PTO SPONSORED BUG HUNT PROJECT

The PTO sponsored a Bug Hunt Project for 3rd-5th graders at Fox Hollow. We donated four (4) Bug Hunt Boxes to FHE STEM Lab. The Bug Hunt Project asks 3rd through 5th graders to explore in the PTO Community Garden and discover what may be living among the plants.

We've teamed up with Fox Hollow's STEM teacher, Mrs. Sevy. Students can check out Bug Hunt boxes and iPad and use for observation in the garden (iPads have a bug identifier app, and links to the PTO's Bug website). Students will choose to present their findings through STEM lab options like a Podcast, Green Screen, WeVideo, Infographic, and more. The project enables teachers to meet different learning standard requirements while students are enjoying a fun, hands-on learning experience. You can find some of their results below.

If you would like to find out more hands-on-learning offered at Fox Hollow; check out our Community Garden page.

Mrs. Dillon's 5th grade class chose to show their results by creating informational posters.

"I loved that we got to look at bugs and choose the bug we wanted to know more about." Said one of Mrs. Dillon's students. Another student said, "I liked learning about beneficial bugs. It was fun to learn new and interesting facts about bugs. It was nice to see what plants and bugs live in the garden."

Students weren't only having fun exploring outside, they were also fulfilling learning standards. Mrs.

Dillon's class worked in small groups, used artistic skills, and STEM (technology: insect app and bug web page) on this project. They also met Reading, Writing, and Communication - Standard 4 -Research Inquiry and Design, (Students can conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic) and Reading, Writing, and Communication - Standard 3 - Writing and Composition, (Students can develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, or other information and examples related to the topic).

Mr. Green's 4th grade class used the Bug Hunt Boxes and the Bug Identifier app on the STEM iPads to research their findings.

"This was a wonderful event for the students! We were able to take our learning outside in a way that was engaging and full of discovery." said Mr. Green. "The class loved digging through the dirt and vegetation to find bugs in the garden. The technology connection allowed the students to take pictures of the bugs they found and find out if they were beneficial. We finished our project by creating videos to share our discoveries. The Fox Hollow Community Garden created a great memory for our class!"

The class chose to use Flip videos to record their discoveries. You can see some of these videos here:
Alyssa - https://flip.com/s/vjwuNJCfovpa
Dirks - https://flip.com/s/i1dtEJSZ_5vR
Mason - https://flip.com/s/5hDyifKsM_W_

Mrs. Dreiling 3rd grade class shared their finding from the PTO Sponsored Bug Project, the class chose to use Google presentation. Some examples shared:
Aiden Flynn- "I was excited because I was able to learn about new bugs. I also thought it was fascinating to catch the bugs in the garden.
Aiden's google presentation- https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/16Bbjl2gQkfwjY5FKM4Lm7tu-ekv2XkStoWMzauLDV5U/edit?usp=sharing

Mackenzie Sprague- "I liked to see all of the different bugs. My favorite part was when I caught a ladybug!"
Mackenzie's presentation- https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1dvODamqd6GsOCWMfcV5mVy_1Xek7Stm-mWXavWdn-B4/edit?usp=sharing

Maksim Tkachenko- "I liked catching all kinds of bugs, because I like bugs.
Maksim's presentation-https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Al7STHdLBlhwN9KC5HbT1KB_uVkOh9GKmz3PBd8NtGg/edit?usp=sharing

Ms. Ryan's 5th grade class had a fantastic time searching and discovering all the various types of bugs that call the Fox Hollow garden home.

They first teamed up with Mrs. Dillon's class to just explore with the iPads and the amazing bug app. They could take a picture of any bug, and all the info would pop up. The following week, Ms. Ryan's 5th graders took out their science notebooks and iPad again to do some documenting. Once they found the bug they wanted to research more, the fun started. The kids researched, took notes, and decided how they wanted to present their project. Some made posters and some made books while others chose to write a paragraph or an outline describing their bug. Lots of learning was happening!

Mrs. Gladu's 4th grade class worked in groups for the Bug Hunt project. They created colorful information sheets and shared their thoughts on the project.

"The bug project was fun. And it helped us to be a team. I liked going to the garden!"

"I like that we got to do something fun in a group. It was a really interesting topic."

"I liked that we got to experience more with wildlife; it just felt nice to be out in the garden and observing animals. I like being with nature."

"It was fun to see that there really are animals in the garden!"