Quadblogging Animal Adaptations Writing Project

Students in Mrs. DiBattista's class are being faced with a challenge.  They need to design an original animal that could survive in a chosen environment.  The animal needs to have special features called adaptations that will help it hunt, protect itself and flourish in the environment. 

Once students have drawn a picture of their animal, they need to write a descriptive essay.  Here is where the fun begins.  Students exchange their essays by posting to their blogs (individual student blog link to the right of home page) the task then becomes for other students to draw the described animal to match the author's drawing.

 If the student is successful in completing a drawing, the writer gets points for their essay.  When a student is unable to draw the animal, they offer feedback to the writer about what needs to be improved in the essay and the author edits the essay and tries with a new partner.

If you are interested in participating in our project, check back later this week! Students are currently in the planning stages of the project. 

French Creek School Closed for Hurricane

What is going on at your house during Hurricane Sandy?

 Our trees are whipping and its been raining since yesterday.  Some of the local creeks are starting to flood and the brunt of the storm isn't even here yet! 

here is a video of 2 hours later... winds are really whipping and trees are bending (hopefully not breaking)

Winds and rain are supposed to pick up later today.  Here is a picture of our biggest trees outside the house, I hope they are still intact tomorrow! Let me know how you are making out at your house.  Mrs. D

4th grade hits the Smoke House!

Today, the local firemen came to French Creek Elementary School to kick off the Fire Prevention activities for the week. Kids from Mrs. DiBattista's class got to learn how to escape from a burning house through the simulated "smoke house". Students tried on the firemen's outfits and received activity books to help practice in case of a real fire.

QuadBloggers... Please check out students' Batty Facts stories

Hello! Individual Student Blogs can now be found in the side bar titled "Sassy Student Blogs". The kids are in the process of uploading their first written story titled Batty Facts. Please choose a few to read and leave constructive writing comments on for them, thanks! Mrs. DiBattista's Class

Lizzie from London

This picture is me after I did a very cool spy hunt in the rain around the parks and Buckingham Palace. It rains a lot in London.

Hi it's Lizzie and I am having a great time in London. We have walked all over the city and have seen the Queen's house and we went into the Tower of London and saw the Crown Jewels and maybe even a ghost named Sir Walter Raleigh just like Mrs. Minter's class said. It was behind my mom on the video camera!!! We also went on a big ferris wheel called the London Eye and it was so much fun. We also saw Big Ben, a giant clock, and we went to the theatre and saw the Lion King. We also went on the tube (the subway) and the lift (the elevator). I saw a bunch more things but I'll tell you about them when I get back. Bye from London!!! P.S. Hannah says hi!!

French Creek celebrated Grandfriends/Grandparents' Day today

Grandparents' Day is one of my favorite days of the year. The kids are so excited to have their grandparents/grandfriends in to their classrooms. One of our grandparents (Jack's Gram) was actually Analisa's mother's teacher, so they had a reunion across generations today! We played math games and had a grand time with our storytelling game. Kids asked grandparents questions like, "What was the worst thing my mom did when she was young?" or "How did you and Grandpa meet?" and the grandparents got to ask the kids questions like, "What exactly is an app?" or "How do you play that video game?". Today was a happy day for all, thanks for coming! We hope you enjoy our video- come again! Mrs. DiBattista's class

Student Blogs have landed!

Mrs. DiBattista's class is happy to announce that we are ready to start up individual student blogs. Look for them on the side bar titled "Sassy Student Blogs". The blogs are a work in progress, so check back often. The students are just learning how to change their avatar, background theme and create their first post! They are very excited! Hope to see you blogging this weekend. Mrs. DiBattista