Nature Scopes Binocular Program
The fifth-grade classes at Ledgemont and Burton elementary schools have been taking part in the Nature Scope binocular program presented by the Geauga Park District. In the fall, students received an introduction to binoculars covering the “ins and outs” of using and caring for the binoculars.
In January, students had the opportunity to rotate through three separate astronomy stations by naturalists and park district volunteers. Topics of the stations included: sun and stars, moon and planets, and everyone’s favorite constellations and deep space objects. They learned that magnitude, or brightness of a star, is measured by size, temperature and distance.
Students got to utilize their binoculars throughout the interactive sessions. They also got to gaze above at the constellations as they sat in the new high-tech planetarium.
Students will conclude the program with field study at Rookery Park in May. The fifth-grade class thanks all the naturalists and the wonderful volunteers who have helped make this program a success.
Ledgemont Students Explore Cultures
Sixth-grade students in Mr. Germovsek’s class at Ledgemont Elementary School recently completed a unit on regions of the world where they explored culture and discussed how it can help define a region. Part of culture is the food one eats. Students were asked to find out what their ethnic background is and share traditions and ethnic foods they enjoy in their homes. Students were asked to bring in a sample of those “ethnic foods” to share with the rest of the sixth-grade class.
Students livened their taste buds as they were able to sample food: Italian pizzelles, homemade pasta sauce and meatballs, Polish cabbage rolls, Finnish mizu bread, German chocolate cupcakes and potato salad, Slovenian sausage and French macaroons, to name a few.