A Night in the Michigan Wilderness 

By: Emily Morehouse, Ashley Fry, Jenna Mastbergen, Ryan Becklin, Kayleigh VanBergen, and Alyssa Hartley

​​Overview: 

Six teachers from the 4th grade Orchard View Cardinal Elementary team were engaged in Project-Based Learning using the Animal Defense Mechanism Module of their EL curriculum. During this study students were able to engage in scientific talks with a Wildlife Biologists researcher from MSU and Zoologists during a Zoom meeting. Students researched native Michigan Animals and what they use for their defenses. Classes then developed 'choose your own adventure narratives' around a hybrid Michigan animal and its defenses and 3D-printed their animal. Students voted on where the proceeds from auctioning off their animals and narratives would go and chose Pound Buddies.

• Life Science:  4-LS1-1:
• Reading:  Literature  RL.4.10  
• Reading:  Informational Text RI.4.1, RI 4.4, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, & 4.10
• Writing:  W.4.2, W.4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 4.10
• Speaking and Listening:  SL.4.1, 4.2, 4.4
• Language:  L.4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, & 4.6  ​​

How do animal's bodies and behaviors help them survive? 

• Students gave each other constructive peer feedback throughout the project?​

• The project included real Michigan Animals.
• Students were able to create their own personal hybrid animal.  
  
• Students went through a real world process of creating "a choose your own adventure book".
• Students created 3D Print animals.
• Sold 3D items in the auction to go towards Pound Buddies, a local animal shelter.​

• Each student created their own Michigan hybrid 3D animal and choose your own adventure book that was auctioned off. ​

• Students were able to choose two Michigan Animals of their choice and create their own hybrid animal.
  
• Students were also able to create two endings to their choose your own adventure book. ​​

• MSU Wildlife Biologist 
• John Ball Zoo staff - Came in and shared  information about animal defenses mechanisms with students. 
  
• Pound Buddies - Money donated from the  3D printed animals auction was donated to this organization.

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     “My favorite was the choose your own adventure story. I got to have the reader choose which animal defense mechanism they would use and it was fun to write the different endings.” ~ OV Cardinal Elementary 4th grader

     “It was really fun to make our animals on Tinkercad. It was cool to create our very own animal and not have to share with anyone else.”  ~ OV Cardinal Elementary 4th grader

• Classes revisited the driving question board and looked at what questions have been answered throughout our project.
  
• Students also did a  personal reflection at the end of the experience.
• Students completed a survey to give feedback on the project.​​

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• Project Template​​
• ​Choose your own adventure narrative  template
• Choose your own adventure slides
  
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Meet the Educators:
Emily Morehouse, Ashley Fry, Jenna Mastbergen, Ryan Becklin, Kayleigh VanBergen, and Alyssa Hartley teach 4th grade at Orchard View Cardinal Elementary.

    “This project was an experience our kids will remember for the rest of their lives. Students were engaged in their learning, given several opportunities to be creative, and had so much fun along the way!’

    “The 3D printing really made the hybrid Michigan animals come to life. It was so neat to see the sparkle in the kids eyes when they saw their 3D animal for the first time.”