1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16Images from Einstein The Nobody.
This entry is for students interested in beginning an investigation of your selected explorer during the two-week spring break. First, here's a working list of students and explorers (keep me informed of any changes):
5A
Mehad/Sir Francis Drake Daniel/Steve Jobs Brandon/Leonardo da Vinci
Gabby&Alyssa/Captain James Cook Nora/Charles Darwin
Shiva/Louis Pasteur Caroline/Jane Austin Mae/Nicolaus Copernicus
Margo/Martha Graham Da-Lan/Steven Spielberg Oliver/to be determined
Paola/Hernan Cortes Adrian/Leonardo da Vinci Jacob/David Copperfield
Abby/Jan Goodall Sebastian/Charles Lindberg Isaiah/Alfred Hitchcock
Jesse/Sir Isaac Newton Cameron/James Cameron Anna/Silvia Earle
Katie/Galileo Kyle/Sir Edmund Hillary Ellie/Marco Polo Carlos/Marco Polo
5B
Karli/Sir Francis Drake Cindy/Anna Polova
Kristian/Junipero Serra Sabria/Ruth Harkness Susanna&Vivian/Jane Goodall
Stefan&Jake/Sir Edmund Hillary Ashley/Nikoli Tesla Chase/Marco Polo
Elaina/Jill Pruetz Abdalla/Jacques Cousteau Ariel/Francisco Pizarro
Guili/Dian Fossey Danielle/Dr. Mary Cynthia/tech
Lexi/Christopher Columbus Ira/Indian Film Maker Skylar/NASANancy
Evan/Dr. Bill Wattenburg Gabriel/Robert Falcon Scott Cyrus/Bill Gates
Cambell/Galileo Jacob/to be determined France/Tomas Edison
It is very early, the unit has barely begun, and we must together determine the details of the project after the holiday. Still, it would be a great idea to begin gathering materials about your explorer. Go to your local library and see what you can find. Look for a biography/ies. Organize your research around our three lines of inquiry:
1. The Explorer
especially his/her childhood, family life, early influences, and schooling; create a timeline for their life
2. The Exploring
what did they explore; look for evidence of dedication, imagination, and examination (or concentration)
3. How the exploring changed the world
(or contributed to our understanding of how the world works)
I recommend researching your explorer using the 5Ws & H, described below (from this website):
The Five W's and the H
The Five W's and the H, an idea borrowed from journalism, is another approach to use to narrow topics. Good reporting covers the 5W's and the H of every story: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? Since these words guide coverage of the entire range of a subject being reported, you can use them as a guide to the 
range of possibilities offered by the subject you have chosen:
| WHO: | THE PEOPLE INVOLVED. |
| WHAT: | THE PROBLEMS, THINGS, IDEAS. |
| WHEN: | PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE OF THE TOPIC. |
| WHERE: | THE PLACES INVOLVED. |
| WHY: | THE CAUSES, REASONS, RESULTS, CONDITIONS. |
| HOW: | HISTORY OR FUNCTION (HOW IT BEGAN OR OPERATES). |
You might keep careful notes, organized by line of inquiry. We'll be creating a bibliography for this project, so keep track of your resources. For now, just be sure to write down the titles and authors, and/or the URLs, of all materials that you use.
Remember, the performance of your project will be evaluated, so it is important to really get to know your explorer. Imagine that you are an actor doing research for a role, and you must get to know very well the person you will become on stage. This is the very best approach. Become the character! You might plan to speak of the explorer in the first person, as this is a photo of my mother and father, or this is where I went to school. Or, you might act as if the explorer was your brother or sister, or family member, so they are someone you grew up with and know well.
As always, invite your parents' participation in the process. Fill them in on what you're learning.
I'll be home for the holiday, and would be happy to assist/advise in any way. Send questions.
