keep track of all the sources they check — noting what they learn, the name of the source and page number or url so they can find it again and create a source list or bibliography later.

Also, taking notes while reading fiction will help your child when it comes time to analyze what they’ve read or to give an in-depth description of a character, setting, or story event drawing on specific details.

Check out this related worksheet: •  Finding key points

bttr, better, best!

Last year’s prewriting step — planning — becomes more essential in your child’s writing process this year. Before your child sits down to write, they should use their organized notes to help create the structure of whatever they’re writing. While planning , your child may brainstorm ideas for a story or decide how to organize facts into a cohesive set of points. The more knowledge your child builds during the prewriting stage, the easier it will be to write. Encourage reading and rereading, taking notes, finding additional sources, discussing aloud how new knowledge fits in with what your child knew before, and visually organizing what they plan to write about. After the first draft is written, the teacher and possibly other students will offer feedback: asking questions to elicit new details or clarify an argument or suggest new sources of information. They should check that there’s a clear introduction and conclusion, and that the order of points or events makes sense. Your child will then do a revision (or two), adding, reordering, and refining their writing to show deep understanding.

After making revisions, your child does a final edit focusing on spelling, grammar, punctuation, and strengthening word choices. These steps — planning, writing a first draft, revising, and editing the final piece — help fourth graders understand that research, organizing, clarifying ideas, and improving grammar and presentation are all essential to strong writing.

See what your fourth grade writing looks like

YouTube video

Fourth grade writing: opinion pieces

Your child’s opinions always need to be supported by evidence. Persuasive writing should start by clearly introducing an opinion on a topic. To support their opinion, kids need to present their argument, which is a list of reasons why they hold that opinion. Each of their reasons needs to be supported by facts and details (a.k.a. evidence). After presenting all of their research-supported reasons, kids should close their arguments with a concluding statement or paragraph that sums up how their evidence supports their opinion.

Check out this example of good fourth grade opinion writing: • “ Zoos should close ”

Fourth grade writing: informative writing

This year, your child’s informative writing gets more organized, with headers, illustrations and even multimedia components to support specific points. To begin, your child should introduce the topic. Then they should use facts, definitions, details, quotes, examples, and other information to develop their topic into a few clear, well thought-out paragraphs. Your fourth grader should use advanced linking words (e.g. also, another, for example, because ) to form compound and complex sentences connecting their research and ideas to the point they’re making. Finally, to wrap it up, your child should have a conclusion — either a statement or, if necessary, a section labeled conclusion.

Check out these three examples of good fourth grade informational writing: • “ John Cabot and the Rediscovery of North America ” • “ Big Book of Evolution ” • “ Book report: A Tale of Despereaux ”

Can your fourth grader write an informational essay?

YouTube video

Fourth grade writing: narratives

A narrative means writing a story. This year your child will be expected to use storytelling techniques, descriptive details, and clear sequences to tell compelling tales. Whether inspired by a favorite book, real events, or your child’s imagination, your child’s story should use dialogue, descriptive words, and transitional language. Look for precise language and sensory details that bring characters to life. Finally, your child should keep pacing and sequence of events in mind. The events should unfold naturally, bringing the story to a natural conclusion. Are surprise endings okay? Sure… so long as the details and events plausibly lead there.

Check out this related worksheet: •  Putting sentences in order

Gettin’ good at grammar

You may want to review all those parts of speech your child learned last year because fourth grade grammar is expected to be quite accurate. Your child should know relative pronouns (e.g. who, whose, whom, which, that ), relative adverbs (e.g. where, when, why ), adjective ordering (e.g. short dark hair and small red bag ), descriptive prepositional phrases (e.g. in the air, down the block, on the grass ), progressive past, present, and future verbs (e.g. I was walking, I am walking, I will be walking ), and verbs used with other verbs to express mood or tense (aka modal auxiliaries, e.g. can, may, must, should, would ). Also, your child needs to master the distinctions between frequently confused words like to , too , and two and there , their , and they’re . Finally, your child should be able to recognize and correct run-on sentences.

