Findings
Lily
Lily sits in her chair chatting with her classmates and looks up at me with crinkled eyes and a wide smile. She is in her element, sharing ideas, laughing, and learning about the rainforest. The topic of study is a perfect fit for her because she loves nature and is already thinking about helping the world. Through this exploration I have learned that she has big questions, though we had to search for those. I learned that although she likes to write in a quiet environment when she is composing, she builds off her friends' ideas and collaborates well. New knowledge is constructed in a social environment. (Coiro, Castek, & Quinn, 2016)
Deeper Questions Evolve
I knew it was going to be a great moment. A moment that I would remember because the room was buzzing with excitement. “So, I can see that you are jazzed about learning about the rainforest. Let’s start with your questions.”
Student: Mrs. Ross, what does ‘jazzed’ mean?
Me: Well, it’s just a way of saying that you’re super excited about learning. What questions do you have about the rainforest?
Lily: How many trees are there?
Me: Interesting question. I’ll write that on the board. Who else has a question?
Student: How many snakes are there?
And on it went. It felt like every question had a quantifiable answer that we could simply Google. I asked the students to browse through some books about the rainforest and then come up with a list of questions by themselves. I wanted this to be their inquiry with their own questions. I reviewed the students’ questions at the end of the day and was disappointed that there weren’t more high-level questions. That was my beginning point for the inquiry.
Ness (2016) confirmed that my observations weren’t surprising. As children begin formal schooling they ask fewer and fewer questions due to the fact that teachers control most of the discourse in school. “In classrooms today, students do far more question answering than question asking. The questions they do ask are mostly factual” (p.189).
I knew it was going to be a great moment. A moment that I would remember because the room was buzzing with excitement. “So, I can see that you are jazzed about learning about the rainforest. Let’s start with your questions.”
Student: Mrs. Ross, what does ‘jazzed’ mean?
Me: Well, it’s just a way of saying that you’re super excited about learning. What questions do you have about the rainforest?
Lily: How many trees are there?
Me: Interesting question. I’ll write that on the board. Who else has a question?
Student: How many snakes are there?
And on it went. It felt like every question had a quantifiable answer that we could simply Google. I asked the students to browse through some books about the rainforest and then come up with a list of questions by themselves. I wanted this to be their inquiry with their own questions. I reviewed the students’ questions at the end of the day and was disappointed that there weren’t more high-level questions. That was my beginning point for the inquiry.
Ness (2016) confirmed that my observations weren’t surprising. As children begin formal schooling they ask fewer and fewer questions due to the fact that teachers control most of the discourse in school. “In classrooms today, students do far more question answering than question asking. The questions they do ask are mostly factual” (p.189).
For example, Figure 1 shows that Lily wrote a number of questions about the rainforest. She wondered most about things that were factual, like how many different species of butterflies there are, or the size of a capybara. Although she asked a few "why" questions, they were also questions that didn't require complex explanations, like why leaf cutter ants cut leaves. I could see that I needed to teach the class about questioning and add to their background knowledge. Degener & Berne (2016) note that teachers need to be intentional about planning questions that require students to think critically and make connections between concepts and other texts.
I read non-fiction books to the class about the rainforest, and students asked and answered questions. I taught them about closed-ended and open-ended questions. Closed-ended questions |
Figure 1
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are those that can be answered with a yes or no, and open-ended questions are those that need more explanation. We talked about the advantages and disadvantages of both. I modeled both types of questions for the class throughout all subject areas, even with fiction read alouds. Students spent time in the library throughout the rainforest study and learned more about the rainforest by reading articles, websites, and databases. The media specialist, Karin Hallett, also modeled questioning strategies.
Figure 2
Figure 3
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Our study about the rainforest in the classroom has come to an end, and we are moving onto the solar system. I was curious to see if the questions students asked have changed. When I saw their questions I was astounded, and Figure 2 and 3 show quite a difference in the kinds of questions Lily asked. The questions Lily asked were so much more complex than the questions she wrote about the rainforest. She began with a question about comparing planets. How many planets like Earth are there? Why do we have space? Who made space? How did the planets get their name, and by whom? Several of these are questions that are difficult, if not impossible to answer. Other questions begin with "why". Lily is interested in knowing how the planets were formed and why they have certain physical characteristics. These kinds of questions show growth from the original questions she had about the rainforest, which were mostly closed-ended and factual.
