Teachers at Sunny View Elementary have been hard at work to create an experience for every student involving the whole child through their One School One Book project.
Thanks to a grant from Polk County Community Foundation, students in all grades were able to visit Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, Tenn. after reading Nim’s Island. Prior to the trip, the students participated in numerous activities connecting all learners through multiple learning styles at varied levels within each grade level and classroom setting.
Students decorated their hallways to reflect the research projects assigned to each grade level, genuinely making the book come alive for students. They participated in a contest for recall and comprehension, created graphic novels and comic strips relating to the story, and compared and contrasted the book with the movie.
Students also participated in many STEM activities such as experimenting with coconuts and making rafts out of different types of materials. They ended the project with a family night full of activities enticing multiple senses and learning styles. Students made a jellyfish craft, created erupting volcanoes and ate food, seaweed, representing and from the ocean. Students were also able to visit the Book Fair to encourage a love of reading.
Turnout for the family night was amazing, with 130 participants and 53 students, providing an example of how learning together can be engaging and fun for all students at all levels.
