I've been trying to think of this kind of project that I would have done earlier in my life and I'm not coming up with anything! There's been very few "papers" that I've needed to write in my life and I think my approach was simply to check the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature to begin finding information. I don't ever recall writing down my questions and starting at that point. I guess I jumped in at the "webbing" phase. I also don't remember options for the end product. More recently when I've wanted to know something, I have used the Internet doing a Google search.
This project felt "controlled" in that I felt like I had to go through the certain steps. It would've been interesting to start my inquiry without knowing anything about "models of inquiry" to see if indeed I followed that sequence. My guess is that overall, I and others, do follow that sequence. Using a model, however, I think is helpful in making sure "all the bases have been covered." And maybe it's most helpful for the teachers, to have a sequence to teach!
This project truly was enjoyable. I do enjoy being on a pursuit of resources and answers! I'm thinking that in the future, I'll be much more aware of how I'm working through questions I have to research. And now, I have a "model" to follow when I decide to find the answer to the question about what is the difference between spaghett, pizza and marina sauce!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
What are the Curriculum Connection Possibilities?
This project has several possibilities for connections to the curriculum depending upon the grade level. Since I'm teaching first grade, I looked for standards in that grade level:
Social Studies: 1.3.8 Give examples of natural resources, such as water, trees, plants, and soil, and describe how people in the school and community use these resources.
1.4.3 Compare and contrast different jobs people do to earn income. (This could be done after talking about all the people involved in the production of cotton. The information in a quote I had in an earlier post surprised me about how many people are involved in the cotton industry.)
Science: 1.1.1 Observe, describe, draw, and sort objects carefully to learn about them. (I would see the part about observing and describing being useful here.)
1.1.2 Investigate and make observations to seek answers to questions about the world, such as "In what ways do animals move?" (Translated in this project the question would be, "How does cotton grow?)
1.1.3 Recognize that and demonstrate how people can learn much about plants and animals by observing them closely for a period of time. Recognize also that care must be taken to know the needs of living things and how to provide for them.
1.2.6 Describe and compare objects in terms of number, shape, texture, size, weight, color and motion.
Language Arts: 1.7.5 Use descriptive words when speaking about people, places, things, and events.
1.7.9 Provide descriptions with careful attention to sensory detail.
Standards for grade 5 that could be met in learning about cotton:
Social Studies: 5.1.10 Examine the causes and consequences of the establishment of slavery, and describe how slavery became an issue that began to divide the Northern and Southern colonies.
5.3.8 Identify the major manufacturing and agricultural regions in colonial America, and cite ways that agriculture and manufacturing have changed in the past and continue to change.
5.4.5 Use economic reasoning to explain why certain careers are more common in one region than in another, and how specialization results in more interdependence.
5.4.6 Predict the effect of changes in supply and demand on price.
5.4.7 Analyze how the causes and effects of changes in price of certain goods and services had significant influence on events in United States history. Ex: price of cotton
5.5.3 Read fiction and non-fiction stories about conflicts among and between groups of people at different stages in the formation of the United States, and give examples of how these conflicts were resolved. (I think of the issues in the cotton mills.)
Science: 5.4.4 Explain that in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some do not survive as well, and some cannot survive at all.
The learnings in fifth grade are not so much about how cotton grows, but more about the industry.
Information Literacy Standards that can be met:
Formulates questions based on information needs.
Identifies a variety of potential sources of information.
Selects information appropriate to the problem or question at hand.
Integrates new information into one's own knowledge.
Indiana's Academic Standards for Social Studies, Science and Language Arts
Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning prepared by the American Association of School Librarians, 1998.
Social Studies: 1.3.8 Give examples of natural resources, such as water, trees, plants, and soil, and describe how people in the school and community use these resources.
1.4.3 Compare and contrast different jobs people do to earn income. (This could be done after talking about all the people involved in the production of cotton. The information in a quote I had in an earlier post surprised me about how many people are involved in the cotton industry.)
Science: 1.1.1 Observe, describe, draw, and sort objects carefully to learn about them. (I would see the part about observing and describing being useful here.)
1.1.2 Investigate and make observations to seek answers to questions about the world, such as "In what ways do animals move?" (Translated in this project the question would be, "How does cotton grow?)
1.1.3 Recognize that and demonstrate how people can learn much about plants and animals by observing them closely for a period of time. Recognize also that care must be taken to know the needs of living things and how to provide for them.
