BLANKETING THE WORLD WITH LEARNING ANDLOVE

We presented this project to our Board of Education in Februaury2011.
The following explains exactly how we put it together.

Cornwall-on-Hudson Elementary School has been working on a project across all grades to help students develop awareness of, and sympathy for, citizens in our area who are less fortunate than they are. The launching point was the book, Lady in the Box, written by, Ann McGovern, which presents a compassionate portrait of a homeless woman and her relationship with two neighborhood children as they try to find ways to help her.

Each grade chose a different way to incorporate the book’s message into its lessons. The school is having a blanket drive to collect new and gently-used blankets to give to several local charities. So far we have collected two big boxes full of blankets! The drive will run from February 14 to March 1.

Student Council(Fourth Graders) learned how to use flip cameras to video different students and their projects. The flip cameras were really cool and fun to use. It was hard at first to hold the camera steady, but it got easier. We put the videos together to make a special movie. Examples of the projects were huung around the cafeteria.

The Kindergarten worked on different patterns during math. They created class pattern quilts made out of paper and also using their hands made different patterns clapping and snapping their fingers. They had a lot of fun with this project!

Ms. Hahn’s Kindergarten and First Graders read “Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt” which inspired the use of the quilt pattern during the Revolutionary War. Each student picked a different one to color.
First Grade did a writing assignment using the prompt, “Separate we are unique individuals. Together we are one colorful creation.” They put their writing together to make a class quilt.

The Second Grade wrote letters to their parents and to the community about the blanket drive.
Mrs. Salis’ Class read the Kindness Quilt and then created their own to share with all of us.

We then recorded examples of each of these lessons being done and put together a movie using a Flip Camera.

We presented this movie to our Board of Education to show how we are using technology to help engage our students in learning. We will also watch the movie at one of our Friday Morning Openings where all the students can see how everyone is growing and learning.