We extended the Innovator Profile to create different pieces about our innovator of the past we each studied. Each student created a biography report, a portrait, timeline cards for our class timeline and a watercolor trait poster.

Our Special Location: Station work on urban, rural, and suburban terms and student work.

We traced and cut out life sized bodies and filled them with drawings of our favorite people, places, and things that make us unique.

The students LOVED making historical models and didn't even notice that I was having them practice making a claim (to name what they wanted to show with their model), use primary sources (to make their details historically accurate, and elaborate on their thinking (with a maker statement). They created a scavenger hunt for other classes to do as they visited our exhibit. While these projects took a long time and were messy, they were worth it for the high student engagement and deep thinking they prompted.

The students formed their own groups or worked individually and created their own challenge statements. This resulted in a variety of products from a recipe book with sustainable recipes, posters, board games, and dioramas.

These are power point presentations each child created for a natural resource of their choice. In their presentation they had to showcase their knowledge of the resource (what is it, where is it found, renewable or nonrenewable), how it is used, and ideas for conserving it locally as well as globally. After student created their presentations they shared them in small groups and used the warm/cool/ suggestion feedback. They continue to give feedback organically in class using these frameworks.

We have added more to this bulletin board as the unit continues. We were very inspired by hearing immigrant stories, so we invited parents of our students to come and share their own immigration story. It was INCREDIBLE- the students learned so much and got to hear different perspectives, journeys, trials, obstacles, learn about countries and cultures, etc. The yellow chart is how we kept track of who came, where they immigrated from and to, the push/pull factors, any obstacles they faced, etc.

This is the first inquiry unit that my 4th graders complete. The Wellsnipps simulation activity at the start really engaged students to learn more about sustainability. The case studies were additionally eye opening as they come both from the somewhat distant and recent past. The entire class gave input for the words assigned per letter. Moreover, we assigned students to the cover page (art-oriented), table of contents and glossary as well. This picture book was given to our Kindergarten class and the teachers have been sharing small bits of it to students one at a time.

Our class learned about the making of the transcontinental railroad and how it impacted our country. As part of the reflection, the students did a craft to match the lesson.

Students created a representation of how they can make the world humane, ethical, and reasonable

After drawing their prototype for their inquiry project, students wrote a reflection of how they feel their project is going and what they may need help with.