exhibition guide to student work - el education

Exhibition Guide to Student Work

Exhibition Guide to Student Work Table of ContentsAtlantic Region ..............................................3

Midwest Region .............................................6

Mountain Region ..........................................11

Northeast Region ....................................... 21

NYC Outward Bound Schools ..................26

West Region ................................................ 30

To learn more about these and other examples of high-quality student work, please visit modelsofexcellence.ELeducation.org

Student Work Exhibition GuideAtlantic Region

EL Education | Student Work Exhibition Guide | See more high-quality work at modelsofexcellence.ELeducation.org 4

DAPL Divestment LettersGrade 3 | Capital City Charter School | Washingotn, D.C.

After learning about the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) during an expedition on Native Americans and natural resources students wrote letters to DC council members expressing their opinions on a resolution introduced on March 21st urging the District to stop giving money to banks that fund the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Great GeorgiansGrade 2 | Glennwood Elementary | Decatur, GA

The State of Georgia was finalizing the new Social Studies Standards for Elementary, and students were interested in which famous Georgians would continue to be studied by future second graders. Students used the writing process, critique and feedback to draft, edit, and revise persuasive essays that were then sent to the Georgia Department of Education as input into the Georgia Standards alignment project.

Seed ScentsGrade 2 | Lead Academy Public Charter School | Greenville, SC

Seed Scents is a part of the learning expedition “Pollinators! I'll Bee Back.” Throughout the expedition, students built research skills and science knowledge through a study of the secret world of plants and pollinators.


Freaky Frogs NarrativeGrade 3 | Oakhurst Elementary | Decatur, GA

Students demonstrated their expertise about bullfrogs by writing an informational narrative using an accordion graphic organizer as a framework. This writing serves as a synthesis of the research students completed and serves as a support for the scientific illustrations of the different types of frogs found in Georgia.

Water is LifeGrade 8 | The Franklin School of Innovation | Asheville, NC

Students investigated the meaning of the phrase “Water is Life” from historical, literary, and scientific perspectives. Students conducted multiple water-quality tests at sites along Hominy Creek. The lab report includes authentic research documented in the way that real scientists document their work—through figures, charts, analysis, and conclusions. The Ted Talk and Water Quality Report represent weeks of dedicated research, fieldwork, reading, writing, and revision.

Student Work Exhibition GuideMidwest Region


EcostoriesGrade 5,6 | Lake Bluff Elementary | Shorewood, WI

As a final project after a study of ecosystems, ecological relationships and narrative non-fiction texts, groups of students were asked to tell the story of an organism or ecosystem that was facing challenges.

Food For ThoughtGrade 2 | Grandview Elementary | Charleston, WV

After using a meal journal to track the foods that the 2nd grade students ate, they determined that they did not eat enough fruit and vegetables. After reading the anchor text “Sweet as Fruit” by Shir Guez, the students wrote their own riddles that described the benefits and characteristics of eating fruits. The final product also included a realistic drawing of their fruit and a recipe with their fruit as the main ingredient.

“Are We There Yet?”Grade 11, 12 | Open World Learning Community | St. Paul, MN

Students read and analyzed dystopia stories. Works included Brave New World, Animal Farm, 1984, and Harrison Bergeron. Students were given a choice of writing an article or a story. They then shifted into workshop mode and generated artwork to accompany the written pieces.


The Thirst To SurviveGrade 7 | University Prep | Detroit, MI

Students were tasked with learning more about the history of water and water crises. After field site visits, and meetings with guest speakers involved in the issue students composed editorials that brought their own personal experiences and historical and contemporary analysis to shed light on what the water crisis means for Detroit. The editor of the Michigan Chronicle was so moved by the pieces that he insisted they be published in the newspaper...and they were.

