Students make a list of potential subjects for an informational article and then refine it to a specific area of interest. Students will be able to: 
- practice techniques for choosing article topics.
- compile a list of their ideas for articles.
- create a main idea statement to focus on a specific area.

- How can readers decide which information from what they hear, read, and see to believe? 
- How do literary and informational texts become meaningful to strategic readers? 
- How does interaction with text elicit thought and response? 
- What is the objective? 
- What is the true purpose of this text? 
- What makes writing clear and effective? 
- Why do authors write? 
- Who is the target audience? 
- What will appeal to the audience the most? 
- How can a reader find what they're looking for? 
- How can a reader determine whether a source is reliable?

- Author’s Purpose: The author’s intent is either to inform or teach someone about something, to entertain people, or to persuade or convince the audience to do or not do something. 
- Focus: The specific part of a subject that is the central idea of your writing. 
- Informational Text: Nonfiction, written primarily to convey factual information. Informational texts comprise the majority of printed material adults read (e.g., textbooks, newspapers, reports, directions, brochures, technical manuals, etc.). 
- Main-Idea Statement: A sentence (usually in the first paragraph) that states a specific and narrow main idea or claim, which can be supported throughout a paper’s body paragraphs. 
- Topic: The particular issue or idea that serves as the subject of a paragraph, essay, report, or speech. 
- Works Cited: An alphabetical list of works cited, or works to which you have referred.

- a large screen or way to show a class-viewing copy of “Dry Seasons: The Effects of Drought” http://go.hrw.com/eolang/pdfs/ch8-3.pdf or a similar article 
- copies of a graphic organizer (LW-6-3-1_Graphic Organizer) 
- computer access to FactMonster.com at http://www.factmonster.com/ 
- computer access to or copies of the opening paragraphs of several articles, such as: 
- “The Adoption Process: What to Expect” http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/adopt/tips/adoption_process_what_expect.html 
- “Online Ski Lessons––7 Ski Techniques to Learn to Ski Well” http://ezinearticles.com/?Online-Ski-Lessons---7-Ski-Techniques-to-Learn-to-Ski-Well&id=1823347 
- “Feline Sense of Direction” http://www.care2.com/c2c/groups/disc.html?gpp=20892&pst=1078442 
- “In Twenty Years Chocolate Will Be a Rare Delicacy” http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-11/future-chocolate-will-be-rare-delicacy-analysts-say 
- “How to Prepare for a Camping Trip” http://www.helium.com/items/605509-how-to-prepare-for-a-camping-trip 
- Criteria for Evaluating Web Sites (http://www.classzone.com/books/research_guide/page_build.cfm?content=web_eval_criteria&state=none or something similar) 
- copies of Exit Ticket for Lesson 1 Part 1 (LW-6-3-1_Exit Ticket for Lesson 1 Part 1) 
- copies of Exit Ticket for Lesson 1 Part 2 (LW-6-3-1_Exit Ticket for Lesson 1 Part 2) 
- a blackboard and/or an easel with a large sheet of chart paper and markers

- While students are working on their lists of ideas, keep an eye on them and use the short writing sessions to assist students who express difficulty coming up with a topic. To get them started, briefly reiterate the directions and offer a few suggestions.
- While the groups are collaborating on the graphic organizer exercise, move between them. Take note of any students who seem to be struggling with this exercise so you can assist them. Additionally, take this opportunity to quickly scan each topic list to see how it is developing.
- Students who might require additional practice creating their main idea statements can be identified by watching the groups as they identify main idea statements and work on creating their own.
- Additionally, examining the student's general topic will guarantee that it is appropriate and feasible (i.e., there should be an abundance of research sources available).
- Before starting their research, have a look at each student's main idea statement to see if any need revision or more practice. By getting involved now, you can prevent students from wasting time on something they can't utilize for their article.

