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Fourth grade authors share original science chapter books with their k-buddies

three female students sit criss cross applesauce on a classroom floor, exploring the pages of their book

During the first week back at school after winter break, Sanfordville Elementary School students in Stacy Fitzgerald's and Afdal Tehseldar's fourth-grade classes collabortaed to create non-fiction chapter books on the subject of Earth processes. And just last week, they got to share their books with their K-buddies from Suzanne Havell's class!

To begin the activity, students in the two fourth grade classes split up into research and writing teams of four students each. They were challenged to direct their research at one of the many natural processes that -- literally! -- shape our planet. They could choose from topics including such natural phenomena as glaciers, volcanoes, earthquakes, rocks, tsunamis, and weathering and erosion.

See a gallery of students creating and then sharing their books below this story.

Each student in a group was responsible for one chapter of their book. That meant students worked together closely to ensure their individual pieces of the narrative aligned with those of their peers to create a complete presentation of the facts. Once they proofread and revised their writing, science and literacy met art and engineering, as the students designed and created books filled not only with great information, but also with engaging hands-on features. 

one team of four students sits on the floor to share thoughts on their work

"The students used their creativity to make their books interactive," said Ms. Tehseldar. "The books have things to touch, pop-ups, flaps that open to reveal new information, and parts that slide up and down." 

Once the books were ready, Ms. Fitzgerald and Ms. Tehseldar's students were proud to share them with their kindergarten buddies from Ms. Havell's class.

"The k-buddies explored the books, asked curious questions, and enjoyed learning about many fun science topics," added Ms. Tehseldar.

Beyond the educational benefits of the project, it helped foster a strong sense of peer mentorship along the way, helping to build meaningful connections between students.

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