Informational flyers on endangered and vulnerable marine life created by students in Sarah Needham’s second-grade class at Northwest Elementary are currently on display at the Sea Life Michigan Aquarium in Auburn Hills. The students created the flyers as part of a research unit.
Using the principles of project-based learning, each student worked with Needham and Kate Rossetter, Howell Public Schools instructional coach, to select their marine animal, conduct research using texts and the internet and to write their flyers. In addition to creating the flyers, each student also wrote and illustrated an informational book on their selected marine animal. The books were placed into circulation in the school’s library for all of Northwest to use.
“Throughout the project, the students were very engaged in their learning and excited to work on their flyers and books,” said Needham.
“We incorporated several academic areas such as science, English language arts, technology and even art. This project showed students how each of these subjects applied to a real-world situation,” Rosseter added. “The excitement on their faces both with their donation to the library and seeing their published work displayed at the aquarium was priceless.”
Recently, the students took a field trip to the Sea Life Michigan Aquarium to view their flyers on display, thanks in part to Northwest PTO, which covered the cost of the bus.
“The students were ecstatic to see their flyers showcased around the aquarium,” said Needham.
The class also planned a special celebration at their school where they read their books to family members and friends, before adding them to the library’s collection of informational books.
