4th grade research report template

Writing a Research Report (Gr. 4)

Scott Foresman, an imprint of Pearson

Featured 4th grade resources.

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

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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.

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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 .

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 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.

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!

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.

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).

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.

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. 

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

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 Writing (Grades 4-6)

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.

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Additional information.

Our Research Writing Lesson Plan for grades 4-6 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 have written an essay based on a topic of their choosing with sources cited.

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Awesome! I was encouraged to find this as I develop my own writing curriculum for my homeschooled middle schoolers.

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I haven't used this resource yet, but at first glance it looks helpful!

Research Writing

I have not started this with my child yet, but I have looked over the information. I am really looking forward to using this. Very informative.

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I absolutely love the blended lesson plan structure that accommodates for all types of learners. you all ROCK!!!

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Lots of subjects and ways to teach kids. Love the packets

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Research Project Templates

Research projects are easy and fun with these templates. Students can learn about dinosaurs, states, provinces, and more. Each template guides students through the research process by asking simple questions and requiring basic drawings. Each file also has a bibliography form that students can fill out at the end of each project, as well as a rubric to help teachers with grading.

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Browse our complete collection of math worksheets. Topics include fractions, geometry, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, graphing, measurement, and more!

Browse through our extensive collection of science worksheets. Topics include animals, plants, simple machines, human body, magnetism, outer space, electricity, and more.

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State Report Research Project Made Easy!

Are you getting ready to do research on one of the fifty U.S. states? This 19 page unit comes with all the templates students need to complete a research project on one of the fifty states. Students can record information they gather, glue images, photos and draw maps on these templates to create an informational state report.

Research organization templates are included to help students create a research plan and keep track of their resources.

Over 1,000 copies sold! Grab your copy today!

State Report Research Project

Nancy Alvarez

Nancy Alvarez is a principal in Texas. She is a speaker, national presenter, and early childhood curriculum creator.

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Country Research Project

Our Country Research Project is ideal for older elementary students and middle school students. Before tackling this Country Research Project, we introduce, review, and solidify basic map skills with our FREE Printable World Maps & Activities . By the time my students reach 4th grade, they do one of these projects a year for the next two years.  In this project, you can implement research, writing, reading, and more into your homeschool. Our FREE Country Research Sheets & Maps make teaching and learning about different countries around the world easy!

*If you teach in a school setting or would like to download all of our Country Research Project Printables at once, check out our shop . For those of you looking for more free social studies resources , check this post out!

*Be sure to have these on hand when starting to teach geography. Do you have a  globe ? Check. Do you have a world map ? Check? Do you have an  atlas ? Check. Then, you are all set!

As a Christian Book and Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support. As always, we only recommend items that we truly feel will benefit your homeschooling experience. We appreciate it.

What is included in our Country Research Project?

Country research sheets.

Our Country Research Project always starts with one of these country research sheets. There are two options to choose from. Years ago, my oldest did his research using a brainstorming sheet. We made it work, but it was much harder to organize his notes since they were random. The Country Research Sheets give students focus and guide them to information that would make a solid research paper. From experience, these research sheets make it easy to organize information for a 5 paragraph essay.

DOWNLOAD COUNTRY RESEARCH SHEETS

Blank continent maps with outlines.

This set of Blank Continent Maps with Outlines coincide perfectly with the FREE Country Research Sheets. Whatever country your student is studying, print the corresponding continent map out. Your student can then locate, label, and color their country within its continent. The worksheet then instructs the student to label the countries bordering countries and oceans. This map is an excellent addition to the Country Research Project.

The second version includes the outlined map, but has no instructions written at the top. For those you wanting to use these to color all continents rather than one, then you can!

DOWNLOAD BLANK CONTINENT MAPS

Research paper.

