Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month, and several classes are enjoying the fun and challenge of incorporating poetry into their lessons.  Today I came across a wonderful project in which 7th graders used Word Art on their computers to "illuminate" a favorite poem -- a perfect blending of techmology and English.  Here is an illustration by Alexis F. of a poem called "Fireflies" by Paul Fleischman.  More illustrations can be found posted outside the computer lab.

Getting the Words Right

 

 Do you remember your first dictionary?  Here at SFA, we are very fortunate to have a relationship with the Rotary Club of Baltimore.  Each year they bring brand-new dictionaries to our third graders.  The children put their names on the dictionaries and then begin exploring.  Third grade is an ideal time to emphasize dictionary work, because the children's reading skills are solid enough that they can make use of the dictionary as a tool, but their vocabulary awareness is still developing, so a visit to the dictionary can be a true voyage of discovery.  We are especially grateful to Mary Ann Rishebarger, past president of the local Rotary Club and a former SFA parent, who makes a visit each year to our third grade for this fun experience.

Rugs In Action

Thanks to a grant from the Meyerhoff Foundation, each of our PreK classrooms received a new rug in early December.  Each rug has a different design, with plenty of learning built in.  My particular favorite is the one in the 2's room, which has a beautiful image of the earth and lots of bright colors.  In this photo, Ms. Lavonne uses a "learning carpet" designed especially for math to help our four-year-old students see patterns and relationships in a 100-square grid.