Our final rainforest project: diorama boxes!

Our gifted third-graders just wrapped up an incredible unit on rainforest ecosystems, and the results are truly amazing! Students brought the layers of the rainforest to life in their own custom diorama boxes. From the forest floor to the emergent layer, each box was a unique showcase of creativity and critical thinking.

Beyond crafting beautiful scenes, our students demonstrated their understanding of this complex habitat. They researched the plants and animals that inhabit the rainforest and found creative ways to represent them, all while making meaningful choices about their learning. It's inspiring to see their passion and imagination on full display!

Sadly, we will be taking down our Rainforest Room tomorrow. But it has been a great experience that students have truly loved.

Our classroom has transformed into a RAINFOREST!

 As you know, the students have been working diligently on a variety of rainforest themed art projects. Over fall break, I came to my classroom and began the process of hanging their creations. The final product turned out amazing! The students were truly amazed when they entered the room!

Our classroom rainforest is complete with jaguars, monkeys, green anacondas, blue morpho butterflies, tree frogs, tropical flowers and greenery, as well as chameleons, hanging vines, and colorful macaws! And no rainforest would be complete without the calming sounds of the environment. 

We also get to see what the rainforest looks like at night, as I installed multiple black lights. The soft glow really gave a new perspective on our Rainforest room. This has been a fantastic unit of study! Students are working on their final project now, which is a 3D diorama of a rainforest (in a box). I will show those off next week :)

Impromptu Marble Run challenge with KEVA planks!

Our 3rd graders put their engineering hats on today to tackle a fun and challenging project: building a marble run using only KEVA planks. With no glue or connectors, they had to rely on gravity, balance, and teamwork to get their designs just right. They did awesome! This was a fun little activity to kick off the start of Fall Break :)

Our classroom is turning into a rainforest!!

 Something truly special is blooming in our 3rd-grade Quest classroom! Over the past few weeks, our students have been immersed in a vibrant, hands-on study of the rainforest, with a creative art project at the very heart of their learning.

Our young artists have been hard at work, drawing and painting the diverse flora and fauna of the jungle. From vividly colored macaws to camouflaged chameleons and sprawling vines, their beautiful creations are filled with the energy and life of this incredible habitat.

This artwork is more than just a gallery—it's a building block for a bigger, more exciting final project: transforming our entire classroom into a rich and immersive rainforest environment. Every painting and drawing will find its place as we construct a canopy, install hanging vines, and populate our very own rainforest with the animals the students have so thoughtfully crafted.

We can’t wait to share the finished classroom rainforest with you all! Stay tuned for more updates on this wild learning adventure.

The Big Reveal: When a Science Experiment Sparkles!

 You know an experiment is a hit when the students gasp in awe! That's exactly what happened this morning when our 3rd grade Quest students checked on their homemade crystals. Yesterday, they created a supersaturated borax solution and submerged pipe cleaners hanging from a thread. The magic happened as the solution cooled, forming shiny crystals all over their pipe cleaners. It was a fantastic reminder that science can be beautiful and a lot of fun!

*Check out the video at the end to see how our crystals sparkle in the sun!

We participated in the #KindnessRocksProject :)

Students were out and about today, hiding the Kindness Rocks! It was a beautiful day to spread some sunshine!

 

Using a mineral identification kit to ID mystery rocks!

Today, our classroom transformed into a mineral identification lab! Students were excited to examine a collection of "mystery rocks," each with its own unique set of clues. To discover what was inside these hidden specimens, they put their geology skills to the test with a series of exciting experiments. 

Testing the Clues:

Color:.

A classic first step! Students carefully observed the color of each mineral.

Hardness:.

Using the Mohs Hardness Scale, they tested how easily a mineral could be scratched, revealing its strength. 

Streak:.

They rubbed each rock on a streak plate to see the color of its powder, a key identifier. 

Luster:.

Students observed how the minerals reflected light, learning about metallic and non-metallic types of luster. 

Magnetism:.

A simple but effective test for certain minerals, they used a magnet to see which rocks were attracted to it. 

Fluorescence:.

Under a special light, some rocks glowed, adding another fascinating layer to their investigation!