Gathering Information and Planning a Research Project

Jane and Ernie need to research someone special for a new article. "What about the artist, Tom Yendell?" "That won't paint a clear enough picture for our readers!" "How about the astronaut, Yi So-Yeon?" "I don't think we have enough space to cover her!" "Hmm, Isaac Newton?" "Oh, that's a gravity-defying idea!" Let's join Ernie and Jane as they begin planning a research project on a person. You might already know about researching, when you investigate and discover specific information about a person. You can conduct your research using print media, such as books, articles, and magazines, or digital media, such as videos, websites and online articles. Many people write about the same topic with different points of view on the internet, so check all reliable sources for accurate information. Researching about a person's life can be difficult, that's where a graphic organiser like this can help. Each box helps us to answer questions about the person and their life. I wonder what Jane and Ernie will write down first? They begin by writing 'Isaac Newton', the person they are researching, at the top. For the 'date of birth' and 'date of death' boxes, you can usually find this in the person's biography, or by finding the information on reliable websites on the internet. Jane and Ernie note that Isaac Newton was born on the 4th of January, 1643 and died on the thirty-first of March, 1727. To save time, keep your notes short since you aren't writing just yet! Next, we have the 'famous for' box, which is where we research what this person is known for. Again, this can be found in biographies, or by searching 'what is Isaac Newton famous for?' on the internet, and using a reliable website for the information. Jane and Ernie wrote 'important contributions to maths and science' and 'discovery of gravity'. Next we can find some fun facts. In this section, we would need to read and research to find things that others might find interesting about the person. You should try to find at least two fun facts from either books, or again by finding trustworthy websites online. For Isaac Newton, Jane and Ernie wrote 'professor at Cambridge University' and 'an apple never fell on him'! Finally, we have personality traits. This is where you might need to make inferences about this person based on research you conduct. The more you research and read about a person, the more you can get an idea about their personality. After lots of reading and researching Isaac Newton on the internet, Jane and Ernie wrote that he was a 'curious and brilliant thinker' and was a 'very experimental person'. You can always add more topics of interest to your research project, such as family life, famous quotes and achievements. The information you gather in your organiser can help you to write a report or give a presentation on the person you chose! Before we review, think of one person you would love to research, and why. Share in the comments below! Remember, when conducting research you can use print media and digital media. You can use an organiser to help plan and take notes about when they were born and when they died, what they were famous for, some fun facts, their personality traits and any other areas of their life you may wish to research. "Hmm, I wonder..." "It looks like gravity is working against you, Ernie!"