Check out these related worksheets: •  Prepositions •  Compound sentences •  Punctuating a paragraph •  Its or it’s?

Learning to use language precisely

This means:

  • Recognizing and explaining common idioms (e.g. bending over backwards )
  • Distinguishing between similes and metaphors (e.g. quiet as a mouse and the sun is a yellow beach ball ).
  • Identifying and using synonyms and antonyms
  • Using increasingly specific words in writing (e.g. glamorous instead of pretty, pre-dawn instead of morning, quizzed instead of asked )

Your fourth grader should now be using relevant academic words in informational writing and research reports. Although accurate spelling should be the norm in fourth grade, when faced with spelling more academic words, your child should use a dictionary and thesaurus (print and digital versions).

Check out these related worksheets: • 4th grade weekly spelling lists • Making metaphors • Simile or cliché?

Sharing their work

Most classrooms will encourage (if not require) kids to use technology to produce and publish their writing. Your fourth grader should be able to type up to a full page in one sitting. While teachers should be there to help, your child should be doing the work. Students will also be expected to interact with peers about each other’s work. What might that look like? Your child might read a classmates’ published work online and comment on it, or cite a peer’s work when answering a question in class.

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research paper for 4th graders

Finally, a guide for upper elementary teachers that will show you how to teach research reports in a step-by-step format!

If you are struggling with teaching the research report process, you are not alone. Seriously, we’ve all been there!

I spent several years avoiding research reports for my 5th grade writers or simply depending on the Library-Media Specialist to teach the research process.

One year, I decided to take the plunge and teach my students how to research a topic and write a research report.

The process was clunky at first, but I learned a lot about how students approach research and how to guide them from choosing a topic to completing their final copies.

Before we discuss the HOW , let’s talk about the WHY .

research reports for 5th grade and 6th grade

Why You Should Be Assigning Research Reports to Your 5th and 6th Grade Students

I have three main reasons for assigning research reports to my students.

First, the skill involved in finding reliable sources and citing sources is valuable.

Beginning in 5th grade, and possibly even before, students need to be able to discern the reliability of a source . They should be able to spot propaganda and distinguish between reputable sources and phony ones.

Teaching the procedure for citing sources is important because my 5th grade students need to grasp the reality of plagiarism and how to avoid it.

By providing information about the sources they used, students are consciously avoiding copying the work of authors and learning to give credit where credit is due.

Second, by taking notes and organizing their notes into an outline, students are exercising their ability to find main ideas and corresponding details.

Being able to organize ideas is crucial for young writers.

Third, when writing research reports, students are internalizing the writing process, including organizing, writing a rough draft, proofreading/editing, and writing a final draft.

When students write research reports about topics of interest, they are fine-tuning their reading and writing skills.

How to Teach Step-By-Step Research Reports

How to Teach Step-By-Step Research Reports in Grades 5 & 6

As a veteran upper elementary teacher, I know exactly what is going to happen when I tell my students that we are going to start research reports.

There will be a resounding groan followed by students voicing their displeasure. (It goes something like this…. “Mrs. Bazzit! That’s too haaaaaaard!” or “Ugh. That’s boring!” *Sigh*  I’ve heard it all, lol.)

This is when I put on my (somewhat fictional) excited teacher hat and help them to realize that the research report process will be fun and interesting.

Teach students how to choose a topic and cite their sources

Step 1: Help Students to Choose a Topic and Cite Sources for Research Reports

Students definitely get excited when they find out they are allowed to choose their own research topic. Providing choice leads to higher engagement and interest.

It’s best practice to provide a list of possible research topics to students, but also allow them to choose a different topic.

Be sure to make your research topics narrow to help students focus on sources. If students choose broad topics, the sources they find will overwhelm them with information.