Explicit instruction, modeling, scaffolding, and active engagement 
W: From the start of the unit, students are aware that they will write their own informative articles. To do this, they must first gather ideas for topics and then focus their ideas by reading through several example articles. 
H: After reading a quick article on a broad topic, students switch right away to individualized interests and start making their own lists of subjects. 
E: To give themselves a variety of options, students gather potential topics. Additionally, they identify the main ideas in articles and double-check those they have written themselves while working in groups. 
R: Students can learn the skills they need to apply to their own writing and research by working with models in the classroom, in groups, and on their own. 
E: To assess their understanding of the process, students can practice refining their topics and creating main idea statements with their peers. 
T: Students often work in groups before working individually, and they observe new activities modeled before working on them in groups. Group members and you can assist students who may require additional practice. 
O: By the time students are required to create a main idea statement for their own article, they have looked over the main ideas of multiple articles and have compiled a list of potential article topics. 

Focus Question: How do you choose a focus for an informational article?

Part 1

"You will write an informative article during this unit that will be published in a class collection" (in whatever format you select). "This educational piece will concentrate on a specific cause-and-effect relationship." Talk about how the choice of the cause(s) or effect(s) will determine the paper's target audience. They will select and conduct their research on the subject, and then write up their findings in an article. They will choose their article's topic during this lesson.

Present a brief cause-and-effect essay to your students, such as "Dry Seasons: The Effects of Drought" (http://go.hrw.com/eolang/pdfs/ch8-3.pdf). This article's third page defines and describes the general structure of a cause-and-effect essay.

Discuss the three main goals of writing: to inform, to entertain, and to persuade, after you have read the entire article aloud as a group. Find out why the author wrote the piece (to educate about the effects of drought). If students say the article is persuasive or entertaining as well, you can talk about how the three goals can occasionally be combined. For instance, giving the reader engaging examples can educate and amuse them at the same time. "Whom did the writer write for?" (The essay might be a student-written piece for a teacher, or it might be a section taken from a student-only textbook.)

Ask students to get a sheet of paper so they can start making a list of ideas for their own article after that. "You will choose your own subject, and your goal will be to educate your audience about the causes and consequences of that subject. Start your list now, and give it a minute or two. Jot down any topics that immediately spring to mind, such as the effects of drought. To determine your topic, all you have to do is enumerate words or phrases." Once students have had a few minutes to think, ask them to discuss their ideas in pairs with a partner. Then, give them an additional minute to write down any ideas that their partner sparked.

Give them some ideas for additional subjects to consider adding to their list once the majority of them have finished listing. Make a note of the students who might benefit from extra practice or time to brainstorm, and stop by when they're writing to assist them in adding to their lists. After the following suggestions, take a moment to give students a chance to write down their ideas.

"We recently read a piece concerning the impacts of dry seasons. Do you have any more questions about any other natural occurrences, like the origins of tornadoes or hurricanes? Or perhaps environmental subjects like the consequences of deforestation. Consider why or how particular events or situations occur, as well as what follows these events or situations, to come up with a topic." To help students think of these broad topics and then subtopics of interest, it may also be helpful to write categories on the board, such as history, inventions, technology, education, sports/recreation/leisure, science, nature, current events, etc.

When students have completed their listing, ask them to share a few of their ideas, which you can then record for the class to see and utilize as a basis for students to add to their own lists. Pupils ought to try to include five or more topics on their lists. While the students are sharing, consider a topic they could discuss that would work well in a cause-and-effect model. "There are a few ways we can start categorizing the topics now that you have a list to determine which ones belong in a cause-and-effect article. A graphic organizer is one method we can employ." Provide a copy of a cause-and-effect graphic organizer to each student. These are available online (LW-6-3-1_Graphic Organizer) or in writing textbooks.

Model for the students how one could approach the topic's causes and/or effects using a topic they have submitted or another one you have already prepared. Show how to use this topic to finish the graphic organizer. After that, allow students to explore two of their topics using the cause-and-effect graphic organizer. As you move about the classroom, help the students.

"You'll notice as you work through the graphic organizer that not every one of your topics will be appropriate for a cause-and-effect essay. For example, drawing a comparison between sledding and roller coaster riding could work well for a compare-and-contrast essay, but it might not be the best subject for a cause-and-effect essay. You can filter your interests and better understand the goal of cause-and-effect essays by using a graphic organizer.

