May, 24th, Wed

现在四年级正在学习世界各地的生物。我们正在研究植物和动物需要什么条件才能生存和繁衍。我们尝试回答三个基本问题:为什么有些动物会濒临灭绝；为什么这很重要；我们能做些什么呢？我们从了解不同类型的生物群落开始。每个学生学习和研究某个特定的生物群落，并准备了一份演讲稿和PPT，并向他们的同学、老师和家长展示他们的研究成果。

In fourth grade, we are learning about organisms throughout the world. We are studying what plants and animals need to survive and thrive. We have three essential questions that we are trying to answer: Why are animals endangered; why does it matter; and what can we do about it? We started out by learning about different biomes. All the students researched a specific biome and then prepared a PowerPoint presentation and speech to teach their classmates as well as guest teachers and parents. 

演讲后，我们就保护栖息地的重要性及其对动植物的积极影响进行了良好的讨论。

Following their presentations, we had a discussion about the importance of protecting habitats and its positive impact on animal and plant species that live there.

上周我们参观了华侨城湿地公园。学生们在红树林环境中观察植物、鸟类和昆虫，成为了小小生物学家。学生们迫不及待地拍下了许多迷人的动植物照片。我们大约花了20分钟写下动植物观察日记。在那里，我们记录了一些深圳本土的动物和植物，包括黑脸琵鹭，一种濒临灭绝的鸟类。带学生们走出课堂，走进大自然，与保护栖息地与课堂学习相融合。学生们认识到在人口密集的城市中建自然保护区的重要性，这样野生动物才能生存。

This last week we visited the OCT wetlands. The students became biologists as they observed plants, birds, and insects in this mangrove environment. The students were eager to take photographs of the fascinating flora and fauna. We spent about 20 minutes recording something in our nature journals. While there we documented some of the animals and plants that are native to Shenzhen, including the Blackfaced Spoonbill, an endangered bird. The students made good connections to our classroom discussions about protecting habitats. The students recognized the importance of having nature preserves in a densely populated city so that wildlife can survive.

我们的下一步是了解食物网和生态系统中能量平衡。我们很高兴邀请到了一位在阿拉斯加做过广泛研究的环境科学家下个月与我们分享。他将分享生物多样性在环境中的重要性。这将帮助学生弄清楚濒危和灭绝物种是如何影响人类的。最后，学生们将集思广益，讨论能对环境产生积极影响的方法，并用行动来爱护大自然。

Our next steps are to learn about food webs and the energy balance within an ecosystem. We are excited to talk to an environmental scientist next month who has done extensive research in Alaska. He will share the importance of biodiversity in the environment. This will help students figure out how endangered and extinct species affect humans. Finally, the students will brainstorm some ways they can make a positive impact, and we will put them into action.