How Do We Honor Those Who Have Helped Us?Grade 5 | Lake Bluff Elementary School | Shorewood, WI

Students created a book of veteran memoirs after they met with sixteen veterans and visited the War Memorial Center in Milwaukee. Students worked in small groups and honored their veteran by writing a memoir that captured his or her unique story.

Tree StoryGrade K | Bose Elementary | Kenosha, WI

Kindergarteners studied how trees contribute to the environment around them and then worked with the library media teacher to construct these e-books.


Human Rights PostersGrade 5 | Bose Elementary | Kenosha, WI

This product was the synthesis of learning from the Building Background Knowledge (BBK) Workshop for a learning expedition titled “Stories of Human Rights.” These posters included the students’ explanations and representations of what human rights mean to them, why they are important—and provide examples of and connections to their life and/or literature.

Insect CardsGrade 2 | Jefferson Elementary | Kenosha, WI

During a case study on insects, students did field work looking for insects in their natural environment at Pringle Nature Center and a local park. Then, they chose an insect and conducted research using books, magazine articles, pictures and the internet. They answered questions such as what does my insect look like, where does it live, what does it eat and other interesting facts.

Perks BannerGrade 1/2 Multi Age | Atwater Elementary School | Shorewood, WI

Students created a high-quality representation of the school code of character known as PERKS (Perseverance, Responsibility, Kindness and Self-Discipline).


Glacier Ridge Metropark Vernal Pool Field GuideGrade 7 | Graham Expeditionary Middle School | Columbus, OH

Students designed a field guide about the flora and fauna of Glacier Ridge Metropark that contains photography, artistic sketches, and descriptive and scientific writing about the natural elements of the vernal pool. This field guide is intended to be published and printed for public use at the park itself for visitors.

Wolves in Fiction and FactGrade 3 | USPM Miller | Detroit, MI

After studying wolves in both fiction and fact, students considered a new Michigan state law in favor of hunting wolves and then wrote to their state Senators to explain the positive aspects of wolves and to advocate for their protection.

4R's Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, RotGrade K | Mark Murray | Detroit, MI

Students learned how using the 4 R's (reduce, reuse, recycle and rot) can aid in Earth conservation and created a grade level public service announcement to present to the school to inform others of the importance of the 4 R's and how the 4R's can be implemented at school and at home.

Student Work Exhibition GuideMountain Region


Ant CardGrade 1 | RMSEL | Denver, CO

Students studied ants, learning how Myrmecologists become experts. To communicate their learning, students create an informational piece of writing and a scientific drawing of an ant to explain the structure and function of an ant.

Arthropods of the Rain ForestGrade 5 | Explore Elementary | Thornton, CO

This compilation of art and writing was done in culmination of the 5th grade, Module 2, Unit 3: Biodiversity in Rainforests of the Western Hemisphere. Students were asked to explore various ways that researchers share information back to their colleagues. This resulted in unique formats, language, and style for each piece of writing.

Backyard BugsGrade K | Santa Fe School for the Arts & Sciences | Santa Fe, NM

Students studied “bugs” that share their own environment. They completed multiple drafts before creating their bug drawings for the poster.


Choose Your Own Adventure NarrativeGrade 4 | Welby Community School | Denver, CO

Students explored animal defense mechanisms. They built background knowledge about general animal defense mechanisms before working with a research group to dive deeply into one animal in order to write an informative piece. Following this, they explored models of “Choose-Your-Own-Adventure” narratives to then write their own narrative about their chosen animal.

Energy Genius HourGrade 4,5 | Bea Underwood Elementary | Parachute, Colorado

Students chose a type of energy to study and then built a product that educated others about their chosen form of energy. Many students used recycled materials to build their models. Students also used a variety of technology tools: Prezi, Scratch, WeVideo, and various Google Apps, 3D printer, and GoPro cameras. Their work was captured in a portfolio of work book to document the scope of this project.

