PROJECT Using a real life question or problem, children design an investigation and representation of their findings to present the audience for which they decide. Ask children if they have any questions or have noticed any problems that need solved. Script what they say on chart paper for all to see. I would like to find out. I would like more nonfiction books.
STEP TWO: For one week leading up to the unit, ask children to be very aware of their school and community and come up with at least three questions they would like to find the answers to or problems they would like to find solutions to.
Assign this as homework so parents and families can share in the discussion. Schedule 30 minutes of time per day for the children to simply observe with their clipboards and write down possibilities for topics. Then ask them to post these around the room. The teacher needs to make sure each group has children who have their ideas developed and others who may not, if there are any in the group who still have very loosely developed questions or problems to solve. Let them know that each group is going to hear the ideas of all group members and then decide as a group which problem or question they will use.
Show children the rubric for the project assessment and also go over the criteria for deciding which questions or problems may lend themselves to a more comprehensive project and presentation.
The teacher will facilitate using questioning techniques with each of the groups throughout this time. Asking questions like: What has your group decided to focus on? How will you collect facts about this topic? How will you collect opinions about this topic? What questions does your group have about this topic? How will you represent your findings mathematically? They will decide how to represent their findings through a literature produce, mathematically, scientifically etc.
