What’s Right With Our Schools: CCS Tree Day
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – “Today is our tree day. And tree day is an interactive day of learning where we do cross-curricular instruction across lots of different subjects; where the students get to have Hands-On learning experiences learning about trees,” said Kara Kruchinski, a 5th grade teacher at CCS.
One child added, “I think it’s is like a Maple. Maple.”
Krunchinski adds, “We learn about leaf identification. And I teach them what simple and compound leaves are. We look at the margins and we try to find whether they’re smooth, wavy or saw tooth. And then we also look at whether they have lobes or no lobes. And then we go outside and find that information on the actual trees. And then they try to guess the name of the tree based on the leaf that they find. We get to explore foods and apple butter, and exotic fruits; from plants in our food station.”
“Okay y’all ready for this? This is my favorite one. Hold on I’m going to cut this open even more. Because I think it looks like an alien.”
Krunchinski adds,“The kids learn how to orienteer with a compass, and 150 from North was like that way. In our history station, because we’re also learning about the Underground Railroad and how to navigate. Um to go north and we also learn how to write poetry in our language art station.”
Fifth grader teacher Sarah Davick chips in,“ Well, they’re getting to use analytical skills a little bit. They’re understanding sort of like the way our world works, and getting to use some tools that they don’t get to use very often,” said Sarah Davick, another 5th grade teacher at CCS.”
Krunchinski adds, “Learning a compass would be important for kids especially around our area in Chattanooga. If they’re out hiking and our all of our phones don’t work all the time. So that would give them an opportunity to learn how to understand direction and how to find their way if they, if they actually had a handheld compass.”
Josiah Whartin is a 5th grade student at CCS.
He says, “I now know how to use a compass, and knowing which way to go would be pretty easy for me, cuz I know how to use a compass.”
Fifth grader Jamison Williams says, “Like if you’re usually trying to find your way, or like well I guess like when you’re hiking, you could use it to like make like a little book thing or use it to scrapbook or something like that.”
Ms. Krunchinski says, “The kids love the day just because it’s different. And they get to spend time with their friends. And interacting their favorite is always the food station Miss Rachel. They appreciate that our partners with SAGE are program helps us put that station together.”
Rachel Perry with Sage Dining Service says, “So they have been learning about um trees. And I wanted to come today to share all things that grow in trees both local and from far away. And we’ve made apple butter today, and tasted new things.”
Ms. Krunchinski, “I think it’s just important that they’re exploring in so many different ways. They’re outside and really engaged in what a tree is we can look at a tree in a textbook all day long. But if we don’t bring that to them and make it real to them, um they’re just not going to retain the information as well. So, we like to make it real world that they’re out there exploring and discovering because that’s how students learn best anyways.”
