At Gilles-Sweet Elementary, students begin many educational “firsts." In Miss Emily Kenney’s fourth-grade class, two major skill sets are introduced with one project.
In November, Kenney’s students start a month-long research project into American patriots from the Revolutionary War.
“In language arts, we have a big unit in Collaborative Classroom [the District’s reading and writing curriculum ] on research, and it’s more of a guided, pick-your-own topic,” Kenney explained. “We have found that fourth graders are lacking in foundational research skills, so by focusing on one topic and allowing them to pick one patriot from a list, it gives them more focus.”
The unit, however, is more than just a look into famous historical Americans.
“They learn sequential and chronological order, and it also helps them really dive into the skills of researching,” Kenney stated. “This generation is very into going to Google and typing in questions. We start with books, and we read a page. We learn about what information was on that page that they could put in a graphic organizer. We really start with the basics.”
Using simple prompts for information, graphic organizers are easy ways for students to gather the information they need from a text and to fill in details. The research done by students also ties neatly into lessons in social studies about the American Revolution, helping fill informational gaps for students.
“It’s really fun to see them grasp it,” Kenney added. “In January and February, when Mrs. Ptaszek-Templeton goes into the Revolution, and they talk about it, they all have better background knowledge, and they understand it more. They really grasp the standards quicker.”
After completing their research and writing their report, students are expected to present information about their chosen patriot to the class.
“This is their first time ever standing up in front of the class on their own,” Kenney explained. “So it’s can you stand in front of the class? Can you make eye contact? Are you loud enough that we can all hear you? And are you making sure you’re discussing the life in chronological order?”
Students have plenty of time to practice before their final presentation. They practice speaking with each other, at home with family, and, according to Kenney, even “with the dog.” Students are encouraged to dress up formally or like their famous patriot for extra credit.
“The speech is definitely the thing they are most nervous about and standing in front of everybody,” Kenney explained. “But they quickly learn that everyone is nervous and they all haven’t done it before. This year’s group, I will say, was the first group where 75 percent of them volunteered to present first.”
“I had the opportunity to observe student patriot presentations in Ms. Kenney's 4th-grade class,” Shanna Kovi, associate principal at Gilles-Sweet said. “I was impressed by their ability to present a topic clearly, with great pacing, as well as confidence in front of peers and adults. The presentations I saw showed the depth to which the students learned about their assigned patriots and related their knowledge to the history of this era.”
After their presentation, students were excited and proud to have completed the project.
“I really liked it because you got to learn about a topic you hadn't learned before and you got to see how the patriot did important things during the Revolution when they were alive,” Camden S., fourth grade student explained. “I enjoyed presenting the speech because you got to be in front of your classmates and tell them all about your patriot. My patriot was John Hancock, and I learned about his signature being the first one on the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and how he made it so big you didn't need glasses to see it.”
“I really enjoyed doing the timeline challenge because I got to work with my brother on it at home and it was really fun to do research about the Revolution events,” Ellie R., another fourth grader expressed. “At the beginning of the project, I felt horrified because I was worried about the speech and getting everything done on time. However, at the end, I felt relieved and I thought I did really well since I got a good grade!”
Feedback from parents is just as positive.
“Parents are very pleased to see a project that looks similar to what they did as kids,” Kenney expressed. “It swings back to the fundamentals of going to the library and picking a book out. Going through the book, learning about the person, writing a paper about the person, and having a visual aid of some sort. It’s something the parents remember doing, and they get excited to see their children have that opportunity.”
Like many projects at Gilles-Sweet, this one truly helps prepare students for success in middle school and beyond.
“It’s their first big independent project where they not only get to see the outcome and be proud of themselves, but they’re learning fundamental skills to help prepare them for whatever path they go down,” Kenney added.