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Researcher's Workshop
The aim of our Researcher’s Workshop is to encourage student inquiry in the subjects of Science and Social Studies that will act as a springboard for skills in Reading, Writing, and Math units. Students will engage in project-based learning as they explore the world around them and share what they've learned with each other.
Students will be introduced to the Key Cognitive Strategies or “Habits of Good Thinking” by asking the following questions to guide their explorations:
Students will be introduced to the Key Cognitive Strategies or “Habits of Good Thinking” by asking the following questions to guide their explorations:
- What do I want to know/learn? (Ask Questions, Make Observations)
- What is my idea? (Hypothesize)
- How can I find out? (Make Observations, Collect and Record Data, Experiment, Conduct Research)
- What did I discover? (Analyze, Draw Conclusions, Make Connections, Reflect)
- How can I share my learning with others? (Synthesize and Communicate Ideas)
Unit 1: Community Building
As we begin to lay a foundation for our learning community, we embark on a journey to discover our own unique talents and abilities and how each person contributes to the diversity of our team. Students share their hopes and dreams which demonstrates that we all have different stories and important dreams. While we all come from different places, we are all accepted in this community. With the support of each member in our classroom and extended community, we can grow to our best creative abilities and realize our dreams.
Students work together to develop class rules based on how they want to be treated by others. We revisit ideas learned in kindergarten through the much loved book Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud and discuss ways to “fill buckets” in our community and avoid being “bucket dippers.” Through read alouds, role-plays, and collaborative learning, students learn to be advocates for themselves and others and how to be respectful problem solvers in social situations.
Students will create self-portrait and cityscape collages in the style of Romare Bearden as they learn about the diverse people who make up our classroom, school, and neighborhood communities.
As students delve into science explorations, they will uncover what scientists do and how they observe the world using the five senses. Students will take on the role of scientists as they make observations that will lead to discoveries and new understandings about our community and each other.
Students work together to develop class rules based on how they want to be treated by others. We revisit ideas learned in kindergarten through the much loved book Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud and discuss ways to “fill buckets” in our community and avoid being “bucket dippers.” Through read alouds, role-plays, and collaborative learning, students learn to be advocates for themselves and others and how to be respectful problem solvers in social situations.
Students will create self-portrait and cityscape collages in the style of Romare Bearden as they learn about the diverse people who make up our classroom, school, and neighborhood communities.
As students delve into science explorations, they will uncover what scientists do and how they observe the world using the five senses. Students will take on the role of scientists as they make observations that will lead to discoveries and new understandings about our community and each other.
Unit 2: Animal Habitats
This unit begins with a study of living and non-living things. Scientists will learn the characteristics of a living thing and what living things need in order to survive. From there, students’ own questions will guide their explorations and they will use the classroom library to research and find answers to their questions. In connection with our CAFE strategies in Reader’s Workshop, students will “Use Text Features” (title, table of contents, heading, diagrams, labels, glossaries, etc.) to assist them as readers and researchers. They will search for answers to their questions by reading nonfiction books, paying close attention to how text features help us in our research. Finally, they will share their findings with the community.
Next, our classroom will turn into a laboratory as scientists study a living thing - the earthworm! They will make observations, record findings and ideas in their science journals, develop questions, hypotheses, and experiments, conduct research, and draw conclusions. From there, our young scientists will use their knowledge to create a healthy habitat for their earthworms to thrive and grow. We will celebrate their hard work and discoveries at the end of the unit with a community share, where scientists will share their journals, lab reports, experiments, habitats, and writing and art projects with you!
Next, our classroom will turn into a laboratory as scientists study a living thing - the earthworm! They will make observations, record findings and ideas in their science journals, develop questions, hypotheses, and experiments, conduct research, and draw conclusions. From there, our young scientists will use their knowledge to create a healthy habitat for their earthworms to thrive and grow. We will celebrate their hard work and discoveries at the end of the unit with a community share, where scientists will share their journals, lab reports, experiments, habitats, and writing and art projects with you!