orden Elementary School is located in the quaint town of Worden in beautiful western Illinois. Worden is a small community twelve miles northeast of Edwardsville. Originally, it prospered from the coal industry and later from the agriculture sector. Presently it serves as a bedroom community to the Metro east and St. Louis area. Worden Elementary houses approximately 280 students in grades 3, 4 & 5. 

ur staff, students and parents work together to create partnerships for learning. Building strong home-school partnerships is one of our keys to success. We also embrace the concept of continuous improvement and work toward incorporating best practices into our instruction. The Worden staff is a talented and dedicated group of professional educators who are committed to personalizing services and building trusting relationships.

Worden fourth graders study owls

Posted: October 29, 2008

Oohs and ahs filled Worden Elementary fourth grade classrooms on Tuesday, October 7, as students became young scientists for the day with a hands-on exploration of owl pellets. After an initial discussion of owls and facts that students already knew, the students were able to discover a bit more about owls by “digging” through an owl pellet.

Owls, like many other birds, eat their food whole. Since birds do not have teeth, they can't chew their food. Instead, they use their strong, sharp beaks to rip apart their prey and then swallow large chunks whole. The owl slowly digests its meal by separating the softer materials (such as meat) from the harder material (such as bones). It then regurgitates the harder material along with indigestible items such as feathers and fur in the form of a pellet.

As students dissected their pellets, they began to discover even more information about owls and their diets. After this hands-on experience, students attended a presentation given by a speaker from the Tree House Wildlife Center who brought a few guest owls with her. Fourth graders enjoyed an exciting day and learned a great deal about owls.