New England Aquarium

"Hop on, kids, we’re headed under the sea!" said in my best Ms. Frizzle voice. We hopped on the Magic School Bus and headed to the New England Aquarium in Boston, and spent the day exploring the incredible world beneath the ocean’s surface.

One of the highlights of our trip was the giant ocean tank in the center of the aquarium. As we walked up the spiral ramp, we spotted colorful fish swimming through coral reefs, saw Myrtle the Turtle gliding through the water, and even sharks swimming below us. Students eagerly pointed out animals they recognized and asked thoughtful questions about the different species and habitats. 

Another favorite part of the day was visiting the touch tank. Students had the opportunity to gently interact with tide pool animals. It was an exciting hands-on experience that helped bring our ocean learning to life! This experience was especially meaningful because it helped prepare us for our upcoming tide pooling adventure in June. Students practiced careful observation skills and learned how to respectfully interact with marine life and fragile coastal ecosystems. We are excited to continue our learning outdoors when we explore tide pools ourselves next month.

Of course, the penguins were also a big hit. We loved watching them hop across the rocks, dive into the water, and interact with one another. We also love seeing Cayenne, the seal who painted the artwork hanging in our classroom. Make sure to ask about it next time you stop in. 

Throughout the day, students learned about ocean ecosystems, animal adaptations, and the importance of protecting our oceans. We discussed how pollution affects marine life and explored ways we can all help care for our planet by reducing waste, recycling, and making environmentally friendly choices. A huge thank you to the PTO and chaperones who helped make this trip possible. 

Klipper Bowl VIII

Are you ready for some fffooooootball? 4th graders were geared up and ready to go for the seventh annual Klipper Bowl. Teams were introduced while blasting their team chosen song, then we completed warm-up stretches, huddled up for last minute strategies, and then stood for the national anthem. Next up was our coin toss for kickoff return placement. Lucky teams who guessed the coin toss correctly had a 20-yard kickoff return while others started on the 10-yard line. Using perseverance and grit, teams quickly caught up.

Teams then ran "plays" from their playbook to gain yardage on the field. "Plays" included using different forms of texts (articles, media, poems, etc.) and completing activities. Players learned about who invented football and completed a comprehension activity worth 50 yards. Teams could choose to run a play and apply all their figurative language knowledge to create football similes, metaphors, alliterations, personifications, and onomatopoeias for 30 yards.

The plays worth the most yards involved correctly placing team logos for all the Southeast region teams (yes, we have been learning all about the Southeast in Social Studies). Other plays included reading a passage about Tom Brady, learning about the history of the Super Bowl, placing fraction footballs on the correct place on the field, and reading a football poem to determine the mood and purpose all for different amounts of yards.

Once teams correctly completed a play, they brought it to Referee Klipfel for the final check and to advance on the field. After gaining enough yardage to make it down the field, teams scored a touchdown! Complete with touchdown dances! Teams then got to throw for point conversions. Team cooperation and good sportsmanship earned extra yards or kicks for points at ANY time throughout the game. "Good job", "keep working hard", and other forms of encouragement were heard around the field all day. No yellow flags needed to be thrown.

Referee Klipfel and teams had one SUPER day! Klipper Bowl VIII is complete so now onto baseball season.

Boiling River 360

Written by Guest Bloggers: Brynn and Calvin

Miss Klipfel’s class went on another unforgettable expedition, into the Peruvian Amazon! We didn’t pack our bags or hop on a plane, but once we put on our VR headsets, it felt like we were really there. Our destination was the Boiling River, also known as Shanay-Timpishka, one of the most incredible natural wonders on Earth.

One amazing fact we learned right away is that the Boiling River is naturally heated, not by volcanoes or lava, but by geothermal energy beneath the Earth’s surface. Using VR, we explored different parts of the river, including Mayantuyacu, the hottest section. The water there could cook you alive. It can be dangerous for animals and people if they aren’t careful. We also visited Salt Creek, another steamy spot where the heat rises right out of the river.

Another stop on our VR journey was the Shanay-Timpishka Ecolodge, where scientists and researchers gather to study the plants, animals, and ecosystem around the Boiling River. We learned how explorers and scientists work together to protect fragile environments like the Amazon and why conservation is so important. Check out the website Miss Klipfel made here📎 with all our activities on it. 

As part of our expedition, we also learned about the Explorers Club Flag, which has an incredible history. The flag has traveled the world on important scientific expeditions since 1944, starting with its first journey to the Alaskan coastline with Otto Geist. It has been to the top of the tallest mountains, the deepest parts of the ocean, and everywhere in between, including to the Boiling River with Miss Klipfel!

By the end of our expedition, we felt like real explorers, curious, thoughtful, and inspired by the world around us. The VR made it feel like we were standing right next to the river, surrounded by the rainforest, learning from the past while thinking about how we can protect the future.