New school year

I am really excited about this new school year. It is great to have more space and more families to work with. This year I am teaching science and gardening/nature. In science classes, children are scientists exploring different branches of science. During this first trimester, the Owls (kindergarten) and Magpies (grades 1 and 2) are studying life science, while the Hawks and Crows are focusing on earth science.  If you want to take a look at the standards, Peregrine Elementary uses the Next Generation Science Standards - http://www.nextgenscience.org/, and I am writing a more detailed summary of what each class is studying below.

Although the kids will definitely spend a lot of time outside planting during garden/nature classes, they will also be ecologists, and health scientists. The content covered in each class will vary. I will make the content relevant to topics the kids are studying in science and/or social studies. Here is a brief summary of what we are doing in garden/nature classes this trimester. The Owls are ecologists studying the animals that live in our school (outside), and this week they planted a small vegetable garden outside their classroom. Since the Magpies are studying food with teacher Pa, they are responsible for the school’s vegetable garden and they will also study nutrition. The Hawks will help with the school’s compost (connection to earth science study) and plant native species around the school (connection to Native Americans study). The Crows will study health and help the school develop the garden area. They mapped the school area, and are analyzing soil quality (pH, N, K, P) before planting.

I started the year by bringing one of my favorite tools to school: my handheld microscope. We had a lot of fun taking a close look at clothes, hair, skin, nails, ears, a spider, a fly, and more. We have also had very good discussions and hands on activities in science classes so far. Here is a quick update of what each class is doing:

Owls

The Owls are always engaged in science activities. Our focus this trimester is on animals and plants – their needs and habitats. We are starting the study with animals, and focusing on species we can find around the school. The kids will be making their own books about these animals.

The owls studied worms. One of the things that they investigated was whether worms prefer dry or wet areas. 

The owls had fun listening to their hearts with stethoscopes, and finding their pulses before and after running.

Habitat study! Quiet owls observing burrows outside the school.

Magpies

The Magpies will be studying structures and functions of living things. What do animals and plants need in order to survive and how do they get what they need? The Magpies started the trimester studying plants. So far, garden and science have been integrated. We have been talking about plant structures, plants’ needs and our needs (focus on nutrition).

The magpies are great gardeners. So far they have planted broccoli, carrots, radishes, beets, celery, mint, parsley, cilantro, artichoke and asparagus.

Hawks

The Hawks have been enjoying their geology study. They have learned about the Earth’s structure, and the rock cycle. The kids had fun digging in the dirt to study the Earth’s crust, and looking for different rocks around the school. After finishing our rock study, they will learn about plate tectonics and study California’s landscape (its formation and history).

Crows

The crows started the year discussing California’s drought, and water distribution in the world. They were surprised to learn that only 3% of the planet’s water is not salty. Our next topic is the ocean. We are going to start by taking a quick look at how the ocean interacts with the atmosphere and then we will take a look at the different ocean ecosystems. The final topic will be Earth and human activity.

Nursing students Alissa and Jasmiene training crows to be first aid responders.