This creative end-product lesson involves a high-level of collaboration among group members to conceptualize a “story” of a rock travelling through geologic time while describing the processes that occur along the way. Students are heavily invested in higher level thinking of Blooms Taxonomy as they apply and synthesize our entire first semester of geology while creating a “story” that reflects the students’ knowledge, creativity, and personalities. In this multi-phased project, students will be actively engaged in real world tasks of meeting deadlines, collaborative group management, and creating a novel product that will be shared and used in a variety of ways. The project opens with an introduction, partner selection, and establishing collaborative-management. Phase two includes rock personalization/character creation (either virtually or with an actual rock), brainstorming, and reflection. The storyline involves brainstorming, outlining, researching, and product creation. The final step is presenting and sharing. Students can communicate, assign tasks, and combine research on a Google Doc form. The students’ products will be shared both electronically for the class to use as a review study tool for SOL’s and their masterpieces will also be presented to the class. In addition, to add further authenticity that expands beyond the walls of our classroom, students will also share their knowledge and creativity with our neighboring elementary schools. The fourth and fifth grade SOL’s are very similar to our own, so the teachers can use our products as a fun way to introduce or teach their own students.
Submitted by: Samantha Z., Louis J., and Easha M.

A Rock’s Journey from HCPS Instructional Technology on Vimeo.

Web URL: http://vimeo.com/41291491