April in Review

Kindergarten
Wordle is a favorite student website and learning tool. After listening to the book “I Love Words”, each kindergarten student was asked to spell a word for the class while I typed it on the computer. Next, I showed the students how to create the word cloud and customize the colors. Finally, students were challenged to create their own Wordles using words they could spell independently.


First Grade
In conjunction with their unit on pond animals, students visited the lab for a pond animal research project. Class began with a brainstorming session, where students were challenged to name as many pond animals as possible in three minutes. Mrs. Owen’s class named the most with 27. Next, students used the Enchanted Learning website to answer animal riddles. This allowed students to practice navigating a web page with the scroll bar as well as using hyperlinks. Finally, students used a graphic organizer to record information about a selected animal. Students were asked to record facts about the animal’s anatomy, habitat, range, diet, predators and life cycle. This activity served as a precursor for the ocean animal project sent home Thursday afternoon.

Second Grade
In honor of Earth Day, students created a piece for Planetfesto.org. Created in 2007, students around the world have been creating 6” long virtual pieces of ribbon with the hopes of circling the earth. This feat will require 263,000,00 pieces to be made. Each piece of the ribbon is made up of a picture selected from the website or uploaded by the creator, a statement of why they love the planet, and a pledge to personally help take care of it. You can view Shorecrest’s part of the ribbon by visiting this link. Students from 63 countries have participated in the project so far.

Third Grade
Lights. Camera. Action. After investing three weeks in researching, planning, and script writing, third grade students will begin producing their explorer movies. Ms. Diaz-Leroy has helped students create music for their projects while Mrs. Rowe worked with students on building sets and creating clay figurines. Groups will shoot the clay animation feature with still cameras next week, which will be followed by shooting live action with Flip cameras.

Fourth Grade
During their latest rotation in the computer lab, fourth graders used iWeb to build individual portfolios of their work during their years at Shorecrest. Using work samples collected and scanned by classroom teachers through the years along with self-selected scans and images of projects and work from fourth grade, they created pages highlighting what they have learned. Students will add final reflections and memories before sharing portfolios with family and friends at the end of May.