First grade scientists in Room 2 have been interested in garden creatures for a long time…since kindergarten! They have spent a lot of time outdoors looking for, observing, and wondering about these animals. These are questions they had about the animals: Who lives in the garden, and how do they live? Is our garden a good home for these animals? When they became experts on these little creatures, they taught the school community about them. Other children learned about the animals and learned to take care of them while visiting the garden. They also figured out which animals are helpful or harmful to the garden. This can help other classes find solutions to gardening problems caused by animals. Signs and books remain in the garden so students can continue to learn about the animals.

Teacher Reflection:

Students were truly connected with this project. They knew that the idea came from them and their passion for animals and the garden (which they designed and built in a previous project). They now understand that they are real scientists, artists, writers, and teachers. At our exhibition, guests learned from the 1st graders and noticed their expertise on the subject of animal adaptations and gardening, and sensed how proud students were of their work.

Student Reflection:

Our project was about what small animals can do. I learned about what snails can do. The hardest part for me was writing a lot. My favorite part was making the experiment. This helps others because I can tell others all I learned.

—Stella

I felt like a real artist and that’s what I really want to be.

—Blanca

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