InquiryProject

LinktoBlogPost:
Inquiry Project

Description:
In Foundations class, sixth-graders provided the opportunity to learn about and utilize different types of digital
tools and technology. There is a prescribed set of digital tools and technology that students are required to learn
about, and once students have proven to be efficient and successful using the tool, we can incorporate more. It is with
the hopes that students will receive initial instruction on how to use a wide variety of digital tools to assist them with
projects and requirements in their academic classes. It is to facilitate learning in their academic classes on the content
versus spending an extended amount of time learning how to use the digital tool or technology. With this goal in mind,
as a teacher of Foundations, I can select the types of activities, and content students learn while learning how to use
the designated digital tools and technology. Throughout the year I have tried to include projects and information that
students may not learn in a regular academic classroom or what they are interested in. Then, I have them practice
using various digital tools and technology to convey their learning. As we have progressed through the year, I have
included more inquiry into our learning through this project will be the first one with this much student autonomy and
inquiry.
Before the start of this project, students will have received information on writing checks, balancing
checkbooks, and other initial information leading into budgeting and living independently. For this inquiry project,
students will be planning what their future budget may look like when they become independent. Based on how
students would like their lives to look when they become independent, students will set goals and make a plan on how
they might achieve them. Students will discover the many responsibilities, bills, and skills they will need to become
independent and to obtain a career that would support the lifestyle they would like to have. Students are required to
research and collect a checklist/organizer of information based on the lifestyle they choose to live, use some
prescribed technology (MindMeister), learn about new digital tools (Screencast-O-Matic), and present their learnings in
a format of their choice. Though there is a checklist for the information students will need to research, mainly used as
a guideline and a place to organize the information students find. Every student will have an entirely different budget
and goals, as it pertains to their interests and own life.
This particular Foundations class has six sixth-graders and one eighth-grader, all of whom have an
individualized education plan (IEP) and behavioral plan. The class meets twice a week for forty minutes, and we do
our best to accomplish as much as we can. With the assistance of other adults, I provide brief whole class instruction
and then allow for students to have more hands-on time and individual scaffolding when needed. Providing the
checklist/organizer will provide for structure and guidance. Students will utilize the resources provided for accurate
information and also find reliable information from their research.

EducatorResources:
TeachingTeensIndependentLivingSkills
A short film that provides a brief introduction to the skills teenagers could learn now to better prepare
them for living independently in the future. The film can be used as an introductory video to start the
conversation on what types of skills and responsibilities they will need and have as an adult.
Safeshare TV - Allows teachers to view and use YouTube videos without popups, commercials,
people's comments, or related videos. This also will allow teachers to see videos from Youtube if there
are filters on the network block it. From Safeshare TV you can download the video or share it safely
(without all of the unwanted things).
 MoneyManagementUnit
Provides many worksheets and organizers that students can use to plan out budgets, compare careers,
figure out disposable income, estimate cost, planning out the type of life they want to live, and many
other resources. These worksheets and organizers can help students plan, organize the information
they find, and create a more realistic view of their future budget. They can then transfer this information
into their final product or various small products.

AllYouNeedtoKnowAboutBeingaRealAdult
Infographic the depicts and briefly describes many of the choices most adults have to make. The
infographic can spark conversations on what students should plan for in their budget, what they think is
an ideal way to handle the issues that arise as an adult, how to prevent some things from happening,
and discussing alternatives.
19 Charts That Will Help You Be An Actual Adult - A group of infographics with helpful information
about being an adult (there are swear words on the actual website, and some are not appropriate for all
ages, I suggest just sharing the infographics and citing your source).

Screencast-O-Matic/EdPuzzle
Teachers can create short informational videos over the content knowledge, directions, and
requirements for the inquiry project. Allowing for students to revisit the information as often they may
need it. When using EdPuzzle, teachers may incorporate questions to assess students understanding
and monitor progress.

