BENTLEY'S BUZZ

As a follow-up to our enrichment embryology unit, on Tuesday, May 8th, our class went to The Learning Farm In Prairie Crossing where they got to see and learn about live egg-laying chickens.  After picking dandelions to feed the chickens, they then got to collect eggs from their nests.  This was a fascinating experience.  Then on Thursday, May 10th, our class returned to The Grove in Glenview where the children went back to the year 1850 and learned about the Kennicott family that settled in this part of Illinois.  They listened to stories about the Kennicott children as they viewed vintage clothing and tools that were used at this time.  In the Kennicott house they visited bedrooms, a study, and the home-school room.  In the Kennicott Museum they viewed documents and specimens collected by Robert, one of the Kennicott boys, who was a well-known naturalist at this time and many of whose collections are on display at the Smithsonian.  After lunch the children visited the Old School House for an afternoon of lessons and recess, just like the children during this period experienced.  What a wonderful way to end our line-up of enriching field trips!

After twenty-two days of anticipation, caring, and observation, on Thursday, May 3rd, the third graders finally got to meet Bannockburn School’s first clutch of newly-hatched chicks.  As part of our first embryology unit, Mrs. Hughes set up an incubator, complete with twenty-one eggs, and taught our class all about incubating, hatching and chicks.  As you can see from the photos, this was a most exciting arrival!

On Friday afternoon, April 27th, the third graders joined the second and fourth graders to perform and observe Arbor Day.  Under the direction of Mrs. Liz Ciko, the children sang a couple of songs and enjoyed a fourth grade poem.  Following their performances, State Representative Karen May and Bannockburn Police Commissioner Jim Boyle dedicated the planting of a new oak in the Bannockburn Park District park.

On Tuesday, April 24th, the third graders joined the fourth graders to plant seeds in their shared courtyard flower bed.  Their plantings included beets, radishes, broccoli, and lettuce.  Hopefully we will have enough ingredients to prepare a delicious salad that we can enjoy before the end of the school year.

Thursday, April 18th, marked the beginning of third grade’s class meetings.  Each week Mrs. Embry will visit our class to discuss social skills and problem solving strategies.  Our first lesson focused on listening skills.  After a brief lesson and whole group discussion, the  children then practiced their newly acquired skills on each other.  As is evident in photos taken at the time, the children took their first lesson to heart and enjoyed practicing their skills.

On Monday, April 9th, Ms. Tierno hosted a library visit from well-known Chicago illustrator Michael Hays.  Throughout several sessions Mr. Hays awed, entertained, and educated our K-8th graders with drawings of people and places he has selected for his pictures found in a new version of Stone Soup, W Is For Windy City, and Abiyoyo.

Mr. Hays began his career drawing for Pete Seeger’s story song, Abiyoyo.  Next he found himself riding the Chicago El and the Metra trains for ideas in his illustrations on W Is For Windy City.  Currently he teaches Illustration at Columbia College in downtown Chicago, continues to illustrate, and presents at area elementary schools.

Thank you, Ms. Tierno, for continuing to bring literature to life!

On Wednesday, April 4th, our third graders mentored Mrs. Kramer’s second grade class when they taught them how to do math exemplars.  Throughout the year our class has worked on learning this math process.  Having mastered it, they were ready to share their knowledge with other students.  Partnering one-on-one, each walked another student through the math solution and written explanation of answering a word problem.  As you can see from the photos, all the second and third graders were thoroughly and delightfully engaged in this cross-grade activity.  

On Wednesday, March 21st, Officer Bob from the Bannockburn Police Department visited our school to present an assembly on “Stranger Danger.”  While meeting with the K-5th graders, he encouraged them to brainstorm dangerous situations involving strangers, recognizing them and and learning how to avoid and handle them.  The children were very interested in what he had to say to them and generated some excellent questions.  With warm weather and lighter nights having arrived, young children will be spending more and more time outdoors.  It is necessary that they be aware of the possibility of harmful strangers who might be lurking about.  Please take some time to further discuss this important topic with your children.

In between ISATs this week one of the lessons our class worked on was expository writing in the form of research projects.  This session’s science unit is The Life Cycle of Plants.  Because it is crucial to the life of plants, we have started this unit with the bee.  The children generated individual questions they had about this valuable species and then began their Internet research of their questions.

As you can see from the photos of one of their rehearsals, Mrs. Ciko and the third graders have been working hard in preparation for their upcoming spring music performance this Thursday, March 8th.  The theme of their show centers around the upbeat rock and roll music of the past fifty years.  This promises to be a most entertaining show…hope you can join us!