Who says learning only takes place in the classroom? These elementary students found 4 different praying mantises on the playground during one recess! For those who didn’t know, praying mantis insects are beneficial, making excellent garden friends and keeping down bug populations naturally to help maintain a healthy ecological balance in the garden…or on the playground.
One of the highlights of the Trout in the Classroom program is dissecting trout. Last Thursday, fifth graders rolled up their sleeves and got their hands dirty while learning about the internal anatomy of a Rainbow Trout. They identified the major internal organs such as the heart, kidney, stomach, and intestines, while also getting a closer look at the gills and spherical lens that helps trout see in all directions.
4th graders enjoyed a day of reliving the past. They went to Scott’s Bluff, Chimney Rock, and Legacy of the Plains Museum. They all agreed that settlers had a rough life.
Sheridan County 4H presented an Ag Safety event at the Gordon City Auditorium on Tuesday, May 9th. The Hay Springs Kindergarten class attended the event and learned about a variety of topics including: animal safety, bike safety, ATV safety, PTO safety, and roadway safety.
On Monday, May 15th, the elementary HAL group traveled to Rapid City for the end-of-year field trip. Our first stop was Outdoor Campus where we learned about different habitats and adaptations found in the Black Hills and Badlands. Then we went fishing in the pond located at the Outdoor Campus. We caught a variety of fish and even saw a huge snapping turtle! After a quick lunch at Pizza Ranch, we tested our skills at an escape room. Although we didn’t get out in the hour time limit, we had fun!
Here is a schedule for elementary track and field day which takes place on Tuesday, May 23rd from 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM:
Yesterday, High School students worked with the Kindergarten and 1st graders on reading skills while enjoying the beautiful weather!
Elementary HAL students recently worked on making complete circuits with batteries, so they wanted to test making circuits with citrus fruit. Although everything was hooked up correctly, we just couldn’t get the bulb to light up. We learned that sometimes science doesn’t always work they way we think it will. They wrapped up the hour playing chess, checkers, and brain teasers.
Fifth graders traveled to Chadron State Park to participate in the Trout in the Classroom field trip. We first learned the basics of baiting and casting a line, and then tried out our skills. Many of the students are experienced fishers, while others were first-timers. We only caught two trout, but there’s never a bad day of fishing, right? Next, we said goodbye to our trout and released them into the pond. We then collected macro invertebrates from the pond and identified the various organisms from damselfly nymphs to snails to determine the water quality of the pond. Finally, we went on a little nature walk along the creek before having lunch and heading home.
Report incident