Degener & Berne (2016) assert that teachers who model high level questioning "...can shape more sophisticated talk about text during whole group discussions and as students talk to one another about what they have read" (p.5). I can see that Lily has grown in the types of questions she asks. She is continuing to learn about the rainforest, and her mother said that she downloaded the app called Book Creator. Lily is creating her own books about the rainforest at home because the topic is so important to her. This is what teachers dream about! Ziemke (2014) wrote about students having a sense of agency. Lily understands that her contributions matter, and she has a sense of agency. "The mindset shifts and students are empowered. When we build a sense of agency, our kids believe that anything is possible." (p.4). |
Collaboration
Video 1
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Lily worked with Gabe and Adrielle for several learning activities, and she worked with her other classmates as well. As I have come to understand my students' needs, I've learned that giving them choices is important. Consequently, Lily chose to work with different classmates for certain activities. When I observed her in small groups, I noted that the discussions were on the topic and that Lily was enjoying the learning. She was animated, often laughing, and making connections when she interacted with her peers. Video 1 shows Lily with Gabe and Adrielle looking up information about butterflies. Lily looks at the photo and says that the butterflies look like sticky notes. At first glance that doesn't seem too significant. Upon reflection, it shows me that Lily, like Adrielle, likes to make comparisons to build her understanding.
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The expression on her face and the giggles show me that she is having lots of fun in this setting. Parsons, Malloy, Parsons, & Burrowbridge (2016) comment that tasks sustained over time are beneficial for student engagement. "Activities that are authentic, collaborative, challenging, student-directed, and sustained have been identified in the literature as essential to enhancing engagement" (p.225). I agree completely.
I saw that students really wanted to work together during writing time in class, so I said they could work with a peer if they were actually working. I was a little worried that there would be too much off task behavior. It turns out that was not the case! I noticed that students were expanding their questioning ability and their thought processes, and I noted that in my research journal. The conversation below illustrates how two students are delving into an issue where each side has a valid point, and they are learning to state their opinion and listen to one another.
Lily and Sam were discussing why it's important to save the rainforest.
Lily: If we don't save the rainforest the animals will have nowhere to live.
Sam: Yes, but if the farmers don't cut it down then they won't be able to eat. Aren't people more important than plants?
Lily: They're all important. And the rainforest gives us oxygen and we all need that.
Sam: Yeah, but the farmers will DIE if they can't have food.
I helped them to see that they were both right. Farmers' lives are important, and the resources that the rainforest provides are essential. We talked about how complex these issues are, that it is important for people to listen to one another to come up with a solution that is reasonable for everyone. I noted this interaction in my journal because Lily was so passionate about her opinion. This was a change from what she demonstrated in prior class discussions when she was not as confident.
I saw that students really wanted to work together during writing time in class, so I said they could work with a peer if they were actually working. I was a little worried that there would be too much off task behavior. It turns out that was not the case! I noticed that students were expanding their questioning ability and their thought processes, and I noted that in my research journal. The conversation below illustrates how two students are delving into an issue where each side has a valid point, and they are learning to state their opinion and listen to one another.
Lily and Sam were discussing why it's important to save the rainforest.
Lily: If we don't save the rainforest the animals will have nowhere to live.
Sam: Yes, but if the farmers don't cut it down then they won't be able to eat. Aren't people more important than plants?
Lily: They're all important. And the rainforest gives us oxygen and we all need that.
Sam: Yeah, but the farmers will DIE if they can't have food.
I helped them to see that they were both right. Farmers' lives are important, and the resources that the rainforest provides are essential. We talked about how complex these issues are, that it is important for people to listen to one another to come up with a solution that is reasonable for everyone. I noted this interaction in my journal because Lily was so passionate about her opinion. This was a change from what she demonstrated in prior class discussions when she was not as confident.
Lily's Final Product
Lily created an amazing book about macaws using a variety of sources. Video 1 is her book, which she narrates. You can hear the inflection in her voice as she stresses the important parts. She included a table of contents, headings, and a strong lead in her work. When she wrote a reflection about her book on her blog, she addressed the readers by saying, "I hope you like my book." Having an audience was important to her. I know she is proud of her work.
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Video 2
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