Everything Has a PurposeGrade 4 | Foxcreek Elementary | Highlands Ranch, CO

Fourth graders spent five days in Highlands Ranch Backcountry working with experts studying five different components of the plains ecosystem. After studying and analyzing the poems of Joyce Sidman, students were able to use their own research to write beautiful poems.


Fibonacci It's Easy as 1,1,2,3óó.Grade 9 thru 12 | William Smith High School | Aurora, CO

Students explored the infamous Fibonacci Sequence, Golden Ratio, and other arithmetic and geometric sequences and series. The exploration of Fibonacci allowed students to see an intersection of art and math. The final product is a synthesis of their understanding of series and sequences expressed as two dimensional art pieces with artist statements to demonstrate the connection they made between Fibonacci and the real world.

Fossil MuseumGrade 2 | Welby Community School | Denver, CO

Students read about what paleontologists do and how fossils are made. They wrote research-based pieces about the processes of fossilization and the tools paleontologists use. Students compiled all of their work to create the Fossil Museum.

Gimli GliderGrade 5 | Lake County Intermediate School | Leadville, CO

This work comes from an Intervention class at Lake County. Students in this particular WIN group were extending their math learning through an investigation of mistakes made in math. Students researched a particular topic of a math mistake that they were interested in. They explored the mistake, went through the math themselves, corrected the mistake, and then wrote about it.


Invasive Species BrochuresGrade 6 | Fox Creek Elementary | Highlands Ranch, CO

Students chose a specific invasive species that is currently threatening Colorado to research and write about after studying ecosystems. Students created an informational brochure to educate the community about invasive species and how they can help minimize their impact.

Letter KGrade 7 | Escalente Middle School | Durango, CO

Students create a 3-dimensional letter using the paper mache construction process. The letter is decorated with words and/or images that are personally meaningful and unique to their identity. Please notice the attention to detail in creating a three-dimensional form and addressing each side of the form with decoration, using a range of media.

Middle East ConflictsGrade 11 | Mapleton Expeditionary School | Thornton, CO

The purpose of this multigenre project was for students to demonstrate how the novel presents an answer to the essential question, “How do our identities impact our opportunities in life?” As they read, students engaged in book club discussions and created writing/visual “genre pieces” to illustrate their understanding of how their chosen book is answering their essential question.


Mudbug ABC'sGrade Pre-K | Joe Shoemaker School | Denver, CO

Students created a book for their class use that helps them internalize and learn the letters and sounds of the alphabet. The complexity is reflected in this project by the way that these students had to collaborate, finding and narrowing their selected words and images for each letter of the alphabet from their classroom and environment around them.

Our ABC Weather BookGrade K | St. Rose | Denver, CO

Kindergarteners studied the weather in Colorado and created this ABC book after learning about the four seasons, meteorology and how the weather affects people.

Our Carbon FoodprintGrade 5,6 | Santa Fe School for the Arts & Sciences | Santa Fe, NM

After doing field work at the local Farmers Market and local farms, students were tasked with creating a map that expressed their findings and opinions about the choices they make when they buy something. The map also contains complex calculations comparing different foods that can be purchased locally and what each choice means and its impact on the climate.


Peregrine Falcon NotecardsGrade 6 | Escalente Middle School | Durango, CO

Students created hand-drawn note cards to sell to support a local wildlife rehabilitation center where an injured peregrine falcon resides. “Each student chose a particular falcon fact to depict with a drawing on the front as well as an explanation of the fact in their own words on the back.

Reading Around the WorldGrade 3 | Welby Community School | Denver, CO

Students studied the power of reading and how people access books around the world. They investigated how people brought books to others in remote places, and how people overcame physical and economic obstacles to access books. This bookmark, “Reading Around the World,” was the culminating performance task on this study.

Tree FactoryGrade 12 | Mapleton Expeditionary School | Thornton, CO

Students were asked to create a summative artwork that shared some aspect of their own identity, combined the skills learned to draw a winter tree, and could be displayed in a professional setting. This student’s color choices support the idea that his “tree factory” exists on an apocalyptic future Earth or Mars. This artwork placed 2nd in the Mapleton Public Schools district art show in May 2017.


