Team Structure

ScienceQuest teams consist of three to five kids between 10 and 14 years old. They meet after school (occasionally on weekends or evenings) to find and choose a science topic that they investigate as a group. The teams need to be small so that every kid has a chance to participate. The volunteer coach guides them through the I-Search process to identify a science question that motivates them. Caring deeply about the question and about finding the answer drives the young investigators to search when resources are scarce, and to persevere when giving up seems appealing.

Working over 10 to 15 sessions, the team moves from the initial phase of identifying a passionate question, to making a plan, to gathering and synthesizing information, and finally to making a web site to share with the world. Some teams move quickly and are done in 10 sessions, while others might need more sessions to complete their investigation to their satisfaction. The final products are Web sites that team members created on Homestead software.