Animals At Our School
By:  Noah Treffers

Project at a Glance :

This project is for a 1st grade class. It explores how animals are different (birds, mammals, fish, insects, reptiles), how they survive (adaptations), and how we can respectfully observe them in different places. This project connects with science standards and allows the chance to connect with local business partners such as the Outdoor Discovery Center.​
​
       
Driving Question:

How can we educate our community about animals at Zeeland Christian School?       

Standards:

• Construct an evidence based account comparing young plants and animals to their parents (1-LS3-1).
  
• Skills: how animals are different (birds, mammals, fish, insects, reptiles), how they survive (adaptations), and how we can respectfully observe them in different places?

Team / Culture Building:

• Marshmallow Tower
• Jenga
• Keva Planks

Entry Event:

• Scavenger Hunt - students went on a scavenger hunt based on animals at our school to find the puzzle pieces to uncover the Driving Question.

Stakeholders:

• Teachers
• Students
• Families
• Administration
• Business Partners (ODC -Emily Slagter)

 Empathy Building:

• Stakeholder Map 
• Empathy Map 

Inquiry / Need to Knows:

• Conduct Interviews with Outdoor Discovery Staff
  • Emily Slagter, Education Network Ambassador, Outdoor Discovery Center 

• Create a Bug List: answering the question - What bugs us about our animal knowledge at ZCS?

• Touchstone Tour - students learned about mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, and bugs to give us prior knowledge about animals. ODC came with animals and gave us a Touchstone Tour with different animals.

Incubation:

• Squiggle Birds - Students made a squiggle bird to help learn how to think "outside of the box" for this project.

• Anti-Problem- Students shared ideas about what would happen if we didn't teach our community about animals here. ​

• Raining Ideas - Students split into two groups, the teacher and paraprofessional helped them brainstorm solution ideas.
  

---

Solution Building:

• Once ideas have been shared and put together these protocols will help narrow down which solution is best. 
• Saturate and Group - The class made a circle and read through all the ideas as a class. Students decided which sticky notes could be grouped together.​​

• Dot Voting (Pg. 5) 
• NUFF Test - students rated ideas determining if they were  new, useable, feasible, and fun. ​​

​​Critique and Revision: 

• Students practiced their pitches using the Critical Friends protocol.​

Authentic Audience:

• ODC - Emily Slagter, Education Network Ambassador
• Principal
• Parents​

Final Presentation:

• Students pitched their ideas to the audience.​

Bird House group
(video link in Padlet)

Bird Feeder Group 
​(video link in Padlet)

Click here for teacher's full plan.
Reflection and Feedback:

• Using the Emoji Feedback Form
• Fireside Chat​​

• Check In & Check Out Circles
• The students were excited and engaged during the process. If I did it again I would have the students spend more time going back to the investigation stage to learn more about bird feeders and birdhouses so that they are better prepared for questions during the validation. ​

Click here for the teacher's Journey through PBL on Padlet . . .

Meet the Educator:

Noah Treffers teaches 1st grade at Zeeland Christian School.  

     "I think PBL is great because it allows students to stretch their real world problem solving skills. It also allows them to grow in their career skills of teamwork and public speaking."