We Will Rock YouGrade 2,3 | Bea Underwood Elementary | Parachute, CO

Students independently researched a Colorado rock or mineral. The class then compiled these to create an A to Z book on the rocks and minerals of Colorado. Students used art to create the letter that represented their rock or mineral on their page.

Seeking the Power of ReadingGrade 3 | Centennial Elementary | Denver, CO

Students created bookmarks and wrote paragraphs explaining how others access books. The students then sold them and raised money to buy books to donate to Growing Homes, a nonprofit organization in the Denver Metro area which provides intensive support for families with immediate and long-term obstacles.

The Time I Discovered My First Dinosaur BoneGrade 2 | Centennial Elementary | Denver, CO

After studying what a paleontologist does students did field work at the Morrison Museum of Natural History. They read expert texts and considered “How do authors write compelling narratives?” After drafting illustrations and writing, their work was published in bound books and shared at a final celebration with parents, school administrators and fellow students.


The Fossil HuntGrade 2 | Centennial Elementary | Denver, CO

After studying what a paleontologist does and how fossils tell of earth's changes, students did field work at the Morrison Museum of Natural History. They read expert texts and considered “How do authors write compelling narratives?” After drafting illustrations and writing, their work was published in bound books and shared at a final celebration with parents, school administrators and fellow students.

It’s Okay to Have FeelingsGrade 4 Year Olds | Centennial Elementary | Denver, CO

After exploring several mentor texts by Todd Parr, these ECE students built this book for their classroom library at the beginning of the year to help them share their expectations around having and expressing their emotions. Throughout the year this book has been used many times when students in this class are having emotional moments.

Weather NarrativeGrade K | Centennial Elementary | Denver, CO

Students learned about weather and used various mentor texts to help them write a weather narrative of their choice.


The Journey to HopeGrade 5 | Centennial Elementary | Denver, CO

Following a reading and analysis of Esperenza Rising and the UN Declaration of Human Rights students were challenged to write a reader's theater script based on a scene from Esperenza Rising showing how one of the rights from the UNHDR was impacted.

Toys and PlayGrade K/1 | Centennial Elementary | Denver, CO

Students dove deeply into the attributes that describe what a toy is and how they play with it. Students also talked about their toy preferences. Using recyclables, students created their preferred toy and wrote a description. They also wrote about how they became toy experts and what they will continue to do throughout the year.

FrogsGrade 3 | Centennial Elementary | Denver, CO

Students explored the adaptations and wild world of frogs. They created these scientific drawings after learning about frogs and working with an expert artist.

Student Work Exhibition GuideNortheast Region


Immigrant Hero's JourneyGrade 7 | McAuliffe Middle School | Framingham, MA

Students studied The Hero's Journey, interviewed immigrants in their community, and transcribed the interviews. Students then wrote the stories of the people they interviewed aligned to the hero's journey. They went through multiple rounds of revision of both teacher and peer feedback.

Odyssey Illustrations and Artist's StatementsGrade 7 | McAuliffe Middle School | Framingham, MA

For this project students read myths which they aligned to stages of the Hero's Journey. As the final product for this unit, students selected one stage of the hero's journey that aligned with a myth they read and created a cut paper illustration to show that stage of the hero's journey. They selected quotes from the myth and the Hero's Journey text and explained how the hero in the myth was on a hero's journey.

Maine Rocks!Grade 4 | Presumpscot School | Portland, ME

Through combination of field studies, labs, and an anchor text, students learned about the processes that shape our Earth. Students researched and wrote an informative paragraph about the geology of their landform. The intended audience for their writing is adults with little geology background. They also made watercolor paintings and wrote haiku. Calendars were sold at Maine Audubon with the intent of helping the piping plovers, a bird whose habitat is being threatened by erosion.


