6th graders share picture books with YES students

Meghan Haugevik shared the information below about an interesting visit to YES:

On Monday, June 15, the sixth graders walked down to YES to share picturebooks that they wrote and illustrated in language arts class.  Students focused their writing around a central theme or moral, realistic characters and conflicts, and aimed for writing that demonstrated scenes.  The sixth graders visited second grade classrooms and were paired up with a second grade student.  Both the sixth graders and second graders had a lot of fun, and the sixth graders were excited to share their work (both written and illustrated) with an age-appropriate audience!

                                                                              

In celebration of Legenda

Once again this year the HMS Legenda (19th Anniversary Edition) thrilled and enthralled readers in our building and district wide.

Thanks to all of our talented, creative students who submitted writing and artwork to this unique publication.

Congratulations to the incredible Legenda Staff for creating this inspiring magazine!

                                                                         

Some of the amazing Legenda Staff

Legenda Staff:
Jackson Rollins
Elias Rich
Page Reinfelder
Scarlett McLaughlin
Emilie Estabrook
Dylan Doyle
Max Emrich-Shanks
Kim Fuller
Isabelle King
Lulu Rasor
Pie Rasor
Parker Rollins
Natalie Bourassa
Grady Welsh
Harry Steinharter
Robby Sharkey
Sean Whynot
Wyatt Bates
Olivia Feeley
Vicky Williams
Rachel Walton

Fearless Leader
Charlotte Agell

Delirious Designer
Mitchell Rasor

Friendly Tech Whisperer
Holly Allen

Floating Think Lab Project

Bob Gross shared this engaging Think Lab construction project with us, along with the exciting results:

 One Sheet Plywood Boats

Think Lab Project 

 Funded by a YEF Grant

 Is it possible to create a boat out of one sheet of plywood that will float with 250 pounds in it?

This question led to the design and construction of a variety of boats, and yes they all float with much more than 250 pounds in them.
 
Important facts that drove the process: a cubic foot of water weighs 62.4 pounds and for every cubic foot of displaced water a boat will support 62.4 pounds.

The first designs were two dimensional on paper. The students calculated the volume of the boats that they hoped to create. The cubic foot displacement of the early designs ranged from 6 to 12 which supports from about 400 to 750 pounds.

Once the students had determined that a piece of plywood could be used to create a viable boat, the students than created models out of poster board. 

Our 8th grade students answered the question posed above during the annual trip to Range Pond:

2015 Young Athletes Festival

Congratulations to the 8th grade students and teachers for their wonderful work at the Young Athletes Festival on Friday, 5.15.15.

Our 8th grade students supported the visiting student athletes, ages two through eight, to learn about the skills necessary to participate in the Special Olympics. The student athletes were overjoyed to have the special attention our students provided to them. This is the third year that HMS has partnered with Special Olympics to host this event.

To our 8th grade students:
Your care, time, and attention made a remarkable and positive difference in the lives of these young athletes. You represented HMS and Yarmouth in the best way possible. We're proud of all of you, and touched by your involvement and support of this cause. We know how much this experience meant to you; we thank you for your efforts.

Paige Reinfelder updated our banner with her artwork.

The Yarmouth Digital Media Club created a video to share the Young Athletes Festival-enjoy!

"littleBits" Are Anything But

This was made possible through a YEF Grant.

littleBits a library of modular electronics for students to explore. Students work individually, in pairs, or in teams developing critical thinking and problem solving abilities using the littleBits electronics to design projects that require base skills for Science Engineering and Design.

Ayah Bdeir, the designer of littleBits said that students using these materials puts “the power of engineers into the hands of artists and designers.” There are boundless opportunities for the students to use littleBits once they begin to explore with them and develop ideas and projects that they can create using the materials. 

 

littleBits are electronic modules that snap together with magnets to create projects with light, sounds, and sensors.  There is no wiring, no soldering, and no programming. Students create circuits in seconds using color-coded modules.  There are over 60 interchangeable modules which work in billions of different circuit combinations with infinite possibilities.

