Bicycle Safety

Our firsties created bicycle safety posters to hang throughout all hallways.  They've been learning the "rules of the road" during PE class.  Later this week the first graders will participate in the annual Bike Rodeo.  They will put their knowledge to the test as they navigate a variety of obstacles on their bicycles.

A Day in the Sun

Mrs. Lynch made us a deal today in the beginning of math class.  She said if we didn't complain about completing a 100 fact subtraction drill we would have a special math class.  We didn't complain because we wanted a fun math class surprise.  Since the weather was so nice today we got to have math class outside.  

We started by sitting in a group and learning today's math lesson, which was about tables and schedules.  Then, we were allowed to spread out on the playground and start our math homework. Some of us sat next to the monkey bars.  Others sat under the trees.  Some of our classmates were in the sun, but some were in the shade.  Even though we got to sit where ever we wanted we still got a lot of our homework finished.  

 

Your student bloggers,
The Fantastic Fourth

 

African Safari

Mrs. Lynch, our teacher,  just got back from South Africa. She saw many different animals that we do not have in the USA.  Mrs. Lynch got to see the "Big Five".  These animals are the biggest and baddest in Africa.  These are some of the pictures Mrs. Lynch took of the "Big Five"while she was on her trip.

Cape buffalo

Elephants

Leopard

Lion

Rhinos

On Boulders Beach there are penguins.  Penguins can live there because the ocean is so cold. Sharks also like this area because of the cold water.

While in Cape Town, Mrs. Lynch visited Robben Island.  Nelson Mandela was held in this prison for speaking out against the South African government.  He wanted all South Africans to have equal rights and to be treated fairly.  After his release, Mandela became the first black president of South Africa.

Entrance to Robben Island

Mandela's prison cell

Table Mountain is also known as the Sleeping Giant.  Table Mountain is a plateau.  A plateau looks like a mountain with the peak chopped off it.  

View of Table Mountain from Robben Island

Our teacher also went to Zimbabwe to visit Victoria Falls.  Victoria Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.  It is nicknamed "The Smoke that Thunders".  It is almost twice the height as our Niagra Falls.  

Victoria Falls

When Mrs. Lynch returned from her trip, she surprised us with our own safari cars.  We used the safari cars to have our own trip to Africa.  

Our safari cars

Ready to go on a safari

Your student bloggers,
The Fantastic Fourth

Field Day Fun

Field Day is like the light at the end of the tunnel.  For the teachers, it signifies the end of grading papers, the end of copying, and the end of planning.  For the students, it signifies the end of homework, the end of school uniforms, and the end of the dreaded alarm clock.

Traditionally, our Field Day is scheduled for the last week of school.  Unfortunately, Tropical Storm Andrea had other plans.  Our quick thinking PE teacher and administration moved Field Day forward to get it in before the storm.  What a great decision! We were delighted to wake up to 70 degrees, sunshine, and a gentle breeze.

We are waiting to stand for the singing of our National Anthem.

Tug of War is the first event of the day.

The "big kids" (4th and 5th grades) compete in the 50 yard dash.  

The sack race is always a fun one with lots of laughter.

Great Day to be Outdoors

Ahhh, the best way to spend a spring school day is to go outside.  After our unit on natural resources and landforms, we headed to our State Park for a day of hiking and canoeing.  We are fortunate to live approximately 30 miles from a relatively unknown gem.  Our State Park offers camping, hiking, fishing, canoeing, and even more.

During our hike we spotted snakes, frogs, various species of ferns, and evidence of the yellow bellied sapsucker.  Our hike started in a hardwood forest and ended in a swamp.

We also went canoeing on our field trip.  Each canoe had two students and one parent.  We learned the person in the bow (front) of the canoe acts at the engine.  Their job is to use all their muscles to paddle the canoe.  The person in the stern (back) of the canoe is responsible for steering and keeping us on course.  It was a very windy day which made navigating quite difficult.  All in all, it was a great day!

Bike Rodeo

This week we had our annual Bike Rodeo.  Our fourth graders learned rules of the road, importance of safety, hand signals, traffic signs, and parts of the bike.  With bikes and helmets in hand, we headed over to the county recreation complex adjacent to our school and put our new knowledge to the test. The students worked their way through nine stations, spending ten minutes at each station.  Each station reinforced a different skill and/or tested the students' safety knowledge. 

Navigating a Narrow Passage

Ducking Under a Low Object

Using Left and Stop Hand Signals