Once my student completes the country research sheet, it is easy to sit with them and discuss what facts should go into each paragraph of their essay. We literally looked over the facts, and then wrote a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 next to them. This was an easy guide for  my student to follow when he sat down independently to write his country project paper. If the fact had a 1 next to it, that meant he was to include that fact into his first paragraph. 2 meant second paragraph and so forth. When I teach my kids to write a 5 paragraph essay, I like to break it down into an introduction paragraph, 3 body paragraphs, and then a conclusion or closing. Each paragraph should include at least 3 sentences, but 5 sentences are encouraged. You might be interested in checking out our  5-paragraph graphic organizers . They make creating an essay outline easy!

DOWNLOAD COUNTRY RESEARCH PAPER

Project visual.

Creating a visual for the Country Research Project is one of the last pieces of this assignment. Some kids will love this aspect of the project and this is where their creativity will shine. Other students will not enjoy this part of the project. No matter, encourage them to write notes and facts about their country, add a title, draw pictures, color it neatly, display a flag, and so much more. We choose to create a poster display. Your student may create a PowerPoint presentation, a hanging mobile, or a cardboard display. There are several options to choose from.

Country Project Presentation

End the Country Research Project with a presentation. For those of us who  homeschool, this can be easily down at the dinner table. Allow your student to present to the family before dinner or after dinner. Encourage them to share their visual and what things they learned about their country. Some of my kids have read their paper out loud. In a classroom setting, presenting their project is a must. Public speaking is a skill that should be encouraged when possible. Some kids will really shine when presenting, while others will struggle. Regardless of their strengths or weaknesses, it is always a good rule of thumb to give your child the opportunity to share.

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Looking for a more Permanent Curriculum?

For the first few years of homeschooling, I created and put together my oldest sons curriculum. On one level, I enjoyed this. It was fun to look at all of the free options and ideas on the web. On the other hand, I got overwhelmed and distracted like a kid in a candy store. As I had more children, life became busier too. It became evident to me that ordering workbooks and textbooks to guide us was ideal for our schedule and life. I still create interactive units to supplement and meet individual needs, but I have found that the workbooks give us  a sense of direction and consistency.

For me, compiling engaging curriculum for each of my kids became time consuming and daunting. It is a huge blessing being able to buy math and grammar workbooks. It gives me a piece of mind to know that I am not skipping around or leaving gaps in their education. Some of you may scoff at this. I am not condemning those that go it wholly on their own. Personally, it was just too much. If I was unable to purchase these books, then of course I would change my strategy to use more readily accessible materials. If you are interested in checking out some of the most popular and effective homeschool curriculum available, follow the link below. Happy homeschooling…

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A Black History Month Research Project for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade

A Black History Month Research Project is a great way to help your students learn more about and celebrate the impact African Americans have made to the United States.  It's also a good way to help students learn about obstacles African Americans have had to face in this country.  But having 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade students conduct research and complete a project based on that research can be an overwhelming task.

Scaffolding this process is essential in order for your students to be successful - and for them to actually stay engaged and excited!

After I fine-tuned the process, this Black History Month Research Project was one of my students' favorite projects all year.  It included researching a famous African American, writing an essay, creating a timeline of their life, and labeling a map.  The upper elementary students remained engaged throughout the entire project and were always very proud of the outcome!

Choosing an African American Hero to Research

Part of making a Black History Month Project meaningful is exposing students to people that they might not be familiar with.  If you let 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade students choose who they want to research, you'll probably find that everyone wants to research Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, or Barack Obama.

Instead of simply letting students choose people they are already familiar with, collect a variety of biographies on different African Americans - or find some  kid-friendly biographies online.

Do whatever works for your classroom, as long as you give students an opportunity to introduce themselves to different African Americans.

How I Organized This in My Classroom

There are a lot of different ways you could do this with your students. I would always have my librarian collect enough child-friendly biographies for each student in my class.  We would sit in a circle, and each student would get one of the books.  They had about a minute to look through the book, and then everyone passed their book to the left.

After everyone had looked through every book, students would write down the top 5 people they were interested in researching.  Then, I would look through everybody's choices and assign each student their famous African American to research.

This process got students excited and gave them more ownership over the project.  However, it also allowed me some freedom to make adjustments that would help students be successful and be exposed to different people.

