Encourage tinkering with ideas, relationships, connections. Set up situations where students have to find information not readily available in school texts. Provide opportunity for students to design open-ended explorations of the concept. Provide multiple options so students can plan a unique "proof" of learning.

Plan and Create Placemats

Objective: Students will explore areas studied.
Activity: Students create a learning placemat like those seen in restaurants. The placemat should contain learning games about the Chinese culture. Placemats with word puzzles, math games, hidden pictures, etc. can be shown as examples. Class brainstorms some possible ideas and records them on the board. Placemats must contain at least four learning puzzles and will be laminated so that crayons can be used to solve the puzzles them wiped off.
Evaluation: Selection of ideas for placemat.