The Dragonfly Journal

By the Multi-Level Elementary Class of Donna L. Clovis, Riverside School, Princeton, New Jersey Editor’s Note: This “vintage” treasure from the Dragonfly Magazine archives (March/April 1997) reminds us that even in the early days of the web, technology’s greatest power was its ability to connect human hearts across vast distances. The Spark We attend an…

By Joyce Arnold’s Fifth-Grade Class, Fairfield North Elementary School, Indian Springs, Ohio Original Title: Does the Nose Know? Editor’s Note: This inquiry is a creative treasure from our Dragonfly Magazine articles (1997) that captures the timeless curiosity of students as they bridge the gap between animal behavior and human biology. It serves as a wonderful…

By the Fifth-Grade Class of Sue LeBeau, West End School, Long Branch, New Jersey Editor’s Note: This article showcases a classic inquiry from the Dragonfly Magazine archives, originally published in the November/December 1996 issue. It highlights the timeless power of student-led engineering and the “trial and error” of the scientific method.  The Spark How many…

By the Fourth-Grade Class of Linda Slager, Stewart Elementary School, Oxford, Ohio Editor’s Note: Originally published in Dragonfly Magazine in the late 1990s, this student inquiry explores the engineering marvels of the ocean. After seeing how corals live side-by-side in shared skeletons, these fourth graders decided to test the limits of structural design themselves. The…

By the Third-Grade Class of Thela King, Morton Elementary School, Lexington, Nebraska Editor’s Note: This inquiry is a gem from our Dragonfly Magazine archives, originally published in the late 1990s. It captures the curiosity of a third-grade classroom as they poked, prodded, and peered into the anatomy of the human hand. The Spark We started…

By the Fifth-Grade Students of Ms. Ursula Sexton and Mr. John Lukas, Green Valley Elementary School, Danville, California Editor’s Note: Originally published in the September/October 1996 issue of Dragonfly Magazine, this story follows a class that combined science fiction with serious scientific testing to solve the problems of future space travel. The Spark Our investigation…

By the Fourth-Grade Students of Mrs. Claudia A. Katz and Ms. Tamara Somers, Henry Ford Elementary, Hazel Park, Michigan Editor’s Note: This post is a vintage treasure from our archives, originally published in the September/October 1996 issue of Dragonfly Magazine. It highlights a classic inquiry method—KWPDLS—that helps young scientists organize their curiosity about the world…

By the Fifth-Grade Students of Adams Elementary School, San Diego, California Editor’s Note: Originally published in Dragonfly Magazine in the late 1990s, this collection of student reflections and poems captures the timeless “sense of wonder” children feel when looking at the clouds and imagining the impossible. The Spark In our class, we started talking about…