Washington Second Graders Complete Animal Habitat Research

Washington Primary School teacher Ashley Wright’s second grade class recently completed an animal habitat research project.

Students began by selecting an animal and investigating its habitat, diet, and key characteristics. To deepen their learning, students used AI chatbots of their chosen animals to “interact” asking questions and discovering new information. After completing their research, students organized their ideas and typed short reports about their animals.

The youngsters focused on explaining where their animal lives, what it eats, and how it adapts to survive in its environment. To wrap up this unit, students created hands-on dioramas that modeled their animal’s habitat. These projects provided an opportunity for students to visually represent their understanding while including important environmental details.

“We are incredibly proud of the effort, creativity, and curiosity our students showed throughout this project,” Washington Principal Dr. Michelle J. Richards said.

Ms. Wright obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications at SUNY Oneonta in 2021 and a Master of Science degree in childhood education and students with disabilities at Touro University in 2024.

Prior to being hired to teach at Washington Primary School, Ms. Wright worked as a teacher aide at Jefferson Primary School. She completed her teaching license requirements through student teaching at both Jefferson School and Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School.