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Lego Class

In Lego class 2nd and 3rd graders have been learning about simple and powered machines using hands-on activities. They investigated structures and forces, incorporating both rigid and flexible shapes in building deck chairs and drawbridges. Applying principles they learned about levers, they made drumming machines. Attaching a motor provided more opportunities to explore. For example, Read More >>

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13 Colonies Update

After looking at maps and realizing how many people were already here in the “new world” each student was assigned a tribe to read about, do research on and report about their customs, homes, food and more.  Students were also given picture of Native Americans in different situations and used VTS (visual thinking strategy) to figure Read More >>

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All About Books

This unit was started by our student teacher this past fall.  After she left, we slowly have been finishing up what she started.  Each student picked a topic that they knew “all about” and started writing about that topic.   Topics include, cheetahs, NASA, The Fastest Things, Video Games, Tae Kwon Do and more.  Using Read More >>

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Salt Water Biome – the Ocean

Students in grades 1, 2 and 3 were part of a unit that recently studied the ocean. Students working with a partner explored the characteristics of a specific layer of the ocean. They researched and wrote a short paragraph describing their assigned layer and the animals that inhabit it. Students selected and illustrated two animals from Read More >>

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Math Class

This class began the year with “equalizing”. That means we started with making “unequal” amounts of objects. They couldn’t be the same or “equal”. Over time the children came to know we were going to change unequal amount equal amounts by adding or subtracting to one side or the other. As the year has progressed Read More >>

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Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS)

Visual Thinking Strategies provides for open-ended discussions of visual art, increasing students’ critical thinking, language, and literacy skills along the way. We had two groups using VTS this year, one Kindergarten-1st grade students and the other 2nd-4th grade students. Students look at a work of art and consider a question such as “What’s going on Read More >>

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Paper Airplanes

How do airplanes fly? That is a question that our younger students (K-1) explored during Investigations by making paper airplanes and testing them. First they made the classic Dart. They tested it to see how far, how high, and how straight it could fly. Then they made a second airplane, the Lock-bottom, a variation of Read More >>

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Printing Class All Year

At the start of the school year, children in kindergarten worked on writing upper case letters of the alphabet.   We have now moved on to lower case letters! During each class, we use sign language, the sound of the letter and printing pages to practice on two letters.                 Read More >>

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Read Alouds

Listening to books read out loud is a favorite part of our day. At the end of each day children free draw in their sketch books as they listen to great stories by great authors. This year the youngest children have listened to: Dan the Pawn, Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White, Lafcadio by Shel Read More >>

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Amelia Bedelia Take Two!

Students in kindergarten and first grade have been enjoying the silly antics of Amelia Bedelia all year.  During class, we read a book, discuss the “mistakes” that Amelia makes about the English  language and then draw about some of them.          Each child is working on making their own Amelia Bedelia book to Read More >>