How’s your instructional creativity doing today? 

How about taking a stab at improving another Nudging Toward Inquiry project? This time, we look at how to go beyond copy-and-paste for plant research. 

Your idea could end up in School Library Monthly in the January 2010 issue!

Submit your ideas here by October 15!

(Submissions are also still open for the War Report Nudging … click here.)

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Original image: ‘Tropaeolum majus seedling - נבט כובע נזיר גדול‘
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32611380@N06/3060006872
by: Eran Finkle

Released under an Attribution License

Hey, y’all! We’ve now put four Nudging Toward Inquiry projects to bed for School Library Monthly:

• September 2009: The Biography Report
• October 2009: The Book Report
• November 2009: The Country Report
• December 2009: The Animal Report

I have to admit that putting these pages together should feel like work, but actually, it’s so much fun to hear how different people would adapt a project with a low level of learning and engagement into something much better.  It reaffirms my hunch that a small shift can have a big impact.

Now it’s time for another one … how about the war report? Here’s the scenario.  We’re looking for your input by October 15!

 THE SCENARIO 

After school, a history teacher comes into your office in a high school library.  Setting down his stack of teacher editions and papers with a sigh, he slumps into your guest chair. “I don’t know if I can do it this year,” he says. “I don’t know if I have the stamina for the Key Battles of World War II [or war of your district’s choosing] Report.  It takes forever, the kids hate it, and I feel like the police … and all we end up with is another batch of plagiarized, boring, Wikipedia-sounding reports about the Battle of Midway”Don’t get me wrong,” he says quickly, reaching across you to snag something from the candy dish on your desk.  “I love you.  It’s just the report I can’t stand.”

 THE QUESTION

Quick! Before he a) gives up, or b) eats your last sweet, what can you suggest that will ramp up the student engagement, re-energize your colleague, and make World War II more relevant for the kids? (You might change the product, the process, the graphic organizer, etc.)

Share your ideas for possible inclusion in an upcoming issue of School Library Monthly on the submission page.