Free Guide: Launch a Love of Research With Magic Tree House

Help students learn about research and presentation skills with this beloved series.

Sponsored By Random House Children’s Books
Magic Tree House guide with two books on a colored background.

There’s no hiding the love for Magic Tree House books among students and teachers alike. These fun and adventurous stories provide the perfect platform to build skills around nonfiction literature and research. There’s so much to learn in this engaging series, from pyramids to pilgrims and warriors to wildlife. That’s why we’re loving this new free guide that helps you teach the research process through the Magic Tree House books and the Magic Tree House Research Adventure Fair.

What exactly is the Magic Tree House Research Adventure Fair?

  • Students will choose or be assigned a high-interest topic to read about in the series.
  • Students will demonstrate newfound knowledge through reading Magic Tree House titles and outside research of their topic.
  • Students will share what they learned! They will conclude their research with a creative presentation to their class, school, or community. Students can dress up, bring in a corresponding food item, creatively display information, and so much more. Allow students to think freely and creatively by offering a variety of presentation formats.

How does it work?

  • Through the research guide, teachers are provided with a menu of options about how time-intensive, broad, narrow, or individualized this project will be.
  • Students read about fun topics in the Magic Tree House series.
  • They evaluate books and understand the differences between fiction and nonfiction using Magic Tree House Fact Trackers.
  • Students pick a topic of their choosing and pose research questions.
  • They conduct research on the topic while learning new skills.
  • From the research, they organize, draft, and revise their findings to form a presentation.
  • Finally, presentations showcase and celebrate what they’ve learned during a Magic Tree House Research Adventure Fair!

What will students learn?

  • How the research process works.
  • Knowledge of a new, nonfiction topic.
  • Organization of ideas and research details.
  • How to creatively display and convey information.
  • Presentation skills.
  • Library skills by using outside sources.
  • The differences between fact and fiction using the Fact Tracker.

What’s inside the guide?

  • A video from Mary Pope Osborne inviting students to participate.
  • A menu of options for how this project could take shape in your classroom.
  • Questions for guiding students through the research process.
  • Nonfiction resources and a glossary of nonfiction terms.
  • Tips for having conversations with school leaders about hosting a research fair.
  • Printable graphic organizer and fair materials.
  • Ideas for creative presentations.

Don’t forget to grab your copy of the Magic Tree House Research Adventure Guide to get started.

Free Guide: Launch a Love of Research With Magic Tree House