5 Tips for Painless Research Projects: Integrating Writing and Research Skills in Science Class

Written by Emily Upton - Posted Nov. 14, 2023

Hey there, upper elementary teachers! Does the thought of having your students complete a research project make you cringe? The hours spent researching, organizing facts, and writing it all down...I've been there. Even though you KNOW doing some research would spice up your science curriculum and get your students excited about learning, it can feel extremely overwhelming to tackle a project in science class, especially if you're short on time. 

However, these projects ignite curiosity and help your future scientists develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. So, let's talk about some ways to make completing research projects in science a little bit more manageable. In this easy-to-follow blog post, I'll walk you through some tips to make research projects as pain-free as possible for you and your students!

Want a FREE guide to help you plan your next research project? Grab it here!

Tip 1: Let Them Choose

The secret sauce to a killer research project? Let your students pick topics that get them excited and engaged in their learning! There's nothing worse than arguing with 25 groaning fourth graders who are bored and don't want to write. Avoid this by giving them a list of science-related themes or ideas that jive with your curriculum. Then, let them be their own bosses and choose the one that interests them the most When kids have a say in their learning, they're more motivated and eager to dive in.

Tip 2: Share Research Links

Finding the right info using the entirety of the Internet can be a maze for little researchers that feels impossible to navigate. They aren't sure what research terms to include, raise their hands a million times to say "I can't find the answer!", or end up on random unapproved sites (I'm looking at you, computer games). To keep things moving along and students on task, give them a list of research links. These can be websites, videos, articles, and books – you're still giving them a variety of resources to gather knowledge about their chosen topic. You're just narrowing it down a little bit. 😉 By providing these links, you help them get started on the right track without the headache of endless Google searches. 

Tip 3: Get Organized with Guides and Graphics

We all have that kiddo that gets off on the most random tangent when they're writing. They start off talking about ecosystems, and suddenly we've taken a hard left into a paragraph about their vacation to Cancun with Grandma. Make it simpler to keep your students on target and keep their thoughts organized with guided notes and graphic organizers. These tools help kids stay on course, outline their projects, and keep tabs on important details. If those graphic organizers are differentiated to meet the needs of different learners, that's even better! You can find pre-made templates or create your own to fit the project and grade level. It's like a GPS for their research journey.

Tip 4: Chunk it Up

Big projects can be intimidating. For a lot of kiddos in upper elementary, the thought of writing a research paper just seems like too much. That's where chunking comes in! Break the project into manageable pieces or milestones. It could be research, outlining, drafting, and presenting. Or, skip the "Big Research Paper" and have students create something else: a newspaper article, a poster, or a quick slideshow. By tackling one piece of the project at a time or helping students share their ideas in meaningful chunks, students won't feel overwhelmed, and they'll build confidence as they go.

Tip 5: Rock Those Rubrics

To make grading super easy for you AND help your students see what they need to ace the assignment, create rubrics for assessment. These nifty tools break down your expectations into clear categories, so students know exactly how they can get the grade they achieve. I like to include a student checklist directly on the rubric so they can make sure their work is up to the standard I expect. Rubrics help you give constructive feedback too. You can focus on content, organization, presentation, and more. Share the rubric from the get-go so everyone's on the same page.

Skip to the Good Stuff: Project Examples

Introducing research projects into your upper elementary science class can be a total game-changer. But, it can also be super overwhelming for the teacher to plan alllll the things needed to make these research projects successful. Want to skip the planning stages? Check out these science projects that are ready to go with all of the tips shared above. They're like your one-way ticket to science engagement, without taking up your entire planning time.

CLICK HERE TO GRAB THE FREE GUIDE TO PLANNING RESEARCH PROJECTS!

Making Math Meaningful: Fostering Cross-Curricular Connections in Math Class

Written by Emily Upton - Posted Nov. 6, 2023

Math class often feels like it's in a world of its own, right? Different from reading and science or social studies, those natural connections between subjects that make learning stick for your students can be harder to come by. But math can be way more interesting and actually seem relevant to your students when it's connected to the real world! You can use cross-curricular connections to develop flexible thinking, master math vocab, and create a growth mindset. In this blog post, we're going to chat about why blending math with real-life stuff is a game-changer for students and teachers alike.

