Built into the structure is the expectation that each child is accountable for his or her own question, materials, recording, and work time. Form a question Make a plan Do the investigation Record and report Reflect, revisit, and plan again Each child states his or her interest in the form of a question. All the students above planned to use the round light source, color gels, mirrors and screens. I plan to use the RLS with white light and a prism. This question, and the materials used to investigate it, become the plan for the activity that follows.
Children work individually or in small groups.
I work with them by observing, questioning, supporting their efforts, and redirecting their investigations. I actively reflect their activities back to them in my own words, which helps when they report their work to others later on. I also help them manage their time. When the investigations are finished, each member of the class reports to the others. As the children tell what they observed, I write the observations on a chart.