Too Broad: American Revolution

Just Right: The Battle of Yorktown

Too Broad: Ocean Life

Just Right: Great White Shark

Too Broad: Important Women in History

Just Right: The Life of Abigail Adams

Be sure to discuss appropriate, reliable sources with students.

I suggest projecting several examples of internet sources on your technology board. Ask students to decide if the sources look reliable or unreliable.

While teaching students about citing sources, it’s a great time to discuss plagiarism and ways to avoid it.

Students should never copy the words of an author unless they are properly quoting the text.

In fact, I usually discourage students from quoting their sources in their research reports. In my experience, students will try to quote a great deal of text and will border on plagiarism.

I prefer to see students paraphrase from their sources because this skill helps them to refine their summarization skills.

Citing sources is not as hard as it sounds! I find that my students generally use books and internet sources, so those are the two types of citations that I focus on.

How to cite a book:

Author’s last name, First name. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher, Date.

How to cite an internet article:

Author’s last name, First name (if available). “Title of Article or Page.” Full http address, Date of access.

If you continue reading to the bottom of this post, I have created one free screencast for each of the five steps of the research process!

Teach students how to take notes on their research topics

Step 2: Research Reports: Take Notes

During this step, students will use their sources to take notes.

I do provide instruction and examples during this step because from experience, I know that students will think every piece of information from each source is important and they will copy long passages from each source.

I teach students that taking notes is an exercise in main idea and details. They should read the source, write down the main idea, and list several details to support the main idea.

I encourage my students NOT to copy information from the source but instead to put the information in their own words. They will be less likely to plagiarize if their notes already contain their own words.

Additionally, during this step, I ask students to write a one-sentence thesis statement. I teach students that a thesis statement tells the main point of their research reports.

Their entire research report will support the thesis statement, so the thesis statement is actually a great way to help students maintain a laser focus on their research topic.

Teach students how to make an outline for their research reports

Step 3: Make a Research Report Outline

Making an outline can be intimidating for students, especially if they’ve never used this organization format.

However, this valuable step will teach students to organize their notes into the order that will be used to write the rough draft of their reports.

Because making an outline is usually a new concept for my 5th graders, we do 2-3 examples together before I allow students to make their outlines for their research reports.

I recommend copying an outline template for students to have at their fingertips while creating their first outline.

Be sure to look over students’ outlines for organization, order, and accuracy before allowing them to move on to the next step (writing rough drafts).

Teach students how to write a rough draft of their research reports

Step 4: Write a Research Report Draft

During this step, each student will write a rough draft of his/her research report.

If they completed their outlines correctly, this step will be fairly simple.

Students will write their research reports in paragraph form.

One problem that is common among my students is that instead of writing in paragraphs, they write their sentences in list format.

I find that it’s helpful to write a paragraph in front of and with students to remind them that when writing a paragraph, the next sentence begins immediately after the prior sentence.

Once students’ rough drafts are completed, it’s time to proofread/edit!

To begin, I ask my students to read their drafts aloud to listen for their own mistakes.

Next, I ask my students to have two individuals look over their draft and suggest changes.

Teach students how to create final drafts of their research reports

Step 5: Research Reports – Students Will Write Their Final Drafts! 

It’s finally time to write final drafts!

After students have completed their rough drafts and made edits, I ask them to write final drafts.

Students’ final drafts should be as close to perfect as possible.

I prefer a typed final draft because students will have access to a spellchecker and other features that will make it easier to create their final draft.

Think of a creative way to display the finished product, because they will be SO proud of their research reports after all the hard work that went into creating them!

When grading the reports, use a rubric similar to the one shown in the image at the beginning of this section.

A detailed rubric will help students to clearly see their successes and areas of needed improvement.

Once students have completed their first research projects, I find that they have a much easier time with the other research topics assigned throughout the remainder of the school year.

If you are interested in a no-prep, step-by-step research report instructional unit, please click here to visit my Research Report Instructional Unit for 5th Grade and 6th Grade. 