My students used a book from the library as their main source for research, so I wanted to make sure the reading level of the books was appropriate for each of my students.  (If you have a really well-organized classroom library checkout system, this might be easier for you!)

Scaffolding a Black History Month Essay

As all upper elementary teachers know, having students complete research and then use that to write a successful essay is much harder than you would think.

You have to teach students not to copy paragraphs straight from a book or website.  And how to organize a research paper.  And you have to motivate students so that they will actually WANT to write.

This No Prep Black History Month Research Project scaffolds the entire process so students can succeed.  And even better, it will minimize all the one on one time and help students complete their project much more independently.

But there are ways you can scaffold on your own.

1. Model the Project for Your Students

Modeling an entire project takes up a lot of class time, but it makes a huge difference in your students' success.  Plus, it will prevent a lot of student questions later.

This No Prep Black History Month Research Project has all the information you need to use Martin Luther King, Jr. in your modeling.

2. Provide a Research Page with Clear Topics

Instead of having students do their own research on note cards or a blank sheet of paper, provide a research page that tells them exactly what sorts of topics they should be researching.

Otherwise, students have the tendency to copy paragraphs and collect information on irrelevant topics.

Decide what exactly you want your students to learn about - for example, their African American's family, accomplishments, and impact - and create a research page that helps students easily organize that information.  (And, of course, this project also includes research pages.)

3. Scaffold the Writing Process

This might be one of the most important ways to help your students write a successful, organized research paper. Simply providing students with paragraph frames can make a drastic difference and give students more confidence in their writing.

This is similar to this scaffolding you can use when having students write a compare and contrast essay.   Or, use the no prep option with this already ready-to-go Black History Month Project.

Use the Research to Create a Timeline and Map

Use this opportunity to address some other social studies skills - timelines and maps!

Have students use their research to create a timeline of important events in their famous African American's life.  Then, provide students with a blank map and have them color in different states that were important to their African American.

This is a very simple way to make these skills more meaningful to students.

Presenting the Black History Month Project

There is no one right way to have students share their projects.  It really depends on how much time you have!

Here are some options:

• Have students simply turn in their projects.  You could use them to create a bulletin board or just take a grade.
• Have students create a poster with their essay, map, and timeline.  They can present it to the class, or you could make a display.
• Have a Living Wax Museum!  This takes a lot more preparation, but your students and parents will love it.  Find more information on Living Wax Museums here.

If you think this scaffolding would be beneficial to your students as well, then you might like my Black History Month Research Project – Essay, Map, and Timeline Resource.   It includes everything I used to help my students be successful – even a model using Martin Luther King, Jr. so you can show students what is expected of them!

Testimonial:

"This has made doing this research project so much easier! The best part is that samples of the completed steps are included. They always want to copy full sentences instead of making notes, and displaying the sample while they worked led to many more children succeeding without my one to one help."

You might also like these other ideas and resources for teaching during Black History Month - including a freebie!  

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Missions in California : Start Here to Write That Report!

The 21 California Missions are a big component of the California History and Social Studies, CAHSS, standards for teaching 4th grade. Start here for valuable resources for report writing about the Spanish missions.

We moved to California from another state in January of the year my son was in 4th grade. When I walked into his classroom to meet his teacher, the shelves and tabletops were exploding with 3D models of missions. Some were crafted at home, while others had used a kit. The teacher informed me that all over California, 4th grade students were creating these mission projects. I had a small moment of panic, realizing I knew nothing about California history and this unique rite of passage.

Those days of mission projects are mostly gone now, but one thing remains.

It’s that time of year when California Missions Reports and research start popping up in 4th grade classrooms and homeschools all around the state. I call it California mission report season! 

Studying the era of the missions, and their impact on the state, is still a big component of the California History and Social Studies standards for teaching in 4th grade. Yet it’s undergone some changes in recent years, and for the better. We now understand and use a more diverse narrative about the 21 Spanish missions. To help your students with this exploration and inquiry, I have some helpful resources to share with you!

Table of Contents

The California Missions Project – Where Did It Go?

