Did you say animals?

Student from Diane Gutowski's and Joan Kolodziej's fifth grades spent time in Mrs. Gutowski's science class this winter studying various animal species and their habitats and entomology—the study of insects.

Mrs. Gutowski divided the students into four random groups and assigned each group the task of learning about a particular habitat. From that research, the groups built a life-like models of the habitats. Individual students chose an animal and then created and painted a clay model of the animal which they displayed in the appropriate habitat.

 The second part of the project focused on insects. Again students researched specific insects, this time drawing them on paper. Then using a variety of materials, they constructed accurate, three-dimensional model of their insects.

Project such as these provide students with a different way of learning about science. Traditionally students would simply read about animals or insects from a textbook. Occasionally they would watch a brief movie or video on the topic. Then they would take a quiz or test to see what they learned.

This lesson's projects taught more than the basics of zoology, ecology, and entomology. They taught the fifth graders to work together on a project with each person contributing his or her particular abilities to make the project successful. Then working individually, they researched the animals and insects and created accurate 3-D models of their creatures. This style of teaching allows students to learn about a topic, but also teaches them to use their creativity, math, reading, and art skills to create the models. Such projects are similar to those that parents experience in the work world.