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Sunday, April 24, 2016

National Park Day

2016 marks the 100th year of the National Park Service.
Our 5th grade team: Mrs. Carsrud, Mrs. Pason, me in the hat, Mrs. Kraintz, and Mrs. Mahlke

 To celebrate, our 5th grade classes worked on a collaborative research project.
a couple of early greeters: Mrs. Carsrud's and my daughters sitting at the "ranger station"
Each class was assigned 5 national parks as well as a notable person who contributed to the National Park Service in some way. We put together a website to guide them along (check out our link!). The groups were then assigned different roles within their park to study: zoologist, botanist, statistician, historian, and tour guide. They had to research and write a report based on their particular role for the park they were assigned. Then the teams put together a tri-fold display to present to the entire school, their parents, and even the superintendent!
a group of 5th-graders giving a presentation on Denali National Park to Mr. Zander, our superintendent

Our kids got 2 and a half hours of public speaking experience! It was a wonderful opportunity for them, and we (the 5th grade teachers) were so impressed with how hard they worked and how they presented themselves, especially to the adults who came to see. These kids never cease to amaze me!


checking out the map marked with all the parks we represented



Next up: a field trip to the Great Basin National Park to visit the Lehman Caves!