Research Report Unit

This instructional unit will guide students step-by-step through the research process, including locating reliable sources, taking notes, creating an outline, writing a report, and making a “works cited” page.

I’d like to share a very special free resource with you. I created five screencast videos, one for each step of the research report process. These screencasts pair perfectly with my Research Report Instructional Unit for 5th Grade and 6th Grade! 

Research Report Step 1 Screencast

Research Report Step 2 Screencast

Research Report Step 3 Screencast

Research Report Step 4 Screencast

Research Report Step 5 Screencast

How to Teach Step-By-Step Research Reports

To keep this post for later, simply save this image to your teacher Pinterest board!

Hi, If i purchase your complete package on grade 5/6 writing does it come with your wonderful recordings on how to teach them? Thanks

Hi Gail! The recordings on this blog post can be used by anyone and I will leave them up 🙂 The writing bundle doesn’t come with any recordings but I did include step-by-step instructions for teachers. I hope this helps!

Thank you for sharing your information with everyone. I know how to write (I think, haha), but I wanted to really set my students up for success with their research and writing. Your directions and guides are just what I needed to jar my memory and help my students become original writers. Be blessed.

You are very welcome, Andrea! Thank you for this comment 🙂

Hi Andrea, I am a veteran teacher who has taught nothing but primary for 25 years. However, this is my first year in 5th. I’m so excited to have found your post. Can you direct me to how I can purchase your entire bundle for writing a 5-paragraph essay. Thanks, Sue

Sure, Susan, I can help with that! Here is the link for the 5th Grade Writing Bundle: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/5th-Grade-Writing-Bundle-3611643

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Research Paper | Complete Unit for Upper Elementary

Teaching students how to write a research paper can be difficult. This  FULL UNIT  makes it easier for the teacher to teach students to write quality research papers. This resource will walk your students step-by-step through the writing process- from brainstorming ideas to publishing the final product.

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In this product you will find a complete guide for writing research papers. From beginning research to the finished product, this guide is perfect for grades 4-6. Below you will find a list of what is included in the download:

  • Suggested Timeline
  • Teacher Tips
  • Packet Cover
  • Due Dates for Project
  • Unit Outcomes
  • Brainstorming Ideas Page
  • How to Research
  • Taking Notes/Using Notecards
  • How to write an outline
  • Outline template (for a 3 or 5 body paragraph paper)
  • How to Draft Diagram
  • Opening/Closing Paragraphs
  • Rough Draft Writing Pages (for a 3 or 5 body paragraph paper)
  • Work Cited Guide
  • Sample Essay
  • Both Color and B&W Options

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101 research paper topics.

