THE EVENT
Classes: Fifth-graders of Verlene Maples
Number of students: 10
Subject: Learning about Africa
THE SCHOOL
Location: 6996 S. 300 East
Students: 650 students, kindergarten through sixth grade
Number of teachers and staff: 67
Principal: David Wilson
School district: Jordan
THE LESSON
The teacher's objective: To help her students retain the information they've acquired throughout the year on Africa. After studying Africa and the different regions, the students re-created the savanna, rain forests and the animals that live in both.
Re-creating the continent helps students remember what they've learned, Maples said. The students also held a "journey through Africa" and invited the entire school and their parents to tour their re-creation.
Maples said the hands-on experience helped create self-esteem. The children say:
"My favorite part was making the animals," said Shane Timothy.
"It was fun making it," said Kasey Keenan, 11. "We learned insects are ecologically important because they maintain rain forests."
"I just liked doing the artwork," said Peter Hutch, 12. "You get to have the experience of what they do each day."