Inquiry Based Learning: Step Four--Culminating Project

"It is the supreme art of the teacher to

awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge."

~Albert Einstein

In this series of blog posts, I have been describing the steps of implementing an inquiry based learning project. So far, I have explored the steps of choosing a topic, developing questions, and investigation. 

Once children have spent time in investigative activities and have found answers to the questions they generated in step two, it is time to show what they know! This is typically done through some sort of project.

Projects can be done individually, in a small group, or with the whole class. Some ideas for culminating projects include:

• Making a big book, which shares what the students have learned about a topic

• Turning the classroom into a creative display of their learning--such as a pond habitat or a zoo

• Creating a mural in the hallway so others can learn from the classroom inquiry as well

• Creating something for the school or community in response to a problem that was investigated. An example may be a compost bin for the school, which could be used to reduce the amount of food wasted each day.

• Giving a presentation to parents, administrators, or other classrooms.

• Creating a video

These are just a few examples out of many.  The most important thing to remember when choosing a project is that the project should be chosen by the students, not the teacher. The children must be vested in the project in order for it to be truly successful. After all, it is a way for them to represent the knowledge they have gained and to solidify their learning. Keep in mind that, early in the year,  the teacher will have to model different project choices for the students. 

Over the past two years I have been taking baby steps into the implementation of inquiry based learning in my kindergarten classroom. This past spring, I tried an inquiry based learning project when my students showed a strong interest in volcanoes. At the end of our investigations, the students gave three presentations to six different classrooms about what they had learned.  They put a ton of time into preparing for their presentation and they did an amazing job!  I wish I would have taken pictures to share. I couldn't believe the feedback they received from other students--most of whom were older than them.  Some of the children who viewed the presentation told me later that they had gone on to do their own investigating of volcanoes.  When I shared these comments with my class, they were so proud of the fact that others saw them as knowledgeable teachers.  That is powerful!

I cannot wait to share our journey with you once school begins in September.  In the meantime, watch for my next post, which will focus on documentation--one of the most vital steps in the inquiry based learning process.