Learning target: 

• I can create a survey to learn about my community’s attitudes toward unusual pollinators.
• I can use my research skills to learn about unusual pollinators.

Purpose:

• Students are introduced to the purpose and materials they will use in the Lab.

• Students create an interactive survey to post in a public area of the school.

In advance:

Storytime

• Review the Labs song.

• Post: Focus question (optional).

Setting Goals 

• Post: Guiding question and learning target(s) for the Lab students will be launching that day (see detailed plans for each Lab on the pages that follow).

In the Lab

• Preview the Labs notebook and note the research materials about unusual pollinators included in each. Each set includes the articles and accompanying note-catchers and text-dependent questions: “Pollinating Possums!” “Beneficial Bats!” and “Leapin’ Lizards!”

• Based on availability, collect any additional research, at an appropriate reading level and with supportive text features, about bats, possums, and lizards.

• Identify a location, or multiple locations, in the school, preferably with high walking traffic, to post the interactive surveys students will create during the Launch stage.

• Next to the interactive chart, consider hanging a marker on a string for participants to use in marking their answer choices.

• This sequence recommends the use of tally marks; however, there are many different ways to collect data. Consider referencing your math curriculum to see which form of data collection is familiar and comfortable for you and your students.

• Prepare workstations by placing the following at each one:

  • One set of research materials
  • One piece of chart paper for creating an interactive survey
  • Markers

• Consider:

  • Forming six small research groups (two groups for each of the three unusual pollinators being studied). This keeps group sizes smaller and, therefore, individual participation higher.
  • Setting up the six survey charts similar to the “Unusual Pollinators: Community Survey.” This guides students toward appropriate questions and responses, as well as saves them time.

Reflect on Learning

• Post: Sentence frames or picture clues for any reflection questions you will use regularly (optional).

Materials:

Storytime

• Labs song (one to display)

• Text for Storytime (chosen by teacher)

Setting Goals

• Labs notebook (new; one per student and one for teacher modeling)

• Pencils (one per student)

• Learning target(s) (one to display for each Lab; see Launch Stage: At-a-Glance for the specific targets for each Lab)

Research Lab

• Photographs of the unusual pollinators (a possum, a lizard, and a bat; one each to display)

• Unusual Pollinators: Community Survey anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)

• Unusual Pollinators: Community Survey anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)

• Chart paper (six pieces; used by groups to record their survey question)

• Markers (various colors; used by students to create their survey question charts)

• String (24 inches long; one piece per piece of chart paper)

• Tape (12 to 15 pieces; to hang survey charts and markers)

Reflecting on Learning

• Labs song (one to display)

• Labs notebook (one for teacher modeling and one per student)