This blog was created by Kate Klein (Ms. Kate), for her students and the families of The Charles Sumner School, Boston, MA.
We will use this blog in class and at home to explore, share, and create the world we want.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
It is that time of year again!
The 2nd grade is getting ready for their trip to The Arnold Arboretum.
Click on the picture to hear Sweet Tree Alive, a song written by a former 2nd grade after their trip to The Arb.
Qué Rico, No?
(overheard as I stepped onto The Highline)
If you have been following this bolg, you know my students and I LOVE The Highline. I was so lucky to visit it with my family.
Here are some quick impressions:
Lots of People taking care of The Highline
Hearing lots of different languages
All different kinds of people walking and sitting together
A man wearing pink and bright blue leopard print sock with black suede lace-up shoes
A kid in a spiked baseball hat
A group of people doing Tai Chi
Dead plants coming back to life
Flower buds in all different colors
Seeing the oldest and newest buildings in NYC
The clanking sound of loose metal plates as you walk over them
The rush of NYC left below as we were suspended in the warm Spring sun
Sí, qué rico.
![A somber Spring night in Boston.
Today, at The Sumner, we are celebrating Boston. Students and staff wearing Boston gear are donating a $1 or more to The One Fund.
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino have announced the formation of The One Fund Boston, Inc. to help the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15, 2013.“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”-Mr. RogersPlease consider donating today.
note: This image is from Col. Chris Hadfield, a Canadian Astrosaut, currently living [and blogging] in space aboard the ISS. Please check out his blog.
This is am image he took of Boston from space.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/8f5bb9809904ecd882603a6f4dcb1c3e/tumblr_mlc7mdoNtQ1s1mt5yo1_500.jpg)
A somber Spring night in Boston.
Today, at The Sumner, we are celebrating Boston. Students and staff wearing Boston gear are donating a $1 or more to The One Fund. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino have announced the formation of The One Fund Boston, Inc. to help the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15, 2013.
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
-Mr. Rogers
Please consider donating today.
note: This image is from Col. Chris Hadfield, a Canadian Astrosaut, currently living [and blogging] in space aboard the ISS. Please check out his blog. This is am image he took of Boston from space.
In the mean time, Ms. Lee, Ms. Rivkin and I invited community members to hear the new presentations.
Kristin McSwain from Boston Oppurtunity Agenda, Jeff Meighn from The Science Museum, Ben Durrell from the Boston Children’s Museum, Mr. Adam one of our teachers and an architecture student, and our city council person and Boston Mayoral Candidate Felix Arroyo were welcome into the Computer Lab of the Sumner.
They were greeted with a question on Today’s Meet, which they answered on our new laptops, and their phones.
After the presentations, our community members were able to meet with the students in small groups and ask questions.
I was very impressed with our students’ motivation and hard work to go back and edit, revise and redesign their bridges. They all made stronger and more interesting bridges. They spoke beautifully about the technical aspects and the stages of building a bridge, as well as about working in collaboration. Our students were very honored by the presents of our community members.
The students began by working in groups brainstorming and drawing ideas.
Then they got to building with all recycled materials from the Resources For R.I. Education, in Providence RI.
Design, material, and teamwork obstacles all arose, but these kids were not giving up!
The scholars presented their models to each other. Two things became very clear: 1) they wanted to redesign and make them better, and 2) they wanted to present them to a larger audience.
We gave them time to meet back with their groups to revise their bridges and rebuild.
Ms. Lee, Ms. Rivkin and my self have been studying architecture and design with a group of fourth and fifth graders. After a lot of research on the elements of structures, studying different types of bridges, and time to work as groups building bridges with K’nxts, we presented our students were presented with a challenge.
Mayor Menino needs to replace The Science Museum Bridge that crosses the Charles River by The Science Museum and MA State Police Station.
Criteria
• Boats must be able to pass
• Pedestrian and Cyclist safety
• Accommodate cars, large trucks, buses
• It must look good as it is close to landmarks and important buildings
Some fourth and fifth graders with birdhouses they just made.
Try it!
Instructions for making your own cardboard birdhouse here:
http://vimeo.com/m/50849299
Martha Speaks: Circus Spectacular, Cybersafety and a whole lot of fun! Since our new laptops have cameras, we can play whole body interactive games. Super fun! It is also a great way to introduce how to stay safe when the *Camera and Microphone Access* window pops up.
A photo essay of the history of our lab.
Next week everyone gets on the new computers!
This may have been the most exciting week of the… well, I am pretty sure it is the most exciting week of my of all of my years at The Sumner!
We started off the week with getting 25 brand new MacBook Pros for the computer lab and are ending with week with our 4th and 5th graders presenting their Bridge Challenge to members of the community.
Exciting times.
Posts about the history of our lab and the amazing presentations to come.
