Bridget

I too used FlipGrid - and the students enjoyed it, I also used Seesaw with younger students - allows for students to visually and verbally communicate information at the same time and has the ability for students to record a video.  The year of hybrid learning has truly opened doors to such a variety of tools for students to use to convey understanding.

I totally forgot that I also do checkpoints along the way until I read your post!  It is definitely a good idea so that  student doesn't get all the way to the end of a assignment to figure out he/she is going down the wrong path.  I also find peer reviews to be extremely helpful.

I find using one column rubric that provides only what a student needs to attain to 'meet' the standard is more understandable and attainable than rubrics that outline each level.  The one column rubric allow the teacher to increase points in areas where a student goes above and beyond and decrease points where a student could use improvement.  I also find it easier to use when differentiating instruction for students.  When possible I also include peer reviews - although they tend to be much stricter graders of each other - that must include comments for the score given.  Depending on the number of parts of a rubric I will sometimes tell them to pick just two rubrics to grade for the classmates assigned (I typically have students review 2-3 classmates work so they can see a variety of responses, and I do assign the students so that a higher level learning is not scoring a struggling student and vice-versa, the point is to help them improve their own work!)

One challenge I faced in inquiry based learning are the students who are devoted to the 'learn-and-repeat' style of learning.  One student in particular kept asking me, "But what is my answer supposed to be?" The level of frustration this student was reaching took away from any enjoyment that could have been obtained.  I ended up paring the student with a classmate in order for the exercise to be experienced as it should.  I had taken the time to go through the process of inquiry based learning with the class, but for some students it is still difficult to embrace when on their own.

How did I get this far in life and not truly know that there are different species of bumble bees!  What a great sounding project that could lead into so many more investigations (agriculture!).

GLOBE sounds quite interesting!  It's good to know that data sets can be retrieved without an account. Thank you for sharing!

1.  Globe Observer Mosquito Habitat Photo Challenge (https://observer.globe.gove/mosquito-challenge) Participants are asked to take photos of natural or artificial mosquito habitats with or without larvae.  In addition to the habitats, photos of the area surrounding the habitat are also to be taken and submitted.  The photos are used to "create automated classification programs that can identify mosquito larvae and the environments they prefer."  The information is used to assist in preventing outbreaks of mosquito-borne disease. 2. Although apps need to be downloaded to input information, the database is accessible to anyone and includes number and location of mosquito observations, and a breakdown of the types of photographs and observations.  Depending on the type of restrictions that each school establishes, students should be able to access the information. 3. Students would be able to use this citizen-science project data to where and when mosquitoes are most prevalent.  This could, in turn, lead to an investigation on prevalence of mosquito borne illnesses in those regions, use of preventative measures (determine success of certain measures), etc.

I completely agree with your comment regarding 'saying' we are open to students being curious learners but often fall short with the demands of the academics that "must" be covered.  It is also difficult to overcome when parents demand results of how well their child is doing for each and every assignment.

The passion of the teacher always has the biggest impact on students and their ability to connect with the subject matter.  It is always a good reminder to step back and let the students take the lead.

How right you are that teens need to having the building blocks to become excited about before they will be 'all in' on stepping outside of their comfort zone.  It is important to remember these first steps to introduce inquiry based learning before embarking on having them become citizen scientists.  Granted, some will jump-in full speed due to their natural tendency, but most will need that prior support.