1.2.6 Describe and compare objects in terms of number, shape, texture, size, weight, color and motion.
Language Arts: 1.7.5 Use descriptive words when speaking about people, places, things, and events.
1.7.9 Provide descriptions with careful attention to sensory detail.
Standards for grade 5 that could be met in learning about cotton:
Social Studies: 5.1.10 Examine the causes and consequences of the establishment of slavery, and describe how slavery became an issue that began to divide the Northern and Southern colonies.
5.3.8 Identify the major manufacturing and agricultural regions in colonial America, and cite ways that agriculture and manufacturing have changed in the past and continue to change.
5.4.5 Use economic reasoning to explain why certain careers are more common in one region than in another, and how specialization results in more interdependence.
5.4.6 Predict the effect of changes in supply and demand on price.
5.4.7 Analyze how the causes and effects of changes in price of certain goods and services had significant influence on events in United States history. Ex: price of cotton
5.5.3 Read fiction and non-fiction stories about conflicts among and between groups of people at different stages in the formation of the United States, and give examples of how these conflicts were resolved. (I think of the issues in the cotton mills.)
Science: 5.4.4 Explain that in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some do not survive as well, and some cannot survive at all.
The learnings in fifth grade are not so much about how cotton grows, but more about the industry.
Information Literacy Standards that can be met:
Formulates questions based on information needs.
Identifies a variety of potential sources of information.
Selects information appropriate to the problem or question at hand.
Integrates new information into one's own knowledge.
Indiana's Academic Standards for Social Studies, Science and Language Arts
Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning prepared by the American Association of School Librarians, 1998.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Wishing.....
This process had its times of feeling messy. When I was in the middle of my research (and my head would leap to the "wrapping" part--I kept wondering "what am I going to do with all this?") I remember thinking and feeling like this was a big mess! I didn't quite know if I should be moving forward in my inquiry steps or staying where I was and doing more research. Knowing what my final product (the wrap) was going to be did effect my thinking at this point. When I was thinking about the webquest option, I wasn't sure how to bring closure to that inquiry--should it just be about growing cotton or should it be about what cotton is used for? It might have been about that time that I realized I was looking for two things--answers to my questions and also resources for teaching children. When I clarified that in my head, I was better able to realize when my research was "done." It was at that point that the pathfinder idea seemed like the "right" way to package this information.
A hard part about this research was when I realized from reading the book Up at Daybreak how the research options were truly vast--if this topic would be pursued with older students who have an understanding of US history, slavery, etc. I saw connects I hadn't thought about before. I included that book on my pathfinder for anyone wanting information for older students. There probably would've been more resources to include for the older students, but I didn't pursue that avenue--the project would've become very big at that point. Those were not questions I had initially listed as things I wanted to know as well. I also did not include resources about Eli Whitney (other than listing his name as a search term) who was instrumental in moving cotton production forward in this country. Again, I felt that was an area that was more suited for older students.
I felt I did find some good resources for this topic. It seems libraries have about two books on the topic, but not more. That made it difficult to evaluate those resources because they weren't readily available.
Callison says "Assessment is ongoing. It is done continuously, not just at the end of a project....Students assess to see what they are doing well and where they might improve in a specific phase of their work." I felt that I was assessing what kinds of resources I was finding as well as whether I was finding the resources that were giving me the answers to my questions.
I think my process of inquiry would be similar to younger students' processes. I think they would be very curious about the wrapping phase way back at the first or second step. I know I had started thinking about that phase early on--maybe in the wiggling step. I was trying to trust the inquiry process that the final product would become apparent with what I was learning--and it did. I don't know if younger students would be able to do that or not, unless they could become so involved in the pursuit of answers (something they were quite curious about). This response may be related to how much research they have done before and how it was conducted. If it was teacher assigned, their way of approaching this process may be different than if they have experience with an inquiry process. I think they also would have feelings like the whole process is a mess at points as well. That may be a point where the instructor needs to step in and help the student sort out the next step.
The Blue Book of Information Age Inquiry, Instruction and Literacy by Daniel Callison and Leslie Preddy, Libraries Unlimited, 2006.
