Phase 2 :
Group 1:

• worked in pairs
• used strings to cut the size of circumference to put them vertically on a bulletin board plus add some captions.
• several attempts before successfully measured

Group 2:

• used blocks and plank
• created inclined planes of various angles
• balls were rolled 
• which ball rolled faster, further...
• did the activity on several different surfaces (carpet, glass)
•  during which they enjoyed the term resistance that slowed down the roll

Group 3:

• rubbings of surfaces of each balls
• discussion of various surfaces with other classmates 
• all children were surprised with the variety of surfaces.

Group 4:

• built a block structure several feet in height
• tape measure suspended from the top
• predicted, then measured the height of each bounce
• CONTRARY TO THEIR PREDICTIONS, NOT ALL BALLS BOUNCED.

The TEACHER engaged them in discussion of what might be inside the balls,, and she explored the words 

• hollow
• solid
• empty
• full

all balls were opened and examined except the golf ball, in addition they couldn't open the bowling ball so they asked the help of a parent.

In the end, bar graphs and pie charts were created by the help of the teacher's support and guidance to indicate in three columns the questions posed in the survey, the predicted answers, and the actual answer.

Phase 3:

 children completed their investigation, they displayed their findings through creating stories and charts, looked up for things related to the topic of interest in the library with the assistance of the librarian...

This project provided contexts for analyzing,hypothesizing, predicting, observing, recording, and

representing research findings. It provided settings for extensive discussions, working out disagreements, arguing, and checking the facts. It also provided contexts and pretexts for cooperation, individual initiative, sharing responsibilities, and many other developing intellectual as well as social capacities and dispositions. Children of all cultures and language backgrounds can become deeply

engaged in the kinds of intellectual explorations such items in their own environments can provide.

The Activity Based on The Project Approach in the Article:

Age group: 4-5 years
Topic: A study about Balls
Duration: 1 month
Note: the teacher couldn't take them out


Phase 1:
     Teacher suggested to the students to ask their families, neighbors, relatives, and other people in the community to contribute any kind of old balls to add to their collection of balls for their study.

List of the balls:

• tennis
• ping-pong
• cricket
• billiard
• golf
• bowling ball
• volley balls
• basket balls
• football
• beach ball
• whiffle ball
• marbles
• bubble gum ball
• cotton ball
• A world Globe

     The teacher encouraged discussion about how the balls varied, she developed a topical web indicating many features of the balls that could be studied in class.

Some students weren't sure that the World Globe was a ball,, and hence there was a question raised : ARE BALLS ONLY TO PLAY WITH?? 
Also, Whether or not the American football was a ball or not?? 

This led the teacher to get some picture books to show the common uses of ball bearings in machines.
she also introduced the concept of sphere and spherical, and the term circumference, where many of the children enjoyed discussing and arguing about.


Phase 2:

Before starting the investigations, the children made predictions of the various outcome. so they associated size of the balls with their weight, and then actually weighed and measured the balls.


Now it's time for the children to become young investigators to answer the questions that were generated by the class discussion.

INTRODUCTION

Article:

SUMMARY:

     This article explains what the project approach is, and gives us an example of applying it in a science lesson. 

     The project approach incorporates PROJECT WORK as a major part of the curriculum.

THE PROJECT WORK:

• Is an in-depth, extended, investigation of a topic ( a topic worthy of children's time and energy)
• Provides context in which developing and emerging Literacy and Numeracy Skills  are applied in such a way that they are understood and accepted by children.
• It has three phases:
• Phase 1:
• explore and share: experiences, ideas, and information, that have already been related to the topic.
• develop research questions to be investigated.
• Phase 2:
• data gathering of the topic
• 1st hand observation of the phenomena related to the topic.
• interview experts
• other information gathering strategies depending on the age of the students
• children work in small groups or individually on related subtopics
• begin to represent their findings using a variety of media and emerging basic skills
• `Phase 3:
• debriefing of what has been found out
• conclusion of investigation
• prepare reports to be shared (peers/ teachers/ parents)