EL in Action: First Grade Animal Research Projects
The first three drafts of a scientific drawing of a turtle.
For the past month, first grade at West Park Elementary has been engaged in an in-depth learning project about animals. The project focused on some of the Expeditionary Learning Habits of a Learner that all West Park and LCIS students have been working on. Specifically, the project emphasized the habit of Craftsmanship and the learning targets: “I can demonstrate consistent use of revision strategies by giving, accepting, and acting on feedback,” and “I can create my best work with creativity, skill, accuracy, and beauty.”
Students chose an animal, conducted research about it and created and delivered a presentation about the animal. The areas the students researched about their selected animal included body, habitat, food, life cycle and fun facts. Using classroom iPads and books, students researched their animal to learn details and information. In art class, students did detailed scientific drawings about their animals using a draft and revision process to improve the detail and accuracy of their work. Revision is a critical skill taught in Expeditionary Learning classrooms to improve persistence and accuracy in student work.
The final draft!
We are incredibly proud of our students’ work in first grade and are excited to share it with you here!
Final Presentation Videos:
Little Bird Tales:
