Student Work
Peace Area
We want to promote healthy social and emotional habits. The peace area is a space for students to practice recognizing their emotions and using a variety of strategies to soothe themselves after any upset- frustration with two-digit addition, disappointment with a friend during recess, etc.
Research has shown that sensory experiences can help calm our nervous systems. The options at the Peace Area include a collection of beautiful rocks, a variety of fidgets, seashells, lotion scented with plant products, books about feelings, a small geometric puzzle and a balance ball to bounce on.
Students can visit the peace area anytime during the day except during lessons. Next up- using the peace area to resolve conflict with a peer.
Tree Study
April 2019
We collected buds and blossoms.
Aromatherapy April 2019
Students made sachets and cleaning spray using essential oils, cloves, lemon peel, orange peel and lavender flowers.
Shelters April 2019
As part of our Green Theme focus on Plants and Their Uses, students researched ways that plants are used in our homes and schools. Each student built a shelter using wood and wood products. See the slideshow below.
Tree Study: Maple Sap
March 2019
Thanks to Mr. White, we tapped three maples and used three different sap gathering techniques. Ms. Ducharme boiled the sap until we got syrup. This is a not-so-great photo of the maple tree model we made for our classroom.
Field Trip to North Hadley Sugar Shack
On Tuesday, April 2, we visited the North Hadley Sugar Shack. We saw the different ways they tap trees to get their syrup. We got a close look at their evaporator and sample maple cream, candy and syrup. Pancakes too!
Paragraphing March 2019
: Each student took notes while interviewing a classmate. Then they used the notes to create sentences using the sandwich organizer pictured above. Each paragraph starts with a topic sentence and ends with a conclusion. Finally, I typed their sentences into paragraph form.
