Did You Know? Mini-Research Project

I have used these Did You Know? facts in my classroom for several years in several different ways. Because I am only teaching literacy this year, I haven't been sharing them on our weekly Science board, but I wanted to incorporate them some way. Next week, we begin our big research project around Colorado Animals (read more about past years' work HERE), so I decided to incorporate these facts as a warm-up to internet research!

Here's what you'll need for this quick project:

  • Did You Know? Posters: printed four to a page, cut out & laminated
  • Did You Know? Posters: printed two to a page, cut out (for publishing)
  • Lined Paper (freebie HERE): printed two to a page, cut in half (for publishing)
  • 9x11" construction paper: folded in half (for publishing)
  • Internet connection (we used our class Chromebooks): for research
  • Writer's Notebook: for collecting facts and drafting 
*Quick note: I have two versions of these facts and picked and chose from both sets for my class. There are 35 facts in each set, so you could use one or both sets for your class. Version 1 is linked above and can be found HERE. Version 2 can be found HERE.

We started this in Teacher Time small groups (read more about how I teach Writing Groups HERE). I began by reading through the 1/4 page laminated facts aloud. When a student found interest with a certain fact, I would hand the card to them. We continued this until everyone in the group had a fact to research.

We titled our page: Did You Know? and I had them copy their fact directly underneath (just in case they lost their card).

Our first internet research minilesson was: What makes a good search term? I had them look at their fact and pick two to three key words that they could research. We talked about how one word was too broad, but typing in their entire fact (common occurance!) was not going to give them the resources they would need. I had them work on their Chromebooks in Teacher Time so I could be close by.


Other conversations included perseverance (going on to page 2 if resources on page 1 of the search results didn't give you what you needed), filtering (if you don't understand a resource as a reader, you can't write about it as a researcher-- toss it and find a better resource), and paraphrasing (we used the poster from my Academic Testing Vocabulary Posters to help remind them to put things in their own words).

The expectation was 3-5 facts using bullet points in their Writer's Notebooks. We then worked on getting these facts turned into a paragraph with an introduction and conclusion sentence. As a class, we decided the intro sentence should incorporate the Did You Know? as well as the fact, so we combined then and added an "It's true!" at the end.


Once they got a quick edit from me, I handed them their publishing page (available as a freebie HERE) and we assembled them together as a class. We glued the poster to the front and their research on the inside. They are quick and easy to share and the kids are fascinated by each other's facts.



The biggest take-away from me as their teacher was the search term lessons learned. This has always been a struggle in years past, but by tackling it with a mini-project like this, I found it to be manageable for all of us! I could make quick corrections and they could immediately see that a quality search term yielded much better resources than what they had been trying.


If you're interested in these fun facts, you can pick up Version 1 HERE and Version 2 HERE in my TpT Store. Happy researching!



BONUS GIVEAWAY!!! 

Today is my 3-Year Blogging Anniversary! Woo hoo!! To celebrate this great milestone, I will be giving away ANY three items from my TpT Store to three different winners! Yay!

Just enter below and I will choose a winner next Sunday! Good luck and thank you for sharing this journey with me! You continue to wow, inspire, and encourage me more than you know!



75 comments

  1. I would love reading response menus, word work charlottes web, and planning your writing bundle. I love your blog and follow you on Facebook. I love your posts!! Laura

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  2. I would pick a Brain Break Pack, Non-fiction reading response, and Verb Monsters! I already have so many of your items and LOVE them!!!!!

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  3. Your reading response menus (2nd and 3rd grade) would be great, along with math centers! Thanks for all of the great ideas!

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  4. If I could pick any three items it would be your word work centers, monster math, and reading response menus.

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  5. So many great products! I'd love Brain Beaks, Plan Your Writing Bundle, and Reading Response Menu (3rd).

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  6. I would pick your reading response menu, brain breaks pack and your writing bundle!!! 3rd Grade! Happy 3 year blogging anniversary! Your awesome!!! :)

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  7. I would choose your newest two items that you showed in this post and Now the Sentences are Complete.
    I love your stuff! It is rigorous, hits multiple standards and subjects, and it is clean, simple, and the directions are always easy to follow!

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  8. I love your blog and your products! I follow your blog, teachers pay teachers, and Facebook. I have so many of your products and love them all! In fact, I just bought five more last week. I would still love your did you know fun facts for your classroom, polar express word work, and the mouse and the motorcycle word work.

