First Grade Information Gatherers

My first graders are learning about research by gathering information - the "do" stage of the Super 3 research process, Plan, Do, Review. Here's what first grade information gatherers look like:

After gathering information, the students were invited to add their own wondering questions and to try to answer those. Here are some of their wondering questions:

Bess Beetle

Why are they black?

What is the life cycle?

Why do they eat meat?

Why do they eat smaller bugs?

Millipede

What are its predators?

How many legs?

What is their habitat?

I wonder if they have 750 legs?

Do centipedes and millipedes eat the same thing?

How many legs?

How fast?

How many eggs do they lay?

Tenebrio Beetle

Why can it not live in Antarctica?

Why does it have stripes?

Why cant they live in Antarctica?

Pill Bug

How long do pill bugs live?

How many body parts?

Do they walk fast?

Do they eat other pill bugs?

Do they eat flowers?

How slow do they walk?

Crickets

What does a cricket do when they are mad?

What is a cricket’s life cycle?

What do they do in the day?

How do they fly?

Why do crickets have to be black and brown?

"Can dolphins talk to wails?"

The first graders came to the library last week, they came to read and write, to gather information and share information, and to create new knowledge. 

The students used a combination of print and electronic resources: PebbleGo encyclopedia, nonfiction texts, and the Science Discovery encyclopedia. We brought in parents to assist with accessing information in the printed texts.

One of the things that made me happiest about this project is this:

The students wanted to know more, questions lead to learning which leads to more questions, this is where I would like to begin a project. This is what authentic inquiry is all about. After vacation, I hope to capture this energy around their subjects.

I love having our space filled with active and engaged learners.