March, 2012 - PSD - Poudre School District

Page 2 Riffenburgh Elementary School Newsletter March, 2012
From the Principal (continued)
APRIL 16 COLLABORATION DAY Poudre School District’s 4 th Quarter Collaboration
Day takes place on Monday, April 16. Riffenburgh staff members
will be working on the next steps of implementing our International Baccalaureate
initiative throughout this non-attendance day for students.
First Graders Become Botonists
Important Dates
Continued
May 21 – PTO Meeting,
6:30 in the Media Center
May 24 – Field Day Rain
Date
May 25 – Citizenship Assembly,
10:35 in the cafeteria
May 28 – NO SCHOOL-
Memorial Day
June 1 – 5 th grade graduation
9:30 in the gym
June 1 – LAST DAY OF
SCHOOL, 11:30 release-
NO LUNCH
The first graders are welcoming spring by learning about plants.
This IB inquiry will investigate several questions.
How do plants grow and change
How can we care for plants
What is the importance of plants in our lives
Over the next few weeks, the first grade classrooms will be full of new plants. We
are looking forward to taking a plant observation walk to Edora Park to compare and
contrast different types of plants. This week, the first grade botonists have had an
opportunity to compare and plant seeds. It was fun to try and identify mystery
seeds. As we started this inquiry, students generated interesting inquiry questions.
For example,
How much water does a cactus need to survive
Which flowers can you eat
Can you tell what the plant will be from its seed
Does a plant always grow from a seed
Do plants breathe
Do all plants need sun to survive
First graders will enjoy two educational field trips. One will be to Bath Nursery
where we will learn about plants in our area. A second field trip will investigate
how seeds travel and what plants grow in Fort Collins. We are all looking forward to
these learning field trips. First graders love plants!