We educators are always seeking to engage our students in hands-on learning, because we know how motivating and effective such learning is. Hands-on learning is defined as "learning that is gained by actually doing something rather than learning about it from books,...

A peek into our week:

It is sometimes a little scary to consider the fact that we are all very much at the mercy of “Mother Nature.” Our earth is shaped each day and over time by various natural processes and events, and those changes affect us - sometimes drastically. Fourth graders have...

Last week our daily Morning Message asked students to grab a sticky note with a classmate’s name on it and write a compliment on it. At the end of the day, the sticky notes were passed out, so each student received an anonymous compliment. Many of those notes have...

​While there’s always excitement when beginning a project or task, there’s great satisfaction in finishing things. Bringing a large project to completion is an important thing for young learners to experience.  The sense of accomplishment and efficacy that comes from...

Project-based learning,  (PBL) a learning method that we strive for at PNA, is a way of thinking about school that moves us beyond traditional schooling routines and structures. One key aspect of PBL is the goal of “authenticity.” Working to make learning relevant and...

Although school schedules and structures often require us to divide our learning activities into specific subjects, in reality those divisions are less clear cut and rigid. Even in the world of careers, a scientist must consider the connections and impact of geography...

Humans are scientists. We seek to explore, question, and understand the world around us. We see situations or problems, hypothesize about why things occur or how problems can be solved, test out our ideas, refine our thinking, and continue the cycle of inquiry. Young...

Finishing our 19-20 school year via distance learning was not what any of us expected or wanted for our final trimester in fourth grade. It has definitely been a challenge for all of us involved.  However I believe the students have risen to the challenge and have...

Technology is an amazing thing (when it works). I have previously written about the importance of technology and computers in the classroom. Using them to teach our students 21st century skills and to prepare for success them with life skills. Who could have predicted...