Sample Schedule

Oct. 3: Introduce competition to students. Send letter home to parents.

Oct. 8: Begin researching topics. Brainstorm with students for ideas. Look through local papers for articles on environmental issues.

Oct. 12: Field trip: introduction to observing, field journaling, sketching, photography. The class will visit a natural area where students will practice observing, journaling, sketching, and photography skills.

Oct. 20: Final topic and question due. A paragraph of not less than 5 sentences describing the topic and the question must be handed in to the teacher.

Oct. 23: Begin research for background information. Students should consult the web, science journals, and, if possible, interview an expert in the field.

Nov. 1: Prediction (optional) and procedure due. The student should hand in a typed or neatly written description of the procedure he or she plans to follow to collect the data necessary to answer the question. Introduction to recording data. Students will learn how to properly record data.

Nov. 1 – Dec. 10: Students work independently. During this month-long period, two high-quality visuals are due. These may include student illustrations, photographs, student-drawn maps, student-generated graphs, tables or charts. All must be the original work of the student. No illustrations or photographs from the Internet are permissible.

Dec. 1: Field journal/recorded data check. The student should hand in the field journal for the teacher to check. The journal should include observations and the data collected so far.

Dec. 1: Bibliography due and copies of at least two of the references cited. (Note: User-generated information website, such as Wikipedia are not permitted.) The format must follow the style presented on the Young Naturalist Awards website. The Bibliography will be returned to student.

Dec. 10: First draft due to be reviewed by teacher and revised. Students will hand in a neatly written or typed manuscript, including charts, tables, graphs, illustrations or photographs. .

Dec. 17: Revised draft reviewed by group. Students will work in groups to review each others’ work. Students will offer constructive criticism on how the presentation can be improved. Students will used the feedback to revise their essays.

First week of January: Final draft and signed entry form due. The final draft must meet the essay requirements below. Students must hand in two copies of the draft: one for grading and one for submission to the Young Naturalist Awards competition. The entry form should be attached to one copy. Teacher will grade the final draft.