Teresa Draguicevich
Elementary Educator
helping children step into the future together
Ask Questions
Begin projects with the students' deep interests and burning questions. Then build rigor by guiding them to go deeper with their passions.
Our Great Bug Hunt Project
Plants that help us that "pests" don't like.
Search for Answers
Children learn to analyze results, interpret information, make connections and independently investigate truth.
Through a cycle of inquiry, action and reflection, we decided to try and save our plants by making decoys, traps and setting up spy cams to gather more information.
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What critters already live in our garden space and why are they there?
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Will they be hurtful or helpful to our garden? Will our garden be hurtful or helpful to them?
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Can we live with them peacefully?
Some of us thought "bugs" were our friends and good for the earth. Some of us didn't like that "bugs" were eating our plants.
Consult Experts.
Find Mentors.
Investigate.
Do field research.
Get our hands dirty!
Apply the Knowledge
Students use their knowledge to make a positive difference in the world.
Creating structures in our community garden to protect the "eating" plants from the "eating bugs." Inviting the beneficial bugs and making a home for the "pesty ones!"
Share the Knowledge
Sharing what they learn with an authentic audience gives students the motivation to strive for excellence, to get feedback and make revisions
Making prototypes for garden sculptures that will educate others about why "bugs" are good for the earth, as well as the difference between arachnids, insects and invertebrates.
Communicate with Parents and Visitors
Sometimes people like to visit our room to see us work. How can we share what we are doing with them and still keep working?
Why teach this way?
In order to effectively facilitate the learning, we must ground our work in proven research.