Week 18-20: Exploring the Arctic

Arctic Animals Across the Curriculum

For the last few weeks, the Oaks have been researching and writing about an arctic animal of their choice. Their project-based learning has taken them across the curriculum, as they study their arctic animal using the tools of reading, writing, since, and math.

Reading & Writing: “The Oaks are well into the research of an arctic animal they selected. Before researching, we discussed the importance of good note-taking skills, including organizing their notes, citing sources, writing important details. All Oaks had two project work-days to continue their arctic animal project. We drafted a friendly letter and an essay all together and then each Oak began to write their own. The friendly letter is being written from the arctic animal’s point of view and is an opportunity to be creative. The essay will be full of information that students learned through their research and should teach the Acorns more about that particular animal.” 

Ms. Jessica

Science & Math: “The Oaks built on what the third and fourth graders began in math last week, by becoming researchers at an Arctic research base in Eureka, Canada.  Students learned how to read a line graph, with the help of the third and fourth graders who remembered the parts of a line graph. We talked about the x- and y-axes, how to read the labels of axes, and how it is just one way of representing data.  Students worked in groups to analyze one graph that represented one aspect of weather. As a group, we looked at all four graphs (snow depth, average daily temperature, wind speed, and short-wave radiation) to see what they had in common.”

Ms. Becca