Fourth Graders Visit PFTSTA for Science Extravaganza

It's not often that we see 35 little ones sitting on the floor in the PFTSTA Library

It has been almost nine years since I was an elementary school librarian. I miss the beautiful picture books, and the way I could hold a class of 32 kids in the palm of my hands as I told a gripping story. Luckily, we have an event every year that gives me the opportunity to ham it up and be silly in front of a group of kids. 

Each semester, Mrs. Higgins, the seventh grade science teacher invites the 4th graders from Metairie Academy to visit PFTSTA. The students spend 45 minutes engaged in the experiments that the 7th graders created, and then they spend 45 minutes with me. I have two fabulous books by Steve Jenkins that I have used for three different Extravaganza events. The non-fiction books, Bones and Actual Size, are huge with amazing pictures and the science fits right into the event. You can see me on the right reading to the students. 

Once I read the books, my 8th grade helpers use the interactive white board and quiz the audience on the information found in the books. All members of the audience received a learner response device, so they could take the quiz electronically. The answers to the questions all came from the two books that I read aloud. I had two sessions of 45 minutes each. When it was over, I remembered why I moved to the upper grades. It is hard work entertaining a room full of 9 year olds.