Writing Prompts and Symbaloo

Symbaloo organizes websites and lets users share collections from any computer with an internet connection. Click the image above, or right here to explore a mix of upper elementary writing prompts crafted by Luke Neff and other creative souls.

Informational Writing

This quarter is all about informational writing.  We begin with how-to pieces that share a wide variety of talents.  After that, science and writer's workshop join forces as the class researches animals and plants native to Georgia (like the fall muscadine vine above).

Readwritethink.org offers free resources for young writers.  Click the image above to create your own essay map designed to organize a research project.  For an interactive outline to help you get started, click the image below.

Ben the Naturalist

This year's inaugural naturalist develops a sense of place while sharing neighborhood flora and fauna. Enjoy Ben's explorations.

Native Flora and Fauna

The class will choose native plants and animals to begin researching soon. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources' website has a comprehensive list of species. Click the image below, or right here to explore the amazing variety of flora and fauna we're so lucky to live among here in Georgia.

Dolphins, by Pierce

Dolphins

by Pierce

Here are some fun facts about behavior. Dolphins love to play games with each other. They can communicate with each other well. They communicate by squeaking, squaking, and whistling. Female dolphins have babies one at a time. The highest point where they can jump, is up to 20 ft. Dolphins can swim up to 34 mph and can also dive 1,000 ft deep. They can hold their breath for several minutes. Those are some interesting facts about dolphins.

         Where do dolphins live? They live in the Atlantic Ocean. Their young ones are raised in quiet shallow places. Half of their brain is asleep so they sleep swim, instead of laying down.That is where they live.

         What do they eat? They eat fish from the surface of the water and squid. Although they have 100 sharp teeth, they still eat their prey whole. Those are a few different things they eat.

Here are some predators of the dolphin. Humans can be a threat by destroying their habitat and spilling oil. Orcas and a few types of sharks prey upon them. Those are some predators of the dolphin.

These are some cool features about the dolphin. They can live up to 30 years and can get up to 14 ft long. Their sense of hearing and eyesight are strong, but their sense of smell is little. They’re gray and have a blowhole on their head. Bottlenose dolphins have rounded bodies and long beaks. Thier tail fins are called flukes and the fin on their back is called a dorsal fin. Those are some feature facts.

Here are some other facts. They can communicate well with each other. Bottlenose dolphins have a dark side and have the capacity  to kill a human. Female dolphins are called cows and males are called bulls.

Dolphins, by Essie

Dolphins

by Essie

        

Dolphins have interesting features. Dolphins are smaller whales and have 100 sharp teeth.Their back fins are called flukes. They are smarter than other animals. They are gray and have little pieces of hair. They have a blow hole to breath air. They have to come up to the surface to breath out of the blow hole.

        They live in many oceans. When they sleep they keep one eye open and one eye closed. They  live in the Atlantic Ocean. Dolphins live off the coast of Jekyll Island.

They behave in different ways.They hunt for food in groups. They can jump 20 feet in the air! Dolphins can communicate with other dolphins. They have a good relationship with humans. They are calm and playful. People can sometimes  see dolphins jump out of the waves. Have you seen them in the waves?

Dolphins have a weird diet. Bottlenose dolphins eat squid and fish.

They do not eat plants. Dolphins eat meat.

        Dolphins have many predators. Tiger sharks, bull sharks, and dusk sharks kill dolphins. Some people catch dolphins in their nets.

 

Catfish, by Elliott

Opossums, by Messiah

Rainbow Snakes, by Alyssa

Dolphins, by Rodney

Brown Thrashers, by Andrew

Cottonmouths, by Soren

Ethan Returns as the Classroom Naturalist

The students voted for Ethan to have another go as the Classroom Naturalist. Enjoy his springtime discoveries, and stay tuned for Carolina's next week...

Spencer the Naturalist

The latest classroom job requires a strong sense of wonder, curiosity, and respect for the natural world. Wielding an Audubon field guide, journal, pen, and camera, Spencer heads over to his grandmother's garden to explore. Enjoy!

Alligator Snapping Turtles, by Aiden

Alligator Snapping Turtles

by Aiden

 

Alligator snapping turtles have lots of features. Snapping turtles` colors  are brown  and blackish. Also, snapping turtles have a lot  of pointy teeth. Their mouths and heads are large. Alligator snapping turtles lay eight eggs. They live in freshwater.

Alligator snapping turtles have weird diets. Alligator snapping turtles eat frogs, snakes, snails, clams and worms. Also, they are one of the furious predators.

Snapping turtles have a few behaviors. They swim very fast.  Also they don’t like people picking them up. They like to be around female snapping turtles. They stick their tongues out as bait.

Snapping turtles have lots of predators. Its predators are human beings. Many snakes eat snapping turtle babies.

                              

   They have one habitat. Alligator snapping turtles live in swamps.