A hard part about this research was when I realized from reading the book Up at Daybreak how the research options were truly vast--if this topic would be pursued with older students who have an understanding of US history, slavery, etc. I saw connects I hadn't thought about before. I included that book on my pathfinder for anyone wanting information for older students. There probably would've been more resources to include for the older students, but I didn't pursue that avenue--the project would've become very big at that point. Those were not questions I had initially listed as things I wanted to know as well. I also did not include resources about Eli Whitney (other than listing his name as a search term) who was instrumental in moving cotton production forward in this country. Again, I felt that was an area that was more suited for older students.
I felt I did find some good resources for this topic. It seems libraries have about two books on the topic, but not more. That made it difficult to evaluate those resources because they weren't readily available.
Callison says "Assessment is ongoing. It is done continuously, not just at the end of a project....Students assess to see what they are doing well and where they might improve in a specific phase of their work." I felt that I was assessing what kinds of resources I was finding as well as whether I was finding the resources that were giving me the answers to my questions.
I think my process of inquiry would be similar to younger students' processes. I think they would be very curious about the wrapping phase way back at the first or second step. I know I had started thinking about that phase early on--maybe in the wiggling step. I was trying to trust the inquiry process that the final product would become apparent with what I was learning--and it did. I don't know if younger students would be able to do that or not, unless they could become so involved in the pursuit of answers (something they were quite curious about). This response may be related to how much research they have done before and how it was conducted. If it was teacher assigned, their way of approaching this process may be different than if they have experience with an inquiry process. I think they also would have feelings like the whole process is a mess at points as well. That may be a point where the instructor needs to step in and help the student sort out the next step.
The Blue Book of Information Age Inquiry, Instruction and Literacy by Daniel Callison and Leslie Preddy, Libraries Unlimited, 2006.
The Alberta Inquiry Model calls this part of information inquiry "sharing." Dr. Lamb has labeled it "waving." A moving hand is meant to communicate something. An important part of communicating is knowing who is being communicated to--who will have interest in this information. Both models discuss the importance of this communication step as well as thinking about the audience and how that will determine the presentation.
This part of the inquiry process is the place to communicate the learnings from this process of research. As I stated in my last entry, I decided to create a pathfinder so that the information I found would be usable for teachers wishing to teach children about how cotton is grown as well as what it is used for. For someone just wishing to learn about the same things, the resources would provide answers to those questions.
This pathfinder is available on the web and I'm aware of a few teachers that may have interest in these resources, so I will let them know where they can find this information.
This part of the inquiry process is the place to communicate the learnings from this process of research. As I stated in my last entry, I decided to create a pathfinder so that the information I found would be usable for teachers wishing to teach children about how cotton is grown as well as what it is used for. For someone just wishing to learn about the same things, the resources would provide answers to those questions.
This pathfinder is available on the web and I'm aware of a few teachers that may have interest in these resources, so I will let them know where they can find this information.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Wrapping it up...
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have this theory that if I think long enough about something, I'll get it figured out. Well, I also operate in a similar way with searching, particularly on the web--if I search long enough and enough times, I'll find even more! As I was doing some searching (I think I had actually gone back to a site for a second look), I realized some terms I needed to use for my search that may be more effective: "ag in the classroom" + cotton. That did yield better results than my searches with the county extension sites.
I've been working at the wrapping phase of this project. Earlier I had discussed the possibility of doing a webquest to share my findings. As I thought more about it and realized part of my inquiry was not only finding the answers to my questions, but finding resources for teaching this information to children, I decided a pathfinder would be the best option. That format would also allow for a variety of grade level pursuits. A webquest would have been more limited for a specific grade level.
This information could be used by classroom teachers, but also in other settings as well where learning and curiosity are encouraged, such as an after-school program. A cotton plant could be grown in a library and books about cotton and questions posted around/near the plant may arouse some curiousity as well.
Truly this pursuit has just been a matter of curiousity--life would go on whether I know how cotton grows and what all it's used for. But when I read that "The cotton industry as a whole creates more than 340,000 jobs and generates over $60 billion of business in the United States--the greatest of any crop," it seems important information to know about! (taken from Cotton Journey website).
I've been working at the wrapping phase of this project. Earlier I had discussed the possibility of doing a webquest to share my findings. As I thought more about it and realized part of my inquiry was not only finding the answers to my questions, but finding resources for teaching this information to children, I decided a pathfinder would be the best option. That format would also allow for a variety of grade level pursuits. A webquest would have been more limited for a specific grade level.