During the years when my son was growing up, practically every 4th grade class in the state had displays of what was known as a California Missions Project. Students built models of Spanish missions. Construction materials ranged from popsicle sticks to sugar cubes, (cue the ants), to the ubiquitous flour and salt dough meant to mimic adobe. I still have nightmares of some of my son’s salt dough creations gone awry. (More on those stories in another post.)

These projects were huge undertaking, and if we can all be perfectly honest here, many of the mission models weren’t built by the students. They were constructed by the parents. Or with a large helping of parental oversight. 

By the early 2000s, many of the California mission projects were made with a kit that was purchased from a hobby store or online.

What did the students learn during these projects?

As it turns out, not much. 

In fact, it may have done more harm than good. The students, while focusing on the architecture of the mission model, missed out on critical understanding about the social, cultural, and economic impacts the Spanish mission system had in California. The project focused on buildings and glossed over the enslavement of the indigenous people in California. 

The California Missions Research Report

A better way to have students learn critical lessons about the impact of of the missions on the people and the land, is through research and writing. They’ll learn there is a diverse narrative, both positive and negative. 

As students research the missions, they’re learning about the Spanish presence in California, such as the timelines and events around each mission. They’re also learning to use their critical thinking muscles. How did the missions affect the people already living here in California? Why did Spain want to build missions here? Two inquiry based questions that should be included in a California missions report are these:

• What were the positive impacts of the California Missions?
• What were the negative impacts of the California Missions?

Teaching about the Spanish missions include the stories and perspectives of  the indigenous people of California. Authentic resources from descendants of the people affected by the missions can be immeasurably helpful. These accounts might be spoken or written.

There are many different ways of doing this report. One way to avoid is simply handing out books about the missions and let the students write a summary. There’s so much valuable history and legacy stories to be shared and considered. These will make for rich conversations as you and your students uncover information during the research.

Templates and Graphic Organizers Help With the Research and Writing

Graphic organizers are invaluable tools for clarifying students’ understanding of important events. The organizers help students to see the history in context. Each of the mission report resources have graphic organizers included.

I created two different types of reports you could use with your class.

• One is a dual purpose template. Students can make it into a foldable brochure. They can also choose to do a one-page report on a landscape oriented page. It can be completed digitally or printed and filled out by hand.
• The flipbook report is a popular choice. Each section of the flipbook represents a different aspect of life at a particular mission. Once students have typed in their reports, they can print them out to assemble them. You can also simply print the flipbooks and have students complete them by hand.

After the research, I always had students present what they’d learned. If you decide to do this, you might want to give them a few choices as to the type of presentation they do. Here are a few ideas:

• Slides presentations.
• Video presentations. You could have students create a video using a green screen with a backdrop of the mission behind them.
• Brochures with mission facts, events, and people.
• Printed flip books with specific aspects of mission life and history on each page.
• One page reports. These are easy to hang on a bulletin board or store in a portfolio.

Finishing a report and then sharing it with the class does two important things.

• Students will understand they’re writing for an audience. Therefore their reports should be clear and it should answer anticipatory questions.
• Students will gain practice speaking and presenting. You might consider allowing the audience to ask the presenter two or three questions. This will help you assess how well they understand the material.

Resources for California Mission Research

One website I found to be very helpful and on a level for fourth grade understanding is the California Missions Foundation.   You’ll find information about all 21 Spanish missions at this site.

You can head to the library to select books. It’s probably a good idea to check the copyright dates on the books to make sure your students are using the most recent information possible.

To assist you, I wrote informational text passages about each of the 21 missions in California. I want to help make this whole process of researching and writing as easy as possible for you! These missions reading comprehension passages have one article per mission. You can see the product down below, along with a couple of videos about them. You don’t want to miss these great products!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Here is what some teachers are saying about these reading passages:

These passages were a great resource for my students to use for their Mission reports! The reading level was just right for them, especially since they needed to extract interesting details. I will use again next year. ~~~Tiffany P. After searching my classroom for material to help my students learn about specific missions, I found that the 30+ years of material left behind by the previous teacher didn’t have what I was looking for. This resource was perfect! Each mission has multiple one-page passages which helped my students get to know the mission without getting bored. The coloring page for the mission also helped expose them to mission-style architecture. It’s respectful of the Native Americans’ perspective and doesn’t glorify the missionaries. ~~~Sophia B.

