Mini Lesson Topic: Name the teaching point Why is it important to cite information?

Materials: Gather materials, mentor texts. Research notebooks, pencils, list of key words for
Westward Expansion, one book on each student’s
Lexile Level about their research topic as well as
a book for the teacher
Connection: Tell them what you taught the During our last workshop, we learned how to set
previous lesson. The last writer’s workshop, up our research notebooks and how to properly
we learned how to... take notes.
Explicit Instruction: Tell them what you will Today we are going to learn why it is important to
teach today. cite information. What does “citing information”
Today I’m going to teach you... mean? Citing information means you have to tell
Show them exactly how to do it. Watch me where you got the information from in the first
do it., Or let’s look at how (author) does this place. Imagine this. Mr. Black told me that he
when s/he writes... made new teams for recess games. If I tell you
that there are new teams for recess, then where did
the information come from? Who originally told
the information? Therefore, who should get credit
for originally having the information? (Mr.
Black.) The same goes for books or internet. If
you learn new information from a book or the
internet, was it originally your information? It was
not, therefore you have to cite it by giving credit
to the original place you got the information.
Guided Practice: Ask them to try it out with Next, I am going to hand out the worksheet to
a partner, or with you for a few minutes. glue into our research notebooks. Please look at
Now try it out with a partner... the example of how to cite information. What
pieces do you need to find in order to cite
information? (Names pieces found on the
example.) Next, the teacher will model how to
find the information and show how to create a
citation using the model provided on the
worksheet.
Independent Practice: Remind students Have the students attempt to create a citation for
how the teaching point can be used in one book they are using for their research using
independent writing. the worksheet for guidance. The teacher will
(There should be a link between the mini monitor and assist as needed. Then, the students
lesson and the students’ independent will trade with a partner to check each other’s
writing lives.) work.
Group Wrap Up: Restate the teaching So today we learned why it is important to cite
point. information. Is it fair to pass off information as
Ask: Did you try what was taught? Did it our own? How would you feel if someone stole
work for you? How will it affect your future your information? That is why we cite
writing? information. Citing information may seem
difficult, but you will do this even more as you get
older and it will get easier each time.