Building Blocks of Letters

Synthesizes learning through case studies of intentional vs. accidental plagiarism and concludes with an academic integrity pledge.

Teaches students how to compile individual citations into a cohesive, alphabetized reference list.

Introduces the four core elements of a basic citation (Author, Title, Date, Source) and provides practice in locating this information.

Students learn the mechanical and logical differences between direct quotes and paraphrasing, focusing on when to use each.

Students participate in a university-style mini-lecture simulation. They apply all learned strategies—signpost identification, Cornell note-taking, and synthesis—to capture information and complete a formal assessment.

Students explore the concept of intellectual property through physical analogies and define plagiarism in an academic context.

Students analyze search failures and practice iterative strategies to refine their inquiries when initial attempts don't yield the desired results.

Students synthesize their evaluation skills to select the best resources for a hypothetical research scenario. They curate a small bibliography of trusted sources and justify their choices.

The culminating lesson where students apply all previous skills to write an original summary report based on an informational article.

This lesson teaches the strategy of verifying information by finding it in multiple reliable sources. Students engage in a 'Fact-Check Challenge' to confirm or debunk specific claims.

Students transition from open web searches to curated databases, comparing the reliability and organization of professional search tools.

Students read and combine facts from two different texts on the same topic into a single, coherent paragraph.

Students examine texts to differentiate between objective facts and subjective opinions or bias. They practice highlighting emotive language and unsupported claims within informational texts.

Students practice using text features like indices, headings, and sidebars to locate information quickly through skimming and scanning techniques.

Students learn and practice using academic reporting verbs and formal attribution to credit authors in their writing.

Learners study techniques for rewriting sentences while maintaining original meaning, focusing on vocabulary substitution and structural changes.

Learners apply the Who, What, Where, When, and Why framework to evaluate digital sources. The lesson introduces a simplified credibility checklist that students use to audit pre-selected websites, including 'hoax' sites.

Students practice reading short informational passages to distinguish the central concept from the details using the 'Headline Game' and graphic organizers.

Learners use Boolean operators like AND, OR, and quotation marks to narrow or broaden search results in a digital scavenger hunt.

Students analyze various media samples to identify whether the author's primary intent is to inform, persuade, or entertain. They learn key vocabulary for media literacy and practice categorizing texts based on tone and content features.

Students learn to break down research questions into core concepts and generate synonyms, transforming natural language into effective search strings.

The capstone activity where students combine information from two different sources into a single, logically organized paragraph.

Distinguishes between when to use direct quotes for impact and when to paraphrase for factual clarity.

Guided practice in rewriting sentences using synonyms and grammatical shifts, such as changing active to passive voice, while maintaining original meaning.

Focuses on the 'Read, Cover, Recite' method to separate conceptual understanding from the original text's linguistic structure through oral retelling.

Students learn to separate core concepts from 'fluff' using effective highlighting and note-taking strategies, moving away from copying full sentences.

Students use a credibility checklist to investigate three suspect articles and determine which are true, earning their detective badges.

Students practice the 'Rule of Two' by finding the same fact in two different sources to verify its accuracy.

Students learn to differentiate between informational content and advertisements on websites, identifying visual markers that signal an ad.