What is a Project?

A project is an in-depth study of a topic undertaken by:
a) A class
b) A small group
c) An individual child

Project work is research work and it involves investigation on the children's part as well as the teachers.
1. Questions regarding the project: What do you want to learn more about?
2. Example: Going to the grocery store, the produce department; finding fruits. Questions regarding and concerning fruits.

How?

How "projects" progress over a period of time.

The teacher selects the topic of study based on:
1. The children's interest
2. The curriculum
3. The availability of local resources etc.

Then

Teachers brainstorm his/her own:
1. Experience
2. Knowledge and ideas in a topic web

This web will be used as the basis for planning the project.

**Teachers should learn as much as possible about the topic and what children may say regarding the topic.

Consider

1. Characteristics of children: Ages of children, their experience, 3-5 versus 6-8 years old. Can they actively handle the topic? Good potential for dramatic play, allows for the teachers to see if the children are really getting it. (Example: Project on hospital, then in d.p. child using thermometer to cure sore throat - teacher have to go back; thermometer is not for curing sore throats etc.).

2. Teacher's knowledge.

3. Larger context of where school is located.

4. Availability of local resources
a. factory
b. museum, etc.

5. The topic is potentially interesting: Children's interest: What does it mean that they are interested? Just because children are fascinated by something does not mean it will go, doesn't mean t has to be followed up on. Example: Dinosaurs, Pirates, etc. Do this somewhere else. The topic should allow for investigation. (Dr. Katz discouraged doing a project on the Titanic)

6. Possible contribution of topic for children to understand their own daily experience.

7. Will they go back to this topic in later life

8. Hard to predict which topic will work.

As teachers, we are trying to take children's intellectual powers seriously. We are not here to amuse them. Getting into their intellect. Strengthening their intellectual powers --- Analyzing, observing, data gathering etc. If you have silly projects they can't get deep.