3-5 GET UP and GET OUT(griffith park, science center and more)

Every 3rd through 5th grade student found themselves investigating the world and weighing different perspectives this past Friday!  The theme was water and the experience was magical!

3rd grade
Communicate Ideas:  3rd graders headed to Santa Monica's Broad Stage to experience Paul Nicklen’s Polar Obsession: Photography from the Ends of the Earth. "It just takes one image to get someone’s attention," Nicklen has said about his photography, which he uses to reveal the nature of changing polar regions due to the effects of a warming planet. Students were unfortunately victims of the freeway system and missed a portion of the performance, but were able to participate in a Q&A session with Nicklen following the performance. Afterward, students enjoyed some playtime and lunch together in a nearby park, during which they discussed the whole experience. Projects teachers intend to extend this experience by exploring the power of visual communication in enacting global change.* http://thebroadstage.com/images/PolarObsession.pdf

4th grade

Investigate the World:  4th graders met at Memorial Park Station and boarded the Gold Line Train bound for Exposition Park. Gold Line to Red Line to Expo Line in a snap!  Thank you to our partners at METRO for providing us with FREE DAY PASSES, and our numerous parent chaperones.  Students spent time at the Science Center "Ecosystems" exhibit and marveled at the Endeavor Space Shuttle.  They also spent time at the Natural History Museum's "Just Add Water" exhibit, learning about the L.A. Aqueduct on its 100 year anniversary, and beginning an investigation into how Angelenos collect and use water.

5th grade
Recognize Perspectives:  5th graders made their way to Los Angeles and the Griffith Park Observatory to experience the “Water is Life” show! After completing a scavenger hunt investigating every aspect of the park, they were admitted to the Observatory's grand planetarium theater, where they were guided through Earth's watery environments, our water cycle, and water’s fundamental importance to life on Earth. Then, they went on a journey through the solar system in search of water - if there is liquid water elsewhere in the Solar System, might there be life beyond Earth? That is certainly a different perspective to look at!