Salt Marsh Trading CardsGrade 1 | Presumpscot School | Portland, ME

Students were immersed in a science and art based expedition about the importance of the Salt Marsh. These young scientists became stewards of the marsh through their creation of high-quality trading cards featuring their persuasive writing with detailed information about the marsh habitat and creatures and their beautiful collages.

Universal Declaration of Water RightsGrade 5 | Presumpscot School | Portland, ME

After learning about the importance of clean water in our world, students decided to create a document that would help educate their community. They presented their Universal Declaration of Water's Rights to Nancy Gallinaro, the Water Resources Manager for Portland, Maine. They got the city to adopt the declaration so that the future of their local “well” is clean and protected for years to come.

Cougar ChroniclesGrade 11 | Casco Bay High School | Portland, ME

This work was the final product for the “Air Up There” expedition. Students started the year studying atmospheric chemistry as a way of introducing elements, compounds and mixtures, as well as various chemical reactions. Students participated in a case study on ocean acidification and looked at greenhouse gases and climate change. A video synthesizes their learning.


Four FreedomsGrade 8 | King Middle School | Portland, ME

Students explored concepts of freedom by looking at Norman Rockwell’s famous paintings of the four freedoms. As students examined these images and their historical context, they studied the concepts and meanings of the same freedoms today through readings, service fieldwork, discussions with guest lecturers, movies and other research. Students then expressed their personal experiences and reflections on the ideas of freedom through writing and visual art projects, culminating with a Freedom Collage exhibition.

Neighborhood Comprehensive PlanGrade 8 | King Middle School | Portland, ME

Students investigated how a city plans for sustainable growth by examining original city plans and current building proposals. Students looked at the use of public space, energy, and housing on the peninsula and Portland at-large. Students culminated their study by presenting their models, ideas, and comprehensive plan to community members, neighborhood association members, and representatives from the planning and urban development board.

Rules To Live ByGrade 6 | King Middle School | Portland, ME

What are “rules to live by”? How do people formulate “rules” to improve their lives? How do people communicate these rules to others? Students worked to answer these questions by analyzing texts, conducting research, and reflecting on their own service-learning experiences. They hit the streets of Portland to interview community members and serve those in need, looking and listening for “rules” as they went.


Lightening ThiefGrade 6 | Interdistrict School for Arts & Communication | New London, CT

Student writers examined New York Times book reviews and wrote their own review of The Lightning Thief.

Rainforest JournalsGrade 5 | : Maria Sanchez Elementary School | Hartford, CT

This work relates to the Grade 5 ELA module, “Biodiversity in Rainforests of the Western Hemisphere.” Students worked to create a journal that is visually authentic and beautiful.

Simple MachinesGrade 4 | : Maria Sanchez Elementary School | Hartford, CT

This work is part of the Grade 4 ELA module, “Simple Machines: Force and Motion.” Student writers created opinion pieces in a real-world format.

Student Work Exhibition GuideNYC Outward Bound Schools


Psychology and Literature: The Workings of the Human MindGrade 12 | Brooklyn Collaborative | Brooklyn, New York

Students studied the theories of Freud, Maslow, Du Bois, gender theorists and feminists and then wrote a literary analysis paper pairing two literary texts and one theory of their choice focusing on how literature helps us understand the human mind, and how the human mind helps us analyze literature.

Gender DichotomiesGrade 11 | Kurt Hahn School | Brooklyn, NY

Students examined their own personal understanding of gender and what it means to be “masculine” and “feminine.” After studying gender roles and stereotypes they formulated a lens in which to approach the question of gender in society. Students drafted essays and then created Adobe Spark presentations to relay their learning to a larger audience.

Ideal vs. Un-ideal & Gender Role ExpectationsGrade 12 | Leaders High School | Brooklyn, NY

Students compared Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaiden’s Tale to at least one other work and explored how fiction reflects the forces that drive our world.