StudentResources:
OccupationalOutlookHandbook
Students can use this website to find accurate information about careers and jobs they would like to
pursue. The site provides a description of education and training needed, how much they would get
paid, types of tasks and duties they would have, and a projection on how the field may be changing
(increase or decrease in jobs and other outlook information).

MortgageCalculator
Students who decide to buy a house can use this mortgage calculator to determine how much their
monthly payment will be, as well as determining how much money they will need for a down payment.

TrueCosttoOwningaCar
Students deciding to buy a car can use this website to identify the average cost to owning a car. It will
estimate insurance, maintenance, fuel, repairs, and financing cost for five years.

StudentTools:
Piktochart
Allows students to create an infographic of photos, videos, and information they found that describe the
life they would like to live as an adult. Piktochart is a creative way for students to present their
information and can be easily shared with teachers, students, and others outside of the classroom.
Students using Piktochart would be considered redefinition in the SAMR Model, as it is something that
many students (and people) wouldnt be able to do as easily before technology. It provides the students
 with the ability to include active links and videos, which isnt available when creating an infographic
without technology.

MindMeister
Students will collaborate to create a comprehensive mind map of what it means to be an adult, the
responsibilities of an adult, purchases adults make, the choices they have to make, and anything they
think of when they think of being an adult as a beginning activity. This will provide them with a starting
point as to how to answer the essential question. Using MindMeister in this collaborative way would
qualify it as augmentation in the SAMR Model. As a mind mapping tool it allows students to collaborate
in real time, put down ideas as quickly as they come to mind, organize and reorganize ideas, keeps
things neat, easily be revisited or downloaded, include active web links and photos, be published or
shared, turned into a presentation, and can be as small or as large as needed.

Screencast-O-Matic
Students who create a final digital project will use Screencast-O-Matic to create a short video
presentation of their learning. Students will have the ability to discuss what they learned, future goals,
problems they had, how they solved their problems, and reflect on the project. The video can be shared
to receive feedback from classmates, teachers, and others. It also allows the presentation of their
learning to be viewed multiple times. Using Screencast-O-Matic for the final presentation of students
learning qualifies as modification in the SAMR Model.

EssentialQuestion:
HMW construct a budget that reflects our values?

PromotesInquiry:
As students get older, they become more independent. They begin to think about being an adult, living on their
own, and getting a job. Though, many students may not conceptualize all of the responsibilities and bills that
come with being independent. Through inquiry students can research the type of job they would like to have,
plan on going to college (if they decide to go based on their job), discover the responsibilities of being
independent, and plan out how to budget their money to achieve the life they would like to live. The goal is not
to have students remember facts about what it means to be independent but to discover what they want it to
look like and make a plan on how to achieve independence. Inquiry allows students to make future goals,
realize the cost of being independent, and create a plan on how they might accomplish these goals.

Standards:
MLR:PEI(2007)SS.6-8.C1c: Identify factors that contribute to personal spending and savings decisions
including work, wages, income, expenses, and budgets as they relate to the study of individual financial
choices.
ISTE:S(2016).3c: Students curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to
create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions.
ISTE:S(2016).6a:Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of
their creation or communication.

ContentKnowledge:
Different types of transportation is needed depending on where you live, rural versus urban.
Difference between fixed and variable expenses.
Statistics show that on average, those with more education receive higher pay.
A budget is a plan that allows you to list out your expenses and compare it to your income.
Calculating disposable income, money they actually receive after taxes are taken out of their gross income.
 Calculating the percent of income each expense uses of their disposable income.

VariableKnowledge:
Students can select their job or career, housing arrangement, where they will live, transportation, continuing
school, food budget, utilities, and any other expenses they would like to have when they are independent.
Students may utilize technology for their research, meeting the rubric for necessary content, creating a
comprehensive collection of their findings with Piktochart (or other infographic or poster making program), and
presenting their learning.
Students will determine how they will present their information to the class (using their infographic, creating a
presentation, creating a report of their plan and budget, creating a poster, or any other way they would like to
present their findings).