  • Why do we sleep ?
  • How do GPS systems work?
  • Who was the first person to reach the North Pole ?
  • Did anybody ever escape Alcatraz ?
  • What was life like for a gladiator ?
  • What are the effects of prolonged steroid use on the human body?
  • What happened during the Salem witch trials ?
  • Are there any effective means of repelling insects ?
  • How did trains and railroads change life in America?
  • What may have occurred during the Roswell  UFO incident of 1947?
  • How is bulletproof clothing made?
  • What Olympic events were practiced in ancient Greece?
  • What are the major theories explaining the disappearance of the dinosaurs ?
  • How was the skateboard invented and how has it changed over the years?
  • How did the long bow contribute to English military dominance?
  • What caused the stock market crash of 2008?
  • How did Cleopatra come to power in Egypt what did she do during her reign?
  • How has airport security intensified since September 11 th , 2001?
  • What is life like inside of a beehive ?
  • Where did hip hop originate and who were its founders?
  • What makes the platypus a unique and interesting mammal?
  • How does tobacco use affect the human body?
  • How do computer viruses spread and in what ways do they affect computers?
  • What is daily life like for a Buddhist monk ?
  • What are the origins of the conflict in Darfur ?
  • How did gunpowder change warfare?
  • In what ways do Wal-Mart stores affect local economies?
  • How were cats and dogs domesticated and for what purposes?
  • What do historians know about ninjas ?
  • How has the music industry been affected by the internet and digital downloading?
  • What were the circumstances surrounding the death of Osama Bin Laden ?
  • What was the women’s suffrage movement and how did it change America?
  • What efforts are being taken to protect endangered wildlife ?
  • How much does the war on drugs cost Americans each year?
  • How is text messaging affecting teen literacy?
  • Are humans still evolving ?
  • What technologies are available to home owners to help them conserve energy ?
  • How have oil spills affected the planet and what steps are being taken to prevent them?
  • What was the Magna Carta and how did it change England?
  • What is the curse of the pharaohs?
  • Why was Socrates executed?
  • What nonlethal weapons are used by police to subdue rioters?
  • How does the prison population in America compare to other nations?
  • How did ancient sailors navigate the globe?
  • Can gamblers ever acquire a statistical advantage over the house in casino games?
  • What is alchemy and how has it been attempted?
  • How are black holes formed?
  • How was the assassination of Abraham Lincoln plotted and executed?
  • Do the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks?
  • How do submarines work?
  • Do lie detector tests accurately determine truthful statements?
  • How did Cold War tension affect the US and the world?
  • What happened to the lost settlers at Roanoke ?
  • How does a hybrid car save energy?
  • What ingredients can be found inside of a hotdog ?
  • How did Julius Caesar affect Rome?
  • What are some common sleep disorders and how are they treated?
  • How did the Freedom Riders change society?
  • How is internet censorship used in China and around the world?
  • What was the code of the Bushido and how did it affect samurai warriors ?
  • What are the risks of artificial tanning or prolonged exposure to the sun?
  • What programs are available to help war veterans get back into society?
  • What steps are involved in creating a movie or television show?
  • How have the film and music industries dealt with piracy ?
  • How did Joan of Arc change history?
  • What responsibilities do secret service agents have?
  • How does a shark hunt?
  • What dangers and hardships did Lewis and Clark face when exploring the Midwest?
  • Has the Patriot Act prevented or stopped terrorist acts in America?
  • Do states that allow citizens to carry guns have higher or lower crime rates?
  • How are the Great Depression and the Great Recession similar and different?
  • What are the dangers of scuba diving and underwater exploration?
  • How does the human brain store and retrieve memories ?
  • What was the Manhattan Project and what impact did it have on the world?
  • How does stealth technology shield aircraft from radar?
  • What causes tornadoes ?
  • Why did Martin Luther protest against the Catholic Church?
  • How does a search engine work?
  • What are the current capabilities and future goals of genetic engineers ?
  • How did the Roman Empire fall?
  • What obstacles faced scientists in breaking the sound barrier ?
  • How did the black plague affect Europe?
  • What happened to Amelia Earhart ?
  • What are the dangers and hazards of using nuclear power ?
  • How did Genghis Khan conquer Persia?
  • What architectural marvels were found in Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire ?
  • From where does spam email come and can we stop it?
  • How does night vision work?
  • How did journalists influence US war efforts in Vietnam ?
  • What are the benefits and hazards of medical marijuana ?
  • What causes desert mirages and how do they affect wanderers?
  • What was the cultural significance of the first moon landing ?
  • What are sinkholes and how are they formed?
  • Have any psychics ever solved crimes or prevented them from occurring?
  • Who is Vlad the Impaler and what is his connection to Count Dracula ?
  • What are the risks of climate change and global warming ?
  • What treatments are available to people infected with HIV and are they effective?
  • Who was a greater inventor, Leonardo di Vinci or Thomas Edison ?
  • How are the Chinese and American economies similar and different?
  • Why was communism unsuccessful in so many countries?
  • In what ways do video games affect children and teenagers?

This is an image of a young woman in a library. She is sitting at a desk with a pile of books and looking toward the ceiling. She appears to be in deep thought.

