What's Happening at School?

The S.M.A.R.T. rooms at GT and RA focus on maturing the learning readiness of a child's neurological and physical readiness through a series of fun and age-appropriate activities designed to recreate normal movements that may have been missed during a child's toddler years. These activities provide the necessary neurological stimulation to achieve learning readiness. Students who have not fully developed learning readiness often struggle with academics or behavior.

Ms. Williams provides opportunities for her students to learn through play. Students practice fine motor skills, learn about shapes, feel and understand texture, and can role play careers.

Students in Mrs. Griffith's 8th grade math class share their thinking when solving a math problem. The teacher provides a variety of opportunities where students can analyze and solve problems from multiple perspectives which generates a variety of ideas and alternatives to solving problems.

Mr. Quinn's Fine Arts 1 Class learns about Post-Impressionism. A French art movement that developed roughly between 1886 and 1905. Students noticed the creativity of artists such as Paul Cézanne, Georges Seurat, Paul Gauguin, and Vincent van Gogh.

Mrs. Schnell works with her students on the writing standard of : Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. Students learned to introduce the topic they are writing about, state an opinion, create a paragraph that lists reasons, and provide a concluding statement. The students answered these questions: Why is Iowa the best place to live? and What do you consider to be the best pet?

Mrs. Bauermeister had her 3rd grade students answer the question "What are you thankful for?" The students used linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect their opinions and reasons.

Mrs. Myers is currently teaching the 6th grade students at GT and RA about child development. The class period begins with students listening to a children's book. The students write a summary about the book and discuss talking points about the book. The students are working on a timeline of a child's developmental stages. Students are learning about the physical, intellectual and social/emotional development of children.

Scientist Karima is making competent cell cultures to receive DNA that has been constructed containing a genetic switch.

The Ruthven -Ayrshire second grade students in Mrs. Peton's classroom are learning about dividing words into syllables by looking at the vowels in words. They determine if the vowel sounds are long or short and if the syllable is open or closed.

Mrs. Hunefeld shares a video on digital footprints with her class. A digital footprint is a trail of data that is created while using the internet. She shared the importance of being careful and safe as they communicate with others and visit sites by being good digital citizens.

GT Juniors are learning about the American Revolution. Students are given the opportunity to learn through various grouping. Individuals take notes and reflect on the learning. Pairs turn and talk about the quote by Thomas Hobbes, "Life would be brutish, nasty, and short." The whole group then discussed the quote which means life can terrible be under certain conditions.