The Fermilab LInC

Leadership Institute Integrating Internet, Instruction and Curriculum

Elementary School Projects

Teachers created these projects as homework during the Fermilab LInC course for a particular community and school. Some of them may be A's; others C's. Some may be appropriate to adapt for your classroom; others may give you ideas for a project you want to develop. You may assess their merit using a rubric we developed for "publishable quality" projects. Projects are evolving as teachers gain more experience with engaged learning and the Internet as a tool. These projects are designed for a particular community and school. Other teachers may wish to modify them to reflect their own situations. Projects are evolving as teachers gain more experience with engaged learning and the Internet as a tool.

Bilingual Class Projects: Class HomePage
Student Pages

Birds Of A Feather: Science
Second graders and primary learning disabilities students are working on an integrated unit as part of the Chicago Academy of Science Museums in the Classroom Threatened, Endangered, and Extinct Species Program. Through this study students are introduced to the concept of plot studies. (The path study attempts to measure bird abundance over time and geographic area.) Student Pages

CheSSie: Science, Language Arts, Math
Two classes of fourth through sixth grade students, one in Maryland and the other in Washington, DC, are working cooperatively on a simulation to determine the health of rivers and streams in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Student Pages 1 - Student Pages 2

Children's Health: Language Arts: Expository and Persuasive Writing - Science: Health and Nutrition
Sixth grade students research and find out about the different foods people eat. They then take this information and incorporate it into their life in the form of a health and fitness program designed by a group of students. Student Pages

Communicating Through the Internet: Cross-curricular, Internet, Communications, e-mail

Cultural Scavenger Hunt: Social Studies - Diversity and Inter-relationships of People, Places and Events
Student Pages

Community and Ecosystems: Math, Science, Language Arts
Community and Ecosystems is an integrated unit for fourth and fifth graders in math, science, and language arts focusing on ecosystems, food chains and webs, predicator/prey relationships, and man's role in the destruction and protection of the environment. Using the scientific method, activities will include data collection, observation, and problem solving. Math skills include graphing, data analysis, statistics, and problem solving. Language Arts skills include vocabulary, journal writing, Microsoft Works reports, and multimedia reports using HyperStudio. This unit relates math, science and language arts to real-world applications through hands-on experiences and engaged and discovery learning. Student Pages

DinoHunt: Science - Dinosaurs, Math, Language Arts, Art
Student Pages

E-Mail to Learning: Language Arts - Reading, Writing, Literature, Technology, Research
Student Pages: Learning E-Mail - E-Mail Pals - Communicating with an Author - The Internet as a Resource

Everybody Eats Bread: Social Studies - World Cultures
Student Pages

Here A Bug, There A Bug: Science
Kindergarten students unearth insects on school grounds; use various sources including the Internet to research information about the insects; record tthe information and share this with classmates. The students also share information with Kindergarten students in other geographical areas via e-mail. Student Pages

Internet Interviews: All Curriculum Areas

I Want To Be An American Citizen: Social Studies
The bilingual students at Turner Elementary School are creating web pages to help their parents and friends study for the US Citizenship Test. These web pages contain information about immigrations issuess that will help the users to become American citizens. Student Pages

It's a Small World: Math, Language Arts, Geography
As a result of their participation in the Small World Project, fourth and fifth grade students develop the interest and abilities necessary to find reliable information on the Internet. They will understand the importance of global communication. (Spanish/English) students. Student Pages

KidLink: Written Language Skills for Children with Learning Disabilities
Student Pages

Kids in Space: Science - Astronomy
Student Pages

Learning to Live in a Risky World: History, Health, Math, Social Science , Science
This project fosters the development of critical-thinking skills, provides students with an opportunity to look at issues from multiple and empathetic perspectives, and provides an introduction to the concept of risk. It can therefore be integrated into lessons in history, health, math, social science, and/or science. This project provides students with opportunities to explore how many of the things they do on a daily basis entail risk. Students gain insight into how to engage in risk analysis on a personal level and make decisions accordingly. Student Pages

Lewis and Clark in Washington Shrub Steppe Habitat: Science, Math, Social Studies
The students at two school sites will research the natural areas adjacent to their schools. They will collect data on the flora and fauna of these areas. The third school will study Lewis and Clarke journal entries for comparison with the present-day data from the other two participating schools. Student Pages Grade 2 - Grade 4/5

Maya Mystery: Social Studies
The sixth grade students at Gary School are studying the ancient Maya civilization. The students are using a variety of materials, including Mayaquest on the Internet. The end product is a HyperStudio presentation demonstrating their knowledge of the ancient Maya Indians. Student Pages

