We have 70 students in our third grade. Our grade contains students with varying abilities, including students in Basic Skills, students with IEPs, English language learners, and students who perform above grade-level expectations. They are diverse in family backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, socioeconomic statuses, and many other factors.
“The future belongs to the curious; the ones who are not afraid to try it, explore it, poke at it, question it, and turn it inside out.”—Anonymous.
Children are naturally curious about the world around them. By third grade, we can combine that curiosity with research skills and give children the tools to ask questions and acquire knowledge independently.
My Project
In third grade, we introduce our students to Research Book Clubs. The goal is to get kids to read up a storm in nonfiction books! Students work in small groups or clubs to first read and research about one animal, then another animal. In the last part of the unit, they compare and contrast what they have learned about the animals they studied and also apply their newfound animal knowledge to solve real-world problems. This project will set up groups to compare two seemingly different animals and find similarities and differences. It will help strengthen students’ skills as nonfiction readers as well as build their research and collaboration skills. At its heart, this is a unit on research and on learning how to learn from reading.
Book clubs promote a love for literature and a positive attitude toward reading.
When children talk about books and information, they push each other's thinking to higher levels. They are able to generate excitement with each other. They will also ask questions and be encouraged to search for more answers. We are setting up our children to work together and be thirsty for knowledge.
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