Morgan Cuthbert Honored by the EPA and White House Council

We're excited to let you know that Morgan has been selected as an Honorable Mention for the 2014-2015 Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators. Please see the information below for the details of Morgan's impressive work, and this prestigious recognition. Congratulations, Morgan!


Dear Morgan,

On behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the White House Council on Environmental Quality, I am pleased to announce that you have been selected as an Honorable Mention for the 2014-2015 Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators. As an Honorable Mention, you will receive a certificate of honor and your local education agency will be notified of the recognition of your exceptional work with environmental education in your school.

We will be hosting an award ceremony in mid-July in Washington, DC to recognize you, the winners, and your fellow honorable mentions. More information about this ceremony will be available very soon. Before the ceremony, award winners and Honorable Mention recipients will also be recognized on our website at www.epa.gov/education/teacheraward/index.html

Congratulations on this outstanding achievement!

Sincerely,

Carly Carroll
EPA Office of Environmental Education
PIAEE@epa.gov

The Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators recognizes outstanding kindergarten through grade 12 teachers who employ innovative approaches to environmental education and use the environment as a context for learning for their students. Up to two teachers from each of EPA's 10 regions, from different states, will be selected to receive this award. The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers this award to honor, support and encourage educators who incorporate environmental education in their classrooms & teaching methods.

                                                                                    

Morgan Cuthbert

A Gift of Time from the Yarmouth Educational Foundation

The main purpose of these clocks is to assist students with their executive functioning skills of time management, task initiation, emotional control, and sustained attention.  A side benefit is the conceptual development of fractions!  The analog clock, unlike a digital clock, allows for the visualization of manageable chunks of time which has a positive impact on childrens’ ability to organize, plan, and manage task completion.

It is a bit old school with a current research based twist. In the past, all students could look up and visualize the chunks of time available for projects.  They could “see” the passage of time which helped them develop a sense of time and ability to manage it. Digital time is abstract and does not promote understanding of the actual passage of time. Sarah Ward, an executive functioning expert, has developed a system that allows children to track and manage time by using a strategy called “Time Markers”. This strategy has children highlight the “chunk” of time available for a specific task and allows them to see how much time a task should take, how much time has passed, and how much time is left.  Another executive functioning skill is emotional  control.  Some of our students become anxious when faced with tasks.  The visual passage of time provides these students with a concrete reminder that there is enough time to do what they need to do.

Caroline Wiggett honored at Starting 9 Line Up

Caroline Wiggett receiving her award

Caroline Wiggett was recognized and honored as a member of the Sea Dogs Starting 9 Line Up on June 5th. Congratulations, Caroline!

Unum shared the following information with us about this award:

Unum and the Portland Sea Dogs are once again teaming up to highlight the great work Maine teachers do in the classroom everyday.  The 8th-annual “Starting 9” team will be recognized at the Sea Dogs game on Friday, June 5.

Quality classroom teachers are the key ingredient to improving student performance.  Too often, our teachers’ extraordinary efforts go unnoticed. We know that we cannot recognize all the wonderful teachers in Maine, but we want to recognize teachers who, in particular, have created innovative classroom lessons and engage parents, families and communities.


                                                                               

Great Americans

Congratulations to the 5th grade students for their outstanding work on the Great American project! Their engaging portrayals of these memorable Americans focused on character traits, and who they were as individuals, along with the contributions they made to our country. The students' research, presentations, and transformations into these historical figures inspired us as much as learning about their impact on our lives today.

Thank you to our students for sharing this enriching experience with us, and to all members of the 5th grade team who supported them in this endeavor.

Cassie Watts

Ryan Setlow

Student Art on Display at Central Office

Elaine Fletcher shared this update about a new display of HMS student art:

 

Eight HMS students have work being displayed at the Superintendent’s office from June through September.   

 

These students include: 

Eighth graders Jay Patel, Alex Hall, Clementine Blaschke, Paige Reinfelder, Josh Harlow, and Sophie Walsh

 

Fifth graders Jack Riddle and Ella Maxwell

 

Congratulations to these students on their accomplishments in art!

Please enjoy the eighth grade pieces shown below:

Sophie Walsh

Alex Hall

Clementine Blaschke

Jay Patel

Josh Harlow

Paige Reinfelder