Sandy Creek Nature Center, 2012

Jack mentions that the best seat on the bus is in the back because "that's where you really feel the bumps."  It looks like Jaden agrees.

Like Lena, Cherokee covers her face...

Once split into three groups, folks rotate through a microhabitat exploration, a lesson on Georgia habitats, and a trail hike.

Classes preview measurement, area, and perimeter.

Each group determines area, perimeter, and soil temperature, while listing living and nonliving things within a defined space.

Hiking is the highlight.

Two UGA students lead the group, and the one in the back spends his time staring at his phone, whispering answers to questions from the lead guide, and bragging about a "23 point buck" his buddy killed last weekend.

Resident banana spiders frighten some, and attract others.

Sasha explores turkey tail fungi.

Inside, the class previews Georgia habitats.

Mack's distraught, and Briana's suspicious.  Is Cherokee dancing?

Lena's Work Shared With the World!

Two of Lena's narratives have been published on the KidsBookyBubbles blog.  Click the image above, or right here to experience her creative adventures.

Week 10 Wrap-Up

Michael sports shades that make 3D insects pop off the page.  With one quarter of the school year behind us, we shift into geometry, social studies, context clues, and informational writing.

Fall Narrative Gallery

Math, Week 11

Geometry offers visual learners a break from multiplication as we explore shapes and angles.  AAA Math has a variety of online practice activities.  Click the image above for a timed triangle identification game that's a big hit in the classroom.

A World Where Sharks Swim in the Forest and Somehow you Find Yourself Lost in the Woods, by Lena

      

     Imagine. Just imagine a world where sharks roam in the forest, and somehow you find yourself lost in the woods. Well, that’s my home. I’m forbidden to go outside, ecpecially not in the woods. I’m Maxamillian, and this is my tale.

     Well, one day, I decided I’d go to the woods. My mother didn’t let me, but I didn’t know what the big deal was, so I went.

     The moment I stepped into the tightly woven trees, I forgot everything. My mom, where my house was, everything. All I could do was gape. All around me, the trees wove together so no escape was possible. Ahead of me, three flesh hungry, floating sharks were staring straight at me. The first one lunged.He just barely missed me. I was trapped in a place where time was warped, I had no idea what to do and at the very least I had a polymorphing  idea of what to do, and three blood thirsty sharks were right in front of me.

    Meanwhile, at home, a week had passed. My mom had called the hospital and an ambulance had arrived. “My baby has gone into the woods!” my mom screamed. “We will go after him ma’am.”replied the ambulance driver. Which they did. They sent the bravest, toughest army soldiers into the woods.

    When they entered, they too lost all sense of direction. But they still remembered their mission. To save me.

    After a bit of searching, they found me. I was locked in a fight with the meanest shark of the group. Since he was distracted, they finished him off quickly. The other two sharks were pretty easy to handle too. “Are you okay?” asked the army soldier. I was scraped up and bleeding. “Yeah,  I’m fine.” I said.

     Since we had killed the sharks, the trees unwound and we went home. After that, I never went into the woods again.

     So that’sthe story of the scariest moment of my childhood. I don’t really have much else to tell, so good-bye, and don’t let the sharks get you!

The End!

Cherokee's Name

My full name is Cherokee De’aisa Goodrum .  I like my nick name because I like how it’s spelled.   They named me after my cousin name.  My mom named me that because she like how it’s spelled to.  I have other nick names Cherry and they name me that because my mom name is Carry so I like it.  Mason that’s my dads name.  They  just call me that because Mason is my daddy.  Everybody says I look like him.

The Room Messer Upper, by Lena

The Room Messer Upper

One day, Joe was going to work. It was a usual day, first get up at three a.m., then eat breakfast, and get in the car and go to work.

          When Joe got there, he was late as usual. The usual yelling from his boss, “What made you late?” etc., the usual excuses to stay out of trouble, and the usual everything.

When he got to his room, he cleaned it and organized it because it was inspection day.

After that, he hopped in the car and drove home. 

Meanwhile, at the office, something was going on. The Room Messer Upper [a legendary monster known only in fairy tales] arrived at the office. He disabled the security cameras and alarms, and snuck into the office. He undid all the hard work Joe had done that afternoon. [and very possibly made it even worse]

The next morning, Joe drove to work and saw that his room was atrocious.”What happened?!?!”he exclaimed.”Well, might as well clean up.” he said. So, he cleaned it up and put it into neat stacks again.”If this happens again, I’ll contact the authorities!”he said.

That night,  the Room Messer Upper came back. But this time, somebody was waiting for him.It was the Vacuum Cleaner! The Room Messer Upper’s official arch- enemy!

The fight had begun! The Vacuum Cleaner slashed and hit, the Room Messer Upper dodged and avoided. This went on for a while, until the Vacuum Cleaner played his ace. He sucked up every last bit of the Room  Messer Upper. That fight was recorded in books and talked about worldwide!It was recorded by the not-so-disabled security cameras.

Everybody in town watched the tremendous fight on a movie theater-sized screen. And to make a long story short, nobody ever had problems from the Room Messer Upper again. 

The End!

Ms. Dean's Art Blog!

Visit the new CSE Art blog to enjoy amazing works by Chase Street students.  Click the image above , or right here to get inspired.

Born Baby Brother

When my  baby brother is born my sister and I wll get to see him first.  We will be in the hallway waiting for him to come out of the room. Then they will clean the blood off of him, and they will come home on Wedensday or Thursday.  When he comes home we will play together,and stay together if he’s  hungry.  I will feed him when he’s done I will burp him.  Then I will rock him to sleep, then the day will start all over. I will give him whatever he wants.  This is to my new baby brother Payton, from your lovely sister Briana. 

Andreas' Spooky Settings

Photographer Andreas S. lives in Norway, and travels around Europe taking photographs of derelict places where people once lived and worked.  Setting is so important in narratives, so this week's morning messages feature images of places begging for stories to be told.  Click the photo above, or here for more haunting photos.