Research for Life: 4 Week Beginner Crash Course (Ages 10-14)

**If you don't see a suitable section, please feel free to request a time that works for you!**
Calling all learners who are beginning their research journey, this class is for you. Research is something we do daily, whether it's picking out the next YouTube video, finding a yummy place to eat at, or looking up the weather for the day. What if we want to convince somebody why this videogame is the best in the world? We need to be able to persuade them by using research!

This class is designed around your interests and will teach you the basics of writing an argumentative, or persuasive, research essay. We will begin the class by brainstorming and selecting topics, writing a thesis and identifying credible sources. Weeks 2 and 3 will focus on various elements of the argumentation process, including: identifying rhetorical devices, citing and incorporating sources as supporting evidence, and learning about essay structure. The 4th week of class will be dedicated to conclusions and formatting. Students will submit their final essays at the end of the 4th week and receive valuable feedback to fuel their future writing journeys. Ms. Sydney creates a discussion based environment where students can feel free to ask for help and bounce ideas of their peers. Most of the live sessions will be spent learning and practicing the skills needed to complete the independent assignments of the week. Each session will also include a 5-10 minute window where students can work on their projects, present their progress and get valuable feedback from the instructor and peers. This class is meant to prepare students for their academic future in research and paper writing. Students should have basic writing experience (mainly in simple paragraph writing and experience connecting ideas in writing), but do not need to be advanced writers to take this class! Students should also be fluent readers, as research primarily requires us to read. 

Here is the breakdown for the 4-week crash course:
Week 1
-Class Introductions to Research: Planning Stage
-Brainstorm Project Ideas (student-led) Topic Selection & Thesis
-Identify Credible Sources
[3-5 Sources due before next class]
Week 2
-Outline, Introduction, and How to Quote
-Look at commonly used transitions
[Outline and Introduction done before next class]
Week 3
-Body Paragraphs, Commentary, and Rhetorical Devices
-Extracting connections and meaning from quotes
-Argument styles
[Body Paragraphs 1-3 due by next class]
Week 4
-Conclusion and revising
-Strengthening vocabulary
-Formatting, Citing in text and Works Cited Page
-Peer review
[Final Draft Due 11:59pm PST night of final session]

Hope to see you in this jam packed crash course fellow researchers!