Thursday, June 23, 2016

Project Based Learning Give Students a Voice in the Community!



I was so excited to see this article written about our final Project Based Learning experience in 2nd grade this year.  Thank you Heather for documenting the awesome things our students are doing in the community!  If you are interested in learning more about project based learning feel free to comment below.

Camas Ridge Community School Explores Amazon Park Playground Renovations

When Donna Van Durzen, a second grade teacher at Camas Ridge Community Elementary, heard about the playground renovations scheduled to take place this summer at Amazon Park, she saw a perfect, project based learning opportunity. She developed an exercise where her second graders could learn about park design, submit designs and have their designs evaluated.
Kids took a walking field trip to the park and learned about the renovations with Katie Blair-Terrazas, Eugene Outdoors, Park Development Volunteer Coordinator. She told them that later this summer they would see construction equipment and workers move in to the site to remove old and well-used play equipment and the decommissioned wading pool. In their place will arrive new playground structures, improved play area drainage and surfacing, new lawns, walks, trees and park furniture. Happily, our friend the dinosaur will remain to continue marking years of fun at this wonderful playground. Overall, the intent with this playground is to make it as universally accessible and inclusive as possible.






Thinking about Interactive Sciene Notebooks...

So, my 2nd grade students LOVE anything to do with science!  I am making it easier for them by creating guided lab journal pages.  Sure, they can write on a blank lab page, but with just a bit more structure their notes and ideas become crystal clear.  Here is a sample of what I am talking about.
If you are interested in seeing more, you can visit DVD's Creations and download some free pages to get started.  If you like what you see you can try my Seed to Sprout unit this fall in your elementary classroom.  :)