All Posts

Learn how to teach inquiry-based learning to Grade 1 to 3 students with this simple 5-step process. Includes free printables, templates, and classroom tips.

Choosing a report writing topic can be half the battle, both for you and your students. This post rounds up every report writing topic in the collection, so you can pick the one that fits your unit, your students' interests, or your time of year. Each topic follows the same simple, differentiated process: choose a topic, research, make jot notes, write a draft, revise and edit, write a good copy, and illustrate. If you want to see that process in full detail, check out How to

Teaching report writing can feel like a big task, especially when your students are still learning what a paragraph even is. The good news is that you don't need a complicated system. You need a clear process your students can follow from start to finish, every time they write a report. This post breaks report writing down into seven simple steps. This process works no matter what topic your students are researching, whether it's animals, countries, historical figures, or any

An inquiry-based learning project can be one of the most engaging things you do all year, right up until you notice half the class stuck on the writing, one student who finished in ten minutes and needs more, and another who has not written a word because putting pencil to paper feels impossible today. The good news is that inquiry-based learning is naturally suited to differentiation. Because students already choose their own topic and question, you are halfway there before

Once your class has worked through one or two inquiry-based learning projects, it gets easier to picture the process working with almost any topic. If you have already explored our posts on any subject area, insects, weather, animals, or dinosaurs, here are six more topics worth adding to your rotation. Each of these follows the same 5-step process from our guide to teaching inquiry-based learning: pose a question, conduct research, interpret the information, share the learni

Few topics grab a Grade 1 to 3 classroom quite like dinosaurs. Students who rarely raise their hand for anything else suddenly have three questions about the Tyrannosaurus Rex before you have even finished introducing the unit. This post shows you how to run a dinosaur inquiry project using the same 5-step process from our guide to teaching inquiry-based learning, along with everything included in our Dinosaur Inquiry-Based Learning Project. Why Dinosaurs Work So Well for Inq

Every classroom has at least one student who can tell you more about their favorite animal than most adults know. Animal inquiry-based learning gives that curiosity a place to grow, and gives every other student in the room the same chance to dig into an animal question of their own. This post shows you how to run an animal inquiry project using the same 5-step process from our guide to teaching inquiry-based learning, along with everything included in our Animal Inquiry-Base

Why is the sky blue? How does snow form? What causes thunder? Weather is something every student experiences daily, which makes it one of the most naturally engaging topics you can hand to young researchers. This post walks you through running a weather inquiry project using the same 5-step process from our guide to teaching inquiry-based learning, along with everything included in our Weather Inquiry-Based Learning Project. Why Weather Works So Well for Inquiry-Based Learnin

Ask a room full of six and seven year olds what they wonder about insects, and you will run out of chart paper before you run out of questions. Do ants sleep? Why do ladybugs have spots? How does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly? That curiosity is exactly what makes insects such a strong topic for inquiry-based learning. This post shows you how to run an insect inquiry project using the same 5-step process from our guide to teaching inquiry-based learning, along with every

Your class just wrapped up a unit on community helpers, and next month it's rocks and minerals. Do you really need a brand new inquiry resource for every single topic your students study? Not if you have one built to flex with whatever your class is learning. This post introduces our Inquiry-Based Learning Projects for Any Subject Area resource, and shows you how to use the same 5-step inquiry process from our complete guide to teaching inquiry-based learning with whatever to

You've found a report writing resource that looks perfect for your class. The cover looks great, the preview shows exactly what you need, and you're almost ready to click buy. Then one thought stops you: will I actually know what to do with this once I open the file? That hesitation is completely normal, and it's one of the most common questions teachers have before trying a new resource. This post walks through exactly what's inside a report writing resource and how it fits

Want an easy step by step process for writing animal reports? This guide walks students through research, jot notes, drafting, and a finished report.

Want an easy step by step process for writing biography reports? This guide walks students through research, jot notes, drafting, and a finished report.

Are you writing dinosaur reports with your students? Few topics capture a young writer's imagination quite like dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. This guide walks through the exact process, so your students can go from choosing a dinosaur to finishing a polished, illustrated report. What Is a Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals Report? A dinosaur report is a piece of informative writing where a student researches a dinosaur or other prehistoric animal and shares what the

Are you writing habitat reports with your students? Learning about where animals live, and why, is a wonderful way to connect science and writing skills. This guide walks through the exact process, so your students can go from choosing a habitat to finishing a polished, illustrated report. What Is a Habitat Report? A habitat report is a piece of informative writing where a student researches a specific habitat and shares what they learned with a reader. Students research cate

Are you writing insect reports with your students? From bees and butterflies to ants and ladybugs, insects are small but mighty when it comes to sparking a young writer's curiosity. This guide walks through the exact process, so your students can go from choosing an insect to finishing a polished, illustrated report. What Is an Insect Report? An insect report is a piece of informative writing where a student researches an insect and shares what they learned with a reader. Stu

Are you writing plant reports with your students? From sunflowers to cactus plants, learning about how plants grow and survive is a great way to connect science and writing skills. This guide walks through the exact process, so your students can go from choosing a plant to finishing a polished, illustrated report. What Is a Plant Report? A plant report is a piece of informative writing where a student researches a plant and shares what they learned with a reader. Students res