Writing distinguished by voice, imagination, and impact

geothermal energy has been around since the dinosaurs walked the earth

Guide to Energy Sources

Grade(s):

3, 4

Third and fourth grade students at the Santa Fe School for Arts and Sciences in Santa Fe, New Mexico created a guide on energy sources and alternative energy. The book was created for younger children and though largely text-based, includes drawings as well.

Upon hearing the dastardly news, Jerry's father shook his head

Honor for All: Japanese American Experience

Grade(s):

7

Seventh grade students at the Harmon Middle School in Aurora, Ohio created booklets as part of a case study of Japanese internment within a broader study of World War II.

the mallard is as big as a first grader's leg

A Neighborhood Guide: Mallard and Coopers Hawk

Grade(s):

1

First grade students at the Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning in Denver, Colorado created this field guide as part of a learning expedition on birds.

the spinning elements are flung into a box

The Well Project: A Drinking Water Report

Grade(s):

5, 6

Fifth and sixth graders from the Shutesbury Elementary School in Shutesbury, Massachusetts prepared this report on the quality of well water within the town as part of a year-long expedition on water resources.

his eyes and his skin were the only things remarkable in a university

This Is Why I Cry

Grade(s):

8

Eighth-grade students at Pioneer Charter School (now Polaris Expeditionary Learning School) in Fort Collins, Colorado created a historical character file as part of a learning expedition on slavery. The process took two months and included multiple drafts of writing and artwork.

the life of a community follows a plot

A Little More Than Just People: Juanita Nelson

Grade(s):

8

Eighth grade students from the Four Rivers Charter School, in Greenfield, Massachusetts, created a book of “monologues of community cultivators.” Students studied people from their community, who both through their vocation or avocation, worked on behalf of their local communities and “gave back”

This court is in session for the case of bear vs. raccoon.

Panda Classification Comic Strip

Grade(s):

7

After learning about DNA, students had to explain if the giant panda was a closer relative to bears or to raccoons by creating a comic strip.

she was involved in her community, but didn't realize it

Small Acts of Courage

Grade(s):

7

Students created a set of four books based on interviews with unsung local civil rights heroes as part of a learning expedition on civil rights. 

When the sun passes through a thicker layer of atmosphere we see colors at sunrise and sunset

What's Up?

Grade(s):

3

This book was written  as part of a three-month learning expedition on astronomy. It was written to help introduce other students to these topics.

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