Summer SAVY Session 2, Day 5 – Ecological Expedition
Day 5: What an Ecological Expedition this week at SAVY has been! From books to paintings to ecosystem simulations to invasive species to zoos and amazing guest speakers, students have learned SO MUCH about ecosystems and their interactions! Here are some (not all) of the items you will find in your child’s backpack today!
- Journal with notes, reflections, drawings, and paragraphs
- Folder with analysis circles, articles, and some “Top Secret” information
- Projects such as pointillism art, park proposal, and a brochure
- Zoo enclosure
We ended our journey by finishing some of our projects from the week. Students worked in groups to complete their invasive species brochures. Each brochure includes information about the species, the problems they cause, and possible solutions. Many students included other optional elements such as maps, graphs, and diagrams! Students were able to present them virtually to our “representative” from the United States Wildlife Department. They were so excited to be able to be a part of a national mission!
The “Zoo of the Future” prototype is now complete! I was amazed at the different enrichments the students added to their enclosures to give their animals a real-life experience at the zoo. Students added four different types of enrichments: food, physical, sensory, and cognitive. I loved how they brought their animals for their enrichment. It made it feel like an actual zoo!
Students are bringing home a portfolio of their work from the week. Below are questions you can ask your child to learn more about our time together!
- Monday-Interactions in books (How do the interactions of different textual elements help readers understand the purpose of the text?)
- Tuesday-Interactions in art/Interactions in our ecosystem (How do different elements in a painting interact to create meaning? How do interactions between living and non-living things affect the environment?)
- Wednesday-Invasive species (How do interactions among living things help support balance in ecosystems? What impact does an imbalance or an over/underpopulation of one species have on an ecosystem?)
- Thursday-Interactions with animals (Should humans take animals out of their natural habitats? What are the pros and cons of zoos?)
- Friday-Interactions in teamwork (How do animals work in groups and are these interactions positive, negative, or mutually beneficial? How do humans work with one another effectively?)
A big shout out to all the parents who made a variety of sacrifices so your child could be at SAVY this week. It is because of you that these students have a love of learning and are passionate about what’s going on in our world.! Looking forward to seeing everyone in the near future at SAVY! Have a great rest of the summer!