This information could be used by classroom teachers, but also in other settings as well where learning and curiosity are encouraged, such as an after-school program. A cotton plant could be grown in a library and books about cotton and questions posted around/near the plant may arouse some curiousity as well.
Truly this pursuit has just been a matter of curiousity--life would go on whether I know how cotton grows and what all it's used for. But when I read that "The cotton industry as a whole creates more than 340,000 jobs and generates over $60 billion of business in the United States--the greatest of any crop," it seems important information to know about! (taken from Cotton Journey website).
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
What I've Learned
I used www.bubbl.us to make a web of the information I learned from my reading and searching. I'm still thinking about if this is the best way for me to compile this information.....haven't decided the answer to that. Stripling and Hughes-Hassel say: "...graphic organizers are spatial arrays that require learners to show how they construct their new knowledge." This process (making the web) has helped me process and retain the information, so maybe it is the appropriate organizer.
Curriculum Connections Through the Library by Barbara K. Stripling and Sandra Hughes-Hassel, Libraries Unlimited, 2003.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
I'm Still Wiggling and Weaving and Even Webbing
I've read my books and done the searching that I can think of to do. As I was rereading my own blog, I remembered the local county extension agent had told me to do a Google search with the state name + county extension office. I had forgotten about that, but had needed to find out which states grew cotton before I could do that research! I started on that path and discovered a webpage with all the state county extension webpages which made things easier: http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/netlinks/ces.html. Surprisingly, there was very little information at any of the states' county extension webpages that was of value for me. Most was quite technical and useful for a cotton farmer. Alabama had a coloring page or two that I thought would be useful for the classroom.
I was judging my sources as I read, ready to trust whatever I found at the county extension sites, but found very little! Most of the websites I checked, I found believable because several of them were national organizations such as the National Cotton Council. One specific site called Cottons Journey had lots of information for helping children learn about how cotton grows. I didn't see a specific tie to a national organization, but addresses and phone numbers were given for contact and ordering information. One website, written by a cotton grower (grows it for spinning on a small scale), indicates that a cotton plant will last several years if not frostbitten. That little tidbit I'm wondering about. I have my own cotton plant to test it out.....and I have it indoors where it will not get frostbitten (which is what this woman says she does). Time will tell.
The books I read had copyrights of 1977, 1982 and 1994. I really wanted an up-to-date title with information about how to grow cotton. What has changed over the years? One book I read with a copyright of 2006 was not about how to grow cotton, but about the history of the cotton industry in America from colonial times to the present. It was this book that had me thinking about bigger issues about cotton growing for older children to pursue.
I was judging my sources as I read, ready to trust whatever I found at the county extension sites, but found very little! Most of the websites I checked, I found believable because several of them were national organizations such as the National Cotton Council. One specific site called Cottons Journey had lots of information for helping children learn about how cotton grows. I didn't see a specific tie to a national organization, but addresses and phone numbers were given for contact and ordering information. One website, written by a cotton grower (grows it for spinning on a small scale), indicates that a cotton plant will last several years if not frostbitten. That little tidbit I'm wondering about. I have my own cotton plant to test it out.....and I have it indoors where it will not get frostbitten (which is what this woman says she does). Time will tell.
The books I read had copyrights of 1977, 1982 and 1994. I really wanted an up-to-date title with information about how to grow cotton. What has changed over the years? One book I read with a copyright of 2006 was not about how to grow cotton, but about the history of the cotton industry in America from colonial times to the present. It was this book that had me thinking about bigger issues about cotton growing for older children to pursue.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Some Pictures
Photo top left shows a closer view of the cotton boll about 2 1/2 weeks ago.
Photo top right shows the cotton bolls as of yesterday (and now at school in the south window). I'm wondering if eventually it's going to look like a big fluffly ball....the seeds are "buried" at the bottom of the cotton boll. The outer case is hard and would definitely hurt if picking cotton all day by hand!
This shows the cotton plant about 2 1/2 weeks ago. In the future, I would stake the plant--it seemed to fall over, but continued to grow.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
I'm Wiggling and Weaving.....
I thought I had this all figured out. I was reading the books I had checked out at the libraries and my thoughts were going some different directions--becoming aware of other avenues this inquiry could take, particularly if I were thinking of older students. But then, I suddenly realized that my inquiry is not only about learning about how cotton grows and what it is used for, also I'm on a search for teaching resources to teach these things to children! Can I be on two searches? It feels like I'm evaluating sources from both aspects.
