Dino Digs - Fossil Studies

Second Graders have studied how fossils were formed and how paleontologists use tools to extract them.  Our plaster-of-paris models provided just as much fun and learning.

Petrified wood, plaster casts of animal tracks from our school forest, and purchased fossils added to the excitement.

Service Learning - Pop Tops

The Ronald McDonald House is a place for parents to stay while their child is undergoing treatment for difficult illnesses.  Parents can be close to their child without paying costly hotel fees.  Some of our Lakewood School parents have been able to use the Ronald McDonald House in the past. This is made possible through pop top collections.

Therefore, our first and second graders decided to revive our school's pop-top collecting efforts.  At S.H.'s conference I asked if he and his dad would consider making a house to collect pop tops.  Less than a week later, we had an amazing Ronald McDonald house.  The second graders painted it and then wrote a mini-skit to introduce it to the other classrooms.  First and second grade students will be in charge of collecting the pop tops and delivering them to McDonalds.  We are happy to undertake this important work!

Imagination at Work

After a great start to our morning, the power went out.... ugh!  We made the best of it, but then when the power was back on, the four fans in our ceiling decided to blow at hurricane force (and sound). Teaching over the noise and talking over the kids who were all talking over the noise, I decided enough was enough.  We donned our winter gear and went out to work on our fort (building and engineering).  The snowmen/women we designed a few weeks ago (see Strangers in the Woods) had shockingly melted.  The fort was still half standing.  

After about half an hour of building, one of the kids said, "Can we play now?"  I laughed, "Play now? You are playing.  And working."  The look on his face told me I was off base.  So I gave the green light to play.  

Whoa!  Suddenly the fort was a castle that needed defending.  The secondary fort was a hotel with a pool.  There were bedrooms under the pine boughs, snow cups and bowls in the cupboards, and oodles of snow pizza (made by the baker).  And so much more!

Imaginative play... different from structured play.  Thanks, kids, for the reminder.  

The the path to our magical, powdered sugar forest.

A Gorilla of a Guest Reader

Our school board member, Harry Welty, kindly volunteered to read to us for "I Love to Read" month. His story selections kept the class spellbound.  His visit was a delightful way to start our day.  

Honest Abe

Symmetry

A Stranger in the Woods

This book was the inspiration for our latest School Forest adventure.

Sticky snow, warm temps, no wind....  a perfect day for designing a snowperson!

We also engineered this amazing fort.  Teamwork!