Grade 1 students recently welcomed their families to a special visit to the zoo, right here at school! This event was the culmination of a cross-disciplinary journey that began in their homerooms and expanded into Art and Digital Literacy, deepening students’ understanding of their classroom learning.
The project began with students exploring a science unit focused on animals from the forest, rainforest, desert, arctic, ocean, and savannah. Using library books and their iPads, students researched animals and learned how different these habitats support their needs. This research included informational writing, in which students organized facts and wrote about how animals survive and thrive in these environments. Students also created zoo maps and informational brochures highlighting the animals, allowing them to share their knowledge with visitors
In Digital Literacy, students transformed their research into visual designs using Keynote, creating digital representations. In Art, students collaborated in groups to construct large-scale habitat backgrounds using paint, paper, and mixed media, reinforcing their understanding of each environment through hands-on creation. With the help of the Design teachers, students drew animals that were laser cut into wood and later watercolor-painted in Art, blending design thinking with artistic expression.
As families traveled from habitat to habitat, they learned fascinating facts from their young guides. The pride, excitement, and thoughtful explanations from the students, along with the enthusiastic responses from their visitors, made this a memorable learning event.