I also had this idea that maybe a search at the John Deere website would have some resources about cotton picking....and if I were really lucky they would have something for children there. Well, I checked and didn't find anything specific for children, but there is a video to watch a cotton picker at work!
My mind has really been moving to the "wrapping" phase of this project and I'm contemplating a webquest as a way to share the information. (I'm thinking this is a very normal way that students' minds would work--trying to get the end product figured out in order to kind of figure out the middle part. Am I the only one doing the "wrapping" phase while webbing, wiggling and weaving?)
I also had this idea that maybe a search at the John Deere website would have some resources about cotton picking....and if I were really lucky they would have something for children there. Well, I checked and didn't find anything specific for children, but there is a video to watch a cotton picker at work!
My mind has really been moving to the "wrapping" phase of this project and I'm contemplating a webquest as a way to share the information. (I'm thinking this is a very normal way that students' minds would work--trying to get the end product figured out in order to kind of figure out the middle part. Am I the only one doing the "wrapping" phase while webbing, wiggling and weaving?)
Saturday, September 22, 2007
I'm Searching....and Finding
I've been searching in a random sort of way. As I mentioned earlier, I had gone to the local public library and did a search using the term "cotton." Through that search I found the book, Up Before Daybreak: Cotton and People in America by Deborah Hopkinson, Scholastic, 2006. I started reading this book and thought about some other avenues this research could take: the invention of the cotton gin and how that changed growing cotton, Eli Whitney--the inventor of the cotton gin, the Civil War and growing cotton, slavery and growing cotton. Since I'm thinking of this with first graders in mind, these new avenues don't quite fit what they can understand. But it was interesting to think about how this project could be done school-wide!
I also found another book about growing cotton there at the library, but haven't really looked at it yet.
I also searched at the school where I work and found two more books on cotton. By looking at www.BarnesandNoble.com I discovered a title that I thought would provide some helpful information, so requested that book through interlibrary loan.
I searched the catalog of a nearby public library and found another title that I thought might be helpful, but haven't gone to check it out yet.
This week I called the local county extension agent, thinking that he would have some access to other states' county extension resources. Instead of any special access, he said he could do a Google search for "growing cotton + Texas county extension office" (or any other cotton growing state). That was a dissapointment! When I learn what all the cotton growing states are, I can do that search myself! (If I were researching a crop grown locally, I believe he would have resources for me.)
I have done a Google search using the term "cotton" and found particularly two websites that I think will have some valuable resources. The website for the National Cotton Council of American is www.cotton.org. www.cottonsjourney.com is "The only cotton education site for classroom teachers providing curriculum, literature resources, links to cotton." I've explored that last site a bit and believe there are some valuable resources there.
At this point, I think I can find the answers to my questions, but I'm also leaping ahead in my thinking and trying to figure out the "wrapping" part and that has me in a quandry as much as anything else!
I also found another book about growing cotton there at the library, but haven't really looked at it yet.
I also searched at the school where I work and found two more books on cotton. By looking at www.BarnesandNoble.com I discovered a title that I thought would provide some helpful information, so requested that book through interlibrary loan.
I searched the catalog of a nearby public library and found another title that I thought might be helpful, but haven't gone to check it out yet.
This week I called the local county extension agent, thinking that he would have some access to other states' county extension resources. Instead of any special access, he said he could do a Google search for "growing cotton + Texas county extension office" (or any other cotton growing state). That was a dissapointment! When I learn what all the cotton growing states are, I can do that search myself! (If I were researching a crop grown locally, I believe he would have resources for me.)
I have done a Google search using the term "cotton" and found particularly two websites that I think will have some valuable resources. The website for the National Cotton Council of American is www.cotton.org. www.cottonsjourney.com is "The only cotton education site for classroom teachers providing curriculum, literature resources, links to cotton." I've explored that last site a bit and believe there are some valuable resources there.
At this point, I think I can find the answers to my questions, but I'm also leaping ahead in my thinking and trying to figure out the "wrapping" part and that has me in a quandry as much as anything else!
Monday, September 17, 2007
I'm Wondering Right Now
I've been thinking about my topic and trying to formulate my questions. As I was doing my reading about graphic organizers, I was trying to do one in my head and it just wasn't coming together. The things I was thinking about didn't seem to fit in a graphic organizer. Then I read about doing a KWL chart. I've know about those and done those with students, but hadn't thought about it for this project. A KWL chart made sense for this project at this point in time!
