NCTE

=Ideas for NCTE Proposal= (NCTE Convention Theme [|here])

Know to read, Read to Know
How do we find out information about our world? How can we tell if our experiences are unique to us, or are shared with other people beyond our immediate family or neighborhood? Do we all share universal problems, and can we find solutions by comparing notes? The purpose of this unit is to present students with a legitimate problem (the decreasing amount of room in our landfills), and then challenge them to both document the problem, look for solutions, and then present their solutions in a format that will allow others to benefit from their research. To accomplish this task, students will have to develop their skills as scientific field researchers, taking careful observations, and accurately describing their procedures and their findings. They will have to engage in online research to determine what literature has already been developed on the same topic, and carefully review it to determine whether their own findings are consistent with what is reported. Finally, students will have to analyze their findings, make conclusions, and then determine a way to share their plan of action with the greater community.

Notes - what will the session attendees take away?

1. Examples of how a project based learning experience could be conducted over the course of a one or two week science unit 2. Examples of extension and follow-up projects that were 'spun off ' the original project. 3. Examples of student-generated questions and reflections after participating in the project 4. Suggestions and ideas for ways to encourage student participation in a greater learning community