“Connect-the-Dot” Research: Zooming from One Topic to the Next

Our brains constantly seek patterns and connections, and it was my 3rd-graders’ study of the brain and the picture book ZOOM that inspired this unique research project as part of our SYSTEMS unit. By third grade, my students were spending more time reading and exploring topics on their own and this project allowed me to … Read more

The Journey of a Question: Open-Ended Creative Research

The other day I was thinking about the challenges of monitoring and assisting students virtually, especially as they complete independent studies. By any name (Genius Hour, 20% Time, Wonder Workshop), gifted and advanced students benefit in many ways when they are allowed to explore their own passions and interests, but they need guidance along the … Read more