Empowering Early Researchers with Scholar Education
In Ms. Whitten’s 2nd grade classroom at Dayspring Academy’s Harmony campus, curiosity is always welcome—and so is support. Recently, Ms. Whitten teamed up with ESE teacher Ms. Frenden to plan a cross-curricular lesson that would spark students’ interest in science, reinforce reading comprehension, and build research and presentation skills.
With help from Scholar Education, their classroom became a hub of exploration.
Planning a Student-Centered Research Lesson—Faster
To kick things off, Ms. Whitten curated a collection of books on Epic! about famous inventors. This gave students the freedom to choose who they wanted to research, helping to boost engagement from the start.
Then, using PAWfessor Bruce—Scholar’s teacher-facing AI assistant—Ms. Whitten mapped out her lesson plan inside Scholar. She gave BaxterBot, the student-facing AI helper, clear instructions to guide students through the research process, such as asking and answering clarifying questions and helping define vocabulary words.
She also created a short formative assessment directly within Scholar: three open-ended questions designed to check for understanding and allow students to showcase what they had learned about their chosen inventor.
BaxterBot Supports Young Learners as They Explore
Once the lesson was launched, students jumped into their Epic! book selections and began reading with purpose. As they encountered unfamiliar terms or wanted to learn more about a specific invention or idea, they turned to BaxterBot.
BaxterBot became a reliable research buddy—helping students spell tricky words, clarify meaning, and summarize important facts about their inventor. With this on-demand support, students gained confidence and independence, while Ms. Whitten and Ms. Frenden were freed up to observe, guide, and differentiate where needed.
From Reading to Research to Presentation—With a Helping Paw
After gathering information, students completed the built-in formative assessment to communicate their learning. Even during this final step, BaxterBot lent a helping paw—offering writing and spelling support to help students get their ideas down clearly and independently.
Why 2nd Grade Teachers Are Incorporating Scholar into Their Lessons:
- Student Research Support with BaxterBot
- Real-time, student-friendly assistance for vocabulary, spelling, and content understanding.
- Custom Lesson Planning with PAWfessor Bruce
- Easily align lessons to your objectives while differentiating for various learning needs.
- Built-In Formative Assessments
- Quickly check for understanding with tools that help you reflect and respond.
- Collaboration-Friendly Features
- Perfect for co-teaching models and inclusive settings, especially where general education and ESE overlap.
The Results: Confident Students, Empowered Teachers
Ms. Whitten’s science lesson is a powerful example of how Scholar supports the kind of meaningful work happening in today’s classrooms. With less time spent on prep and more time focused on student learning, teachers like Ms. Whitten and Ms. Frenden can do what they do best—ignite curiosity, encourage growth, and create lasting learning moments.
Bring Scholar Education Into Your Classroom
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