Confronting NYCHA's Historical NegligenceGrade 11 | Leaders High School | Brooklyn, NY

Students looked at what it means to be invisible in America by using case studies and other primary and secondary sources to explain the context and implications of environmental (in)justice.

Activist ProfilesGrade 8 | MELS | Queens, NY

Students interviewed activists in New York City and art students created portraits to accompany the essays they wrote. The final drafts of profiles and portraits are compiled into a book to be distributed to local activist organizations, libraries and students city wide.

The Governmental TimesGrade 12 | MELS | Queens, NY

Students worked colletively to create a political news and commentary website, showcasing their mastery of U.S. government and politics. Proper roles for an active publication were designated resulting in researching, interviewing, writing, discussing, and ultimately publishing in-depth and investigative journalism on the web design platform, Wix.


Advice from a SeniorGrade 12 | WHEELS | New York, NY

In an “Introduction to Rhetoric” unit, Seniors at WHEELS studied commencement and convocation speeches and wrote rhetorical analysis essays around the essential question, “How can words compel action?” Then, using a newly acquired rhetorical toolkit, students crafted motivational speeches for incoming ninth grade students at WHEELS

Student Work Exhibition GuideWest Region


Mitey Kids Save the WorldGrade 1 | Anser Charter School | Garden City, ID

Students created this book as part of a “Written and Illustrated By” project. Students learned story structure as well as techniques such as expressive text, strong verbs, descriptive details, and dialogue. The final products were shared with families in a celebratory gathering and then submitted to the PBS Kids Writers Contest.

Eastern Sierra Wildflower PostcardsGrade 2 | Big Pine Elementary | Big Pine, CA

During a “Home Sweet Home” learning expedition, students experienced the joy of the natural world in their own backyard, exploring Eastern Sierra habitats and the diverse assortment of plants and animals that live there.

Resource Panel ProjectGrade 3 | Grass Valley Charter School | Grass Valley, CA

As part of an expedition, “Our Community, Residents and Resources,” students conducted independent research and wrote organized paragraphs to share information on a native flora and fauna and how it was obtained and used by native people.


Solar System CalendarGrade 3 | Grass Valley Charter School | Grass Valley, CA

Students compared and contrasted Earth to other objects in the solar system as part of an expedition called “The Sun is a Star.” They researched, created, and published a calendar detailing seasonal patterns, phases of the moon, facts and illustrations of planets and other objects in the solar system.

Bird ProjectGrade 4 | Grass Valley Charter School | Grass Valley, CA

After an in-depth exploration of insects, birds, and fish, and how they thrive and survive in environments, students created an accordian book display which allowed for multiple levels of access and output by students.

Scientific Anatomy DrawingGrade 7 | Grass Valley Charter School | Grass Valley, CA

As part of a 7th-grade science expedition, “Not Just Skin Deep,” students participated in fieldwork at a university anatomy lab and observed models to create scientific drawings.


Desert Tortoise infographicGrade 5,6 | GreenWood Charter School | Harrisville, UT

Students researched the desert tortoise and its habitat, adaptations, the threats and conservation and how it is a keystone species of their area. With their expert areas of research, the students created an infographic that they could hand out at Zion National Park to interest the public in listening to their presentations about the desert tortoise.

Geologic Mountain DrawingGrade 5,6 | GreenWood Charter School | Harrisville, UT

Students researched landforms with fieldwork at the Natural History Museum and the Earthquake Center in Salt Lake City. Then they learned about the mountains in their area through the lens of a geologist expert, focusing on the geologic development and features of the Utah mountains to complete their drawings.

The Beauty of the PalouseGrade 4 | Palouse Prarie Charter School | Moscow, ID

Students spent two months learning about basic geologic processes and phenomena in order to understand many different ways that geology shapes our world. Together with a USGS geologist and a poet, they went on a driving tour of the Palouse to explore the geologic histories of Moscow Mountain, Kamiak Butte, the Snake River Canyon and the Palouse hills. Their studies culminated in a book with both scientific and poetic stories about the geologic formation of the Palouse region around Moscow, Idaho.


