Fifth-grade students at Grundy Avenue Elementary School recently took their computer skills to the next level with guidance from Library Media Specialist Melissa Lawler and Technology Integration Specialist Claudia Camassa during an engaging activity that coupled coding and research. 

To begin the activity, students selected a prominent figure in history which they then researched. After making their selection, students gathered books for their research, allowing them to practice notetaking and to gather facts to include in a computer presentation. Students selected notable figures such as Neil Armstrong, Simone Biles, Albert Einstein, LeBron James, Hellen Keller and Lionel Messi.  

Using the coding software Scratch, students will animate images of their prominent figures to move in ways that may correlate with their specific profession. At the conclusion of the coding process students will present their completed presentations to their class. 

Sweet smells permeated the air during a recent activity at Grundy Avenue Elementary School as fourth-grade students began to prepare the ingredients to bake a traditional fall-themed treat.

During the lesson in Dawn Chmela’s class, students reviewed a list of ingredients and measurements before they carefully combined each one into a mixing bowl. As the students worked together to get the precise measurements, Chmela reiterated the importance of teamwork to accomplish a goal. Using an electric mixer, students carefully combined the ingredients: canned pumpkin, cinnamon, eggs, flower, nutmeg, salt and vegetable oil.

As the activity concluded, students poured the mixture into individual miniature loaf trays before baking their homemade pumpkin bread.