A Message from MIT about SCRATCH

Scratch Day 2013

Do you know a kid who's excited about learning to program, or wants to meet others who do it?  Then bring a laptop and come explore Scratch, a fun, playful programming language designed for beginners.  Montpelier's Scratch Day meetup will offer activities, demonstrations, and suggestions for projects to get kids coding fast in this colorful drag-and-drop environment created at MIT's media lab. Again, note that we are NOT providing computers!

Join us for this informal hands-on workshop on Saturday, May 18 from 3-5 PM at Local 64.  For questions or to let us know you're coming, e-mail julie.robichaux@comcast.net.  For more information about worldwide Scratch Day, visit day.scratch.mit.edu.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR FRIDAY, MAY 17

Our class has worked hard to get ready for Endangered Species Day this Friday.  Though originally an ECO date, we are cancelling ECO in order to make way for our activities.  Families are encouraged to come if able.

8:00-8:20 Set up for bake sale in classroom.  Volunteers are VERY welcome to come help out.  We may also need help setting up for the assembly.

8:30-8:50 Assembly on Upper Playground.  Students in our class have planned and will lead the monthly school assembly.  The theme is centered on endangered animals.

9:00-11:00 Fundraiser in classroom.  We will sell baked goods, crafts, and jewelry to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund.

11:00-11:10 Clean up

11:10-11:50 Recess/ Lunch

12:10 Go to State House for Flash Mob (to the tune of "Help" by the Beatles) to raise awareness and money for Endangered animals.

If you are able to come help out at any time during the day, or able to contribute to the bake/ craft sale, we really appreciate it.  Every little bit helps.

Thanks!

Important Dates

Please take a look at the important dates listed on the right-hand sidebar.  Next week we have Science NECAPs in the afternoon, and we will also promote awareness for endangered animals on the 17th.

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