What I Know
Cotton grows in warm climates.
Cotton is picked and used to make many things.
Cotton grows in the southern United States.
The cotton plant produces cotton bolls.
What I Want to Know
What are the exact (how warm or cool?) growing conditions for cotton?
What are the “many things” cotton is used for?
Which are the cotton producing states?
What are the steps in harvesting cotton?
Are there different kinds of cotton plants?
(I couldn't get the KWL chart I created in Word to transfer! so I improvised. The "What I Learned" part is not listed, because I'm not at that point yet!)
What I Know
Cotton grows in warm climates.
Cotton is picked and used to make many things.
Cotton grows in the southern United States.
The cotton plant produces cotton bolls.
What I Want to Know
What are the exact (how warm or cool?) growing conditions for cotton?
What are the “many things” cotton is used for?
Which are the cotton producing states?
What are the steps in harvesting cotton?
Are there different kinds of cotton plants?
(I couldn't get the KWL chart I created in Word to transfer! so I improvised. The "What I Learned" part is not listed, because I'm not at that point yet!)
Monday, September 10, 2007
How It All Started
I thought maybe I should explain how my curiousity about cotton started before I delve into this further. Last April I had received either an issue of "Birds and Blooms" magazine or "Country Woman" magazine in the mail. As I was browsing through it, I had these fleeting thoughts that lasted all of about 2 minutes: I wonder if I could grow cotton in the classroom so the children could see how we get cotton.....I guess I could write to this magazine and ask if anyone could answer that question (if it's possible to do that) and also if anyone had seeds to share with me....(I don't even know what I saw in the magazine that triggered those thoughts!)
On Memorial Day I was buying plants at a local greenhouse and I saw that they had listed on a price board "cotton plant $ .99" So I inquired about what that was. (I know it seems obvious, but how could it be so easy?!) I was told they had cotton plants for sale! I immediately said I wanted one. She told me then that they get cotton seeds in their cow feed and they planted them! (I knew that at one time, because my brother was feeding his cows feed that had cotton seed in it.) So I brought my cotton plant home, transplanted it in a pot and put it on the deck to see what would happen....
On Memorial Day I was buying plants at a local greenhouse and I saw that they had listed on a price board "cotton plant $ .99" So I inquired about what that was. (I know it seems obvious, but how could it be so easy?!) I was told they had cotton plants for sale! I immediately said I wanted one. She told me then that they get cotton seeds in their cow feed and they planted them! (I knew that at one time, because my brother was feeding his cows feed that had cotton seed in it.) So I brought my cotton plant home, transplanted it in a pot and put it on the deck to see what would happen....
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Here We Go...
I needed to go to the local public library today, so decided to begin my search for information! I did a subject search for "cotton." Only 2 non-fiction books were listed, both in the children's library. (There were several listed as fiction.) Of course, they were checked in--who else would be interested in this topic?! I checked them out and will need to begin some reading.
Earlier this summer I had done a Google search on "growing cotton" and looked at some of the results. I'll need to go back and check them out again--with new eyes!
Before I left the library, I perused the shelves with new books to the library (non-fiction, of course). There was a book about spaghetti sauces--that topic I didn't choose. I had a moment of thinking about how I'll probably be seeing all this information about the topic I didn't choose. At least I know some information is there when I get around to it!
I'll need to do some listing of specific questions I'd like to find answers to--some are floating around in my head, but at this point, nothing is in print.
Earlier this summer I had done a Google search on "growing cotton" and looked at some of the results. I'll need to go back and check them out again--with new eyes!
Before I left the library, I perused the shelves with new books to the library (non-fiction, of course). There was a book about spaghetti sauces--that topic I didn't choose. I had a moment of thinking about how I'll probably be seeing all this information about the topic I didn't choose. At least I know some information is there when I get around to it!
I'll need to do some listing of specific questions I'd like to find answers to--some are floating around in my head, but at this point, nothing is in print.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
I've Made My Decision
I have this theory that if I think long enough about things, I'll figure it out. That can sometimes result in lots of thinking! I suddenly remembered something I've been wondering about....what is the difference between spaghetti, pizza and marinara sauce? I started thinking about how I would work at finding the answer. I thought of a huge book about food in the reference section at the public library (learned about in the reference class). I thought about calling the county extension agent to see how she would explain it. I could check recipes to see what ingredients or processes are different. But how would this link to standards? Maybe it would connect in the high school group, but I'm listed in the younger age group. Dr. Lamb says anything can be connected to standards--this would be my opportunity to find out how to do that!
