Prehistoric Presentations

The boys presented their "solutions" yesterday to our troubled prehistoric tribe...we are sure to have plenty of food, water, wood, and healthy trees, thanks to these ancient problem-solvers!


This project was a slight change from the cave-tool projects which we have completed in the past. In previous years, the boys are told to bring in supplies to build a prehistoric tool. I found it very interesting that while the boys had the opportunity to study any area of "prehistoric life," so many focused on building tools and weapons, which made this project look quite similar to those in the past.

I enjoyed giving the boys the opportunity to research and explore their topic of choice. Having them research "issues and solutions" that could face and help our "tribe" also presented a realistic and meaningful context for their research. Additionally, the opportunity to write about, draw, or build a creation to share with the group allowed the boys to select a medium in which they were most comfortable. One group even presented a "play" about discovering spears to be used for protection! Finally, the boys were allowed to partner together on any aspect of the project (brainstorming, research, creation, presentation). Watching boys join together for certain aspects, while completing other elements independently allowed for more organic collaboration than assigning groups or only permitting individual work. So, while this project looked similar in many ways, it had a very different feel to it.

I look forward to our wrap up discussion tomorrow, as I wonder if the boys' desire to focus on tools and weapons came from genuine interest, more prior knowledge, a lack of available information on different topics during web quests, or because of another reason (or a combination of factors). Additionally, there were a few boys who focused on a different topic, and I look forward to hearing their motivation for doing so. I will ask the boys for feedback on all of the aspects of the project, as they provide the best feedback for which I could ask. As the year progresses, I enjoy hearing from the boys regarding all of our activities and projects; their valuable insight into the discovery and learning process provides me with the opportunity to grow alongside of them, one of my favorite parts of being a teacher.