Blue Point 5th graders recently hosted a Skype Session right in their classroom! On Thursday, April 2nd, the 5th graders at Blue Point were eager to share their love of the rainforest by hosting a video conversation. They were so fascinated with just seeing themselves on the computer screen, that they could barely contain their excitement. They would soon have the opportunity to talk with the rainforest scientist they have been studying, Meg Lowman!
During ELA in Mrs. Loeffler and Mrs. Mandell’s classes, the 5th graders have been closely reading The Most Beautiful Roof in the World by Kathryn Lasky. This informational text describes the work of scientists documenting the biodiversity of rainforests, specifically a case study of Meg Lowman, a researcher of rainforest canopies. Now, a live interview with Meg Lowman is just a video call away!
The students sat completely captivated while Meg Lowman, also known as “Canopy Meg,” first started off the conversation asking them if we still had snow on the ground! It was surreal for the students to interact with a figure they have been reading about and to experience how down-to-earth she was during the interview. Canopy Meg shared with the students how she became fascinated with studying what is happening at the tops of trees and her experience on the treetop walkways.
It was a once in a lifetime experience to virtually connect with Canopy Meg and we appreciate her granting us this opportunity. The session ended with student, Stephen Shultz, beaming with joy to share with Canopy Meg that she inspired him more than ever to become a scientist one day. The students hope to use Skype again in the near future to transform their learning experiences.
(Summary provided by elementary school teacher Mrs. Mandell)