Big Six© Research
Animal/Endangered Species 
2nd and 5th grades
Library Home
Washington National
Parks
In Mt. View's library the 2nd and 5th graders come together to research
animals. The structure for this unit is called the Big Six Research Process:
6 steps to guide students along in a process of learning and problem solving.
Week one:
Each student chooses an animal they want to know more about,
and then a 2nd/5th grade peer learning partnership is formed. For example:
a 2nd grader who chooses the sea otter is paired with a 5th grader who chooses
the same.
They embark on a guided study with the older student assisting
the younger each step of the way. All the while they cuddle stuffed animals
from The Smithsonian Institute, purchased with Bookfair dollars.
The end result of week one is an "Animal Report" written and
illustrated by the 2nd graders. It is filled with facts, photos, illustrations
and sharing.
Each 2nd grade student does an oral report.
Week two:
5th graders alone dive deeper focusing on their same
animal, but investigating why and how it has become endangered.
Using reference materials, each student completes an
"Endangered Species Report".
The goal is to learn what has caused their endangered
status, and what humans can do to help.
Each 5th grade student does an oral report on their
animal.
While discovering facts about endangered animals and
using the Big 6 Research Process to do so, all the students learn something
more close to home. They find that sharing and helping each other in learning,
builds empathy with others and a concern for all the creatures on our fragile
planet.
Ferndale School District
Revised: January, 2007
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on any of the Ferndale School Districts' WWW pages may be copied without
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©2000 FSD #502