The Heart and Soul of Body Systems: A Canva Collaboration



Third Graders Crack the Code in Seed Sabotage
What do you get when you mix third-grade curiosity, critical thinking, and a touch of sabotage? A classroom full of detectives determined to save the future of farming!
Ms. Sitak's third graders recently completed a Breakout EDU challenge called Seed Sabotage — an immersive, puzzle-based activity that put their problem-solving skills to the test. In this challenge, students were told that seeds vital to future farming had been mysteriously tampered with. Their mission? Work in teams to uncover clues, solve puzzles, and unlock all the locks before time ran out. Spoiler alert: they planted the seeds of success!
Working collaboratively, students tackled a series of puzzles that required them to:
Read and analyze informational texts for cluesLaughter and excitement filled the classroom as each group edged closer to unlocking their final box. And while the thrill of breaking out was a huge motivator, the real magic was in the skills they grew along the way.
Seed Sabotage fostered a garden of growth in these areas:
Collaboration & Communication: Students shared ideas, delegated tasks, and supported one anotherSeed Sabotage wasn’t just an engaging experience—it was an opportunity to nurture essential academic and life skills. The challenge encouraged our third graders to think critically, work cooperatively, and persist with purpose. Who knew growing minds could be this much fun?
Next up? A Breakout challenge that will really leaf them guessing...
In today’s increasingly digital world, combining creativity with technology is essential for students to communicate their ideas effectively. Mrs. Philips' 5th graders recently had the opportunity to showcase their favorite books by designing vibrant book review infographics using Canva, and the results were nothing short of spectacular!
The project began with students selecting a book they had recently read and drafting key elements for their infographic. Then, the fun began as they brought these ideas to life using Canva, a user-friendly graphic design tool.
Students explored various design features, such as:
Layout and Composition: Choosing templates that fit their content while maintaining visual balance.Each infographic was unique, reflecting the student’s perspective and their growing skills as digital designers.
This project also met several Massachusetts Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) standards for grades 3–5, including:
Digital Tools and Collaboration (DTC)
3-5.DTC.a.3: "Use digital tools (local and online) to manipulate and publish multimedia artifacts."
3-5.DTC.b.3: "Collaborate through online digital tools under teacher supervision."
Computing and Society (CAS):
3-5.CAS.a.3: "Describe the different uses of technology in daily life and the advantages and disadvantages those uses provide."
Computational Thinking (CT):
3-5.CT.d.1: "Individually and collaboratively, create, test, and modify a program in a graphical environment."
The finished infographics were displayed in the classroom. They sparked meaningful conversations about books while showcasing the students' creativity and design savvy.
By integrating technology into literacy activities, students gained practical skills in digital design and communication—skills they will use throughout their education and beyond. This project wasn’t just about reviewing books; it was about empowering students to be creators and communicators in a digital world.
We can’t wait to see how these budding graphic designers apply their newfound skills to future projects!
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Ms. Osowski & Mrs. Mills - Grade 4 |
In today’s increasingly digital world, combining creativity with technology is essential for students to communicate their ideas effectively. Mr. Duffy's 4th graders recently had the opportunity to showcase their favorite books by designing vibrant book review infographics using Canva, and the results were nothing short of spectacular!
The project began with students selecting a book they had recently read and drafting key elements for their infographic. Then, the fun began as they brought these ideas to life using Canva, a user-friendly graphic design tool.
Students explored various design features, such as:
Layout and Composition: Choosing templates that fit their content while maintaining visual balance.Each infographic was unique, reflecting the student’s perspective and their growing skills as digital designers.
This project also met several Massachusetts Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) standards for grades 3–5, including:
Digital Tools and Collaboration (DTC)
3-5.DTC.a.3: "Use digital tools (local and online) to manipulate and publish multimedia artifacts."
3-5.DTC.b.3: "Collaborate through online digital tools under teacher supervision."
Computing and Society (CAS):
3-5.CAS.a.3: "Describe the different uses of technology in daily life and the advantages and disadvantages those uses provide."
Computational Thinking (CT):
3-5.CT.d.1: "Individually and collaboratively, create, test, and modify a program in a graphical environment."
The finished infographics were displayed in the classroom. They sparked meaningful conversations about books while showcasing the students' creativity and design savvy.
By integrating technology into literacy activities, students gained practical skills in digital design and communication—skills they will use throughout their education and beyond. This project wasn’t just about reviewing books; it was about empowering students to be creators and communicators in a digital world.
We can’t wait to see how these budding graphic designers apply their newfound skills to future projects!