February

Systems:

This month our Systems focus has been on water.  Students read A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry and saw the effects of disrespecting water as a resource. They also saw that there is hope for restoration of polluted waterways and how they can play a part in the solution.  Research was done on watersheds and students got to participate in a simulation of pollution's downstream journeyt.

We also looked at different tests that can be conducted to evaluate water quality.  Some of these tests will help us identify our Gray Area culprit. We learned about turbidity tests to check for clarity and sediments, (helpful in the investigation of the erosion caused by the clear-cutting logging company) phosphate and nitrate tests to see if fertilizers may be causing an abundance of algae growth, (helpful in the investigation of the cattle ranch and farm)  bio-assessment tests for macro-invertebrates, and pH tests.

Critical and Creative Thinking:

We had fun this month being creative with a few sketching challenges.  We practiced a growth mindset by using the drafting process to create original characters by incorporating our favorite parts of various designs and revising to a final product.  We also participate in a mash-up drawing challenge where students submitted ideas to a hat and had to combine the items drawn into one picture in a unique way.

Habits of Mind:

Students began our class novel study of Listening to Crickets by Candice Ransom.  This book is a biography about author and environmental activist Rachel Carson. As we read, we are taking to analyze and respond to the text as well as pick out the specific Habits of Mind Rachel used to find success in her field.