DAPHNE, Ala.—Daphne Elementary School students will dismiss early on Friday, March 20. Teachers here will be having a combined professional development workshop with the teachers at W.J. Carroll. Please mark your calendar! 

The Daphne Elementary preschool tour is scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 at 9 a.m. in the auditorium.  If you know of anyone with an incoming kindergarten student, please share this information.  

Next week Ms. Jackson’s kindergarten class will begin its unit on Australia. The class can’t wait to learn about the different art, music, dance and people of Australia. Students will also explore the Great Barrier Reef, which will lead them into a three-week unit about sea life. The class will be going on a field trip to Dauphin Island Sea Lab on March 27.

Second-graders in Mrs. Stembridge’s class are enjoying learning about the “Outback.” Australia is a very interesting place. The class is also glad to have books that make it possible to “travel” to such a beautiful place. The class says, “G’day to all!” 

Mrs. Utsey’s mates are excited about going “down-under” in the unit on Australia! The class is looking forward to learning lots of new things about Australia.

Everyone wants to congratulate Thomas Manning and Walt Cassady for representing the class in the school-wide spelling bee! Great job guys!

In Mrs. Bowen’s third-grade class they are beginning their unit on Australia. They will start off with an overview of Australia on Monday, locating the country on the globe and map. They will take a look at the flag and the colors that make up the flag. Next the class will research the people that live there and make some Aborigine artwork. 

On Wednesday, the students will find out about all the different kinds of animals that live in the “Outback.”  Then on Thursday they will dive down under and look up the Great Barrier Reef.

To top it all off, on Friday the class will make chocolate crackles, an Australian no-bake cookie. The class is going to have an “Aussie” good time.

 Mrs. Megginson’s class will be learning about various animals from the outback as well as many underwater creatures found along the Great Barrier Reef!

In music, classes have started their study of music in Australia.

The students have seen a didgeridoo, clap sticks and a bull roarer from Australia. Some of the classes have read the story “And Kangaroo Played His Didgeridoo” and “Waltzing Matilda.”  The kindergarten and first-grade classes have enjoyed hopping along with “Bloo the Kangaroo.” Second- and third-graders have watched a video on how to make and play a didgeridoo. The traditional music and instruments of Australia are so very different from those we have here in the United States.

In the library this week, classes are reading “Koala Lou” by Australian author, Mem Fox. Koala Lou is loved by everyone, especially her mom. But when her younger brothers and sisters are born, Koala Lou becomes determined to find a way to become the center of attention again. Classes will also be exploring the personal and professional life of Mem Fox.

The library cookie-dough sale begins March 16. All forms and orders are due back March 27.

Mrs. Nolfe’s third-grade Project Jubilee students researched the Aborigine people, comparing their life to that of an Aborigine.

The class will be listening to Aborigine music while creating their own X-ray painting in the style of the Aborigine people.