Rubric:

Exceeds Meets Progressing Beginning

4 3 2 1

Knowledge All of the students Many of students Some of the students Many of students
calculations are calculations are calculations are calculations are
accurate, can articulate accurate, can articulate accurate, can articulate inaccurate, cant
the requirements and most of the some requirements articulate the
responsibilities of their requirements and and responsibilities of requirements and
job/career, all items on responsibilities of their their job/career, some responsibilities of their
the checklist are job/career, all items on items on the checklist job/career, many items
accurately filled in and the checklist are are filled in and on the checklist are
neatly organized, and mostly filled in organized, and unfilled, and items are
incorporates previous accurately and neatly incorporates little unorganized, and
knowledge to organized, and previous knowledge to doesnt incorporate
accurately answer the incorporates some accurately answer the previous knowledge to
essential question. previous knowledge to essential question. answer the essential
accurately answer the question.
essential question.

Process Student actively Student collaborated Student collaborated Student partially

collaborated with the with the class to create with the class to create collaborated with the
class to create mind mind map. mind map. class to create mind
map. map.
Student effectively Student researches,
Student utilized time to researches, organizes organizes and The student had to be
effectively research, and synthesizes synthesizes information, redirected multiple
organize and synthesize information, and then and then creates a times by the teacher to
information, and then creates a presentation. presentation with some research, organize and
creates a presentation. redirection from the synthesize information,
teacher. and to create a
presentation.

Presentation Includes multiple Includes at least one Includes at least one Includes at least one
visuals to support visual to support their visual to support their visual but it does not
findings that are on findings that are on findings that are support their findings
topic and creative. topic and creative. somewhat on topic. and is not on topic.

There are no There are 1-2 There are 3-4 There are more than
grammatical or grammatical or grammatical or four grammatical or
mechanical mistakes in mechanical mistakes mechanical mistakes mechanical mistakes
their visuals. on the poster. on the poster. on the poster.

The student selected The student selected Student needed to The student failed to
an appropriate and an appropriate format select a more effective select an appropriate
effective format to to structure and format to structure and
 communicate research communicate research communicate research format to communicate
findings creatively. findings. findings. research findings.

Students voice is Students voice is Students voice is Students voice was

clear, an indication of clear, presented most mostly clear, presented unclear or hard to
rehearsal of of the content with a content which did not understand, presented
presentation, logical progression of maintain a consistent content that was
presented content ideas and supporting focus, showed minimal unfocused,
clearly and concisely evidence. organization, and unorganized, and
with a logical lacked some lacked supporting
progression of ideas supporting evidence. evidence.
and effective
supporting evidence.

Reflection Reflection is Reflection is well Reflection shows some The reflection is absent
substantial, organized and shows reflection, isnt or vague and
well-developed, and insightful, only underdeveloped.
shows deep thinking Student reflects on the references the inquiry
about the inquiry inquiry project as being project. Students reflection is
project. relevant and irrelevant, does not
meaningful to future Students reflection show connections to
Student moves beyond goals and the learning makes a connection to previous learning or
a simple description of targets. some of the previous refer to the inquiry
the experience to an learning, some project.
analysis of how the The student attempts connections to the
experience contributed to analyze the inquiry project, and The students reflection
to students experience, but weak connections to describes the inquiry
understanding of self, analysis lacks depth. the learning targets. project, but does not
future goals, and the analyze or synthesize
learning targets. The student Student attempts to how it relates to the
demonstrates the apply the learning student, future goals,
The student connections between experience to their or the learning targets.
demonstrates the the inquiry project, understanding of self,
connections between material from past future goals, and the The student does not
the inquiry project, experience and learning targets but attempt to self-criticize.
material from past knowledge, and fails to demonstrate
experiences and personal goals. depth of analysis.
knowledge, personal
goals. The student The student attempts
demonstrates the to self-criticize, but the
The student ability to question their reflection fails to
demonstrates the preconceptions and demonstrate a new
ability to question their assumptions. awareness of
preconceptions, preconceptions and
assumptions, and assumptions.
define new ways of
thinking as a result.

