In the fall, Eddie and I came up with a list of “Filters” or criteria for evaluating LREC programs. I’ve added suggestions that you all have made.

Does the field experience…

• Develop skills and/or knowledge needed for students to develop an Enduring Understanding (or attain unit learning goals)?
  Interest and engage all students, including the hard-to-engage students?
• Challenge the bright student?
• Incorporate inquiry process skills?
  • Student-generated questions
  • Relevant investigations
  • Meaningful data is recorded and interpreted
  • Incorporates measurements and calculations
  • Students reflect and communicate
• Consist of seasonally appropriate activities?
• Consist of grade appropriate activities?
• Make effective use of LREC resources?
• Provide a meaningful component to a multi-visit and/or multi-year sequence of field experiences?
• Require the teacher to take an active role?
• Include a student assessment component?
• Have a “rainy-day” back-up plan?
• Allow for exploring time?
• Include fun?