They make a day trip to Damariscove Island, learning about its history and the seabird nesting sites it houses. The class also writes, edits and publishes an 8-page newsletter that comes out 4 times a year. It includes news about fifth and sixth grade classes and students as well as comics, photographs, poetry, fiction, artwork and interviews. Another project is done in conjunction with Kodak and the local Video Loft. The prints are used to make books with the fifth graders' reading buddies in first grade.
Students plan their shots, take the photos, and write the story together.
They tour the Video Loft to see how film is developed. The books are used as reading texts for the next year's first graders. Finally, class members research a local attraction or area and prepare a brochure to tell visitors to the area about it. They write, edit and design their brochures on the computer, adding scanned photos and artwork or maps. The two local chambers of commerce put the finished products on display for young visitors.