After that, I want each of you to present your group's findings and topics from this exercise. Find out more about the subjects, causes, and effects of your peers' work. Recall that brainstorming ideas with others is beneficial. You might gain new perspectives on your subjects from your peers. Offer advice to your classmates regarding the causes and effects of the topic they are studying. As you talk with your peers, feel free to add them to your list."

Inform the class that they have to choose a topic by the end of the following class session.

Each student should receive an exit ticket (LW-6-3-1_Exit Ticket for Lesson 1 Part 1). Students should be asked to explain how choosing a focus for their cause-and-effect article can be aided by employing a prewriting technique like a graphic organizer. Gather the exit tickets to ensure everyone has understood.

Part 2

Write the following sentences on the board before the next class meeting:

I'll write a paper discussing the cause(s) of ________________.

I'll write a paper discussing the impact(s) of ______________________.

"As you get ready to write your cause-and-effect piece, you'll concentrate on one specific facet of your subject. To put it another way, your attention will be drawn to the cause(s) or effect(s) of a specific event, circumstance, etc. It might be too much to cover both in one article.

You compiled a list of potential topics in the last class. To assist you in selecting the subjects most appropriate for a cause-and-effect essay, you created a graphic organizer. Write one of the two statements on the board and fill in the blank with the topic you have selected for the next two minutes. You would write, "I will write about the effects of cutting down rainforests," for instance, if you were going to write about the effects of clearing rainforests." Give students a model by writing this sentence structure on the board.

Say, "This statement will help you write the main idea statement for your article," once the students have completed filling in the framework.

Describe how a main idea statement serves to inform the reader of the article's purpose. Show the students the article you used in Part 1 again, "Dry Seasons: The Effects of Drought" (http://go.hrw.com/eolang/pdfs/ch8-3.pdf ). Ask them to locate a sentence that sums up the article's main idea in the opening section. Students should complete this article's cause-and-effect graphic organizer. The primary idea is usually stated in the opening paragraph. The main idea is divided into two sentences in this case: "The main cause of drought is simple; there is a lack of precipitation in the form of rainfall or snowfall." However, it can be challenging to gauge the long-term effects of drought on people, ecosystems, and economies because it is a continuous state as opposed to a singular event like a tornado. 

Students should now read the first few paragraphs of multiple articles, including the ones listed, in groups. Note that while these articles do contain main-idea statements, they are not always cause-and-effect articles.

“The Adoption Process: What to Expect” http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/adopt/tips/adoption_process_what_expect.html 

“Online Ski Lessons––7 Ski Techniques to Learn to Ski Well” http://ezinearticles.com/?Online-Ski-Lessons---7-Ski-Techniques-to-Learn-to-Ski-Well&id=1823347 

“Feline Sense of Direction” http://www.care2.com/c2c/groups/disc.html?gpp=20892&pst=1078442 

“In Twenty Years Chocolate Will Be a Rare Delicacy” http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-11/future-chocolate-will-be-rare-delicacy-analysts-say 

“How to Prepare for a Camping Trip” http://www.helium.com/items/605509-how-to-prepare-for-a-camping-trip 

After reading the opening paragraphs of the articles, instruct the students to identify the main idea of each one:

- In the article, "The Adoption Process: What to Expect," the main premise is that "Shelters and rescue groups ask a lot of questions of prospective adopters for two main reasons: to ensure long-term homes for the animals in their care and to facilitate good matches between customers and their adopted companions." (In this instance, the first paragraph as a whole.)

- The primary concept stated in "Online Ski Lessons—7 Ski Techniques to Learn to Ski Well" is that "the following fundamental drills are foundational to learning to ski well."

- In the article titled "Feline Sense of Direction," the main idea is, "Perhaps a combination of unexplained magnetic phenomena and intuition is what allows animals to find their way home from great distances."

- Under the heading "In Twenty Years, Chocolate Will Be A Rare Delicacy," the main claim is, "Chocolate consumption is increasing faster than cocoa production, according to the Cocoa Research Association, and that means prohibitively expensive chocolate is in our future."

