February

Exploration Unit: Research, Presentation, and Student Choice

Exploration is our social studies unit where students begin to build foundational research skills. Each student independently researched an explorer, wrote about them, and then transferred their findings into a Google Slides presentation. My goal was for students to not only learn about their explorer but also to create a slide deck that was clear, informative, and free from information overload. We emphasized how to highlight key details and present them in a way that teaches an audience effectively.

This year, the Google Slides presentations showed noticeable improvement. We spent more time discussing what makes a strong presentation, how to organize content visually, and how to prioritize information. One key addition was the integration of grammar and sentence structure review. We revisited everything we’ve learned about grammar, and students collaborated to edit and revise their slides. We did a whole-class grammar review by looking at sample slides together, which became a valuable instructional tool and led to thoughtful revisions.

It was clear from their final slides and oral presentations that each student truly knew their explorer—they relied on their research, not just reading from the slides. As a next step, students were given a choice board to showcase their learning in another creative way. They could work independently, with a partner, or in a small group. I used AI to help generate fresh ideas for the choice board. All project work was completed during school hours, and I ensured all necessary materials were available. Surprisingly, most students chose highly creative formats like game boards, videotaped interviews with explorers, quizzes, and even debates.

Reading Pedagogy of Play inspired me to integrate choice boards across multiple areas of my curriculum, reflecting a deeper commitment to student voice and engagement through playful learning.Here is the Choice Board