The Spanish Missions in California

Can you remember the order in which the 21 missions were founded? I never could. You might find this California Missions List helpful. It includes the year each mission was founded.

Each of the California Missions resources have this one-page reference chart in it. The missions, in order, are:

• (1769) Mission San Diego de Alcalá
• (1770) Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
• (1771) Mission San Antonio de Padua
• (1771) Mission San Gabriel
• (1772) Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
• (1776) Mission San Francisco de Asís(Mission Dolores)
• (1776) Mission San Juan Capistrano
• (1777) Mission Santa Clara de Asís
• (1782) Mission San Buenaventura
• (1786) Mission Santa Bárbara
• (1787) Mission La Purísima Concepción
• (1791) Mission Santa Cruz
• (1791) Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad
• (1797) Mission San José
• (1797) Mission San Juan Bautista
• (1797) Mission San Miguel Arcángel
• (1797) Mission San Fernando Rey de España
• (1798) Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
• (1804) Mission Santa Inés
• (1817) Mission San Rafael Arcángel
• (1823) Mission San Francisco Solano

Video and Map of the California Missions

Visuals are helpful because they capture the students’ attention and you can glean important information quickly. This short, introductory video of the missions includes a map. Watching the video, you can get an idea of the locations of each mission.

There’s a bit of trivia about each mission. For example, one of the missions is an active archeological site today. One of the missions was evacuated when the Pirate Bouchard began marauding the California coast. Each tidbit of trivia will  get your students interested and eager to start their research.

Do you give your students a choice of which mission they research for their report? Watching this overview of each mission might pique their interest in a particular one and help them choose. You might also want to simply have them do their reports on California missions near you. Many teachers buy only one research report product for one particular mission. This is great when you’re planning a field trip to a mission.

Teachers Love These California Missions Report Templates

Why? They give you choices. You can buy just one, or, like so many teachers are doing, buy the bundle!

Here are a couple more comments from happy teachers:

This is an amazing resource. My students used it to learn about the missions. ~~~Isallany S. The students used this as a resource for their research on their mission. It was easy to read for my students. The information was organized well. ~~~Jenny P.

The next sections show you some of the template options.

Flip Book Research Report

This one is my favorite. Flip books (or flipbooks, if you prefer it as one word) are self-organizing report formats. They help the students focus on one area at a time and keep each section clear about the topic. What’s more, they’re fun for students to create. Instead of looking at a big, blank paper, they tackle one small part at a time. Then they put it all together to create something they’re proud to hang on the wall. 

To make things easier, you can purchase all 21 flipbooks in a bundle.   Are you going to visit a mission with your class? Then you might only want to buy one. These are especially good to use as a note taking tool on a field trip.

Video Preview of What’s Included in These Unique Flipbooks

California mission report with dual options for display.

This report can be a one-page report for display on a bulletin board, or it could be a foldable booklet perfect for display on a student’s desk for a gallery walk.

Both options come in one product. Use this template to create a full one-page report or turn it into a foldable booklet report. It’s both digital and printable. Your students can complete it online, then print it out. Or you can print out the templates, and let them fill it out by hand.

Informational Text Reading Comprehension Passages About the Missions

These 21 informational text passages include a page of comprehension questions about each of the missions. If you don’t have much time for your students to spend doing their own research, these informative passages cover the necessary information for a mission report.

Find these reading passages in my stores at:

Amped Up Learning

Made By Teachers

Teachers Pay Teachers .

You can also buy the informational text bundled with the templates for the one-page and foldable research reports . How easy is that?

As I discovered when I walked into my son’s new fourth grade classroom, this is the time of year teachers all over California dive into the history of the missions. As you head into the season of California mission reports, I hope you’ve found some things to help you in this post.

