Entry #13: Can pre-teens use
scientific research methods successfully?


Science fair preparations have begun again. It feels strange to be supporting the project work from the sidelines. Right now everyone is doing their research so my classes are chaotic, but purposeful.

Last year when we evaluated the fair, my students asked me to model a science fair project from start to finish. I agreed then, so, I started my project last week. My problem: Does adding wood ash to the soil help plants grow?

I've been thinking out loud, explaining where I got the idea and sharing the related research as I find it. I've tried to show them the way my thinking is being shaped by the research itself.

I told them about how I grew up thinking forest fires were bad. The images of Smokey the Bear and Bambi made a real impression on me. As a kid I did a lot of camping and my folks reinforced the ideas of fire prevention and the conservation of our forests.

Then, a few years ago, I heard something on the news about a debate about whether forest fires should be allowed to burn themselves out. Some environmentalists were arguing that fire was a natural part of the cycle. These scientists said that the intense heat of a fire actually allowed some cones to release their seeds. I was curious -- I even bought a children's book about the fires in Yellowstone, but I didn't follow up on the issue.

When I needed a problem for science fair, I decided to pick one that really interested me. I wanted to do something that none of my students was already doing. I remembered the question of the fires and the leftover ashes.

As I began modeling the process, I explained that I had an idea about what I wanted to do -- my initial "hypothesis and procedure." However, as I began to do my research, I learned other things about soil testing that made me reconsider my approach. I was pleased that the process I was describing to my students was really happening to me. I wasn't pretending -- my thinking was being pushed and my project was evolving.

Unfortunately, I don't think they're grasping the process. They still want to start their experiment before they do any research. No one wants to wait until February to buy a display board; decorating the board is the part they like best. Almost everyone expects the background information to leap off the page, shelf, or screen and find them!

I have eighth graders who are interested in the inquiry, and some seventh graders who are working really hard, but the sixth graders just want to get it over with, plain and simple.

My hope is that as the process develops, the understanding and buy-in will follow. However, I'm actually beginning to wonder if pre-teens are capable of conducting research which requires them to think somewhat abstractly.

I have a bright sixth grader who wants to know if plants grow taller in water or in soil. I introduced her to hydroponics on the web and she couldn't figure out how it related to her question. Because the site wasn't talking about bean plants or making the explicit comparison that she had planned, she missed the connection.

In another class, I have students who are curious about whether plants will thrive with water or milk as the watering agent. Here again, if they can't find information which says, "it's better or worse to use milk when watering plants," they want to give up.

I've tried to explain that looking for the ingredients found in milk and the needs of plants for various nutrients will help them develop a hypothesis, but there's been no flicker of understanding as of yet.

On the other hand, I do have an eighth grader who wants to understand the chemistry of cooking. She wants to know what makes some cakes rise higher than others. She's e-mailed the Betty Crocker site and has gotten a response. She's interviewed a teacher who's a fabulous baker and gotten her perspective. She's reading my cookbooks and she's still refining her question.

When I watch Aisha working, I'm inspired. When I try to deal with the frustration and resistance of the majority, I question the validity of this assignment. Am I looking for an easy explanation for my problems getting this across to my kids, or is there a deeper issue of adolescent cognitive development here?

Maybe it's another case of our trying to force all shapes of kids into one round hole. Maybe letting them choose their own problem just gives an illusion of choice. Maybe they need the freedom to choose not only their question/problem, but their method of displaying their efforts to find an answer.

These questions about the "one size fits all" nature of our science fair leads me to thoughts about our upcoming exit projects too. Our eigth graders are required to complete a project before they move on to high school. Can large schools with teacher student ratios of 1:33 per section meet the needs of students involved in project-based learning? Can the factory model be stretched enough to support this worthwhile approach?

Last week my Critical Friends Group focused in on some of the questions surrounding exit projects. In particular, we touched on the question of authentic student choice.

Teachers talked about lots of folks running scared, looking for ideas to meet the new exit project requirements. They said that everyone is so worried about their responsibility to orchestrate the projects that their whole purpose for doing them is being left by the wayside. One teacher asked, "Is anyone asking the kids, what they want to do?" It's not surprising that this member is also a parent of a student at our school.

Sure, it's our first year and the project guidelines leave a lot of questions unanswered, but the central ideas of authentic student choice and exhibition cannot afford to be buried. Our starting point with students shouldn't be one of "just tell me what I have to do".

This year the projects must be multidisciplined, incorporating standards from at least two disciplines, but it's unclear what balance between individual and group work must be struck. There are also many questions about the ways these projects will be assessed and by whom.

In two years, the projects will also need a service component. The projects are supposed to support change, not charity. In other words, we're looking to teach problem-solving and citizenship, not just community service.

My head is beginning to spin. I'm thinking that we can't possibly mentor individually chosen projects for all of our eighth graders. Given our numbers, we're opting for class projects which can then be personalized for smaller groups.

Does this compromise negate the stated purpose of the project requirement? Is it possible for these mass methods to produce individually meaningful learning experiences for all, for most, or just for a few?

Should students be given a sampling of projects to choose from early on in middle school? Should their choice be the determining factor when they're assigned to a small learning community or advisory? How much choice should the teachers have? Will teachers be effective coaches if they're not engaged by the projects which they're guiding?

What about parental input? Should parents be involved in the design of the model as well as its assessment? What about the kids? Shouldn't their voices be heard?

I feel like I want to go pull the covers over my head! And I'm one of those teachers who's always loved interdisciplinary projects. If I'm having all these nagging doubts, is it any wonder that the new and or more traditional teachers are worried...?

At our CFG meeting teachers wanted to know how they can continue to cover all the content that will appear on the standardized tests and also find the time to team-teach and support the projects. No one was opposing the requirement. In fact, we all liked the excitement of the process and the thrill of the exhibitions, we're just worried about the big picture.

In my experience with project-based learning, students improve overall when they get involved. They begin to make connections and actually think about what we're saying and doing in class. They stop acting like passive receptacles that we're supposed to fill with knowledge and begin to think for themselves.

I know that independent thinking can really boost test scores in reading, science and social studies, but I'm hard pressed when an algebra teacher tells me she's not going to be able to present certain equations and methods if she gives over her time to the project work. I know that math is all about problem solving, but there is a need to at least expose the kids to these new tools.

My gut feeling is that teachers will have to dig into this aspect to ensure the right balance and that the kids will do better because they'll connect the math to real-life applications. However, I have no data to support my feeling. In this age of the almighty test scores, data is more crucial than ever.

In the end, my CFG decided to write to our principal to request a staff meeting to flesh out these questions about projects. We are going to spend our entire December meeting having these conversations ourselves.

In January, we have a full day of professional development before the kids return to classes. The CFG has volunteered to organize the day's activities and conversations.

My principal was pleased with our initiative and our preparations have begun. Coincidentally, he just received an offer from the Philadelphia Education Fund to help organize the day's discussions around the project requirement. It seems that most schools are experiencing some confusion in this area.

I'm going to approach my CFG colleagues to see if they feel a collective meeting with other schools is desirable at this time. Part of the problem we addressed in our meeting was the fact that we've been presented to, given written guidelines and directives, but have never had a full conversation about these projects.

I think we might need to hold our own meeting first. If we meet with other schools and outside presenters, lots of our people won't voice their concerns. I wish that wasn't the case, but I'm afraid it is the reality. We need to get down to the nitty gritty of what these projects are going to look like at CEMS. We need to talk about which players are going to do which things and how we plan to assess this whole initiative.

I'm anxious to see what other folks think. I'm sure I'll have more to say about this next time...


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