By: Nicole Kittelson
Coordinator/K-3 teacher
We were in for an exciting surprise during our October and November K–8 Theme Day, thanks to a special ongoing partnership with Dickinson State University. For one vibrant morning each month, we step onto the DSU campus and dive into hands-on learning adventures filled with creativity, exploration, and discovery.
From the moment we arrived, DSU students and instructors welcomed us into a series of themed stations designed to spark imagination and curiosity. In the art studio, we rotated through stations where we experimented with nature, chemical paper, and the sun to create our own masterpieces.
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At the poetry and writing corner, DSU Education students guided us through playful writing prompts. Together, we crafted short poems inspired by everyone’s favorite topic: candy! In November, it was all about disguising our favorite turkey to keep him from becoming Thanksgiving dinner. In the music studio, we learned how tempo can be explored through movement in some of our favorite songs.
The excitement continued in the STEM challenge zone, where we got hands-on with problem-solving activities. We tested designs and worked in teams to complete mini-challenges that encouraged persistence, creativity, and critical thinking. Laughter and collaboration filled the space as each group worked through the problems together.
By the end of the day, we left DSU buzzing with inspiration and accomplishment. The partnership between Roughrider Virtual Academy and Dickinson State University not only enriched our Theme Day but also showed us how creativity, literacy, music, and STEM can come together in exciting and meaningful ways.