Be the Expert
Inspiration Book:Snowy owl invasion! : tracking an unusual migration (Sandra Markle's Science Discoveries) by Markle, Sandra — Millbrook Press, 2018. 598.9; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.9. The invasion -- History in the making -- Snowies become snowbirds -- Good news, bad news -- Project SNOWstorm -- A star owl reporter -- The future is snowy. "A historically large irruption of snowy owls during the winter of 2013-2014 brought them across the eastern US, and farther south than usual. Scientists used this opportunity to attach GPS tracking devices to some snowy owls to increase understanding of their winter behavior and migration.
Rationale: Annually in the fall, the fourth graders in my school do a bird of prey unit based on Owls in the Family or There’s an Owl in the Shower. Sometimes the fourth grade skips this book study and the birds of prey unit is done when the fifth grade reads Hoot.
The library portion of the unit involves the students' first research project of the year about birds of prey or owls. In another entry, I’ll describe the whole class research for birds of prey.
Depending on the class composition for any given year, the research project takes different forms. If the unit is with fifth graders one approach I like to do, I call “Class Expert.” Instead of having a guest speaker come to the class, a small group of three or four students become the “experts” on a topic.
In order to be a productive and useful “expert” presentation, considerable guidance may need to occur. First, the teacher and librarian need to decide the following:
*Decide what basic owl facts should be shared: kinds of owls, total number of owls, what makes an owl an owl, examples of owls, feeding, young, range, habitat, appearance, etc.
*Determine the mode and or media to use to share.
*Decide whether Snowy Owl Invasion could or should be the basis for the research and presentation. If this is the group’s first effort at being the “Class Expert,” using only this one resource works well. The group isn’t so overwhelmed.
* Determine the number and kinds of resources: books discovered via catalog or pulled for students, online references, periodicals, Internet search, interviews, etc.
*Determine assorted grading criteria: content, sources, illustrative materials, poise during presentation, ability to answer questions from class, organization, required presentation time.
Once the teacher and librarian know the basic requirements, the librarian can guide the students.
When doing a research project with a class, we arrange to have the class come to the library two or three times a week for two or three weeks. When doing a research project with a small group of students, I schedule to have direct instruction with the group on the first day without interruption by another class or group. Thereafter, the small group comes and goes when the teacher and I have arranged, but they are expected to work on their own, if and when another class is in the library or computer lab. The time does not need to be when the teacher is doing the book study. It’s probably best not to be at that time because the students should also benefit from and enjoy the book being read. I have had a wonderful assistant who helps the students when and if they need help. I also have had parent and grandparent volunteers help small groups of students successfully.
Having a modified flexible schedule provides the time needed. I have found that in schools with one or two sections of each grade it is possible to have a modified flexible schedule. In larger schools students in grades K-2 have a set weekly schedule while the other grades have a modified flexible schedule. It is also helpful not to have every section of a class doing the very same research project at the same time.
After students have done the research, they prepare an informational presentation for their class. A visual or visuals are required and help the young presenters keep focused and be less nervous. What types of visuals? Posters, slides, PowerPoint, audio, video clips--whatever is available on their topic. If this is their first attempt at “Class Expert” the students will need more suggestions and guidance. The illustrative material may be commercial, found on the Internet or in a print source, or handmade. You may want to determine that in advance.
Practice. Arrange for a time to be the “Class Experts” back in the classroom. It’s also fun to “promote and publicize” the presentation as though a guest speaker were coming. Arrange to have the presentation(s) videoed--or video in advance and show only the video if the students are nervous. Then gather the group again and evaluate the whole process, from introduction, work time, resources, quality of work, and the sharing of the presentation.
Another Idea: If the fourth grade class did research in fourth grade, read Wild Wings (Lewis, Atheneum, 2011) aloud to begin the fifth grade (5th) the year after the research project and thus, bridge two grades. There is a Books Alive entry for Wild Wings at https://www.mybooksalive.com/search?q=wild+wings
Or, you may also want to use Belle’s Journey : an Osprey Takes Flight, a NSTA Outstanding Trade Book for 2019. Belle may have its own entry at some time as a spin-off of the 4th grade research or combine Belle with the entry for Wild Wings.
Related Titles to Include for Research:
