Saline Third-graders Showcase their Non-Fiction Learning

Going before the Saline Area Schools Board of Education, three third-grade students from Pleasant Ridge Elementary School put on a student showcase about rain gardens, pollinators and carnivorous plants.  

The presentation, before the school board on Jan. 27, gave great insight into the classroom learning the students have done recently.  Pleasant Ridge Principal Kenyatta Hughes introduced the presentation and students.

Hughes said these students were from Laura Piper’s class. She said they’ve been working on non-fiction reading units and researching topics on things they are curious about, such as plants and nature. While doing this, the students read multiple texts, learned a lot of facts and put together the end project, which was a nonfiction magazine with a visual exhibit to help them explain their topic.

Going before the school board and audience on hand, third-grader Penny Waltz introduced her topic, “For the past month I’ve been learning about pollinators and how they help the environment,” while adding, “My favorite pollinator is a butterfly.”

The first student to go before the board was Hailey Steeb, who talked about rain gardens. She said it’s designed to collect runoff water to help reduce flooding and filters water allowing roots to absorb pollutants, which is helping to keep rivers and lakes cleaner while also creating habitats for pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Penny was after her and in talking about pollinators; she said they include bees, butterflies, bats, hummingbirds and beetles. She described how pollinators visit a flower to get nectar which adheres to their body, and then they travel to another flower where the pollen contacts the sticky stigma, then fertilization occurs.

Up last was Ben Sackreiter and his topic, carnivorous plants. In describing them, he said they are plants that capture and digest insects to obtain nutrients, especially nitrogen and include plants such as the Venus flytrap, butterwort, and sundew.

When introducing the student showcase, Hughes said that she and Mrs. Piper, who was also in the audience that evening, “We’re so very proud of our presenters this evening, as this is no small feat for third graders. Today they’re doing something pretty brave in my opinion while sharing their thinking and learning about topics that they truly care about.”

Photo 1: Saline third-grader Hailey Steeb talking to the school board on Jan. 27. Photo screenshot from Saline Video YouTube Channel

Photo 2: Pleasant Ridge Principal Kenyatta Hughes introduced the students. Photo screenshot from Saline Video YouTube Channel

Photo 3: Penny Waltz talks about pollinators. Photo screenshot from Saline Video YouTube Channel

Photo 4: Ben Sackreiter said his topic was carnivorous plants. Photo screenshot from Saline Video YouTube Channel