Citations Student properly cited Student provided proper Student cited some Student cited little to no
sources used for citation for the majority sources used for sources used for
research, photos, and of sources used for research, photos, and research, photos, and
presentation. research, photos, and presentation. presentation.
presentation.

Reflection:
Focusing on students future goals, aspirations, and expectations of independent living they will explore how
to budget their income to meet all of their needs and desires. The inquiry project allows students to conceptualize the
skills required, responsibilities, and bills one will have when living independently. It provides students with an
opportunity to explore various situations and attempt to make goals that will help them achieve a living situation that
reflects their values. Students will collaborate to create a comprehensive mind map of what it means to be an adult
and live independently, providing them with the chance to see what it means to others in the class. Collaborating
together as a class will create a comprehensive perspective on what skills, responsibilities, bills, and desires are
related to being an adult and/or living independently. Thus, giving students some direction on what to research and
how to answer the essential question, or a personal variation of it. Students are to select a career path they are
interested in, determine the type of lifestyle they would like to live, and use various sources to research the information
they need to collect. After students have collected a sufficient amount of information and understanding, determined
by a checklist/organizer, they will determine how they would like to organize and display their research. Once students
have completed their inquiry project and presented it to the class (via Screencast-O-Matic), students will reflect, in
writing, on the research process, inquiry project, new understandings, and future goals they have.
Due to the particular group of students in the class, there will be a large variety of barriers where some are
unpredictable. To ensure that students can obtain all necessary content knowledge to complete the project, along with
whole class instruction, I will create multiple short videos that cover the specific content for students to view. These
videos will allow students to revisit the content knowledge they will need to complete the inquiry project, as sometimes
whole group instruction is interrupted multiple times. I will provide clear directions and expectations on how to
complete the project through the rubric and the checklist/organizer. Students will have access to a digital and print
version of both items to ensure they have the resources they need to be successful and ensure they are meeting the
requirements. While students are completing the project, I will check-in with individual students to discuss how the
project is going, provide clarification and guidance if needed, answer questions, and discuss progress. Meeting with
students will provide feedback on how each student is progressing, feedback on the rubric and checklist, and ensure
that students arent meeting unforeseen barriers. I foresee another barrier being the selection of how to present their
findings. For some students, they struggle with selecting an appropriate and efficient format to communicate research
findings creatively. For these students, we can discuss a variety of ways we have used in the past and ones they
might like to try to communicate their research.
I am most excited about being able to allow my students more autonomy. In our program, things are very
regimented and provide for a little independence. I am hoping to provide a positive and creative way for students to be
successful in having more autonomy over their learning. I am also very interested to see what my students will select
for jobs, their ideas about what being an adult and living independently mean, and the types of lifestyles they would
like to live. Many of these students come from unsupportive and detrimental living environments. I am hoping that this
inquiry project can provide some guidance on how to create a better life for themselves, as well as creating an
understanding of the amount of work and personal growth it will take to achieve the lifestyle they want.

Resources:

Pahomov, L., & Siegel, D. (2014). Education for the information age. Authentic learning in the digital
age: Engaging students through inquiry (pp 1-15). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision &
Curriculum Development.
Pahomov, L., & Siegel, D. (2014). Constructing inquiry. In authentic learning in the digital age: Engaging
students through inquiry (pp. 1740). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.
Pink, D. H. (2011). Autonomy. In Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us (pp. 83107).
New York, NY: Riverhead Books.
Secondary Education Division. (2006). Section III: Money management. North Carolina Department of Public
Instruction. Retreived from
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/curriculum/socialstudies/secondary/personalfinancialliteracy/section3.pdf.