- The main idea of "How to Prepare for a Camping Trip" is that "the biggest key is to break down the preparation into simple steps rather than trying to deal with it all at once."

Talk about the focus and clarity with which these statements introduce and identify the topic, and what makes them effective. After pointing out these characteristics in one or two of the aforementioned main idea statements, instruct students to do the same for the remaining instances. After discussing them in small groups, the class can share.

Note: Let's take a moment to talk about some of the distinctions between articles meant for print publications and those meant for websites. These latter are frequently succinct, dividing content that would be printed as a single paragraph into several short paragraphs or a list of bulleted points. Additionally, web articles frequently lack a conclusion. In the hopes that website visitors will read at least some of the content, the information is presented clearly and concisely in an easy-to-read format. Explain to students where their articles will be published and how to write for that format, as not all schools have the same resources for publication. Add this to your checklists, guidelines, and scoring rubrics.

Part 3

"As you can see, a main idea statement focuses on the main purpose or point of the writing," says students after sharing their findings with the rest of the class. "Writing a main idea statement for your article is a must, and it will guide your search for sources and the information you include in the piece. One approach to choosing a main idea statement for your topic is to first conduct a quick literature search to determine what kinds of materials are available, and then revise your main idea statement as necessary." Select a sample subject to present to the class. A student might be curious to learn about the origins of blizzards, for instance. In light of this, the student could undertake research.

Note: While you can incorporate the school library or public library based on available resources, this unit assumes that students will conduct some research online. If you would like to cut down on the amount of time you and your students spend finding reliable sources, you can also restrict online research to a list of websites that you approve. Tailor the research to the needs and resources of the class.

Start with a general reference website such as FactMonster at http://www.factmonster.com/, enter blizzards, and skim the material that displays. FactMonster provides "The Blizzard of 1888" after spelling and definitions.

When the class selects that from the FactMonster link, they can see that it provides detailed information about the specific 1888 blizzard. Let's study "The Blizzard of 1888" together. The data originates from Borgna Brunner's book, The Great White Hurricane. For the book, no copyright date is provided; however, the website (Fact Monster Database) has a copyright date (2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.).

Ask students to read the article and identify the causes and/or effects of the blizzard that occurred in 1888 (e.g., the transportation problems that followed "led to the creation of the New York subway"). Give students this information and ask them to try to formulate a simple main idea statement. Assist when required.

Remind students to take notes about the website before they leave it so they can return to it later and possibly include it in their list of references. Give them a copy of the format you want them to use for this as well, or indicate in their handbook where it is located. Students should note the date and the URL (http://www.factmonster.com/spot/blizzard1.html) where they accessed the information. To ensure that they can easily revisit the website if necessary, remind them that they might not be obliged to include the URL in their list of references.

Students should work through this procedure in pairs on a different subject, like the Titanic. Ask them to look into the reasons behind the ship's sinking. Ask them to compose a succinct summary of the main idea explaining why the Titanic sank. Inform students that the main idea statement can be made more focused on the reasons why something happened by utilizing specific keywords, like because. Allow each group to present after the students have had time to finish their sentences. Identify the language's advantages and disadvantages.

To ensure that the general topic is appropriate and feasible in terms of locating sources, instruct students to repeat this process with one of their own topics. You will circulate the room to approve the general topic as they work. Stress that they should express their main ideas in their own words rather than paraphrasing their research findings verbatim.

Instruct students to prepare their own main idea statements for the following class period. If required, their original statements may need to be modified to reflect their research. Ask them to bring two copies of the sentence—one for you to use in class and the other for you.

Give the students the LW-6-3-1_Exit Ticket for Lesson 1 Part 2. They will explain what a main idea statement is and where it is typically found, using their own words. Gather the exit tickets to ensure everyone has understood.

Extension:
Identify any students who may require assistance in focusing on a specific topic and formulating a thesis statement. Give them another broad subject to discuss and repeat the procedure with them. Alternatively, ask students to choose a topic for their article and guide them through the process so they can prepare a main idea statement for the following class period.