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Text Investigation

Grade:

3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Uses:

Review of Content or Skill

Check for Understanding

Materials:

Text Investigation handout, display, selected text excerpt (for teacher display), and writing utensils

Description

Students identify and correct mistakes from a provided text.

Preparation

Select a text excerpt from Britannica School or Britannica Library related to your lesson objective, theme, or unit of study. Adapt the excerpt so that it has a few mistakes.

Implementation

Distribute the Text Investigation handout and display the adapted excerpt. Tell students that they will work as investigators to identify and improve elements of the text, using evidence to support their findings. After 5 minutes of independent analysis time, have students work with a partner or in a triad to compare their discoveries and reasoning followed by a whole-class sharing of evidence-based corrections.

Teaching Tips

Start with strategic text selection (three to five key points from your current unit) and model your detective process through think-alouds: “I notice this date seems different from what we learned. Let me check my notes to verify.” This sets clear expectations while reinforcing both content and analytical skills.
After reviewing the evidence-based corrections, display and read the original Britannica passage for comparison.
To extend the activity, consider using the Teach Britannica Evidence Wheel graphic organizer.

Supporting All Learners

For students needing support: Highlight key words or phrases for students to focus on when identifying the mistakes.

For advanced learners: Ask students to recall and record specific evidence from the text or lesson to support their ideas.

For multilingual learners: Provide students with a printed copy of the adapted text excerpt, and allow them to annotate the text in their home languages. Also, pre-teach key relevant vocabulary.

Note: Provide accommodations and modifications based on your learners’ needs to ensure full participation.

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