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  9. Really struggling with getting my iPad to post.... I would like the Monster Math bundle, Word Work bundle, any of the math centers, or reading menus. I love this research project idea!

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  11. I would love to win! I would pick your Monster Math Combo, Brain Breaks Bundle, and Planning Your Writing Bundle. Congrats on your Anniversary!

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  12. I think I would probably get THREE of the QR sets to add to my collection! I've especially had my eye on the Bloom's Questions!

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  13. I would love to have these products from your store if I won (and I really hope I do!!):
    1) Monster Math Combo Pack
    2) Did You Know? Fun Facts For Your Classroom
    3) Did You Know? Fun Facts For Your Classroom (Version 2)

    Thank you!

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  14. Oh I love it all, to only pick 3 is tough!....I would chose: 1. Reading Response Menus Across the Year {3rd Grade CCSS-Aligned} 2. Depth & Complexity Posters 3. Word Work: Complete Set {Place Value Trio, Letter Tiles & Word Worth Trio}

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  15. Fantastic idea to scaffold informative writing in my class! Thanks for the idea!

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  16. Too many great products! I would choose from your QR Critters, Star Wars Common&Proper Nouns, and Did You Know from this post.

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  17. I currently have the Word Word bundle, the writing bundle and the QR critters for ELA on my wish list. I used the math QR monster cards as our fun morning activity on the last day before winter break and the kids loved them. Thank you for putting together engaging resources.

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  18. I would choose Did You Know, Math and ELA Vocabulary, and Springtime Math Centers. So many great products to choose from!

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  19. I love your resources!
    I would probably choose, Did You Know, reading responses, and Academic Vocabulary.

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  20. I would love to use the Academic Testing Vocabulary Posters in my classroom!!! I would love to give a fellow teacher the "Using the Force" Star Wars Themed Character Study and May the "Fours" Be With You: Planning a Story or Summary.

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  21. I hate picking- it's so hard! :) I would pick: Word Work Centers: Four Seasons {BUNDLED SET}, Reading Response Menus Across the Year {4th Grade CCSS-Aligned}, and QR Critters BUNDLE: Fiction & Nonfiction Reading Questions. Everything is so amazing! :)

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  22. I would love to have your Monster Math Combo Pack, Did you Know?, and Build a Snowman - Prefix, Suffix, Root Words. I enjoy reading your blog posts and seeing the new products you come up with - keep up the great job!

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  23. I would pick QR Critters BUNDLE: Fiction & Nonfiction Reading Questions, Brain Breaks {Complete Bundle}, and Word Work Centers: Four Seasons {BUNDLED SET}. Love your products!

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  24. Congratulations on three successful years! Would would want the Word Work: Compelete Set, Word Work Centers: Four Seasons, and the Morning Meeting Packet. Thank you so much for all that you do!! :)

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  25. Congratulations. I would get the Nonfiction Text Features, Depth & Complexity Posters, and Revised Bloom's Taxonomy Posters.

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  26. I would love the book bin bundled labels, the drawer labels and monster math combo packs. I have almost everything you have created for ELAR already. I love it all.

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  27. Congrats on 3 years of blogging! My students and I are HUGE fans of your brain breaks. I would like your Academic Testing Vocabulary Posters as well as both of your Did you Know products.

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  28. QI codes fiction/nonfiction; blooms; reading response bundle. Thanks for generously offering this giveaway.

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  29. I love the Monster Math Pack, Springtime Math Centers & Earth Day Fraction Fun! :)

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  30. Congratulations on 3 years of blogging! I have and use many of your products every day in our room. I'd love to add your monster math pack, Halloween word work, and valentine idioms writing.

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  31. I already have so many of your wonderful products that I use within my classroom. BUT - if you were going to give something away - I would LOVE to have your Academic Testing Vocabulary Poster set, and both of the research sets that you are featuring in this post - Did You Know #1, and Did You Know #2. Thanks for the chance and thanks for all the wonderful things that you create.

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  32. I would love your Interactive Health Notebook, Mystery Reader Pack, and either Word Centers or Did You know. Thank you SO much for sharing your wonderful ideas and resources. Morning Meeting is something I implemented this year after getting your resource. It has been AMAZING! Thank you!

