🌎🌋🌱 Fourth grade students in the Dual Language Spanish Immersion program at North Buncombe Elementary School brought science to life on Earth Day through a hands-on geology project that connected learning, creativity, and environmental responsibility.
Led by teacher Katherine Ubilla, students spent weeks studying geological processes as part of their English Language Arts and science integration. Their work culminated in a special Earth Day exhibition where students presented their research to classmates, families, and visitors.
Students selected their own topics, from volcanoes and rocks to fossils and continental drift, and created projects to teach others what they learned. Bretagne, a fourth grade student, explored fossils and how the Earth has changed over time.
“We each got something to talk about that we learned,” Bretagne said. “We made a project about it and then taught everyone about it.”
In addition to scientific learning, the project emphasized sustainability. Students designed reusable bags as gifts for their families, encouraging environmentally friendly habits and reducing plastic use.
“The goal is for students to understand the Earth, how it looked in the past, how it looks now, and how we can take care of it,” Ubilla said. “We want them thinking about their impact, their footprint, and how they can help protect our planet.”
By combining research, presentation skills, and real-world connections, this project helped students build a deeper understanding of geology while reinforcing the importance of caring for the Earth.
