1. TPSP Project Choices

2. Choice 1: We Are Texans What will I research ? Each student selects a group that immigrated to Texas on which to conduct independent research. What types of research questions will I be answering? Why did this immigrant group leave its home country? In what part(s) of Texas did the immigrants settle? What was life like for them in the new country? What were similarities and differences in their old and new ways of life? What contributions did the group make to Texas? And other questions that you create that are specifically related to your topic

3. Choice 1: We Are Texans What steps will I follow? 1.Select a group that immigrated to Texas. 2.Write questions similar to those above specific to your immigrant group. 3.Write possible answers or your hypotheses to the questions you wrote. 4.Write what you will use to find your information (more than one source). 5.Write and organize your research onto notecards that include where you got each piece of information from. What product will I create? Each student will create a museum display illustrating the contributions of the group of immigrants to Texas. The museum display should have at least ten items in it, including, but not limited to, photographs, symbolic objects, audiotapes, videotapes, and documents.

4. Choice 2: Math Around Town What will I research ? Each student will select a career to study that relies on mathematics. A primary focus is to find out how mathematics is used in that career, though the student may want to learn about other aspects of that career as well. What types of research questions will I be answering? Students will answer questions related to their chosen career

5. Choice 2: Math Around Town What steps will I follow? 1. Select a career that relies on Mathematics 2. Prepare a set of interview questions and will conduct an interview with a person in the field of work identified for study. He/she should try to discover all of the mathematical applications used in that person's job. 3. Conduct an interview with a person in your selected career to get the answers to your questions, find out how they use math in their career, and write down some sample math problems they might need to solve in order to do their job. What product will I create? Each student will develop a board game or a learning center based on how math is used in the career studied. The game should include fair rules and nine mathematics concepts found in the fourth grade TEKS.

6. Choice 3: The Gift of Age What will I research ? A need, or needs, in the community related to the aging population. Examples include the need for recreational activities for senior citizens, health care needs, independent living resources, etc. What types of research questions will I be answering? What has been done in the past to address this need in our community? What are other communities doing to address this problem? What can we do? And other questions you create that are specifically related to your topic

7. Choice 3: The Gift of Age What steps will I follow? 1.Select your area of need in our community for aging citizens. 2.Write questions you have about this topic or will need to know in order to create your product. Also, list resources that might be helpful when researching your topic. 3.Conduct your research and keep track of the information you find on notecards along with where you found the information. What product will I create? Each student will write a letter to an appropriate person in the community or an article for publication (to a school newspaper, community newspaper through a letter to the editor, youth magazine, or an online journal) on the aging issue investigated. The letter or article should clearly describe the problem, the student’s proposed solution, and what makes the solution viable. Each student should attach a list of the specific resources they used in conducting research.

8. Choice 4: Enigmas What will I research ? Each student will choose an enigma for an in-depth investigation.. What types of research questions will I be answering? How would you describe the enigma? How long have people known about it? How do scientists from different fields explain the enigma? How are the viewpoints the same? What are their differences? How do ideas from across the disciplines contribute to our understanding of the enigma? What dilemmas or controversies are involved in this enigma? What viewpoints can be identified that reflect bias, prejudice, and discrimination? How has understanding of the enigma changed over time? And other more specific questions you create that are specifically related to your enigma

9. Choice 4: Enigmas What steps will I follow? 1.Select an enigma you would like to study 2.Write questions you have about this enigma. 3.Conduct your research to answer the questions you formulated and keep track of the information you find on notecards along with where you found the information. What product will I create? 1.A board game based on the enigma. The game should include fair rules and accurate information about the enigma and various theories of its cause. 2.A grade-level-appropriate, interactive learning center to teach younger children about the enigma and theories relating to it.

10. Choice 5: Innovation Celebrations What will I research ? Each student will identify a need and create an invention to fill that need. Research should be done to identify problems that need solving as well look at an in depth What types of research questions will I be answering? What everyday problems exist that need solving? What solutions already exist for this problem? What are some other solutions that could solve these problems? What existing products are similar to my invention? What materials would I need to build my invention? How will I market my invention and what will the selling price be? What do others think of my invention and are there any changes I can make to improve my original design? And other questions you create that are specifically related to your invention

11. Choice 5: Innovation Celebrations What steps will I follow? What product will I create?