Save the rain forest, attend open house

A Luigi Aprea fourth-grade class will be doing its part to protect the environment by raising money during open house to help buy land in the rain forest.
During the open house for parents, and the following day for the community, visitors to Kathy Hendren’s fourth-grade class can buy bookmarks, magnets, plant decorations and more to benefit the class’s endeavor.
Visitors to room 12 can also learn about all aspects of the rain forest, from the canopy to the floor, from the students, who will play the roles of real-life scientists and will guide people around the room, which will be decorated to look like the rainforest.
The class hopes to buy an acre of land in the rainforest in South America to preserve it. Because of the expense, they may have to go in with another class or school, Hendren said.
The project is part of the JASON Project, a science-based, multimedia, telecommunication curriculum started by Dr. Bob Ballard, the scientist who located the sunken Titanic. Jason was the name of the robot he used to make his discovery.
Students have made many of the items that are for sale in the rain forest gift shop, and they have made papier-mache animals, such as a tarir and monkey, to decorate the room. The scientists are also brushing up on their knowledge of the rain forest.
Luigi Aprea’s open house will be Tuesday, May 11, and the open house for the community will be Wednesday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.