Making It Their
Own: Research That Belongs to Student
MSAD#55 Mini-Grant, 2005-2006
Project Goals
Increasing student:
• Skills in observing, describing, and documenting science
based activities in multiple formats;
• Skills in non-fiction reading and expository writing;
• Identifying relevant information in a variety of contexts
(books, video and Internet);
• Ability to independently create a picture book as the
format for their research report;
• Ability to independently or with 3rd grade buddy/mentor
create a slide show of their picture book using Media/ImageBlender;
• Ability to present/explain their work to varied audiences
including parents and visitors;
• Incorporate art as a means for students to communicate
their learning.
Activities to accomplish goals:
• Students will maintain a work portfolio for this project.
• Students will work with Weekly Reader Science as a class
to learn what living things need to survive, practice reading and problem
solving skills.
• Students will work with a partner to learn about an animal
of Maine that interests them.
• Using library books, video, Internet and interviews,
students will collect information about their chosen animal. This information
will be recorded as required by the 1st grade Level II assessment.
• Guest presenters will bring animals to visit the students
(pre-approved – arrangements made following district/school guidlines)
• Students will build a three-dimensional model of their
chosen animal.
• Students will use expository writing to author and illustrate
a book about their chosen animal.
• Students will work with mentors to create a digital slide
show during Cornish’s computer lab block.
• Students will present the completed project to their
classmates, parents, the school community and visitors.
Method of sharing project:
• Students will present the complete project to their parents,
the school community and visitors.
• Student work will be displayed in the town’s library
during the month of May 2006.
Student learning improvements:
• Students will strengthen their reading, writing and science
skills by studying what is of personal interest them,
• Students will strengthen their skills of observation,
reasoning and communication in science by connecting experiences,
• Animal observation, model manipulation and creation will
make abstract concepts concrete and as immediate as possible for young learners,
• Students will strengthen their learning of material as
they express their learning in multiple formats and with varied audiences.
Alignment with the Maine Learning Results:
Science Learning Content Standards
A. Classifying Life Forms
Performance Indicators/Benchmarks
2. Describe the characteristics of living things