Lesson 31: Research, Part 2, Sources on Opportunity Barriers

In Lesson 30, students researched barriers that limit opportunity and stand in the way of people’s dreams. In this lesson, students will begin turning their early notes into research questions that are focused enough to guide real investigation. To begin, place students in pairs and have them refer to their Lesson 30 notes.

Turn and Talk

Say these Directions: Open your research notes and take a moment to review the Performance Task prompt. Share your topic of interest and one possible related barrier with your partner.

• Ask: What makes a good research question, and what questions are you currently considering in terms of your topic of interest?

  • A good research question is not too broad. It names a specific barrier and a specific impact, like how school funding affects college opportunities for students in low-income neighborhoods. I am still wondering which part of school funding matters most for students’ future options.

Connection to Today's Learning

• Say: Now we will discuss how researchers develop questions that can drive evidence gathering.

Continue using the teacher-maintained model topic (employment) from Lesson 30. Explain that researchers do not begin with a perfect question; they begin with a broad topic and narrow it down by studying patterns in evidence.

Think-Pair-Share

Teach: Teacher Think-Aloud

• Say: A strong inquiry question guides your research: it helps you decide what evidence matters, what sources to keep, and what claim you may eventually make.

• Say: Consider the following sample quote from a hypothetical research source on the topic of employment:

Say these Directions: Consider the following sample quote from a hypothetical research source on the topic of employment. Then, think-pair-share with a partner using the questions below.

Target Sentence:

Many qualified workers with criminal records are screened out before they can interview, which can make it harder to find stable jobs and build savings.

• Ask: Which question related to this topic is stronger for the purposes of pursuing research: “How does employment affect people?” or “How does a criminal record create barriers to finding stable employment?” Why?

  • The second question is stronger because it is focused on one barrier and one impact. It gives the researcher a clear direction and would lead to better sources and evidence.

• Ask: How can the variables of barrier, group, and impact help you develop a possible research question?

  • The categories help because they turn a pile of details into patterns. Once I know the barrier, who is affected, and what happens, I can write a question that is specific enough to investigate.

Explain that this sentence gives us raw details. Researchers group raw details into categories that help form stronger questions.

• Say: When I begin with the word employment, I only have a topic, not a research question. Asking, “How does employment affect people?” is too broad because it could include wages, hiring, benefits, hours, discrimination, training, and many different groups of people. So I go back to the evidence and look at specific details. What barriers does the source describe? Who are the people affected? What are some of the impacts? I can combine these details, one barrier, one group affected, and one impact, to develop my research question.

• Say: In the target sentence, the barrier is employment screening before interviews, the group is qualified workers with criminal records, and the impact is unstable jobs and savings.

• Say: Now I can ask, “How does a criminal record create barriers to finding stable employment for qualified workers?” That question is much easier to research. It is also arguable because I can gather evidence about how strong that barrier is, who it affects most, and what changes might help.

• Say: You can use this checklist to ensure you write a strong research question:

Research Question Checklist

• Names a specific barrier or condition

• Identifies a specific group, setting, or experience

• Explains or points toward a specific impact

• Is arguable, not answerable with one simple fact

• Connects to opportunity or inequality

• Could lead to discussion of solutions, action, or change

Connection to Today's Learning

• Say: Now you will use your notes from Lesson 30 to sort evidence into categories and draft several possible questions, before choosing the strongest one.

Students work from their Lesson 30 research notes and introductory sources. Encourage them to revisit actual Performance Task details before drafting questions.

Part A: Sort Notes and Draft Questions (W.7.7, RI.7.1) (15 minutes)

Quick Write

Say these Directions: Take out your Research Notes from Lesson 30 and your source packet. First, reread your notes and sort what you found into three categories: barrier, group affected, and impact. Then use those categories to draft three possible research questions in your journal.

• Say: Relevant evidence helps further shape your question and the direction of your research. Once you identify relevant evidence, your ideas about your topic may begin to shift. Stay open to the possible research paths that may present themselves as you dig deeper in your topic.

Teach: Modeling How to Sort Notes

• Say: I’m looking back at my original notes on the topic of employment instead of starting from scratch. One note says older applicants are called back less often, another mentions lost earnings over time, and another connects wages to retirement savings. I can sort those details into categories:

  • Barrier: age discrimination

  • Group: older job applicants

  • Impact: wealth over time.

• Say: Once I see that pattern, I can draft several possible questions instead of only one. I might ask, “How does hiring discrimination based on age affect a person’s ability to build wealth?” or “In what ways does age bias change long-term financial security for older workers?” The evidence categories help me move from random details to a clear line of inquiry.

• Ask: What patterns do you notice in your notes, and what research questions could you pursue based on those patterns of information?

  • In my notes, I kept seeing details about low-income schools having fewer advanced classes and fewer counselors. The pattern is unequal school resources, and one question that could grow from that is: “How does unequal school funding affect students’ college opportunities in low-income neighborhoods?”

Provide students with a confidence continuum (i.e., 1–5). As needed, model how to demonstrate a level of confidence using the continuum.

Part B: Test and Revise One Question (W.7.7) (15 minutes)

Students will test one question with a partner to decide whether or not it is focused and arguable enough to pursue for continued research. Pair students to share one draft question and use the class checklist for feedback. Emphasize respectful, specific feedback tied to the criteria.

Turn and Talk

Say these Directions: Choose your strongest draft question and read it to your partner. Your partner should use the checklist to name one strength and one revision idea. Then revise your question in your journal so it is focused, arguable, and connected to opportunity or inequality.

• Ask: When I hear the question, “How does employment affect people?” I think the topic matters, but the question is still too broad. How can I convey this to my partner?

  • Good feedback is specific, so I would say, “One strength is that your question connects to opportunity. One revision is to name the exact barrier and the exact group affected. “

• Ask: Is your partner’s question focused and arguable? What revision would make it stronger?

  • My partner’s question is partly focused because it names healthcare, but it still needs a clearer barrier. I suggested changing it to: “How does lack of affordable health insurance affect treatment choices for low-income families?” because that version names the barrier, the group, and the impact more clearly.

• Ask: Your research question will eventually become the foundation of your claim. How do you know if your question is arguable?

  • A question is arguable if people could look at the same evidence and reach different conclusions. If my question is "How does lack of stable housing affect children's school performance?" someone could argue the impact is significant, and someone else could argue other factors matter more. That disagreement means there's something worth investigating and proving.

• Ask: Could someone read your question and immediately answer it with one word or one fact? If so, what does that tell you about the question?

  • If someone can answer it right away, like "yes" or "no," it means the question isn't open enough for real research. A strong research question should make you need evidence to answer it, not just a quick definition or a single statistic.

The work today moved students from broad topics to real inquiry. Close by having them reflect on the process of drafting their inquiry question.

Quick Write

• Say: Write your final research question. Then write one sentence about what you are still unsure of and one sentence about what you feel confident about going into the next lesson.

  • I am confident that my question names a real barrier and a specific group. I am still unsure whether my sources are strong enough to support the impact side of the argument.

Instruct students to reread one source from the topic folder and highlight one detail that could help answer their revised research question.

Then, ask students to complete the following task in their Journal:

• Write one sentence explaining whether or not your newest source seems relevant enough for use in the next lesson.