On Friday, after reading about the extensive reports written by Lewis and Clark on their Corps of Discovery, students in Room 404 were charged with the same task. After classifying beans four different times and a quick discussion about scientific convention, we dug into owl pellets, making discoveries, drawing conclusions, and carefully observing details.
This project lasted to the very last minute before the kids had to change for the Halloween parade. They were busy all day in organized lessons, and they had to work cooperatively (the hardest part for some).
If you are interested in learning more about owls and owl pellets, check out Kidwings for videos, virtual dissection, and more.
Since introducing the Seesaw app on our iPads, I have found it quite useful in projects such as this. How does a teacher show proof that a child has performed a task - especially without a paper test.
With Seesaw, students can take pictures along the way and label all the important parts. They add notes to their photographs document their progress. This also gives me the chance to hold students independently accountable, rather than try to give a group score. One student experimented with making a video after she completed the task assigned with her group. She narrates the video at right in real time. Notice the controlled intrigue in her voice. |
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