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  33. I love your blog! You're one of the first bloggers I began reading when I happened upon the teacher bloggy world! I would choose your: Brain Breaks for the Classroom (I have some VERY wiggly firsties!), Mystery Reader Classroom Packet (I'd love to try this! I think my students would love it!), and your Chevron Book Bin Labels (Bundled Set). Crossing my fingers that I win, as I am teaching in Tanzania, and need all the help I can get!! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  34. Congrats!! I would love to win your season word work bundle, did you know and a product that you are very proud of! ( You get to choose!!)

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  35. Congratulations! Love your stuff! I would choose Academic Testing Vocabulary Posters, Place Value Spelling #2, and Sign Language and Braille Word Work.

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  36. I love this to the moon and back! What a great way to build excitement for a type of writing that can sometimes be a bit dry. Since we've already started research, I have this pinned for next year. I would love Nonfiction Text Features Poster & Hunt, Did You Know, and the Mystery Reader packet.

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  37. I would love the Monster Math Combo Pack, Winter Math Center & Spring Math Center. Congratulation on your 3rd year blogging. Thanks for all you do!!!

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  38. I would choose Math + Spelling= How Much is Your Word Worth? {Trio Set}, Reading Response Menus Across the Year {2nd Grade CCSS-Aligned}, and May the "Fours" Be With You: Planning a Story or Summary. Congratulations on your anniversary! :)

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  39. I would pick the Reading Response for 2nd grade, the Writing Bundle & the Did You Know set #1 or #2. Love your resources!

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  40. I love all your stuff!! I just added both the Did You Know Sets to my wishlist! I also would love to try the Reading Responses for the year.

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  41. I would love the Word Work Centers: Four Seasons {BUNDLED SET}, Morning Meeting Packet, and Planning Your Writing (Bundle).

    Congratulations on your 3rd Blogging Anniversary!

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  42. I have several of your products and love them. I would love (1) How To Make a Paper Airplane: Functional Writing & Transition Word Activity (2) Practicing Multiplication, Arrays & Fact Triangles: Multiplication Monsters and (3) Don't Tell. Show! {A Revising Mini-Unit for Writing}

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  43. Oh my goodness...I'm soooooo excited that I found this post! This is exactly what my students need before doing a biography research project. I have to say that I couldn't wait so I had to go buy both Did you Know? packs so I could get moving on this project tomorrow. Thanks for all the steps, tips, and photos!
    If I were lucky enough to win, I would chose the 2nd grade reading response menus, the nonfiction text features, and probably word work.
    If I don't win, that's ok I've found a great scaffolded writing project and am now following you so I keep getting these wonderful ideas. Thanks so much! :)

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  44. Congrats! I would love your Word Work centers, Morning Meeting, and Writing Bundle.

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  45. I love reading your blog! You have so many great ideas!! I would choose: Non-Fiction Text Features, Word Work Trio Set, and Did You Know set (1 or 2).
    -Laura

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  46. Congrats! I love your products... I would choose non fiction scavenger hunt & posters, pick 3 word work, and the reading response menus through out the year.

    ~Shari

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  47. So many great products! I love the brain breaks, math center products and the mini-research did you know questions.

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  48. I love your blog! Congrats on 3 successful years. I would love the Did You Know sets 1 or 2, the Mountain Climbers assessments posters, and the Word Work trio. Thanks for doing this giveaway!

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  49. I love (and buy) your items so much that there are few left I don't have! :-) However, I would love to add to my collection: Did You Know Mini Research Project, Word Work Centers: Summer Sunshine, and Word Work: Because of Winn-Dixie. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful items that have enhanced my lessons! Keep them coming!!

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  50. Congratulations on 3 years blogging! If I won I would want - Reading Response Menus Across the Year (3rd Grade CCSS aligned), Hamburger Paragraph, and Did You Know Fun Facts for your classroom so I can do the activity you just blogged about!

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  51. I have really enjoyed your products, I have purchased so far. I would also like to have Revised Bloom's Taxonomy Complete Set, Academic Testing Vocabulary Posters and brain breaks. Congratulations on three years of blogging! Please keep the great products coming.

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  52. I have loved everything I have purchased from you so far. I would love to have Academic Testing Vocabulary Posters, Reading Response Menus Across the Year (4th Grade), and Planning Your Writing bundle! Congratulations on your anniversary! Thank you so much for being an inspiration for others!

