Finding a Topic

The topic and questions about the topic are the driving force for project work. In projects the topic should be child initiated, so the most successful topics come from student interest.

Observation and listening are key to finding the right topic. Observe what students are draw to, what they talk about, and what they experience in their lives. Once you have a few potential options think about which is most developmentally appropriate and would have easy to access field sites, artifacts and experts. The list below are examples from past projects. However, projects should be rooted in student interest so the topics below may not work for all students.

Infant & Toddler past Project topics

Balls - 3-18 months old children
Pets - 11-22 months old children
Wheels - 11-22 months old children
Fruits – 15 – 23 months old children
Drums - 15 - 24 months old children
Fish - 18-36 months old children

Babies - 2-3 year olds
Boxes - 2-3 year olds
Shoe - 2-3 year olds
Car seat – 2-3 year olds
Ice Cream – 2-3 year olds
 

Pre-K and K past Project topics

Bakery - 3-5 years
Butterflies - 3-4 years
Beauty Salon - 3-5 years
House Project - 3-5 years
Tortillas - 3-5 years
Balls - 3-4 years
Trains - 3 years
Worms - 3-5 years
Drums - 3-5 years
Water Frog - 3-5 years
Stuffed Animals – 3-5 Years
Spiders – 3-5 Years
Cars - 4 years

Instruments - 4-5 years
Hamster - 4-5 years
Doctor - 4-5 years
Animal Habitats - 5-6 years
Mail - 5-6 years
School Buses - 5-6 years
Slides – 5-6 years
Restaurant – 5-6 years
Grocery Store – 5-6 years
Swings – 5-6 years
Bakery – 5-6 years
Post Office – 5-6 years
Construction – 5-6 years
 

1st - 3rd Grade past Project Topics

1-3 Projects

Bicycles - 2nd Grade
Instruments - 1st grade
Pizzeria - 3rd Grade
Radios - 2nd grade
Post Office - 1st grade
Airplanes - 1st-3rd grade
Wind and Water Energy Tools - 3rd Grade
Robotics - 1st grade
Recycled Art - 2nd and 3rd grade
Cooking - 1st and 2nd grade
Fish - 1st grade
Playground - 2nd grade

Building Structures – 2nd grade
Water Quality – 2nd grade
States of Water – 2nd grade
Radios - 2nd grade
Recycled Art - 2nd & 3rd grade
Pond – 3rd grade
Insects – 3rd grade
Guitars – 3rd grade
Pizzeria - 3rd grade
Wind & Water Energy Tools - 3rd grade