Why It's Worth Your Time To Fit In Cross-Curricular Connections

Staying Interested and Engaged:  Have your students ever asked you "When am I ever going to use this in real life?" When students see math in action in their everyday world, math suddenly gets a lot more interesting, and they feel way more engaged in learning. They see how math actually connects to their lives! This can also help to build flexible thinking as students reflect on how they could use a math topic in real life.

Everything's Connected: Life's a lot like a giant puzzle, and math is a piece of that puzzle. When we mix math with other subjects, like science or art, your students see how all the pieces fit together. Your students start to understand how to solve problems in the real world, not just math problems on a worksheet. That flexible thinking allows your students to adapt their math skills to different situations.

Becoming a Problem-Solving Pro: Real-life math isn't always about following rules. It's about using your brain to come up with creative solutions. Giving students the opportunity to share and reflect on many different ways to solve the same problem helps them see math in a new light. When they work on these kinds of problems, your students become problem-solving ninjas, ready for anything.

Skills That Last a Lifetime: We use math in our daily lives, whether budgeting, cooking, or figuring out which phone plan is the best deal. When your students see how math connects to these everyday situations and they develop a growth mindset, they learn skills that they can use forever.

Boosting Brainpower: Real-world math and cross-curricular learning make your students think deeper. They're not just memorizing algorithms; they're thinking critically, putting pieces together, and leveling up their brainpower. A growth mindset pushes them to embrace challenges and keep growing.

How to Bring Cross-Curricular, Flexible Thinking, Math Vocabulary, and Growth Mindset to Life

Alright, now that we know why cross-curricular connections matter, let's talk about how you can make them happen in your class:

• Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Does your teacher bestie teach a different subject than you? Work together to plan a cross-curricular unit! When your students see the connections in what they're learning in their different classes, they get a deeper understanding of the content.

• Get Real: Use real-life situations, like making a budget or cooking a meal, to show how math is super useful in everyday life. Developing flexible thinking helps students adapt math to these real-life situations.

• Guest Star Power: Invite pros from different fields to come in and talk about how they use math in their jobs. It's like getting backstage passes to the real world and nurturing connections to the real world.

• Adventure Time: Go on field trips to places where math is at work, like science centers or banks. Field trips are a great way to get students engaged!

• Student Projects Rule: Let your students choose their own cross-curricular projects. It's like giving them the keys to the math kingdom and the chance to develop their flexible thinking, master math vocabulary, and embrace a growth mindset.

The Easiest Way to Foster Cross-Curricular and Real-World Connections

Looking for an easy way to make math more engaging for your upper elementary students? These journal prompts are here to help. They seamlessly blend math concepts with real-world connections, including history, science data, and reading. Your students will actively write about math while making those crucial cross-curricular links. Whether you prefer using the printable journal for individual warm-ups or the projectable Google Slides presentation to spark lively discussions, this resource offers a fantastic opportunity to enrich your math block with interactive learning experiences.

Each week follows the same format:

• Mindset Monday: Students share their thinking about SEL-related math topics
• Talking Data Tuesday: Interpret and discuss data in the context of the math focus of the week
• Vocab Wizard Wednesday: Unpack misconceptions and take a deep dive into math content-specific vocabulary
• Flexible Thinking Thursday: Share as many different ways to solve a given problem as possible
• Historical Fact Friday: Foster real-world connections with a weekly fun fact and prompt that requires reflection on how math is used in the real world

With each week focusing on a different skill that aligns with upper elementary math standards, this journal makes fostering connections a breeze. 

Want to try 2 weeks FREE? Click here!

Mixing math with the real world, flexible thinking, mastering math vocabulary, and developing a growth mindset is like adding a dash of excitement and endless possibilities to your learning experience. It shows your students how math isn't just some abstract thing they do in class; it's all around us! They'll see that math is more than just numbers; it's their passport to understanding the world around them while developing essential skills for life.