923 Comments

I like using this website when I assist kids with learning as a lot of these topics are quickly covered in the school systems. Thankyou

Mackenah Nicole Molina

Wow! I always have trouble deiciding what to do a research project on but this list has totally solved that. Now my only problem is choosing what idea on this list I should do first!

Most of these my teacher rejected because apparently ‘these aren’t grade level topics, and I doubt they interest you”

I’m sorry to hear that. Sounds like you will have a potentially valuable character-building experience in the short-term.

Edwin Augusto Galindo Cuba

THIS SITE IS AWESOME, THERE ARE LOTS OF TOPICS TO LEARN AND MASTER OUR SKILLS!

research kid

I need one about animals, please. I have been challenged to a animal research project, Due Friday. I have no clue what to research! somebody help, thanks for reading!

You can do one on bats

For international studies you can do Defense and Security.

This was very helpful.

Research on Ben Franklin? I think THAT will get a real charge out of everyone (hehehehegetit)

Mandy Maher

“Is it possible to colonize Mars?”

maddy burney

these are silly topics

thx for making this real.

more gaming questions!!!!!!

Is it still considered stealing if you don’t get caught?

Yes, yes it is still considered stealing.

I need topics on memes

Mary Nnamani

Please I need project topics on Language Literature

Marcella Vallarino

I would appreciate a list of survey questions for middle school grades 6-8

I need a research topics about public sector management

I NEED FIVE EXAMPLES EACH ON QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH (EDUCATION, HEALTH, TECHNOLOGY, ECONOMY AND ENGINEERING)

publish research that are interesting please……

hey can you do one on the burmiueda triangle

Anybody know video games effect kids,and,teens. There Fun!!

they’re

I need a topic about woman history if any of u can find 1 please that would be great!

You could research about the history of the astronauts, and of human past (WWI, WWII, etc.)

so about women? Manitoba Women Win the Right to Vote in Municipal Elections, The First Women, January 23, 1849: Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman to graduate from medical school and become a doctor in the United States, Rosa Parks Civil Rights Equal Pay. I have way more. so if you need more just ask.

communism is good

what are you a communist?!?!

Did FDR know about the upcoming attack on Pearl Harbor on 07 DEC 1941.

do you know how babies are born

Christine Singu

kindly assist with a research topic in the field of accounting or auditing

need more about US army

Please can yiu give me a topic in education

I think one should be how can music/Video games can affect the life for people

or How Do Video Games Affect Teenagers?

zimbabwe leader

I think a good topic is supporting the confederate flag!

Need a research topic within the context of students union government and dues payments

do more weird ones plz

joyce alcantara

Hi pls po can you give me a topic relate for humanities pls thank u.

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  1. Guide for 4th Graders on How to Write a Research Paper

    In order to write a research paper, 4th grade students should think carefully about the topic they choose and follow the steps of the writing process. Prewriting Phase of Research. Before you can write a research paper, you need to choose a topic, do some research and brainstorm ideas. Research papers are non-fiction writing, so you will most ...

  2. 11 Good 4th Grade Research Topics You Haven't Thought Of

    8. Extreme Weather and Natural Disasters. Natural disasters prove to be one of the more popular 4th grade research topics. Learners explore the different types of natural disasters, where they are most likely to occur, how they are predicted plus controlled, and the damaging impact these violent events have on citizens.

  3. How to Make an Outline for a Fourth Grade Research Paper

    Step 4. Write the Roman numerals II, III and IV on your outline paper, and leave lots of space between each one. Write a title for each key point next to one of the numbers. You don't have to write complete sentences -- a word or short phrase is enough. For example, write "II. History," "III. Tourists" and "IV.

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    Browse Printable 4th Grade Research Writing Worksheets. Award winning educational materials designed to help kids succeed. Start for free now! ... Printable 4th Grade Research Writing Worksheets ... Visualize the steps to writing a research paper with this essential guide! 4th grade. Reading & Writing. Worksheet. Colonial America: Jamestown ...