These resources are available in my online stores at:

Teachers Pay Teachers

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Free State Report Templates for U.S. Geography

Published: August 9, 2021

Contributor: Jeannette Tuionetoa

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.

Learning about the United States is something we should put as a priority in our geography lessons. These free resources and free State Report Templates for US Geography will help your students learn all about the states that make up our nation.

State Report Templates

Many students complete a state report in elementary. It can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. Using state report templates can prove to be a helpful solution when it’s time for your kids to write a report on a state in the United States.

State Reports for Elementary Students

Wondering how to begin state reports for 5th graders or any elementary grade?

You have to provide your kids with the means to do research. This may mean that your strictly text/books homeschool may need to either find a state book in your local library, search for ebooks, or convert your homeschools into virtual schools for a bit with access to the internet.

Start with your child researching their very own state. Supply your students with grade-level appropriate report examples, a sample template or two, and let them explore.

What should be included in a state report?

Learning about states is so very important. I only realized that when I moved to another country and found that my kids knew little about the United States – not even the state we came from. It was sad and totally on me to rectify that issue.

It is simple for kids to gather information on a state. The information doesn’t have to be vast, but a few essentials can really help them understand a state and its basics.

Here are a few facts for a useful state report:

• State capital
• Geography and natural features
• Official State flower
• Official State song
• History on how it got its shape
• Three interesting facts they can find

The report can be in a simple template, a written report, a lapbook, slide presentations for older students, or any other project idea you can think of.

Either way, kids can retain useful information they can take with them always. Grab some free resources to help below to get started on your state study.

Free State Report Templates Download

Our free State Report Templates pack includes 8 different geography templates that can be used in writing a report on a state. Each is focused on geography, and the 8 templates range from simple templates for younger elementary students to more in-depth templates for middle school students.

You can find this free State Report Templates pack available for download at the end of this post. 

Free State Report Templates

Use the free printables below to put together an amazing state report. There are lots of different  options that you can include in your report for the state you choose.

State Report Lapbooks

State Report State Lapbook –  This state report template is geared towards 3rd and 4th graders and includes material for students to use while doing their research. Help your students conduct research on any state with this detailed state report lapbook.

DIY Lapbook for States and More – Whether your student is studying the 50 states of America or is doing a book report, this resource is perfect for them. Grab a free template so your kids can learn how to make a lapbook of their very own with a free lapbook template.

US States Report Lapbook – Your kids will get excited about social studies, geography, and history with this free state report lapbook. It is a fun and interactive way for kids to enjoy learning about their country. This is geared towards elementary-aged kids. I used it with my son in our 5th grade homeschooling last year.

50 States Lapbook Resources and Printables – These free resources, printables and lapbooks to study the 50 states will help kids also remember the states well. These resources are super fun and help you to even assign simple monthly reports on the states of our nation.

State Report Printables

State History Timeline and Cheat Sheets – With this resource, your students can create a timeline of when each state became a state. This information is a cool informative aspect to add in their state report.

State Report Template for Notebooks

State Template for Notebooking – Grab this blank state template notebooking page to allow a student’s research to be as simple or as detailed as they want it to be. There are also blank spaces so kids can draw the flag and map of the state.

State History Report

State History Research Project – This free state history project helps kids research a state’s history. Grab this 9-page download to help your students begin an independent study on the states of our nation.

State Research Printables

State Research Graphic Organizers – The main idea of this free resource is for kids to conduct a short research project on any of the 50 states of our nation. Students will need internet access to conduct their research about the state’s capital, its governor, state bird, three largest cities, three interesting facts, and more.

State Report PDF

5th Grade State Report Printable – This one-page free printable download is chock full of excellent state information any child will enjoy filling out. From coloring to researching information like state trees and what the license plate looks like, this is an excellent simple activity.

Free Printables to Add to a State Report

Free Worksheets and Fact Cards on State Flags – Help your kids understand why each state’s flag design was chosen. Also, learn a ton of history and symbolism behind each flag with our free state study resource .

