Fourth grade students at Wiscasset Elementary School recently shared a group-written story, “Noodle’s Journey,” with other classes. The fourth graders spent time in their outdoor classroom all year, observing several plants and animals. Each student selected a plant or animal to research, and then the class combined their notes to create a story about Noodle, a fox looking for mice to eat in their riverfront classroom.

Throughout the process, the class reached a consensus on every aspect of the story: the plot, the name of the main character, and the book's cover. Each page has fun facts about a different plant or animal that can be found in the outdoor classroom. The fourth grade read their story with other classes and shared what they’ve learned about the natural space around them. “Noodle’s Journey” will be added to a digital library of books about the nature around WES.