Experience San Diego Project (Discovery Card)
Project Description
The concepts behind the project are simple:
The Steps 1. We started things off with a question: What makes San Diego unique? 2. We read a short story about a class field trip to San Diego and explored the general history of the region. 3. Students brainstormed people, places and events that interested them in their community. They generated a list of questions around these topics and developed them into larger inquiries. 4. Once the students committed to an inquiry that truly interested them, they 1) began planning field trips and 2) interviews that would help them gather their research – the two fundamental elements of their “experience.” They had the choice to embark on their experiences alone or with partners. Up Ahead Students will utilize their notes, videos and photos from the experience to write a piece for a collaborative book. Students have chosen topics ranging from Cuyamaca Peak to animal rescue organizations to Sony Online Games. We’re going to examine models of feature articles from magazines and newspapers to help us create our format. Students will practice language-arts concepts in their writing and use peer critique to finesse their products. The final book will be exhibited to parents, teachers, students and all folks involved in the students’ experiences. The plan is to host the book launch party at the Point Loma Public Library. We’ll commemorate the occasion by donating a signed copy to their collection. Sharing with Colleagues I’ve invited a number of colleagues into my classroom to observe the process of the project. Colleagues observed students using a “world café” to brainstorm topics and watched the class engage in a “chalk talk” to organize our topics into categories and sub-topics. Both of these practices have been picked up by observing teachers and implemented in their classrooms. Maria Brandecker, my 6th grade humanities counterpart, approached me the day after observing my students and showed me a “chalk talk” that she’d implemented. “I used the video you shared with me to model how to do it. My students picked up on it immediately!” she reported. Changes in Mindset I used to be afraid to engage in projects where I wasn’t the expert. Now, I’ve learned to relish the unexpected twists and turns of projects where students become specialists in unfamiliar areas. Learning alongside students helps me to view the project through a different lens. I’ve learned to co-construct projects with students, delegate more responsibility to them and provide them with important choices. In many cases this has sparked a newfound sense of motivation and interest for students. How was I to know that making a phone call to a museum and setting up a guided tour would be so compelling and challenging? Students loved this experience! Advice For Colleagues I haven’t found all the answers I seek in the realm of differentiation. Of course, there are hurdles to every type of learning that we do. It’s hard to quantify some of the learning in this context. With so much student choice and student independence, I can’t possibly follow each student’s every move. I just have to believe that everyone will learn something valuable, lasting and within their zone of readiness through this project – and everyone includes me, the teacher. This project made me realize the importance of keeping your plans flexible and constantly reflecting on things. At the onset of the project, I realized that students were lacking a basic understanding of the geography and history of San Diego. It was hard for them to create inquiries when they lacked the basic facts for which to construct their curiosity. As a result, I taught a two day mini-lesson covering some basics about our region. Another major tool that helped me coordinate and plan for this project was co-construction. I consistently sought the advice and insight of students to help me plan next steps. On one occasion I noticed that students were struggling to keep information organized for their field trips and interviews. With the help of a small panel of students, I we re-designed a planning guide that simplified things. Contact: [email protected]
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