The grade seven students at North Park Wilson recently had the opportunity to work on a Social Action Inquiry Project. The grade seven teacher and the teacher librarian collaborated on all aspects of this project. The goal was for students to develop a better understanding of the contributions work makes to the individual and their community. Students experienced how they can contribute to the community through unpaid work. They created various projects that showed others what they learned about social responsibility and taking action.
Curricular Outcomes:
Career Education 7
Outcome CC7.2 (Connections to Community) Analyze the contributions work makes to the individual and their community, including globally Communicate some examples of how one can contribute to the community through unpaid work)
English Language Arts 7
Outcome CC7.1 (Compose and Create) Create various visual, oral, written, and multimedia (including digital) texts that explore social responsibility (eg. Taking Action)
Career Education 7
Outcome CC7.2 (Connections to Community) Analyze the contributions work makes to the individual and their community, including globally Communicate some examples of how one can contribute to the community through unpaid work)
English Language Arts 7
Outcome CC7.1 (Compose and Create) Create various visual, oral, written, and multimedia (including digital) texts that explore social responsibility (eg. Taking Action)
The essential question that guided student learning was "How can I make a positive difference in my community?"
We started with the Immerse Stage (Nudging Toward Inquiry).
During this stage, considerable time was spent determining readiness to learn, interest in topic, building background, and developing and inquiry stance.
During this stage, considerable time was spent determining readiness to learn, interest in topic, building background, and developing and inquiry stance.
Characteristics of Immerse stage included; Invite Curiousity, Build background knowledge, find topics and wonder. We started with a student poll using Poll Everywhere to determine student opinion and our starting point.
Questions included:
1. Do you believe that North Park Wilson is a friendly school?2. Do you think that our school climate is positive?
3. Do you think that all students at North Park WIlson like coming to school here?
4. Do you try to make a positive impact on our school community (even if no one is watching)?
5. Do you feel like you are capable of improving the lives of others?
6. Have you ever helped a friend or neighbour in need?
7. Does helping others make you feel good?
8. Is there anything that you can do to make a positive difference in your community?
We followed up with discussion and students then came up with sub-questions to our guiding inquiry question - "How can I make a positive difference in my community?".
Students used Q-wheels and formed questions such as:
-Why is it important to contribute?
-Where is there a need in our community?
-What does it mean to "make a difference"?
We viewed several "Social Action" YouTube Videos. Students were required to view each video and discuss what problem each group was wanting to solve. We determined that students were ready to further examine the meaning of Social Action.
Our next step in the Inquiry process was the Investigate Stage (Nudging Toward Inquiry).
During this stage, considerable time was spent developing questions, searching for information, and discovering answers.
The students were given opportunity to determine what problems and issues affect their community. They looked deeper into the meaning of social responsibility.They also investigated to determine how they could contribute to their community through unpaid work.
A chart hung in the classroom for students to write down complaints and grumbles. The information that students gathered included primary sources. Students gathered information and had conversations with each other, with teachers, with their parents and with other community members. Some of the issues / problems in our community that students recognized include:
-some students in our school need help with reading, technology and basic English
-students don't have role models on the playground and aren't active participants in organized play
-some students have difficulty learning and require hands-on activities
-some animals in Saskatoon (& at the SPCA) don't have necessary supplies
-our classroom environment could be more comfortable (students expressed a desire for a reading area)
Students chose an issue that was of special interest to them and brainstormed potential solutions using CorkboardMe. Students collaborated about each issue, visited each others' corkboards and listed other potential solutions for their classmates.
Again, students gathered information from primary sources including fellow classmates, teachers, parents and other community members.
We checked in with students to get student impressions and opinions of the inquiry project so far. We asked students to answer several questions using the microblogging site - Today's Meet
Today’s Meet – Micro-blogging Questions
1. What project are the grade 7 students working on?
2. What are the positive parts about the project so far? What’s going well?
3. What are the negative parts about the project so far? What’s not going well?
4. How will your project make a positive difference in your community?
5. What does it mean to be SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE?
6. What are some ways that adults contribute to their community through unpaid work?
7. Picture yourself done this project. How do you feel about the work that you did to improve your community?
-Our checklist for teaching and
learning strategies / scaffolding for the investigate stage included... -how to find reliable sources,
-how to credit sources,
-how to determine importance when reseaching,
-how to research / take notes,
-how to effectively (and appropriately) speak with staff, younger students, and community members,
-we also had to teach saving protocols (how to save to particular folders, etc.)
We were then ready for the Coalesce Stage (Nudging Toward Inquiry).
Students combined their understandings in order to construct, blend, and build new knowledge.
Students then had to use the information they learned to construct, blend and build new knowledge. They needed to synthesize what they had learned and then determine how to effectively make a positive difference in their community.
Students worked on various projects that would make a positive difference in their community.
Grade 7s provided assistance for students in our school that need help with reading, technology and basic English.
Grade 7s planned hands-on activities for students that have difficulty learning.
Grade 7s organized fundraisers to purchase supplies for the SPCA.
Grade 7s became active role models and organized recess activities for younger students.
Share Learning
Demonstrate Understanding and Learning in a Variety of Ways
Take Action
In the Go Public Stage, our checklist for teaching and learning strategies / scaffolding included...
Students worked on various projects that would make a positive difference in their community.
Grade 7s provided assistance for students in our school that need help with reading, technology and basic English.Grade 7s planned hands-on activities for students that have difficulty learning.
Grade 7s organized fundraisers to purchase supplies for the SPCA.
Grade 7s became active role models and organized recess activities for younger students.
Grade 7s built a reading
area in their classroom to
create a comfortable
place that would promote reading.
"Fuelled by the desire for change, and the hope that the world can be a better place, We Day is the call that brings a generation together. More than just one day of celebration and inspiration, Free The Children’s We Day is youth leading local and global change."
North Park Wilson Grade 7 students attended We Day. The event was inspiring and memorable.
Students showcased their learning to their intended audience in order to persuade action or to enlighten others about a specific topic. Characteristics of this stage included:
In the Go Public Stage, our checklist for teaching and learning strategies / scaffolding included...
-student reflection & articulation of learning process
Students reflected on their learning and created a word cloud using Tagxedo. They needed to choose meaningful words that would symbolize their project.
Students shared their learning by creating a PSA to persuade others to make a positive difference in their community.
Students planned their message and wrote a script. They then recorded their voices using Audioboo. Students generated QR codes for their Audioboos.
Student audioboos:Juliette
Ian, Nash, Luke
Makayla, Robyn, Jordann, Maria, Alicia, Kim
Dougie, Declan & Kieron
Rose and Danna-Lee
Mackenzie
Karrington, Bo-Marie, Princess
Phaedra, Baylee, Trinity
Student learning was then displayed and shared with the school. Inspired by the idea of an interactive bulletin board, we created our own.
Students, parents and teachers have been scanning the QR codes in the hallway with their smartphones and listening to the student PSAs. This inquiry project was meaningful and engaging for our students. There is no doubt that students are now able to answer our original inquiry question; "How can I make a positive difference in my community?".
More information about our Inquiry Project can be found on the SPSD inquiry
wiki. Scroll down to our Social Action Inquiry Project...
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