...included.

School Student Background Information

Towne Meadow Elementary a suburban school with approximately 720 children in kindergarten through fifth grade. There are four classes of kindergarten children. The kindergarten students attend on an alternating schedule two and one-half days per week. The Project Approach is used as the basis of the curriculum in all kindergarten classrooms. The kindergarten classes are staffed by two full-time teachers and two full-time assistants. There is also a generous amount of parent help, on a daily basis.

The Llama Project was conducted in all kindergarten classrooms, but because of the alternating schedule, only two classrooms were at school working on the project at the same time. The children were grouped by interest. This project was the first of the year, and none of the children had any previous experience with project work. Because our school is next door to a llama farm, and its owner, Dr. Riley, is willing to talk to the children about llamas, we have done this project three times. Each time, we gain new insight into the children and their thinking. This article is based on the second time we did the project.

Preliminary Planning and Selection of the Topic

Because we have a llama farm next door to our school, it was very natural for us to start talking about llamas. As we discussed them, the children quickly discovered that they knew quite a lot about llamas. All of the children had seen the llamas on their way to and from school, and some of the children had become aware of them when they came to an open house held in previous years. The discussion was easily started when the question was asked, "What do you know about the llama farm next door?" Because of the proximity of the llama farm, the children regularly observed the llamas and were therefore enthusiastic when they discussed new ideas at the beginning of the project. Even so, the children realized that there was much that they did not know about llamas. However, at this early point in the project, we neither affirmed nor negated what the children told us.

After a few days of discussion at morning circle, the children drew pictures about what they already knew about llamas. These pictures were drawn from the children's memories and experiences.

The teachers began their own discussion about beginning a project related to the llama farm. We felt that there was great interest in the topic; the fieldwork would be easily accessible because the llamas were so close; and Dr. Riley, owner of the llama farm, was very open to the idea of our visits. We also felt the topic was well within the realm of all of the children's experience.

Two big factors affected the planning of this project. First, because we would be outside to ask questions and interact with the llamas, we needed a time when the weather was suitable. Second, we wanted to give the children experience with the baby llamas (crias) and planned our visits around the time when Dr. Riley knew he would have newborn llamas.

The teachers documented the project as it developed. This documentation included drawings, transcribed conversations, photos, and any other items pertinent to the project. Documentation allowed children, parents, and other viewers to follow the progress of the project as it evolved through each stage. When the documentation was finished, the project unfolded like a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Many times, these displays sparked excitement, new ideas, or questions from the children.

Phase 1

Phase 1 includes discussing experiences, sharing knowledge and wondering aloud, raising questions, and preparing letters to parents.

The following activities took place during Phase 1 of the Llama Project:

* Sharing information about llamas at morning meeting

* Sharing experiences with llamas and talking about attending Dr. Riley's open house

* Documenting children's conversations in writing

* Walking over to the fence to allow the children to view the farm and the llamas

* Encouraging children to discuss the topic at home with their parents

* Writing down the children's ideas in the form of a web

* Helping the children write questions to ask Dr. Riley during our fieldwork

Group Discussion

Everyday at morning meeting, the children and teachers discussed llamas. The teachers started the conversations about llamas by asking questions, such as, "Do you see the animals next door when you come to school?" or "What do you think those animals are, and why are they there?" Llamas then became the topic of many interesting conversations. The children who had attended Dr. Riley's open house in previous years had many stories to tell. They told the other children about seeing the llamas do tricks and watching them get haircuts. These descriptions really interested the rest of the class. At this point in the project, we were only spending 15-20 minutes a day on the topic of llamas.

The children made the following comments during discussions at group meeting time:

"I have seen llamas when I went to the 4-H fair, and we could touch them. They were very soft."

"I have two llamas. We bought them from Dr. Riley. I get to help feed them and brush them." (The teacher was very surprised because this comment was not shared until the third day of the discussion. The little girl did have two llamas and did help care for them. To the other children, she became an instant and valuable resource!)

"I think llamas are really camels, but they don't have a hump."

"How did Mr. Riley get so many llamas?"

"My mom told me that llamas spit."

"I like to see the llamas when I come to school on the bus."

"My mom took me there when they had an open house, and I saw llamas do tricks. They can jump over things. They were also dressed up in clothes."

"Llamas don't wear clothes!"

"Yes, they do. I saw them. Ask my mom."

"Llamas have fur; they don't need clothes. That is why they have fur to keep them warm."

Teacher interjects: "It is almost 85 degrees outside today. Do you think the llamas get hot?"

"No, we give our llamas a haircut in the summer so they don't get hot."

"I think I saw the llamas next door get haircuts when I was there."

"I think they all look like they have haircuts when I drive by."

"I think I saw a purple llama at the zoo."

"No, you did not. They aren't purple!"

"Llamas can be any color I think 'cause God made them."

"Why does Dr. Riley have a blue llama on his fence?"

"When I saw the llama on the fence, it was pink."

By listening to the children, the teachers got a good idea of the types of knowledge the children already had. We decided that llamas would make a good topic because (1) the topic was something the children were excited about, (2) the llama farm was close to our school so we could give the children hands-on experiences, and (3) Dr. Riley was very willing to be our expert and allow us to visit his farm.

Many of the morning conversations were easily recorded. It is hard to record conversations of many groups working at the same time. Small tape recorders worked well for this type of recording, and the tapes could be listened to later. An assistant also took notes on a daily basis of the children's conversations. Many times, we use these conversations as a teaching tool later in the project or during the fieldwork. It was very easy to listen to the taped conversations after school or to have a parent transcribe them. From these conversations, we took notes and used them to help stimulate more conversations with the children.

Questions

The children started to ask the teachers questions about the llamas and the activities of llamas. Their interest presented an opportunity to keep a list. If a child asked a question during this part of the project, we would write it down on a large sheet of paper and explain to the children that we would get them answered when we visited Dr. Riley's llama farm.

Drawings

After a few days of discussion at morning circle, the children drew pictures about what they already knew about llamas. These pictures were drawn from the children's memories and experiences. It was interesting to see their perspectives of a llama. Here are just a few of the pictures that the children drew at the beginning of the project:

[FIGURES 1-4 OMITTED]

Before we asked the children to draw the llamas, we gave them many modeled lessons on drawing and many opportunities to practice....

NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.



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