This post, like the assignment I feature, is going to be a short one.
I've written before about the Flash Research Project, which is essentially an EduProtocol that (I'm pretty sure?) I came up with. The idea is that you have students generate a question or you give them a specific topic. Then they have 20 minutes to find three credible websites, one picture/illustration, and write a 3-5 sentence summary in their own words. You can repeat this with new topics, focusing on building their ability to choose credible websites and to write solid summaries that capture all the main points of their topic.
This week, we started learning about the background to the Holocaust so we can read Diary of Anne Frank. We are making a timeline of events both in the world and in the book, so students started by researching a German law that impacted the lives of Jewish people.
Here's the template (link will give you your own copy):
I've written before about the Flash Research Project, which is essentially an EduProtocol that (I'm pretty sure?) I came up with. The idea is that you have students generate a question or you give them a specific topic. Then they have 20 minutes to find three credible websites, one picture/illustration, and write a 3-5 sentence summary in their own words. You can repeat this with new topics, focusing on building their ability to choose credible websites and to write solid summaries that capture all the main points of their topic.
This week, we started learning about the background to the Holocaust so we can read Diary of Anne Frank. We are making a timeline of events both in the world and in the book, so students started by researching a German law that impacted the lives of Jewish people.
Here's the template (link will give you your own copy):
Notice that I use a GREY background. That is intentional, because it's much easier to catch kids copying/pasting information (the copy/paste will have a white background).
In the past, I've used it to discuss what sources are best for finding credible information, how to filter through google search results, how to properly cite images you pull from google images, and all the skills around summarising. It also lets you discuss the formation of good questions (though that wasn't part of this activity).
But here's the Thinking Classroom twist. All the students at one group had the same law to research. After they finished, they went to their boards and co-constructed their own summary together. It let them discuss misconceptions, as well as compare sources and clear up any lingering questions.
For the first time we did it, it went really well. Here are two that were particularly good. I love adding the collaborative element, and the summaries were stronger as a group than the ones they wrote individually.
In the past, I've used it to discuss what sources are best for finding credible information, how to filter through google search results, how to properly cite images you pull from google images, and all the skills around summarising. It also lets you discuss the formation of good questions (though that wasn't part of this activity).
But here's the Thinking Classroom twist. All the students at one group had the same law to research. After they finished, they went to their boards and co-constructed their own summary together. It let them discuss misconceptions, as well as compare sources and clear up any lingering questions.
For the first time we did it, it went really well. Here are two that were particularly good. I love adding the collaborative element, and the summaries were stronger as a group than the ones they wrote individually.
The idea of this assignment is to repeat it until they've mastered the skills of research.
We'll do another one this week, and layer in them choosing their own topic as a group, and maybe reducing the writing requirement to making bullet point notes on their own, then collaborating on the summary.
We'll do another one this week, and layer in them choosing their own topic as a group, and maybe reducing the writing requirement to making bullet point notes on their own, then collaborating on the summary.
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