The Fish Classroom at Jones County Pre-K has been learning about St. Patrick’s Day by discussing how rainbows form and creating leprechaun traps with teacher LeAnne Fulbright and paraprofessional Tori Sharpe.
Fulbright read a book to the students about a rabbit that asks various animals, each representing a different color, “What makes a rainbow?” The animals included a red ladybug, an orange fox, a yellow chick, a green grasshopper, a bluebird, and a purple butterfly. This engaging story helped the students learn and memorize the colors found in a rainbow.
The teacher explained to the students how a rainbow is created.
“The sun or light passes through water, which is why we have rainbows after it rains. There is still water in the air, and the light passes through it,” she said.
“I saw a rainbow last week,” a student said.
Fulbright then asked her class if they wanted to make a rainbow, and they eagerly agreed.
Sharpe poured water into a glass and handed it to Fulbright, who had a flashlight. The students gathered on the mat to observe the experiment.
“Look, it is an experiment,” one student said.
“We have to be careful with the glass. My mommy says so,” another student added.
Fulbright asked the class meteorologist, a designated student, what the weather was like.
“It is sunny outside,” the class meteorologist said.
“Let’s go outside to make a rainbow,” Fulbright said.
The classroom moved outside to the playground, where they observed a mini rainbow created by the sun shining through the glass of water.
“I see pink,” one student said. “I see green,” another added. The students were fascinated by the glimpses of the rainbow they had seen. They returned to the classroom to create and decorate leprechaun traps with Fulbright and Sharpe, preparing for a leprechaun hunt on St. Patrick’s Day.
Fulbright and Sharpe shared that the leprechaun hunt was one of their favorite activities during the school year.
Fulbright has taught Pre-K in the Jones County School System for six years and has always dreamed of becoming a teacher since she was a child.
“I particularly enjoy working with small children. Seeing their light come on and witnessing their growth in learning is truly special,” she said.
Fulbright has three teenage children and spends most of her free time attending their extracurricular activities, such as their involvement in the Jones County High School Marching Band. She also enjoys reading and traveling with her family when she is not at school.
Sharpe has been a paraprofessional at Jones County Pre-K for three years. With three young daughters, she chose a career in education as the best fit for her lifestyle. In her free time, Sharpe enjoys playing softball with her family.
She added what she finds most rewarding about her work in Pre-K.
“From beginning to end, watching the students’ growth is what I find most rewarding,” Sharpe said.
