Learning With Monsters

The first and second grade STARS have been working very hard on their Monster Project. The Monster Project encourages the development of reading and writing skills while integrating technology into the classroom. Using monsters as a vehicle, students exchange written descriptions of their own monster through The Monster Project wiki, and then recreate their partner's monster without ever looking at the "real thing". During the project, students create, discuss, describe, interpret, analyze, organize and assess their monsters as well as the monsters of their peers.

The first and second graders have been using laptops from our laptop cart and have become very proficient at logging on and using Smart Notebook to create their monster drawings. Listen to what we have to say about their learning!


Take a look at the amazing drawings they have created!
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They are now very busy at work writing their descriptions of their monsters for their partners. They've learned that it is important to write in sentences and include a shape, size, color for each body part including where it should be drawn. We can hardly wait to share their descriptions for you to try!

We're Going Green! Shouldn't Your School Go Green Too?

On February 17th, we sparked our interest in the environment with a videoconference with a Gifted and Talented 7th and 8th grade class from Texas. There project and videoconference with us was being judged as part of the KC3 Kids Creating Community Content Competition. Here is a link of the video that was recorded of both or our schools during the videoconference competition.

Listen to our podcasts to hear what we learned, thought, and what we plan to do to GO GREEN here at East Vincent!

Photo by http-//www.flickr.com/photos/shiyazuni/3060701050/sizes/o

Read Across America and Around the Planet

Read Across America is being celebrated this week across the nation. East Vincent has planned many activities to celebrate and encourage a love of reading in our students.

Students in STARS are extending their celebration with Read Around the Planet. Our first and second grade classes were partnered with another class in the United States through the TWICE Read Around the Planet program. Our first grade class is partnered with a class in West Virginia and our second grade class is partnered with a class in New Hampshire to share their love of reading with each other.

Our classes will each participate in a one hour videoconference using PolyCom videoconferencing equipment. Our first and second graders each have designed background scenes and are excited about presenting Reader's Theatre stories complete with costumes and props to their partners.

On March 2, the National Education Association is calling for every child to be reading in the company of a caring adult.

Click here to get four free digital read along versions of Dr. Seuss books.
I hope you join us in celebrating reading with your child this week.