Any Questions??

The technology coordinator and I have been guiding our 4th graders through the research process in our Research and Digital Literacy Class.  We do everything we can to make it both fun and meaningful.  We're now at the point where the boys are set to conduct relevant research. 

We will be having author Elissa Brent Weissman visit in May.  Her visit is a part of the Authors For Earth Day program. 

Our 4th graders are researching Ms. Weissman's conservation nominees (National Aquarium, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Jane Goodall Institute, Conservation International, and Wildlife Conservation Society), and they will present their research to the 3rd and 5th graders and all 3rd-5th grade students will vote on where the author's donation should go.

We began by having the boys read an eBook about Earth Day and take notes.  This created lively discussions, developed some background knowledge, and started to frame what was to come next.

The first step in conducting any research is to begin by asking questions.  We've been teaching boys to formulate questions using the technique created by Dan Rothstein and Luz Santana at the Right Question Institute. 

Sometimes the hardest part of conducting research is knowing how and where to start.  Hopefully creating thoughtful questions will set the boys on the path to success.