  5. Topics for Fourth-Grade Research Papers

    Most fourth-graders are assigned a research paper at some point during the school year. Research papers allow students to combine research skills and language arts with the knowledge they have gained in other subjects, such as science, social studies and history. The research paper ties everything together, and ...

  6. Research Writing (Grades 4-6), Free PDF Download

    Our Research Writing lesson plan for grades 4-6 teaches students how to write a thoroughly researched and factually accurate five paragraph essay. Students write an essay based on research they conduct in order to practice this type of writing. Categories: Downloadable, Language Arts Tags: 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade.

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    This video series will teach you how to write a research paper or report. Each episode leads you through each step of the writing process. In this video, you...

  8. Video: How fourth graders do research for an essay

    Español. In fourth grade, kids usually start to think more deeply about the essays they write. You'll see this in the ways they investigate a topic and organize their thoughts about it. Watch this video from Understood founding partner GreatSchools to find out what methods they're likely to use.

  9. 4th Grade Writing Research Papers Teaching Resource

    Browse our printable 4th Grade Writing Research Papers Teaching Resource resources for your classroom. Download free today!

  10. Writing Research Papers

    This is a free writing unit of study from The Curriculum Corner. This research writing collection includes mini lessons, anchor charts and more. Mention the words "research writing" in an intermediate classroom and you might be met with moans & groans or perhaps even see fear in the eyes of some students. In all seriousness though, writing ...

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    Its line of educational resources supports teachers and helps schools and districts meet demands for adequate yearly progress and reporting. Students are introduced to writing and editing a research report through this writing process teacher model. It includes a KWL chart model, a blank KWL chart, and four different revisions of a sample paper.

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    Writing a Compare-and-Contrast Essay (Gr. 4) Students are introduced to comparing and contrasting through this writing process teaching model. It includes a sample…. Subjects: Writing Research Papers. Writing. Language Arts and Writing. Download. Add to Favorites.

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  14. Research Writing (Grades 3-4), Free PDF Download

    Our Research Writing lesson plan for grades 3-4 teaches students how to write a thoroughly researched and factually accurate five paragraph essay. Students practice researching a topic, summarizing and citing their information, and consolidating it into paragraphs. Categories: Downloadable, Language Arts Tags: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade.

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    When you write your research paper you might want to copy words, pictures, diagrams, or ideas from one of your sources. It is OK to copy such information as long as you reference it with a citation. If the information is a phrase, sentence, or paragraph, then you should also put it in quotation marks. A citation and quotation marks tell the ...

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    Worksheet. Research Graphic Organizer: Winter Holidays Around the World. Worksheet. Two Truths and One Lie: Biography Edition. Worksheet. 1 2. Browse 4th Grade Research Writing Educational Resources. Award winning educational materials designed to help kids succeed. Start for free now!

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    Why You Should Be Assigning Research Reports to Your 5th and 6th Grade Students. I have three main reasons for assigning research reports to my students. First, the skill involved in finding reliable sources and citing sources is valuable. Beginning in 5th grade, and possibly even before, students need to be able to discern the reliability of a ...

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    One-page passages introduce third, fourth, and fifth grade students to 33 characters from Greek mythology. Kids take notes on themed sheets. Finally, they color the pages - and voila! You have a beautiful classroom display.The myth passages are available as printable PDFs (black & white or color) and as an eBook*.

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    Fourth Grade . 9 - 10 years old . Fifth Grade . 10 - 11 years old . Middle School . 11 - 14 years old ... On the other hand, you could get your students to research a specific invention. Looking at different innovators and their creations can be fascinating, so of course, it made the cut on our list of research topics for kids. Your students ...

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    If you are interested in your topic, learning about it will be more pleasurable and you will write with greater passion, so choose your topic thoughtfully. Use the following list of 101 research paper topics as a starting point for your paper. As you begin learning and writing about your topic, you should revise or amend your research question ...