What is an
Independent Unit of Study?
The dictionary definition:
a research project carried out
by yourself or with others.
This project is carefully
planned out with yourself and
your teacher.
Mrs. Fuller’s
definition:
• The project allows you to explore passions and
interests that you are truly “in to”. The topic
does NOT have to be something we talk about
in the classroom!
• You get to become the real researcher (or
expert)
• You get to collect your info from all different
sources! (books, magazines, internet websites,
other expert folks, etc.)
Are you excited yet?
Are you wondering when and where
you get started?
Are you thinking,
what all is involved
in this?
Here’s the Step by Step Process
for all you organizational freaks!
• Step 1 – pick your topic (hopefully school
appropriate)
• Step 2 – meet with the teacher to bounce your ideas
around and come up with a plan!
• Step 3 – decide on a study method
• Step 4 – collect information
• Step 5 – develop a product (lots of fun!!!)
• Step 6 – present your project to an audience
• Step 7 – evaluate your super project
Step 1 – Picking a Topic
• Some brainstorming may be
involved in picking your topic…
– Is there a problem out there in the world I want to
solve?
– Is there a fact I want to prove?
– Is there something I want to learn to do?
– Is there something I want to learn more about?
Here comes the big
and
I’m not talking about backsides!
Students: What is the big “But” Mrs. Fuller?
Mrs. Fuller: But, you need to keep in mind that
you want to choose a topic that will be easy to
locate all kinds of info from all kinds of sources.
Step 2 and 3 – Meet with the teacher to come up
with a
and decide on what important
you want to answer.
• What are you going to figure out?
– I will look at the past or history of my topic.
– I will collect factual information.
– I will examine an improvement I made to solve a
problem.
– I will observe a person, group, or thing more closely.
– I will look at changes or development of my topic.
Step 4 – Collect Info
•
•
•
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Library books, magazines, newspapers
People or experts that can be interviewed
Brochures, pamphlets, advertisements
Teacher approved Internet websites
Teacher approved internet
websites/search engines
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•
•
•
•
•
•
www.askkids.com
www.kidsclick.org
www.kids.yahoo.com
www.gogooligans.com
www.kids.nationalgeographic.com
www.sikids.com (Sports Illustrated for kids)
www.factmonster.com
• www.heddeninformation.com/KidsInfoBits.html (kids info
bits)
• www.kidskonnect.com
• www.startsquad.com
Step 5 – Develop a Product
• Students decide what they will do or create to
present all their hard work and research to
others.
Product Choice Examples
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Book
Cartoon/comic strip
Graph
Poster
Editorial, story, essay
Game
Interview
Rap
Play
• Demonstration/experiment
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Painting
Sculpture
Poem
Pamphlet/brochure
Photo album
Map
Powerpoint
Mini movie/video
Diorama
Step 6 - Presentation
• I think it is extremely important for students
to have the opportunity to present their
information to an audience, not only to share
with others but also show themselves how
hard work pays off!
Step 7 – Evaluate (What do we think?)
• Teachers, students, and anyone in the
audience should let the presenter know what
they thought.
• How will we do this?
– Jot down our thoughts on our own reflection
sheets that will be given to the presenter in
privacy.
– KEEP it POSITIVE!