Discover Discovery Time

In order to meet the challenges of today’s work force, students need to be equipped with a broad base of knowledge and the tools necessary to communicate with competence and confidence.  Our Discovery Time enrichment will stimulate students’ interest in a variety of topics, broaden their knowledge base, and provide opportunities for them to communicate what they’ve learned to others! 

Discovery Time is strategically introduced and promoted in each grade level of Shurley English.  Lessons are designed to spark students’ interest in self-guided research as a way to broaden their knowledge base.  Of course, 40+ years of research proves that when learning new information about a topic, prior knowledge greatly impacts a students’ ability to comprehend, draw inferences, and figure out ambiguity.  A broad base of knowledge also helps students think of new ideas related to the topic. 

How It Works: 

Facts about different topics are presented to students during Discovery Time.  Students have the option to pursue any of the topics for further exploration at the library, at home, or on the Internet (with parents’ permission).  After investigating a Discovery Time topic, students may write and publish an independent report to share with others. 

Level 6 Discovery Time Example: 

1. First, students are provided with some interesting information about the Navajo Code Talkers from World War II.

2. Next, students are given several questions to answer that will require more research.

3. Finally, students are challenged to share what they have learned by publishing a report.

Activity Time: Understanding Verb Tenses

Did you know that a verb can tell time?  It’s true!  Within every verb is a little piece of information called tense. The tense of the verb tells you when the action of the verb takes place. Mastering the use of correct verb tense is a critical skill that allows a speaker or writer to purposefully convey “time.” 

Do some of your students struggle to understand the difference between simple present, past, and future tense verbs?  If so, Shurley English has an activity that just might help them comprehend verb tense with more clarity!  Follow along, and I’ll show you how it’s done!

1. Give students a paragraph that is written in present tense:

2. Have students identify all the verbs in the paragraph by highlighting or underlining them:

3. Next, ask students to write the verbs in order on a separate sheet of paper and verify that they are written in present-tense:

4. During the next step, ask students to change the present-tense verbs to past-tense.  

Tip:  If you want to change a present-tense paragraph to a past-tense paragraph, you must change each verb to past-tense, one at a time.  Example:

5. Finally, have students rewrite the original paragraph, inserting the past tense verbs in place of the present tense verbs:

This activity purposely focuses students’ attention on the tense of each verb in the passage.  It teaches students to use consistent tense to show actions that occur at the same time.  If they want to change a present-tense paragraph to a past-tense paragraph, students learn that all they have to do is change each verb to past tense, one at a time!