What is an “I”-Search?
An
I-Search is a research project with a focus on personal interest and
process.
An
I-Search begins with a question that the student is very curious about. Here are some examples of past student
questions: “How is Apple Cider made?”
“How do airplanes fly?” “Is there air in space?” “How do scientists track
pandas?”
Next, students gather information from a variety of sources.
We can start with books in the library and the internet, but students are
encouraged to reach for other real-life sources. For example, interviewing people who know
something about the topic, visiting museums and taking photos or notes,
exploring nature, listening to music, attending a performance, etc. Other
sources might include, videos, pamphlets and magazines.
The emphasis of the “I”-Search project is not so much on the
product, but rather on the process; the adventure of discovering an answer is
as important as the answer itself.
The project should include a written piece about this
adventure of discovery and what was learned, in the student's own words. Some kind of visual
demonstration is then created to present to the class.
There is a lot of room
for creativity! Here is a list of ideas:
*
drawing,
painting or poster
*
dance or
song
*
puppet play
or drama;
*
diorama or
mini-museum
*
3-D
construction or model
*
physical
demonstration
*
map,
diagram, timeline or graph
*
a guest
speaker
*
board game
*
a
collection
*
an
invention
*
create an
advertisement
*
collage or
montage
The possibilities are
endless.
Students
rehearse then present their projects to the class, so we can share the
learning.
This assignment is meant to be short, focused, purposeful. It can
be worked on at home as well as at school.
Projects are due the week of November 13-17.
What can parents do?
1. Listen as your child explains his/her contract and brainstorms
ideas with you. Help your child select a
topic that is not too broad and has a focus on a specific question.
2. Help arrange trips (to the library, a museum, etc.) and
facilitate necessary phone calls or interviews.
3. Offer a quiet time and place for your child to work. Kids
should start early and do a little every day.
Don’t support the “all-nighter-the-day before” technique (even if it
worked for you!)
4. Be supportive, curious, and involved, but please don’t do
the project for your child.
BONUS: Do your own project and we promise we’ll let
you present, too! HAVE FUN learning from
and with your child!
Project/Process Ideas
Based on the Multiple Intelligence theory of
Howard Gardner
Body Smart (Body Kinesthetic)
Ø Learn dances of different cultures or periods of
historyØ Measure items or distances with thumbs, hands or feet
Ø Illustrate geometric figures, (parallel line, triangles, rectangles, circles with arms, legs and/or fingers
Ø Act out scenes from stories or plays
Ø Invent a new household tool
Ø Act out/ role-play definitions of concepts such as igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock formation
Word Smart (Verbal Linguistic)
Ø Write story problems
Ø Create poems
Ø Create crossword puzzles
Ø Make up a story about a piece of music
Ø Describe the steps of a process
Ø Keep a personal journal
Music Smart (Musical Rhythmic)
Ø Create “raps” (key dates, math, poems)
Ø Teach songs from different cultures and eras
Ø Make simple musical instruments
Ø Illustrate different moods through dance steps
Ø Learn via songs and jingles
Ø Write to music
Art Smart (Visual Spatial)
Ø Make a model
Ø Mobile
Ø Mini-museum
Ø Illustrate a story or historical event
Ø Design/paint murals
Ø Create posters or flyers
Ø Create collages on topics
Ø Draw maps
Ø Study the arts of cultures
Ø Make clay maps/figures/buildings
Ø Draw from different perspectives
Math Smart (Logical Mathematical)
Ø Create a time line
Ø Compare/contrast ideas
Ø Predict next events in a story
Ø Define patterns in history
Ø Follow a recipe/instructions
Ø Rank-order factors
Ø Use a story grid for creative writing
Ø Analyze similarities and differences
Ø Create outlines of stories
Nature Smart (Naturalist)
Ø Collecting data
Ø Collecting objects from the natural world
Ø Noticing changes in the environment
Ø Categorizing objects
Ø Keeping notebooks
Ø Learning names of natural phenomena
Ø Using magnifiers microscopes to study nature
Ø Drawing or photographing natural objects
Ø Comparing natural observations with others
Ø Caring for pets
People Smart (Interpersonal)
Ø Teach a concept or skill to others
Ø Find relationships between objects, cultures, situations
Ø Plan and arrange social events
Ø Analyze motivation of characters in stories of historical events
Ø Review a book orally
Ø Teach cooperative games
Self Smart (Intrapersonal)
Ø Keeping a personal journal or feelings diary
Ø Write an autobiography
Ø Imagine and write about the future
Ø Imagine self as a character in history
Ø Illustrate feelings or moods
Ø Write on personal learning experiences
Ø Observe self (metacognition)
