UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS EXTENSION – Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall, Putnam Unit

Henry Senachwine fifth grade students recently took part in the University of Illinois Marshall Putnam Ag in the Classroom Soil Escape Box for an end of the year activity. Students are told the story of a dilemma. They are then challenged to discover the codes that would unlock four locks on the Escape Box, thus solving the dilemma. Working in teams of three or four they deciphered a coordinate grid, completed math problems, solved a riddle and searched for invisible numbers. They had to sift through a variety of resources for additional help in determining their answers. This activity introduced them to properties of soil plus required them to think creatively and work cooperatively together. In the end all teams were successful, the Escape Box was opened and they each received a gummy worm, symbolic of one of the helpful inhabitants of our soil. For more information call University of Illinois Extension – Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall, Putnam Unit Office at 309-364-2356. Extension offices are located in Princeton, Ottawa, Henry and in Oglesby on the IVCC campus. The Mission of University of Illinois Extension is to provide practical education you can trust to help people, businesses and communities solve problems, develop skills and build a better future. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. Visit our website at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/blmp/

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