RCDS 4th Graders Present Independent Research with an NJ Twist

In honor of New Jersey’s 350th birthday, fourth grade students at the Lower School selected a person who has been an important part of New Jersey history for their independent research project. Known as the IRP, the multi-layered project is an important academic milestone in the Lower School.

Students find one or two books about their subject and conduct research on the Internet. After reading their sources, students create notecards of key events in their person’s life and come up with at least 25 facts. After analyzing their research, the budding historians use the program “Kidspiration” to make a timeline of the 10 most important events in chronological order. Once all facts are acquired, they prepare an outline, and using that outline, type a finished research paper complete with cover page and bibliography.

After the research portion of the project is complete, the fun begins! Students decorated posters and also transformed into character for the video portion of the project and the much-anticipated New Jersey Wax Museum. Each class created a movie of students reciting a monologue (that they wrote) with an interesting background appropriate to their person’s achievements.

The culmination of this exciting project results in “IRP Day,” a special day in the RCDS school year. Students dressed in character while the student monologues played in the background. Parents, fellow students and special guests including Senator Joseph Kyrillos visited the museum to admire all their hard work!

Head of Lower School Jayne Carmody, who is also a member of the New Jersey Historical Commission, explains the significance of tying in New Jersey's 350th birthday to the IRPs: "New Jersey is so important as part of our curriculum, and we wanted to make it more meaningful to the children. They learned how New Jersey has impacted the nation and the world. This entire research project was done in class, and the children are so proud! The multi-dimensional aspects of the project allow students to receive and use information in different ways and prepares them for future projects in the upper grades." 

At The Rumson Country Day School, fourth graders are comfortable working on multiple projects throughout the year, and work cooperatively within a group; however, independence also plays a significant role in fourth grade. The fourth grade research project allows the students to exhibit skills they have learned in Lower School including: research, analysis, graphic design, video production, keyboarding, fine arts, visual arts and writing skills.