PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

January 21, 2014

MWRA School Education Programs Water…From Source to Sea

Individual workshops for all Grades                          *Free program  

NOTE: Needs to be rescheduled due to snow day

Grades K & 1:  The Day the Water Stopped – Sparks the curiosity and awareness of the importance of water in daily lives of the students. After reading this big book to the students, the work pages provided are to act as a springboard for discussion, a catalyst for dramatic interpretation, or maybe even a hunt at home with Mom and Dad to discover things that use water.

Grade 2:  Drawing the System – Students are introduced to the water delivery system. Using crayons and large paper rolled out in the middle of the classroom, students work together to create a map connecting pipes to buildings in their community.

Grade 3:   Dwayne the Storm Drain – “Dwayne” takes students through each season explaining how nature and humans affect the storm water system. After reading this colorful big book, students will understand their connection to the system.

Grades 4 & 5:  Down the Drain – an interactive presentation that answers the questions: What is wastewater?…Where does it come from?…Where does it go? The 30“ X 40” presentation boards depict each stage of the wastewater treatment process. Props are velcroed to the boards to show what get stopped along the way. Students see actual samples of wastewater as it progresses through the system.

February 27, 2014

New England Aquarium – Tidepool Program Workshops                        www.neaq.org

Kindergarten, first, and second graders will enjoy a hands-on experiences with live animals

from N.E. area tide pools (a pool of water remaining after a tide has retreated) presented by N.E. Aquarium

in their one-hour classroom programs. Enthralled, startled, squeamish, and courageous are just a few words

that can describe possible student reactions to the various animals, which include horseshoe crabs, 6 seastars (a.k.a. starfish), hermit crabs, extremely large snails, mussels, and various forms of beautiful colored clams!

The two different programs presented about tidepools included:

Tide Pool Alive - Kindergarten and first grade classes will have individual workshops as students explore and interact with live local tide pool animals while learning about their basic biology and anatomy. To achieve their goals, the N.E. Aquarium presenters will use guided imagery, enlist an enthusiastic student to dress up in a child-size seastar costume to help show a larger version of a seastar to help students better understand this unique animal, and set up multiple stations to enable students in small groups to have hands-on experiences with the live animals. The workshop covers MA curriculum frameworks skills of inquiry; characteristics of living things; and living things and their environment.

Individual Classes – Grades K & 1^st

Tide Pool Adaptations - Second graders will implement the scientific processes of predictions, hands-on

exploration, and checking predictions to discover how N.E. coastal animals have adapted to life in their

specific environments as they examined live animals within three different shoreline habitats (sandy beach,

rocky shore, and salt marsh.) As with the other program, students will go to in small groups at different stations to experience their hands-on interactions with the animals. The MA curriculum frameworks covered include skills inquiry; characteristics of plants and animals; adaptations of living things; energy; and living things.

Individual Classes – Grade 2

February 28 & March 4, 2014

Creative Enrichment Educational Services - Magic of Maps

Grade-level Workshops - Grades 3rd & 4^th

In this annual program, third and fourth graders will participate in a MAGIC OF MAPS workshop designed to excite the children about maps and motivate them to use maps as tools to visually strengthen many curriculum areas. The workshops address key questions such as:

 - What is a map? How do you read a map?

 - How and why are maps used?

 - How are latitude and longitude used?

 - What are the parts of a map?

 - What borders the United States?

The assembly will be followed up by classroom Cartography (map making) sessions. These sessions will give students an opportunity to explore an area by making maps with a sense of purpose, observation, and measurement. The third graders will rediscover Woburn as explorers and fourth graders will use latitude/longitude lines to investigate the boundaries and significant locations in the United States. It will be a challenging and intriguing lesson for our students, one they will enjoy tremendously!

