David A. Dutrow School Library
January: Inquire to Learn
Weather & Natural Disasters Writing Assessment
Students in 5th grade spent the months of December and January working on their writing assessment. This inquiry unit began in the classroom, continued in the library, and filtered back and forth as students gathered research and constructed their final products.
Explore
Students began by exploring library resources, to include books, encyclopedias, and online sources. Using their Inquiry Log, students wrote down the names of books they may use to dig deeper into their topic.
Question
Using their Inquiry Log students were able to find which natural disasters interested them. They completed a reflection and concluded with developing their own questions for further research.
Collect & Credit
After exploring resources, students narrowed their topics down to two storms. They collected information about each topic and cited their sources.
Understand & Communicate
After compiling their research, students created a presentation that included facts about their natural disaster, its impact on the citizens, and a preparedness plan.