Montgomery County to the Rescue!: Social Studies
The hometown of the Power Rangers, popular TV and movie action characters, has been destroyed by evil forces. The Rangers post an Internet plea for help in locating a new home base that is ethnically and culturally diverse. In order to convince the Rangers to adopt Montgomery County as their new home base, second grade students must find out specific facts about different ethnic and cultural groups in the community, and present these facts in a persuasive case to the Rangers. Students use the Internet and e-mail to obtain current facts about Montgomery County, and send their invitation back to the Rangers. Student Pages

Native American Dwellings: Social Studies
Fifth grade students will research the Native American Dwellings of various tribes and regions in the United States using various forms of technology. The information gleaned will be shared with other students both locally and throughout the country via the Internet and student product presentations. Student Pages

Rainforest Realities: Science, Language Arts, Math, Social Science
When posed with the problem of destruction of the rainforest, third and sixth grade students will develop interpersonal skills, research skills, content objectives, technical skills, and higher order thinking skills through an interactive, interdisciplinary, thematic project. Student Pages

The RainForest Walk: Science
Student Pages

A River Runs Through It: Ecology, Data Collection
A local river is the focus for this year-long series of integrated mathematics and science units for gifted fourth and fifth grade students. Student Pages

Regions: Meet the Experts: Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts
Students become "Experts" while engaged in creating a web page for others to learn about the plains, mountains, forests, and desert regions of the world. Student Pages

Route 66: Social Studies
Fourth or fifth grade students will research the history of Route 66 and in particular the history pertaining to Illinois. They will use this knowledge in preparation of a Route 66 Festival. Student Pages

ScienceNet: Science

The Seed Connection: Science, Social Studies, MSTe
The purpose of this project is to find the best conditions for growing plants. Through this venue students will develop an understanding of how math, science and technology are interrelated and can be used to solve real-life problems. They will use technology to interact with EMO botanists, (a sixth grade partner class), and a partner school in Africa, using hydroponics and conventional methods, in order to grow plants for a real-life purpose. The students will use BNL scientists as a real-life link in their investigations. They will create a problem statement, develop a plan, test their ideas and use construction technology as well as computer technology as a tool for research, planning, recording data and communication. Student Pages

Smallville's Prairie Problem: Science - Environmental Science, and/or Social Studies
The invitation to learn is offered via a fictitious newspaper story regarding the potential commercial development of a tallgrass prairie site. The resulting multidisciplinary science study has many common elements which can be tailored to various grade levels. Student Pages

Student Newspaper Project: Interdisciplinary

Three Little Pigs: Science, Math
A group of students from the Oneida Elementary School researched heat transfer by building a structure using straw bale walls. The students discovered the variety of materials used for insulation of structures around the world. The students worked with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the project and learned of the value of research, collecting data and comparing data. Student Pages

Traveling the USA on the Internet: Social Studies, Science, Math, Language Arts
Student Pages

Vital Signs: Health
The focus of the Vital Signs project is to promote good health in our young people. It is the goal of the Vital Signs project that students everywhere will contribute to promoting good health decisions. Through the use of telecommunications, second through fourth grade students will research health related topics such as good nutrition, exercise, and basic body functions. They will analyze three research data and distribute it through the use of the Internet. The World Wide Web will assist students in communication with experts in related health fields. Electronic mail will be used in collaborative research effort between communities around the world. Students will have the opportunity to conduct health related research, discuss their findings, and present solutions for problems that are facing their generation. Student Pages 1 - Student Pages 2

Weather Project: Science, Social Studies, Language, Math, Technology

Welcome Back Carrie! Social Studies

Wetlands In Danger: Science - Language Arts
Students are able to identify the issues and concerns facing local wetland areas. They voice their concerns in the form of an essay. Student Pages

What Made Alexander So Great! U.S. Regional Study
This integrated, multidisciplinary unit involves gifted fourth and fifth grades in a simulation. Problem solving, decision-making, and research skills, as well as persuasive discourse and social studies content are emphasized. Student Pages

Where is the World is 5MT? Science, Geography
Student Pages

Where in the World is 5T? Science
Student Pages

Working Together to Improve the Community Interdisciplinary - Social Studies, Language Arts, Math
The purpose of this project is two-fold; the students will study the government and assess issues that are important to the local community. The students will demonstrate an understanding of what they learned as they participate in the political process by writing letters to their representatives in all levels of government. Student Pages