Trailers Get the Students Outdoors

from Liz Falcone

If you haven’t seen them yet, two new classrooms were added to Terraset this summer… outdoors! We are now the proud owners of two more trailers.

However, no one (or two) group of students get them all to themselves. No! The whole school gets to share them when they go to Art or FLES (Spanish).

Last year, Spanish was “squeezed” into the stage area in the cafeteria and Art was in Pod Three with the 3^rd and 5^th grade classes. The stage was simply too small for our classes (particularly 5^th and 6^th grades) and the room in Pod Three will be needed by a fourth 3^rd grade class that is required this year.
 

Images of the new trailer-classrooms outside exit door

three (near the Gym)

As soon as you mention “trailer” you can get some fairly emotional responses, but in this case, our teachers are quite happy with the arrangment. Mrs. Wehle, Terraset’s Art teacher says “One major advantage is the students can listen to music when working on their art.” Mrs. Calvache Vu, our Spanish teacher is also looking forward to not having to “keep the volume so low!” Since FLES is a study of language and culture, you will often find the students dancing and singing in her classes. Everyone loves that unless they are having a test next door or sharing some quiet reading time. “No worries about noise and testing schedules during the SOL's.” Mrs. Wehle laughed.

Both teachers are also happy about being out in nature! “I would like to try and use the outdoor space more often.” Mrs. Wehle offered and for sure, Mrs. Calvache Vu will have our kids parading outside as they reinact Mardi Gras!

If you are worried about whether the children will be comfortable temperature wise, the airconditioning units seem to be working fine. We don’t know about the heating yet, but that will be serviced by Fairfax County Public Schools along with all the other equipment in the school.

“I would love to paint on the outside of the art trailer.” Suggested Mrs. Wehle “I have to check with Ms Trout first” she added, smiling.

There is one piece of advice… students should use the restroom BEFORE going to class in the trailer classroms. There is no water or bathroom out “in the OUTBACK” as Mrs. Wehle likes to call it. Now I’m feeling homesick!