Raising Awareness: The 6th Mass ExtinctionGrade 5 | Palouse Prarie Charter School | Moscow, ID

After studying human impacts on biodiversity and the possibility of a 6th Mass Extinction, students learned about different types of environmentalists, including scientists, conservationist, activists, and art activists, and figured out where they fit in the mix. They created a collaborative art awareness performance each spotlighting a threatened or endangered species from a particular biome.

Mystery Bird GameGrade K | Pocatello Community Charter School | Pocatello, ID

Students researched a common bird seen in the Northwest U.S. and created a game to teach others about that bird. To create the game, students wrote clues about the bird and then created a collage of the bird using strips of watercolor paper as the answer to the clues.

A Powerful FutureGrade 7 | Pocatello Community Charter School | Pocatello, ID

Students researched differing power sources for our infrastructure looking towards the future. After studying the composition of a watercolor landscape they sketched their design and created their final watercolor landscapes to create an impactful piece of art.


Kelso’s ChoiceGrade 5,6 | Pocatello Community Charter School | Pocatello, ID

As part of their Art Curriculum, students colored or drew their own version of one of the choices they could use to resolve a confliect with their peers. Students used cartooning methods that include emotional expression and color theory to create their pieces.

Endangered Bird BooksGrade 3,4 | Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning | Perry, UT

Students learned about endangered and threatened bird species and the impact of humans. After given an opportunity to study a bird of their choice, students wrote informational essays as well as poetry about their chosen bird. As part of their final project students also studied the anatomy of the bird and created paper-mache birds. Once the birds were completed students posed their birds in their natural habitat and took a photograph.

Portals to the CosmosGrade 5,6 | Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning | Perry, UT

After participating in an expedition called “Portals into the Cosmos,” students selected a topic about space such as, planets, moons, meteors and comets and created a magazine page on their chosen topic to contribute to the class magazine. To add to their magazine page, students created an illustration that would highlight a fact or detail from their article.


Snake River Fish Case StudyGrade 2 | Sunnyside Elementary | Idaho Falls, ID

After studying the food, habitat, anatomy, and life cycle of fish, second-graders then turned their attention to the fish of their local river, The Snake River. The result was this set of playing cards. Please notice the high-quality work of the various fish, body types, and color and how they relate to the habitat and climate of the Snake River.

Track Our TrashGrade K | Lodestar | Oakland, CA

Kindergarten students spent seventeen weeks studying Oakland's garbage system during their “Trash to Treasure” spring learning expedition. They created an educational brochure and also particpated in a live demonstration on how to sort trash correctly.

Feeding Our Minds Food ManifestoGrade 7,8 | Anser Charter School | Garden City, ID

After studying local and national food systems through a collaborative science and Spanish expedition, students ate food they helped to prepare in bowls that they made. The manifestos accompanying each bowl are a little different than your usual artist statement. These pieces look at the bigger picture of what the bowls represent by examining beliefs, wisdom, and advice about our food culture.


Idaho SketchesGrade 4,5 | Anser Charter School | Garden City, ID

In the final case study of a year investigating Idaho, students pondered one of Idaho's greatest resources: her people. Each student chose a tantalizing description of an Idahoan. As they read texts, watched documentaries, and completed written and in-person interviews about their subjects, the students began to craft a varied sampler of the people and the stories that formed Idaho.

Plants of the Ogden Nature CenterGrade 5 | Voyage Academy | Clinton, UT

This field guide was done in conjunction with service learning that took place at the Ogden Nature Center. The students were given time to research and write an informational piece on their assigned topic. They took the information in the writing portion to create the detailed data in the field guide. These field guides are now being used at the Ogden Nature Center.

exhibition guide to student work - el education

Documents