State Flash Cards

US States Flash Cards – You can add these flashcards to your report or help your kids use them to gather information for a state report. Don’t forget to ask your students to follow the step by step instructions and color the flashcards.

50 States PDFs for State Reports

50 States Worksheets – These worksheets for all 50 states will help your kids with any state report. They will learn key facts, unique features of each of the states. This is perfect for elementary kids and can be more complete for high schoolers as well.

States and Capitals

Free States and Capitals Study Sheets – Use this memorization pack for quizzes and review when studying the states and capitals.

States and Capitals Cursive Copywork – Help your students learn the states and capitals while working on handwriting skills using our free cursive copywork sheets.

State Facts for Reports

LEGO US States Facts Printable Challenge for Kids – This LEGO challenge is perfect for elementary kids learning about the United States. This is a super fun way for your kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade students to learn about the states.

State Maps for a State Report

USA Worksheets and Maps for a State Report – This activity pack is an easy download to make any state report the best it can be. Your students can build on their knowledge of state names, their capitals, abbreviations, locations, and regions. This resource will help your students also test and retain the geography information learned in the US.

Songs & Videos to Learn the States & Capitals

Kids learn so quickly when material is put to song, and we all know that watching a video can be more entertaining for visual learners. Check out this big resource list of songs for the fifty states .

50 States Cheat Sheets

Lastly, don’t forget to grab our free 50 States Cheat Sheets from our subscriber library. In it you’ll find an alphabetical listing of each state, capitals, regions, time zones, and state abbreviations.

Remember to point out the information on states and major cities every time you travel or on virtual field trips. This information can be useful throughout their lifetime. Check out this resource on how to write a state report as you teach your kids what to do.

This free State Report Template Pack contains different geography templates that you can use in your next state report. There are 8 different templates to choose from; some are suitable for elementary students, whereas others will be better for middle school children.

State Report Templates PDF Download

Scroll down to download the State Report Templates PDF.

Instant Download: Free State Report Templates

Final summary.

• Do you want your kids to do a report on one of the states? Use our state report template and make it a breeze!
• Download free printable state flags for each of the 50 states.
• Have you ever considered using a song to learn the states ?
• Don’t forget about learning the state capitals. It’s easy when you use a free capitals worksheet .
• Explore U.S. landmarks for kids with free resources.
• These 50 states cheat sheets are great for memorizing and review.
• Teach the states and capitals in cursive with these handwriting worksheets.
• Print off the states and capitals study sheet for test-taking practice.
• Don’t forget map work! Print off a map of USA coloring pages to practice learning the locations of the states.

Jeannette Tuionetoa

Jeannette is a wife, mother and homeschooling mom. She has been mightily, saved by grace and is grateful for God’s sovereignty throughout her life’s journey. She has a Bachelor in English Education and her MBA. Jeannette is bi-lingual and currently lives in the Tongan Islands of the South Pacific. She posts daily freebies for homeschoolers!

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COUNTRY RESEARCH REPORT Template Project ASIA | 3rd 4th 5th Grade

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Embark on an Educational Safari Across Asia!

Ignite curiosity and promote global awareness in your 3rd to 6th-grade-grade students with our Asian Country Research Report Template . This engaging project is designed to immerse students in the rich cultures, diverse landscapes, and fascinating histories of Asian nations.

What's Inside:

Geography Discovery:

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Cultural Exploration:

• Uncover vibrant traditions, festivals, and cultural landmarks that make each African country special.

Meet the People:

• Learn about the diverse populations, languages, and daily lives of the people.

Economic Insights:

• Investigate the economies, major industries, and currencies of your chosen African country.

Wildlife Wonders:

• Discover the unique flora and fauna that call Africa home, including iconic wildlife.

Creative Culmination:

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Why Choose Our Template?

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• Easy for Educators: A hassle-free, ready-to-implement resource with a clear focus on student engagement.

⚠️ Note to Teachers: Download our African Country Research Report Template today and watch your students embark on an enriching journey through Africa. This resource is intended for personal and classroom use; please do not redistribute without proper attribution.

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