Looking for Facts in All the Right Places!

Real world, authentic, project-based learning is Seabury Middle School's modus operandi, and students had a chance this week to get their hands dirty with research on their projects. The City is our Classroom here at Seabury, and what better way to put this into action than by taking the very short walk to Tacoma Public Library's main branch, just up the hill from our campus. With our focus on Washington State and Tacoma history this year, the Library's Northwest room was a perfect place to do some research.

Students were given a tour of the room and all it had to offer, with historical maps of the state and of Tacoma and books on the local flora, fauna, economy, weather, and more.

In this world of instant information available online, taking the time to slow down and research "the old fashioned way" is something that modern students often need to learn how to do. We learned that sometimes, looking for information in a book or on a piece of microfiche is the only way to find that information. Students came armed with their research questions, some paper and pencils, and a good dose of patience, but left with a solid basis on how to do traditional library research.

Some were visibly excited when they found a newspaper article or book that gave them exactly the information they were hoping to find. Others calmly scrolled through information without success. But all students left understanding that solid research takes time and patience and that with perseverance, they would find that one source that they needed!