Gloggin' thru the Milky Way

As I mentioned in a previous post, I started this year off with Interest Inventories. Last summer, I purchased Shelley Gray's Student Portfolio package and it was the bomb-diggedy. I 110% recommend it-yes it is THAT awesome. It includes Writing, Reading and Math surveys, Multiple Intelligence surveys and Reflections that can be done with the kids each month. I am so glad that I bought this...it's so incredibly useful and easy to use.

{click on picture to go to tpt}

Anywho, according to their surveys, the kids REALLY wanted to learn about animals and the solar system. 

We did a HUGE animal research project, complete with exhibition, that incorporated tonnes of cross-curricular learning. The kids loved it. 

In May, we started solar system projects. I read somewhere or someplace (many times, actually) that it is EXTREMELY important to tap into schema before introducing a new topic...something I have {being honest} skipped over occasionally. So, we started this study with a KWL chart about the planets. 

We watched Learn 360 Solar System info movies and read books/articles/poems about the SS. This took about a week. Finally, I buddied the kids up according to ability and gave them each a topic. I didn't have enough planets for the 12 pairs, so I also included the sun, moon, and Halley's Comet.

{click picture to get a copy}

I differentiated the sun, Earth, Halley's Comet and the moon.These are all 2 instead of 3 pages long and have slightly different questions than the others. It took me a day to make up the sheets but it was worth it! I also used free resources that I found on Pinterest and then photocopied to go along with each topic.

After researching their planets, kids conferenced with me. I helped them find pictures of their planets, and guided them to find the answers they couldn't find on their own. 

The last step was to create a glog. Okay-Glogster.edu changed a little. Instead of each student having their own login (I just couldn't afford the membership at the time), I created a login and gave each child a page. This just meant that they logged in as me and then found their names. Easy peasy lemon squeezey.

{click on the picture to go to this glog}

Our final step was to present the glogs on our class Smartboard. As each partnership presented, kids wrote down one-three interesting fact(s) in a flipbook that I created using Read-Write-Think. 

I would have loved to have done a craftivity with this project, but we ran out of time. 

And that's it...that's all. A really fun, engaging project that incorporated all sorts of curriculum and the kids loved.

ps  If you're interested in the rest of the planets/solar system sheets let me know and I'll send them to you!

Any Thoughts on DIORAMAS Much Appreciated...

I love this time of the year. I feel like the kids are surpassing my expectations, rich learning can be seen everywhere and routines are old hat. This time of year also makes me sad. Kids will be going on to their next class in just a few short months. {sniffle} It's always at this time of the school year that I wish I could stay with the same kids for two years in a row. I think that it's called "looping" (?) and if that is the correct term, sign me up. I think. Errrr...on second thought...

My grade 2/3 class is finishing up an Animal Research Project that I purchased (only $3.50!) from Kimberley Gillow's tpt store:

(100% recommend btw)

This resource is laid out in a fun, easy to follow format that gets the kids "feet wet" for researching. Habitat, appearance, babies, predators, food, interesting facts are headings that the kids have to find information for. Our school librarian (who absolutely ROCKS) found up all the books the kids needed after they each picked a topic of their own. Dodo birds to giraffes to Mario (which I kiboshed)...and everything in between. After showing them how to look up information and how to make a list of important facts for each heading, kids practiced paragraph writing using the Stoplight Paragraph method. We've been working on paragraph writing all year, but this method seems to have really stuck for them:

(free download from tpt)

After writing rough copies or drafts, peer editing and revising took place. For the published copy, kids are making a PowerPoint presentation, including transitions, background colour, images and even sound. They were a little frustrated at first, but have persevered and are LOVING it. My little Mario hopeful even made a turtle pp so that he could then make a Mario one in his "free time."

My final step is making a diorama. Okay-here is the question: Are dioramas passe? I think my kids (especially the kinesthetic ones) would excel at this part of the project. I am thinking that they can use half size (I'll cut) pop flats for the base. Materials from home, supply cupboard, etc can be used for the ground (kids would have to make it authentic to their animal). Salt dough animals, small extras can be made. Vegetation can be picked from home or made from construction paper, foam, etc. **I would add labels to our dioramas.

Personally, I think it would be a fantastic culminating activity. Kids would have to use their learning/knowledge to construct an authentic model for their animal. 

If all goes well, we will have an showcase in our classroom and invite other classes to come and see our wildlife exhibition...including PowerPoints :)

So, too much or inquiry based learning? Diorama or overkill?

ps We've been doing lots of other stuff, too...just in case you're wondering...we work on our projects 2 times a week so that the kids don't become sick of them.