Research Post

So far you have all been getting ready and learning from Internet sources to create your project.  Getting ready has included generating (thinking about) a project topic.  Then you brainstormed some questions and some of you posted some steps you will have to take.  

The next step has been using the research worksheet to learn from sources.  One of the problems though, is that many of you are just gathering pictures, diagrams, and links without actively making any connections or seeking a deeper understanding of how the information relates to your project topic.

Today, your task is to take the information you have gathered and use it to write your first process reflection by connecting the information you've discovered to your prior knowledge (stuff you already knew or had questions about).  The reflection post incorporate the most important, interesting, or helpful information you have discovered into a the blog entry.  

What will you write about?  Many of you have not expressed or explained what you already know about the project topic or why it is so important to you.  For example, Medina really cares about animals.  Gary is trying out for the basketball team and wants to move up to the next level.  Aziza performs with a dance group outside of school.  Brandon already cooks and is an aspiring chef.  Leon is an avid video game player and wants to pursue a career in game development.  Miliada is also a dancer and has been for a long time.  Shanoi really like fashion and Cortland is fan of rock music.  

Start your blog entry today by taking the time to explain why the topic is so important to you and what you already know about it.  Then explain some of the questions you had about the topic and how your research has begun to answer those questions.  While some of you may feel like you are done researching, you have only really begun to learn about your project.  

Try and make some connections between what you already knew about your project topic and what you learned from just a few Internet sources.

As we move ahead with the project, you will begin learning from primary sources including people you interview, secondary sources like books and magazines.  The Internet is only one source of information and not all of it is good.  You will also begin to learn by doing including performing, experimenting, creating, imaging, and generally making stuff.  There are more steps in the learning spiral that you will encounter before you really have made a project.  

Due today: A 150 - 200 word reflection post about your project topic starting with why it's so important to you, what you may have already known about it, and what connections you've made through the research to your own questions.  Title the post Process Reflection #1