Monday, December 31, 2012

Ant Farms

SD800-10619
Photo attributed to ThrasherDave

One project that students and teachers really enjoyed that I would like to bring to my new district is the Ant Farm.  Teachers worked with students in ten schools to create an "Ant Farm" wiki (a.k.a "Choose Your Own Adventure".)  This lesson plan from "Read, Write, Think" describes one method for creating this type of story collaboration.  It is known as an Ant Farm because there are many paths (ant tunnels) for the reader to take.  Wikis are ideally suited for these projects and require students to work very closely together, negotiating, planning, and compromising.   This particular project was fashioned around the historical fiction genre.  Students researched the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony and then crafted an ant farm story about John White's return to the island.  The project was designed as a unit and provided opportunities to build background knowledge, provide immersion into the new adventures.

The Mystery of Roanoke Ant Farm

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