Animal Adoption How to write a research question Ryan Schilb

Dear Zookeeper, I am please to inform you that your zoo has been choose to be the recipient of a new animal donation. Mr. and Mrs. Gates are very excited to be adding a sea otter to your zoo. They have already ordered the animal to transported to you zoo. Next week, you will be receiving the new addition. I hope you can prepare an exhibit to house the animal in time. Thank you and good luck, Mr. Larry Hegs

Build background knowledge Begin a class discussion building background knowledge about zoos. What they are What they do What an exhibit is Why exhibit are designed the way they are

Introduce the problem Give each student their adoption card hyena

Define the task Ask students what they need to do in order solve the problem Lead them to the idea of researching Before they can start they need to know what they are going to research

Write a research question Use three non-examples to develop criteria of what makes a good research question Teach students how to fix questions that do not fit the criteria Teach students how to self-assess their question after developing it

Assessment Students create 1 to 3 questions they need to research in order to solve the problem of creating an exhibit for their animal Students fill out a self-assessment scoring guide and then turn it when they feel that it is ready to be researched

Future phase of the project Students then finish the research at home over Thanksgiving break. They return to school with a drawing or model of the animal exhibit. Then the exhibit is presented to the class.

Thank you for your time.