Endangered Animals: Project Update

Our class is learning about endangered animals and have finished conducting research using internet and text sources. Students are working on report writing now.  Soon, we will also write persuasive opinion pieces to submit to newspapers, politicians, and members of the UES community.

In addition to writing, we are also planning some events to spread awareness and raise money for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).  On Friday, May 17 we will celebrate Endangered Species Day by holding an all-school assembly from 8:30-8:50am.  Families are encouraged to attend if able.  After the assembly we will host a craft/ bake sale to raise money for WWF.  Please let me know if you are able/willing to volunteer.  Later in the day, we will go out into the community to spread awareness with a flash mob.  These three activities were chosen by and are being planned by our class.  More information will come home as the date approaches.

Not only are we working on this project in our class, we are also collaborating with our Interactive Arts teachers to integrate this project in multiple areas.  Students will make Andy Warhol inspired animal prints to sell at the craft fair in Art class.  They will extend what they learned in the PE dance unit to choreograph and practice a dance for the flash mob during PE time, and they conducted book research during Library class.

The students are excited, engaged in deep thinking and problem-solving, and are working to make change.  What a wonderful class!

Endangered Species Project

Students in our class are VERY interested in helping endangered animals, and we have begun a research project to make a difference based on their enthusiam.  Each student is becoming an expert on a particular animal and writing an informational essay about the animal, the threats to the population, and steps to take to preserve and increase the population.  Also, students will learn about persuasive, or opinion, writing and compose persuasive letters to newspapers, lawmakers, students, and parents to convince others to support conservation efforts.

ECO CANCELLED FOR 4/19

Hello families,

We will cancel ECO this Friday due to a few changes in the day's schedule.  We will have an assembly in the morning (8:30) on the topic of "Peace" and another at 1:30 with special guests Dave Keller and Johnny Rawls for a music celebration.  Also, we will be working on our endangered animal research and persuasive writing pieces.

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR

The bi-annual Scholastic Book Fair is tomorrow!  Our class will visit the book fair at noon tomorrow.  Please contact me with any questions or concerns about the book fair.

-wendym@mpsvt.org or 225-8238

World Autism Awareness Day- April 2

Tomorrow is World Autism Awareness Day.  A parent in our class informed me about the day, and ways to participate.  Your child can also participate by wearing blue.  As a class, we will learn a bit about autism spectrum disorder tomorrow.  Here is a website with more information for you:

http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/waad

Please let me know if you have any questions.

HUBBARD PARK: ECO

It has been a while since our class has spent the day in Hubbard Park learning together. This Friday, April 5, we will head out together around 10:30 and return to school before 2:30. We will have lunch in Hubbard Park. Although Spring is here, please send your child dressed for an outdoor day on Friday. The ground is very damp and has patches of snow, ice, and mud. Rain pants, a rain jacket, boots, a hat, and extra layers are highly recommended.

A lunch form will go home today with your child.  Please return it tomorrow.  

Thanks!