The fourth grade students traveled to West Chester Friends School on Wednesday to share an educational and fun day with fourth graders from several other Friends schools at the 30th Annual Science Symposium!  Students met in small groups to share their projects with other students. Each LFS student made a strong connection between their project and our curriculum, and they understood the practical relevance of their work!  Students shared their research with the LFS community today at  Gathering.

The third/fourth grade class and the kindergarten class teamed up once again to organize a food collection for the emergency food cupboard in Lansdowne.  Kindergarten students made use of the cans they collected for some interesting math activities before making the delivery.  They used the USDA food pyramid to categorize each of the cans into separate food groups and then graphed them on a giant cloth grid. 

The two classes then bundled up and delivered the food to the food cupboard. 

Students have been cleaning out their piggy banks to give pennies to some cause or causes.  We met today to consider which cause to give money to.  We have several possibilities including the organization that funds schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, run by Greg Mortenson of Three Cuyps of Tea.  We are also looking at other suggestions made by students in the class. In addition to learning about different organizations, we are learning about decision-making when we do not vote.  Students are good at speaking what is on their hearts and minds.  Now we practice listening to others, some with strong feelings in a variety of directions.  What is clear through all this is that we have a very caring, concerned class.

Three Cups of Tea

The high point of my day is often the read-aloud book.  They finally finished building the school in Korphe, and Greg has been appointed the director of the new organization.  By this time I am sure most of you will have heard what the chief of Korphe said to Greg, a real crowd pleaser with the third and fourth graders, but I have been most excited about the discussions.  We have some very interesting talks about what Greg learned from the villagers, the importance of education to the village, and the extent to which they are willing to sacrifice for it.  Students are clearly doing some really deep thinking.

from the Third and Fourth Grade News 10/8/09

We started a science inquiry about water and floating.  The students have been absorbed with the subject, trying all kinds of tests of their theories about what will and won't happen.  The materials are simple:  a big pot of water and a variety of objects.  Listening to their conversations is quite fascinating as they make predictions, test them, and then revise.  Some are quite confident they know what makes something float.  They are only partially right, but I am letting them continue the exploration to refine their thoughts.