March 14, 2014

Wattsville - Game Show                                                                            www.nstar.com

Individual Class Programs - Grades K-3                                                                             

This fun and interactive game teaches students about energy conservation and different ways to save energy. The game lasts up to 25 to 30 minutes. The students are divided into two groups, and energy related questions are asked along the way as the students pass through Wattsville. At the end of the game prizes will be given out to each student.                                                                                   *Free program

April 11, 2014

Energy Pursuit - Game Show                                                                          www.nstar.com

Individual Grade Programs - Grades 3-5  

NSTAR and Radio Disney collaborated to create a 50-minute exciting, high energy, educational, and interactive game show for upper elementary grades called Energy Pursuit. In this live game show, each grade-level from 3-5 will have their own program where students stand at “Jeopardy”-like podiums answering questions to help educate them all on the importance of energy efficiency, the environment, and safety. In addition to anticipated enthusiastic audience participation, watching the students pounce on the buzzer in excitement to answer a question will be a sight to see! In past programs, there has been a lot of friendly competition that also helped teach students that even though they may try their very best, they can't always be the one who will be the top prize-winner. Nonetheless, though, they are winners just by giving it their all!

Grades K-2 can join in as a part of the audience to learn a few things about energy themselves while experiencing a fun, buzzer- & bell-filled, live game show! There will be lots of excitement to go around!

                                                                                                                                    *Free program

April 14, 2014

Top Secret Math Workshops

Grades 3-5 individual grade workshops                                                               www.topsecretscience.com

Teachers from each grade-level have submitted the math topics they want covered during the 1 1/2 hour workshops for each grade. The presenter will select  four to five topic-related fun and hands-on games and learning activities that will get kids excited about math. Each activity exceeds state and national standards and incorporates the latest curriculum materials and educational techniques to make each program rewarding and will get the kids to think differently about math. Just a few of the possible activities include Magic Math Boxes; Math is Great; The Name is?; World of Colors, Animals, & States; All Tied Up; The Secret Word; Who Wants to be a Millionaire; Double Stacking; In Moms Wallet; Four Square; Magic 3-D Cubes; Mixed Up Rings; and  Mystery Arcs. These activities are all make and take home projects.

May 2014

Dental Hygiene Program

Assembly (Grades K-2)

Two hygienist from Dr. Mooney's dental office here in Woburn will conduct a presentation about

the importance of good dental hygiene to our students in grades K-2. They will provide good tips and advice to help them learn the necessary techniques of taking good care of their teeth. All of the students will be given a “good dental hygiene” goodie bag at the end of the program...no candy in it, of course!

                                                                                                                                    *Free program

May 30, 2014

The NED Show                                                                       www.thenedshow.com

The Enrichment Committee was happy to host The NED Show in January. It was truly a terrific and inspiring program with the goal of helping our Hurld students enhance their academic performance as well as improve their overall behavior. The assembly combined a great message using yo-yos, humor, and audience participation to teach students how to develop three valuable characteristics involved in becoming champions at school and in life...

 Never Give Up             Encourage Others                Do Your Best
            Never Give Up (focus and persistence)
            Encourage Others (kindness and shared learning)
            Do Your Best (diligence and excellence)

The producers of The NED Show partner with schools by offering the program free if the school agrees to sell The NED Show's promotional yo-yos for one week after the program. The kids really enjoyed the program and the PTO also liked hosting it because it made the connection that the yo-yo isn't easy to master and kids will have to try hard, do their best, and be diligent about it if they want to be good. One could also make the analogy that life is like a yo-yo and knowing how handle the ups and downs life presents us will help improve the chances of success. You can't go wrong with that type of message! Thanks to all the parents who allowed kids to buy the yo-yos; we hope they are still having fun with them!

All-school Assembly                                                                                                    *Free program

June 2014

YMCA Summer Safety Program

Individual Grade Programs - Grades K-2                                                                 *Free program

The Aquatics Director at the YMCA, Jeremy Stiles, will speak to our grade K-2 level students to educate them about the importance of summer safety in the backyard particularly around pools as well as at lakes and beaches. A few points that will be covered include:

- Make sure an adult is watching when you are in the pool or at the beach.

- Don't try to hold onto someone who is drowning because they could end up pulling you down with them; let an adult know A.S.A.P.

- Always use a swim vest when in deep water if you are not strong enough swimmer to stay afloat.

- Be aware of those who are around you and be careful not to play too roughly; particularly in the water.