One of the more important but overlooked subjects in school is how humans have sustained themselves. We study kings, weapons, wars etc. but seldom address the foods that fuel us all. So building on our activities in the school garden all year, students are each investigating an important food source in Colonial America. Subjects include: pigs, cows, small and large game, turkeys, beans, cabbage, sweeteners, cod and other fish, clams and the grasses (wheat, rice and corn). Students were able to select their subject and later which technology application to use.
Students practice many of their research and note taking skills learned over many years at Shorecrest.
One important researching skill is to listen and take notes from a presenter. Here my wife, Meredith, talks about the various methods Colonial Americans used to preserve their foods. One of the project's essential questions focuses on the differences between how we get and preserve our food now as opposed to our ancestors. Mrs. Hughes began her talk by asking the class if they ate breakfast and then talked about what Colonial Americans would have had to do to eat the same things.
Later each student got to interview Mrs. Hughes one on one about his/her specific topic. Here Zach learns about his subject cabbage by asking about the different varieties. They are looking at a book about leafy vegetables written by my wife. Her ten book series on the plants we eat is an important reference material for many in the class.
Once the interviews were over, each student wrote up what he/she learned and continued research.
Students are using a note taking method first taught to them in Mrs. Baralt's technology course. Their source citations are each kept carefully too.
Once the research phase is complete, students will write a five paragraph report with bibliography. At the same time in Computer Lab they will be planning and producing a technology application which will demonstrate in an electronic form all they have learned.
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