Students in the Junior Panther Academy began their Summer Learning experience by close reading A Walk in the Forest by Maria Dek. This story is the first anchor text in our “Great Outdoors” theme. Students developed their curiosity about nature while strengthening their literacy skills aligned to the New York State Next Generation ELA Anchor Standards, which are crucial for success on state assessments.
Ms. Lasky’s and Mr. Fountain’s classes went on a nature walk to observe the world around them using their eyes and ears. As they explored, students paid close attention to the sights and sounds of nature, recording their observations along the way. Students worked together to use their observations as evidence to create detailed drawings of what they had seen. This engaging activity encouraged students to look closely at the natural world while making meaningful connections to their reading.
Next week, students will read Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner as they continue exploring the natural world. We look forward to helping students discover what happens above and below the soil while building their understanding of key details, evidence, and big ideas through engaging reading and discussion activities