Technology

 Every Thursday afternoon we are lucky enough to spend time with Mrs. Hayes learning about and using technology. Currently, we are using technology in our geography unit as we learn about mapping and our community. We are using google earth to help us answer the following Essential Questions:

• What is community?
• Where are we in the world?
• What kind of information can we get from a map?

After many in-class activities, this integrated unit has led us to an activity using google earth. First, we watched with amazement as Mrs. Couture and Mrs. Hayes typed in different addresses in South Hero and we "flew" there on the big screen. Then students were each given a net book to type their own addresses!

 Some goals and standards for this unit include the following:

Students interpret geography and solve geographic problems by . . .

• Verbalizing their names and addresses
• Recognizing that neighborhood spaces are defined by boundaries, yard, playground, etc
• Describing or identifying a map or globe
• Creating a simple map showing the student in relation to some other meaningful place

Creativity & Innovation - Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. They . . .

•  apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes
• create original works as a means of personal or group expression

Communication and Collaboration - Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual leaning and contribute to the learning of others. Students . . .

• interact, collaborate and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media
• contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems

Digital Citizenship - Students understand human, cultural, and social issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.

Students . . . .

• Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology
• Exhibits positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.

In the next few weeks we will continue to work on our google earth tour of South Hero and where we each live. We will also use Kidspriation to create a map of our neighborhoods with important land marks.

Ice Cream Party

 The kindergarten earned another 200 stars thereby earning themselves an ice cream party! It was perfect timing with 80 degree weather in March.

 You really can't much better than warm & sunny weather, good friends, and ice cream!

You would never think it, considering the weather we are experiencing now, but she was shielding her eyes from the sun!

An Afternoon of Science

 We were lucky enough to have the fifth and sixth graders join us for science again on Friday afternoon. This time we learned about electricity, hydro power, the solar system, and sound. We even had the opportunity to go into their classroom, which was a highlight for the kindergarten! The information shared was followed up with kindergarten-friendly activities and games. Another great connection with the "big kids!"

In this picture we are learning about the planets in relation to the sun.

This is a simulation of the planets traveling around the sun.

Time to learn about water generated power!

An experiment to learn about water and sound.

Book Buddies

 On Friday Folsom students from kindergarten to eighth grade partnered up to read! Each partnership consisted of a younger and older student. The last time we read together older students read to younger students but this time we switched roles with younger students reading to their older student partners.

We brought our browsing boxes with us. A browsing box is an individual collection of books that each student has read during guided reading groups. Therefore, every book can be read independently, with confidence and fluency, by its owner. It was pretty amazing to watch the youngest students in our school read book after book to the "big kids!" Great job kindergarten!

Poetry Slam

CALLING ALL POETS! Community Poetry Slam: Folsom School is hosting a community poetry slam on Thursday, March 29th at 6pm. A poetry slam is a friendly competition focused as much on the performance of the poem as on the poem itself. In other words, it’s fun! And poets of all ages are invited. You can come just to watch and listen, bring poems just to share at “open mike,” and/or compete in the actual slam. A panel of judges chosen from the audience will rate each poem/performance, and the poet with the most points at the end wins! We hope you will come and share a poem or three!

Science

Have you ever heard of an angler fish? Do you know what happens to the shell of an egg when you soak it  in vinegar? Why does a mentos candy and coke cause the soda to blow out of the bottle? We answered these questions and many more when some students from the 5th and 6th grade came to our room to share their science experiments with us! We were enthralled with the experiments, presentations, games and experiments they shared as well as their knowledge of the science behind the experiments. It was also very impressive to hear kindergarten students question, hypothesize, predict, and experiment with older students. I heard a lot of things like "What would happen if you . . . "

A Visit to the Third Grade

 The third grade and kindergarten are both learning about money. In kindergarten we are learning the name of each coin and how much each coin is worth. Last Friday we went on a "field trip" to the third grade classroom to put what we have learned to work. We went  with a bag of coins in hand to shop in the store they had created for us. All items in the store were made and priced by third grade students. We browsed and shopped, thereby practicing coin identification, value, and in many cases adding and subtracting money. It was a lot of fun and a great connection with some older students. Thank you to Dr. Robinson and the third grade!

Our Visit To The Science Fair

One of us entered the science fair and the rest of us visited the fair and learned a lot!