The other week, I had the opportunity to cover the K-12 InVenture Prize Competition to see which fourth-grade projects would move on to the regional competition. The idea of the contest is simple.

A diverse range of new and updated 4th grade teaching resources is emerging in early 2026, spanning digital learning tools, printable worksheets, creative projects, and even school garden initiatives.

The fourth-graders, taught by Kelly Ronnebeck, Amy Ahern and Jan Adamson, had students working on a unit about rain forests for three weeks. Creating the rain forest in a section of the hall took ...