The fifth graders practiced their research and presentation skills in an interesting project which integrated our social studies and language arts curriculums. Having researched and gathered reliable data, the students each delivered a five-minute PowerPoint presentation on one American state of their choice to the class. They also practiced how to evaluate each other academically by filling out peer evaluation forms. The project concluded with a writing task in which the fifth graders were encouraged to undergo a metacognitive process: writing about the process of gathering their data, creating their PowerPoints and delivering their presentations. They all did an outstanding job! Here is how a fifth grader creatively described part of her experience in great detail:

“…If no one noticed that I was trembling, I am surprised. I was more scared than a squirrel being chased by a heavily armed hunter. I was tense, defensive, and ready to take flight, as in the expression ‘fight or flight.’ I felt stiff as a board as I walked up to the SmartBoard. I began my presentation. Stopping every half-paragraph or so to take a breath … At the very end, I paused for a moment, letting my project sink in, listening to the scritch-scratch of pencils writing down comments and grading my presentation, deciding practically my social studies grade. “Thank you” I said, trying to be clear and perfectly audible, “Thank you for listening to my presentation on Arizona.” I stumbled back to my seat, feeling blind and dizzy from nerves, letting the waves of doubt crash over my head, and thought that this was a moment I would remember…”