Second Graders Research, Present on Environmental Changemakers
On Wednesday, second graders presented their environmental changemaker research to a captive audience of their peers in the Erskine Library. The presentation was the culmination of a collaborative project combining research skills, the exploration of exciting and vibrant nonfiction texts in our school library, and artistic expression. During the project, students learned about people who have identified problems facing our planet, worked to find solutions, and inspired others to help. The second graders are proud to announce that their changemaker bookmarks are now available in the Erskine Library. Please stop by to pick up a bookmark to hold your spot in a book, admire a beautiful and inspirational design, and learn about people who have helped to make the world a better place.
– The Second Grade Team
Fourth Graders Wrap Up Lesson in Mummification
It’s that time of year: fourth graders are finishing up the annual mummification experiments. This year, students chose to “mummify” fresh foods ranging from hens to watermelon to cake. They made scientific observations and collected data as these foods were preserved, not through refrigeration, but through a mixture of salt, baking soda, and laundry detergent meant to mimic the abilities of natron naturally found in Egypt. Students participated in weekly discussions about what they found, wondered, and predicted. One interesting finding was that, when calculated in grams, radishes lost the least amount of weight, but they also were the food that lost the highest percentage of weight. Next up, students will be designing composters to help speed up the decomposition process.
– Emily Crawford, fourth grade teacher