But then I came back to my cotton plant growing on my deck. I've showed this plant to various people in my life and as we chat about it, always come up with questions that I don't have the answers to! It's soon going to be too cold to keep it on the deck, so I'll take it to school and share it with my first graders. At this point, I don't have a plan for what we're going to do with it at school. Learning about cotton is something I'm going to need to be doing anyway in light of what I plan to do with it, and this way I would do a better job of having a plan. I also don't know a lot about how it grows (the conditions it needs) or how it is harvested and what happens next. It will be interesting to see what questions the kids ask.....oh, dear, what if they aren't interested? Hadn't thought about that before! (I did successfully interest them in observing the life cycle of a monarch butterfly by bringing in monarch caterpillars.) I think this project can be linked more easily to standards.
So...I've decided....I'm going to learn about how cotton grows. I made my decision based on a curiousity. Because of my plan to take it to school, I'll need to pursue further learning anyway, so why not make this my project? But, someday, I will find out the difference between spaghetti, pizza and marinara sauce!
But then I came back to my cotton plant growing on my deck. I've showed this plant to various people in my life and as we chat about it, always come up with questions that I don't have the answers to! It's soon going to be too cold to keep it on the deck, so I'll take it to school and share it with my first graders. At this point, I don't have a plan for what we're going to do with it at school. Learning about cotton is something I'm going to need to be doing anyway in light of what I plan to do with it, and this way I would do a better job of having a plan. I also don't know a lot about how it grows (the conditions it needs) or how it is harvested and what happens next. It will be interesting to see what questions the kids ask.....oh, dear, what if they aren't interested? Hadn't thought about that before! (I did successfully interest them in observing the life cycle of a monarch butterfly by bringing in monarch caterpillars.) I think this project can be linked more easily to standards.
So...I've decided....I'm going to learn about how cotton grows. I made my decision based on a curiousity. Because of my plan to take it to school, I'll need to pursue further learning anyway, so why not make this my project? But, someday, I will find out the difference between spaghetti, pizza and marinara sauce!
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
What to do....
This project has me puzzled....puzzled over what topic to pick and puzzled about why, when I have an opportunity (and excuse!) to persue an interest, I can't think of anything! There are so many times that I've looked at lists of books or books on the shelf and thought there were many that looked intriguing...if I just had the time. Now when I need to take the time, I can't figure out what to delve into! I've even looked at past students' pursuits....
In my introduction, I mentioned a cotton plant that I had growing on my deck just because I was curious about this. Maybe I should pursue that topic in depth.
I thought about checking with my son's teacher about the IN history topic and seeing if something there would spark my interest.
I definitely have other interests: reading, sewing, knitting, gardening, piecing quilts, but can't figure out an avenue in one of those areas of interest to do some inquiry!
Yesterday as I was kicking this around the cerebral circumference (a borrowed, but descriptive, phrase), I thought about a science project that I always thought would be interesting to do. I finally did it a couple years ago with my first graders. This was a controlled project: we asked the question about how accurate is the weather forecast. We kept track of the predicted high temperature and actual high temperature for about 30 days (not exactly sure how long). We discovered that sometimes the prediction is higher and sometimes the prediction is lower! Science projects must put students in this same quandry of what topic to pick!
In my introduction, I mentioned a cotton plant that I had growing on my deck just because I was curious about this. Maybe I should pursue that topic in depth.
I thought about checking with my son's teacher about the IN history topic and seeing if something there would spark my interest.
I definitely have other interests: reading, sewing, knitting, gardening, piecing quilts, but can't figure out an avenue in one of those areas of interest to do some inquiry!
Yesterday as I was kicking this around the cerebral circumference (a borrowed, but descriptive, phrase), I thought about a science project that I always thought would be interesting to do. I finally did it a couple years ago with my first graders. This was a controlled project: we asked the question about how accurate is the weather forecast. We kept track of the predicted high temperature and actual high temperature for about 30 days (not exactly sure how long). We discovered that sometimes the prediction is higher and sometimes the prediction is lower! Science projects must put students in this same quandry of what topic to pick!
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