SPECIAL TO THE REPORTER

Sherry Wood and her third grade class recently held an animal expo at Calera Elementary School.

This is the third year Wood has coordinated the project. Each child spends eight weeks researching the different animals that they will teach the class about.

They use the Internet, encyclopedias, and various trade books from the library to read information and organize it so they can present the information to the class.

The children often are learning to use these resources for the first time while they gather their research. The library also offers many excellent video resources. Resources are also gathered from the Shelby Country TRC and area public libraries.

The students then write up their research and store it in a large manila folder marked &8220;research.&8221; They later discuss what they found out with other members in their groups and compare the information they have learned.

Finallym The students prepare a tri-fold to display some of the interesting facts about their animals, along with some pictures and drawings of it.

Wood supports their learning by offering guidance on how to use the resources and picking up the biofacts that are displayed during the expo.