What's Happening at School?
Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire Community Schools
Know Your Constitution
Brady Olson and Anna Sorenson receiving their awards as Know Your Constitution finalists with the Honorable Justice Bruce Zager of Iowa. These two GT seniors are finalists in the Iowa State Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division "Know Your Constitution" Project. One hundred finalists were selected from over 1,000 students across Iowa. The students took a quiz on the Constitution and answered an essay question on a fictitious school district's policy on student observance of the National Anthem during athletic events. Brady and Anna will be honored at a luncheon in Des Moines on January 12.
Graettinger-Terril and Ruthven-Ayrshire Preschool Programs
Graettinger-Terril and Ruthven-Ayrshire are proud of our preschool programs. Each program is different but collaborates to provide excellent learning opportunities for our little ones. The Graettinger program is taught by Mrs. Fredericksen. She has 4 year-olds on M, W, and F, 3 year-olds on T and Th. The Terril program is taught by Mrs. Borchers. This program offers Transitional Kindergarten Monday - Friday, 4 year-olds on M, W, F, and 3 year-olds on T and Th. Mrs. Williams teaches the Ruthven-Ayrshire preschool. This group consists of 4 year-olds on Monday - Thursday. This early preparation provides students with fine motor skills, social skills, literacy, and mathematical thinking for their future.
PK Music in Terril
Mrs. Sexe teaches the preschool students to count rhythm on drums as they sing a song.
Reading to the Terril 3 year olds
Mrs. Borchers reads a book about a snowman. After reading the students explained the sequence to build the snowman.
TK Work with Sounds
Ms. Connie plays a Popcorn game with the TK to learn letter sounds.
Working with Sounds
These students find words that begin with the same sounds.
Working with Shapes
Ms. Williams worked with this student on identifying shapes.
Working with Names
Students say the letters, sounds, and spell their names.
Interactive Writing
Ms. Fredericksen starts the morning with a letter. Students help to complete the letter by completing the word with the correct beginning letter.
IPads
Learning is interactive and engaging with the IPad.
Fun and Games
Learning is fun when you get to play games!
Mrs. Peton with her 2nd-grade students participate in a whole group reading lesson. Students learn grade level standards in the large group setting.
STEM Learning with Mrs. Klepper
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics combine to make real-life experiences for students. In Mrs. Klepper's 4th-grade classroom students look forward to this time of day.
Video Understanding
Students are shown a video of a pinball machine in use.
Engineering
Students are building a pinball machine with supplies provided by Iowa Lakes Community College.
Trial and Error
Students test their design to see if the ball will move through the game.
Learning Directions
Students listen to directions for the assignment from Mrs. Klepper.
Mathematics
Students added points in their game. Comparing their scores as they played pinball.
Vocabulary
A discussion was held on science vocabulary that students used as they designed, built, and played their pinball machines.
GT 4th-Graders Write Pen Pal Letters to Nursing Home Residents
College Transition Class
Mrs. Cook and Mrs. Myers collaborate to provide seniors hints and skills to surviving life after high school. Students have learned to write cover letters and requests for references, scholarship essay writing, sewing on buttons, utilizing foods found in residence hall cafeteria and turning it into dessert, cooking different foods with a waffle iron, and finding a career that brings meaning to your life. Below the students watched and discussed a TED talk on the secret to living longer.
7th Grade Exploratory Agriculture Class
The 7th-grade students are writing the life cycle of their favorite meat in Ms. Robinson's vocational agriculture class. Students researched where the meat comes from the animal to their table.
Industrial Arts with Mrs. Butler
High School Students Putting up Walls
RA 8th Graders Building Clocks
GT 8th Graders Learning About the Saw
Welcome Mrs. Guthrie to GT/RA!
Mrs. Guthrie is the new high school science teacher at Graettinger-Terril. She has replaced Mr. Benedict as he is now full release as Master Teacher with the Teacher Leadership Program. Mrs. Guthrie is working with the GT freshmen physical science class on volume and density.
GT Third Grade Math
Students work in a large group setting learning about perimeter and area in Mrs. Schnell's room. Mr. Hough is working with small groups on individual needs in math.