Setting Description
Camp Synergy
Creating a Culture of Synergy in the 4th Grade.
HTe Monarchs
A study of Monarch Butterfly Conservation
How can we increase the population of Monarch Butterflies in San Diego? That was one of our essential questions that drove our study of Monarch Conservation. We collaborated with three major universities (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, University of Minnesota, and the University of Georgia) to collect data and report findings. Students designed and built prototypes of backyard monarch waystations that could be built in homes throughout our community.
In the first five weeks of school, students earned camp badges, such as Chanting, Meal Preparation, rolling sleeping bags, the science of S'mores, Medic and teamwork to name a few. Each day, positive character trait totems were given to students by other students in an effort to build a strong sense of community and synergy amongst our students. On the fifth week of school we took all 78 students on a camping trip to Julian where they were responsible for setting up their own tents, doing teamworking activities, and even cooking their own food.
During this 11 week project students investigated the properties of flight by studying properties of flight with an emphasis on Monarch Butterfly flight. We will strive to answer the essential question, How do Butterflies Stay in the Air? Each week we will study a new property of flight and conduct a variety of science experiments in lift, drag, pressure, and thrust. As an added element students will also learn what it takes to become a Citizen Scientist while assisting with Monarch Butterfly Conservation efforts.
Our most recent project is called the Amazing Race California or ARC for short. Students have created a game that simulates the Amazing Race for parents to play on our campus. In order to play, parents must watch a video created by students that has to do with our study of California history, innovations, and natural resources. This exciting game has participants running through our campus looking for clues and engaging in fun activities.
Reading, writing and math were weaved throughout this project as students read articles regarding California, wrote family stories about how they arrived to Californa, and used geometry to study angles as we built a giant California puzzle labeled with angles at each corner.
Website is still under construction...
From the Ground Up:
Butterflies take Flight
Amazing Race
California
My Classroom...
I believe that in order to engage students in learning we need to make our curriculum relevant to students. I'm a huge proponent of experiential learning and service-based learning. Experiential learning, in my own words, is a learning style that engages students through real world experiences. Service-based learning connects students with community service. There is a balancing act when integrating skills-based instruction with project-based learning, especially when looking at Elementary and Primary Grade instruction. In my classroom, I've enjoyed creating interdisciplinary projects that combine experiential and service based learning, while maintining a high standard of rigor for all students. Please see the project links below to get a better sense of the work we do in my classroom.