Differences Awareness Day

Friday at SCS was Differences Awareness day.  Students in grades 3-5 had the opportunity to meet and hear from two adults with differences and then had the chance to participate in a simulation activity run by fourth graders.  During the panel discussion we met two adults from the Glens Falls, NY area.  They each talked about their differences: Down's Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy and challenges they have had in their lives.  However, the children also got to hear many ways that we are all alike such as, swimming, favorite colors, going to amusement parks, playing sports, and reading books.  Be sure to ask your child about our panelists (one was Joey's, a fellow third grade teacher, sister)!  During the simulations, the children went to stations that simulated differences in hearing, fine motor skills, visual/spatial, and sensory.  Ask your child about these simulations.  Which ones were hardest tasks to complete?

Both classes also had Hands on Nature.  This month's theme was Beavers and Muskrats.  Through a puppet show and activities, the children learned about where beavers live, how they make changes to their habitats to fit their needs, and how they have made many adaptations to be able to live so much of their lives under and around water.  The children had a chance to try to use their teeth like a beaver by gnawing on a carrot to simulate chopping down a tree and they had to peel chocolate off a pretzel with their teeth to simulate peeling bark off a branch! They got to see their teachers dressed as a beaver...tail, big teeth, pelt, and all!

During theme, we had a chance to test the children's hurricane houses! For the past week, they have been designing and creating structures that could withstand "category 1, 2, and 3" winds (from our electric leaf blower).  We tested out the houses and the children had the chance to reflect on how to make them stronger to withstand "category 4 and 5" winds next week. Did your child's house survive the winds?  How will he or she make it stronger for the next test?

In Reader's Workshop, we started reading a whole class book called Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel.  While reading this book, we made comparisons to the main character in this book with the main character in Because of Winn Dixie.  We found that both girls, Dyamonde and Opal were trying to make friends in these books because they were lonely and new in town.  We also discovered that they learned similar lessons..."people can change" and "don't judge people by just a few of their actions".  Did your child like Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel?  Who does your child think is the better friend...Opal or Dyamonde?

Have a great weekend!