4-5 Grade Term 4 Seasonal Topic EcoGarden Service and Senses: This term we completed 3 spring adventure cycles. The theme for 4th and 5th Grade is “Bodies, Behaviors and Biodiversity”. The activities were designed to emphasize creating a community, cooperation, communication and conflict resolution. Students know this as “Playing Hard”, “Playing Fair”, “Play Safe”. We did service work at the Eco-Garden pulling weeds and making wood chip paths so the are healthy and bare fruit for us next year. In addition we used magnetic compasses for practice at orienteering and understanding the earth’s magnetic pull. To improve on thoses navigation skills we also played Coyote Mentoring ecology games to improve our ability to quiet our mind along with aliveness and agility in the natural world.
4-5 Grade Accomplished Comments: Can develop strategies to work things out rather than retaliate when they feel wronged. Also demonstrates the ability to analyze the needs of others in planning how work or sharing materials and tools should be divided.
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This term we completed 3 winter adventure cycles. We embodied our norms and goals by practicing and performing the School wide haka Whai Ake Te Mataurana (Pursue Knowledge), traditional haka E Ko Te Tui (The Tui Bird Sings) and Ka Mate (I live or die). The kapa haka practices for this age group were designed to emphasize individual goals, stating needs, encouragement/support, fear/anxiety, success/failure. The 6th-8th grade adventure norms guide our interactions “Be Here”, “Be Safe”, “Be Honest”, “Set Goals” and “Let Go and Move On”.
This term we completed 3 fall/winter adventure cycles. The seasonal topic was titled “Trees - Tools of Human Survival” and the guiding question was “What trees can help me stay warm in the winter and what are their names?” – Students learned 2-5 different tree species names and worked on collaboration and problem solving. The activities were designed to emphasize decision making, group goals, taking turns, leadership and conflict resolution. The student norms are “Playing Hard”, “Playing Fair”, “Playing Safe”. Our classroom is the Eco-Garden and the Jordan River Nature Study Area near the Day Riverside Library. We learned the names of a couple native and invasive species and made or repaired shelters from willow branches along the Jordan River and thatched roofs of the 2nd and 3rd grade dens.
This term we completed 3 late summer adventure cycles. The case study was titled “Edible Forest” and the guiding question was “what can I eat out here and how do I know?” – with the guiding principle “Information; Evaluate; Decide”. The activities were designed to emphasize creating a community, cooperation, communication and conflict resolution. Students know this as “Playing Hard”, “Playing Fair”, “Play Safe”. Our classroom is the Eco-Garden and the Jordan River Nature Study Area near the Day Riverside Library. We learned how to harvest and care for the edible forest near the library and began native plant identification. We also made “Sumac-Aid” from aromatic sumac bushes in the nature study area and ate grapes, plums, peaches, pears, fennel, onions and garlic from the eco-garden.
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Ryan Pleunehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-pleune-6b737117 Archives
March 2019
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