“How many of you like water?” Mrs. Julie Yoder asked the group of kindergartners and other visitors outside her classroom. “We’re going into the ocean.”
For two days, Yoder’s classroom at The King’s Academy in Mohrsville was transformed into a huge coral reef with all sorts of ocean creatures. This is the second year that her classroom has had a brief change as last year it was a rain forest for a moment.
The students, who for the two days were marine biologists and zoologists, spent the past three weeks researching a specific ocean animal and a specific type of coral. They became experts on these two items and then had the chance to educate the classroom visitors. Each little scientist helped to decorate the classroom which was completely transformed into a dryer version of the ocean. The coral all had information cards posted right by it and the actual-size created animals were behind or next to each student.
Dressed for the part with goggles, flippers and other items that marine biologists and zoologist use, the students waited for each visitor to follow the circle to hear their presentation. Using tablets, the scientists had a brief powerpoint that had pictures of their ocean creature accompanied by information such as their size (often compared to that of a kindergartner), what they eat, colors and interesting facts.
Yoder explained that the project incorporated skills in all sorts of areas including reading, writing, spelling, math, science, research and more.
“It’s so exciting as a teacher seeing students teaching others,” she said.
Not only were the students teaching others, but they were excited to do so. From the very start, the students were eager to share their presentation and show others what they had learned. They all showed how well they knew the information and had little to no problem passing that information along.
Following the powerpoint the scientists were able to point out, or in some cases ask the visitors to find, their animal that they created along with the coral. All of the animals were made to actual-size including the whale that took up one wall of the classroom, a manta ray hanging from the ceiling and a giant clam that was made in a way that it could be looked inside of. A ship wreck was even included among the classroom-size coral reef.
Along with the excitement in the room from the fourth grade students, was the excitement of students from other grades and of the parents, grandparents and other visitors to the classroom during the tours. It really was as if they were walking into the ocean and seeing a coral reef and all that it has to offer up close.
Tours were held on Friday, Dec. 5 and Monday, Dec. 8. It was then time for all of the decorations to come down and students to return to their normal classroom. The coral reef will certainly not be erased from the minds of the students or the visitors. One can only guess what Mrs. Yoder’s classroom will be transformed into next year.
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