Learning - OUR WAY!

Room 16 partook in an interesting project where they got to decide the rules!  Well...sort of...

Students had an opportunity to choose a topic they were interested in - they had to find a book to read and then they created a project around the topic.  The guidelines were very open and they could decide how they wanted to represent their projects.  They could use any materials they wished, but it had to be 100% created by the student.  They did such an amazing job!  Then they had to give a 3 minute presentation about their topic...I was so happy with the end result!

Check out the pictures below to see how awesome their projects turned out!!

Claire and Aminata taught us about horses.

Connor and Micah researched the Titanic.

Declan and Mitch with their Schnauzer models.

Dylan and Ethan learned about Great White Sharks.

Ethan and Brady taught us about the Titanic.

Jack and Sam made a life-size robot!!

Jarrett and David with their anaconda.

Jessica and Isabella learned all about the animals of the Amazon

Lauren and Grace presented about turtles.

Rocky and Joe with their very creative robots.

Zach and Marek learned about the Megladon.

Such a Generous Bunch!

Wow! I am absolutely blown away by the generosity of room 16!!!  After adopting a family to buy gifts for this holiday season, we were able to wrap upwards from FIFTEEN gifts for each child!  WOW!  I was getting teary-eyed as I was watching the students wrap up their gifts.  They all looked so proud to be helping out a needy family!  Definitely a proud teacher moment!!

Bye Bye Butterflies!

As part of our insect unit in science the past couple weeks, we had the privilege to watch ants in an ant farm and caterpillars turn into chrysalises and eventually into butterflies.  It was such an amazing transformation as we watched the caterpillars slowly make their way to the top of the container they were housed in, and eventually enfolding themselves into chrysalises as they make the phenomenal change to beautiful butterflies.  About a week and a half ago, we hung the chrysalises in the butterfly house so we could watch them emerge.  Just a couple days later, we were dazed as we watched butterflies flying around...butterflies we once knew as caterpillars!  Simply wonderful!

So you can understand my sadness when I came into school Saturday afternoon to see a couple butterflies struggling to stay afloat.  They had been flying around - and we had been feeding them flowers and sugar water - for about a week, and it was time for them to fly away.  I was hoping to wait until Tuesday so they kiddos could be there to witness it, but on Saturday morning, I was so afraid that, come Tuesday, there wouldn't be anymore alive.  Two butterflies had started losing their wings and one was flipped on its back slowly kicking his legs.  This made Mrs. Barnes sad...and I had to make the executive decision that they needed to fly on.

Fortunately, I had a helper with me and we were able to videotape the butterflies encounter with freedom.  I hope you enjoy our butterflies as they (slowly) made their way to the beautiful weather we had on Saturday morning.  We let them free in the garden so they were able to find some food right away...and they seemed very happy and grateful!

Enjoy! :)

Gearing Up for a GREAT Year!

I am so excited about how this year and shaping up!  The students seem so excited about the activities we have been working on and they are especially looking forward to the insect presentations tomorrow!  (So am I!!)

So far we have completed two reading test - and while I have not yet graded the reading test from today, I can say that last weeks class average was 96%!  WOW!!  96% on the FIRST reading test of the year?!  Are you kidding me!!  AMAZING!!  I am so proud of these kiddos!

Stay posted...I'm looking forward to posting some pictures this weekend of our insect presentations!!

Enjoy your LONG (planned!) weekend!!!

Mrs. B.

Learning about our Famous People!

For the past several weeks, room 15 has been learning about people who have made a difference in our world.  Each student selected a famous person to research and write a report on.  On Thursday, April 26th, those famous people will come to life as room 15 dresses up and presents on their selected person!

For the report, students have been learning about the childhood of their famous person, what made their famous person famous, and what significant impact they have had on the world.  Parents are invited to our "Famous Person Presentation" on Thursday, April 26th at 2:45 pm.  Refreshments will be offered as you read your child's report after the presentation.  A formal invitation will be going home next week so watch for it in your child's red folder.

The students have worked so hard and I am so excited to see their costumes for the presentation!