Cup of Conversation - What does Live the Learning look like in your classroom?

Sara Flansburg, Preschool Teacher Order: Nonfat Latte

“In Preschool, Live the Learning is about experiencing concepts in real life. When we learned about circumference and estimation, we used the number of preschoolers as our unit of measure! We estimated how many preschoolers it would take to go around tables in our classroom and then tested our guesses. We even estimated how many preschoolers it would take to wrap around the trunks of the trees on campus—we did a lot of tree hugging!”

 

Lisa Ross, Grade 1 Teacher 

Order: Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew

“Students connect math learning to playing Monopoly Jr. by finding all the ways to make $4 and $5 to pay for their fees. This hands-on exposure to money helps them think through what prices to set, how to collect payment for products, and how to make change during our business unit. That’s what Live the Learning looks like in first grade.”

 

Order: Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

“Live the Learning has recently looked like setting up the trout tank! I worked with fourth graders as we pieced together the different elements of the aquarium—even getting splashed in the process. It was so much fun to learn alongside the kids as we navigated our new roles as trout keepers.”

Jolene Collier, Grade 6 Teacher Order: Latte

“I love for my students to Live the Learning through our service learning program. We recently kicked off service trips to the food bank and soup kitchen. These experiences teach far more than classroom lessons—students practice empathy, compassion, and even some mop skills!”

 

Order: Cappuccino

“In fifth-grade history, we’re Living the Learning by thinking like historians. Students examined early humans, from Australopithecus afarensis to Homo sapiens, and explored the shift from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic era, when humans began farming. They practiced using analytical techniques, learned academic and topical vocabulary, and engaged with nonfiction readings and websites to summarize discoveries. Students also stepped back in time through creative projects, such as making brochure ads and exploring ‘prehistoric cave paintings’ under desks with flashlights. Up next, we’ll study the civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia and simulate the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers!”

 

Order: Iced Black Coffee

“I often get the opportunity to act alongside our Graland Theatre Company student actors when we create devised scenes for productions. These explorations keep me on my creative toes and connected to our students. It’s one of my favorite ways to Live the Learning.”

 

Ashleigh Stepanian, Library Director 

Order: Chai Latte

“In library classes, Live the Learning means connecting what students read and discuss to real experiences. When authors visit, students have the opportunity to see how ideas become stories and how creativity is part of everyday life—how we are all lifelong readers and writers with a story to share. During media literacy lessons, students apply the SIFT method to question headlines and explore where information comes from and the motivation behind content creation. These lessons help our students see that learning isn’t just something we talk about—it’s something we practice, think about, and live every day.”