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  53. Congrats!!It was super hard to pick 3. Everything looks great!!! I would love Reading Response Menus Across the Year {2nd Grade CCSS-Aligned},Did You Know? Fun Facts For Your Classroom and
    Landforms Posters & Bingo Game. Thanks for this great giveaway.

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  54. 3rd grade reading response menus, QR bundle fiction and non-fiction, and Did you Know mini research bundle. All great products.

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  55. Congratulations! I would like the reading response menus across the year 2nd grade cuss aligned, chocolate fever word work, and brain break complete bundle! Thanks!!

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  56. I would love to win your spring time math centers, winter time math centers, or academic vocabulary posters! :) brittneyhenry89@gmail.com

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  57. If I could choose any products from your TpT store, it would be the word work centers, math centers, and book companion activities (especially Charlotte's Web - I read that aloud to my kiddos EVERY YEAR!)

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  58. So many great things to pick from, it took me a bit to just pick three!! =)
    Did you know? Fun facts for your classroom
    3rd Grade Common Core Math & ELA Vocabulary cards
    Reading response menus for either 3rd or 4th grade

    Thank you and keep up the great work!!
    Tisha

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  59. I would probably choose one of your Word work centers--maybe Winter Wonderland; /writing Prompts--maybe Sunny Springtime;, and a Reading Response Menu--maybe Across the Year
    Congratulations and thanks for your Giveaway.

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  60. Congratulations on your 3 years of blogging! Thanks for all of the wonderful resources and freebies that you share!

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  61. So many wonderful goodies!!! I would choose both the "Did you know?" units plus "Practicing Rounding, Even/Odd, Number Lines & More: Number Sense Monsters". My homeschooled daughter would love these!! Well done on the 3 years! Thanks for the opportunity. thursdaytook@hotmail.com

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  62. I would get the third grade reader response menus, the testing vocabulary posters, and the Did You Know pack 1

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  63. I would pick 3 reading comprehension activities that would help me prepare my kids for the end of grade test.
    susanlulu@yahoo.com

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  64. Love all your resources! Would get QR Critter pack and Math Combo pack. Thanks for the opportunity to win!

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  65. WOW! Three things that my kiddos need from your store are the Math vocabulary cards (because we can all use a boost to our language skills), any of the verb tense, grammar, language skills, etc. They struggle so much with understanding in these areas. Thank you!

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  66. Congrats on the 3 years your work has enriched us all! My wish list includes your Reading Response Menus in gr 2 and 3, QR Critters, and Monster Math combo. From one Stephanie to another...thanks!

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  67. Would LOVE any of the Word Work Bundles, Academic Testing Vocabulary and Math Rotation signs! Congratulations! Thanks for your sharing...I look forward to your blog!

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  68. I'd love your Did You Know? pack, Reading Strategies Bundle (Fiction) and Reading Strategies Bundle (Non-Fiction). But I really love everything you do!

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  69. I would love to have
    Reading Strategies Bundle {Posters + Nonfiction Brochures}
    Word Work: Complete Set {Place Value Trio, Letter Tiles & Word Worth Trio}
    Reading Response Menus Across the Year {4th Grade CCSS-Aligned}
    Thanks so much.
    chief9937@Yahoo.com

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  70. Too hard to choose...but I think your reading response menu and both sets of Did You Know would be great. And anything/everything else!

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  71. So many to choose from.... I really like the did you know products you posted, the non fiction text features and the QR code critters (my class is completely into QR codes). Thanks for all the wonderful choices to choose from.

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  72. Awesome! I love your math vocab cards, rotation signs, and of course, the Did You Know bundle!

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  73. I had a hard time deciding. Maybe some Brian breaks, vocab, and QR code packs but I may change my mind. :) Thanks for the chance!

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    1. Oops, I meant Brain Breaks of course. I may choose Did You Know.

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  74. Stephanie, I just keep coming back to your blog! I've incorporated Brain Breaks, some Whole Brain learning strategies, and your Morning Meeting idea! I've been thrilled with all of your ideas and products.They've made such a difference in my classroom, and my principal loves them too. (I'm always quick to give you ALL the credit!) ;) One idea that I'd like to try is Writing Groups because I love teaching in small groups. So, if I were to win, I would probably choose your Writing Group Posters and two of your Writing Units. Thanks for sharing such a great blog!

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