Morning Message - 3/23 *Revised Link* https://drive.google.com/a/granbyschools.org/file/d/1-7IRjX01y82nsaMpVIf3YX_xe3kzPgBw/view?usp=drivesdk
On Friday, February 7th, 2020 the students and staff at Wells Road School participated in the Kids Heart Challenge for the American Heart Association. The entire school participated with fun activities coordinated by P.E. Teacher, Mr. Migneault. Some of the activities were jump roping, basketball, Heart Hero hearts, climbing the rock wall, and a special station with school nurse Mrs. Cosgrove where students learned to find their pulse.
In all, 160 students raised funds totaling $12,008.11! This takes our grand total over the past 13 years to $131, 516.42. That is a lot of healthy hearts thanks to Wells Road. Our top fundraiser this year was 4th grader, Vanessa. Students earned a No Homework night and an extra recess to celebrate their great work as compassionate contributors. (Mrs. Pestana)
Mr. Whitten’s and Mrs. Toth’s classes have both been studying fossils. They are trying to understand what the living creatures looked like and how they acted based on evidence found inside the earth. Paleontologists have to create “stories” based on what they find. The students created some of these scenarios in class with clay and plastic dinosaurs. Some of these situations included dinosaurs walking across a path, eating on their hind legs and battling each other. (Jim Whitten)
Some students in Mrs. Jackson's groups are learning about expected and unexpected behavior and language in the classroom, on the playground, and beyond. Students are learning how to use their "social smarts" to figure out what is expected and how other's feel. We are utilizing the book “You are a Social Detective” by Michelle Garcia Winner and Pamela Crooke. (Ursula Jackson)
Fourth graders on the Cloukey-Faber team had a fun week. We visited the New England Air Museum and tasted “Ugly Pasta,” a recipe from Patricia Polacco’s book, Because of Thursday. Also, our students set writing goals after analyzing their opinion essays. There’s always something exciting happening in 4th grade! (Joy Cloukey)
Fourth grade science students in Mrs. Cloukey’s and Mr. Faber’s classes investigated rock layers. Students learned that forces applied in different directions far beneath the ground cause rock layers to bend and fold. (Rob Faber)
ELF grant approved for a Spanish Classroom Library! Congratulations Donia Alicia!
Congratulations to Auggie (music) and Lily (art) for being recognized by the Connecticut Association of Schools for excellence in the arts. Way to go! (Sarah Warner)
The whole school enjoyed reading Who Was? books for our first History Bee. Congratulations to our finalists and the Wells Road winner, Aaron!
Last week, the entire 5th grade kicked off our Capstone unit! We are so excited to start making an impact on our community and truly being compassionate contributors! (Meghan Bavol)
There will be NO PLC Thursday February 6, 2020
Third grade students are getting hands on experience with different shapes in order to explore the concept of area. (Kristin Rice)
Fifth grade students in Mrs. LaFlamme’s science class are learning about the moon phases. Students created new, full, first quarter, third quarter moons and everything in between by using a Styrofoam ball and a pencil. (Amy Lupoli)
I spy Wells Road musicians having a great concert day.
This week we are practicing turning mixed numbers into improper fractions then finding common denominators to add and subtract. (Heather Verheggen)
Fourth graders learned what colonial life was like in the 1600’s from fifth graders who came in to share their finished writing pieces. They discussed the research process, which fourth grade is beginning in both reading and writing. (Cristin Wojtas)
Fourth grade students investigated how to prevent erosion using cornstarch hill models in a lab called “Save the hills.” Students tried to protect their hill from rainwater based on the knowledge they learned from in class activities. (Kierstan Pestana)
Students at Wells Road began their second round of enrichment clusters today. Some new clusters include: The Great Barrier Reef, Puzzled, Crafting 101, and Antique Sign Making. The students were very excited to start these clusters and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish over the next six sessions! (Katie Busbey)
Fourth graders became History Detectives as they examined artifacts from immigration trunks. Thanks to the Connecticut Historical Society for coming to Wells Road! (Joy Cloukey)
