Read the latest Gesher Gazette below! Please click on the PDF to view the double issue.
Click on the link below to view the latest Gesher Gazette:
Read the latest Gesher Gazette below! Please click on the PDF to view the double issue.
Click on the link below to view the latest Gesher Gazette:
Read the latest Gesher Gazette below! Please click on the link below to view the video links.
Click on the link below to view the latest Gesher Gazette:
Balancing:
Eg. The floor is lava game, use chalk to draw lines on the ground and instruct your child to not touch the lines (picking up their feet over the chalk lines), Follow the leader or simple obstacle courses on bikes, trikes or scooters.
Walking with the bike:
Pedalling:
Riding:
Surfaces to practise on:
Read the latest Gesher Gazette below! Please click on the link below to view the video links.
Click on the link below to view the latest Gesher Gazette:
With thanks to Pete Wharmby (Centre for Research in Autism and Education, CRAE Annual Lecture, 2023)
The 10 suggestions above provide a useful checklist. They can also be used to create a workshop activity for staff that will sensitise everyone to the issue of supporting neurodiverse learners. They were stimulated by Pete Wharmbyâs presentation at the 2023 CRAE Annual Lecture, and most of them were specifically referenced there. Pete is an autistic teacher, writer, speaker, advocate and author. Below are two suggestions about how â10 Thingsâ might be used.
Farmington Public Schools
Our fifth graders took action in collaboration with the Farmington green Efforts Commission by participating in a local anti-idiling campaign. As civic-minded contributors, this was a wonderful opportunity to engage in stewardship in our town. Students have been studying how human activities impact the Earthâs sphere, and more specifically, how the burning of fossil fuels impacts the atmosphere.
As part of this project, fifth graders collected and analysed data about idiling in the west woods parking lot before and after school. They learned more about idiling from Ms. Caitlin Stern, an enivronment analyst in the Bureau of Air Management at the Department of Energy and Environmental protection.
Next, in a special appearance on the Wildcat News, Ms. Cate Grady-Benson of the Farmington Green Efforts Commission explained the charge of their committee and its campaign. She invited students to participate in a sign-making contest to promote anti-idling in our town.
In order to learn what makes an effective sign, students used several resources, including a presentation from the West Woods art teacher, Mrs. Lantange. She offered tips and suggestions on how to think like an artist while creating designs (colours that work well together, the right medium, and excellent craftsmanship).
Eight of the signs designed by students were selected by the Green Efforts Commission. Final image edits were done by a Farmington High School students under the guidance of the art teacher. The signs will be professionally printed by DEEP and posted at each of the Farmington schools and the Town Hall.
As a civic-minded contributor, I can take action to protect the Earthâs atmosphere. I can promote community awareness about idling by collaborating with the Farmington Green Efforts Commission & DEEP.
âI think itâs good to take action because thereâs things in the world that we need to stand up for. Before this unit I didnât know about idling. Iâm pretty sure even my parents didnât, but I told my parents and they havenât been idling ever since.â
– Jahnvi
Lisa Mishriky, Laura Munafo, Elizabeth Smith, 7th Grade Language Arts
Alysson Olsen, Library Media Specialist
Trisha Irving, Humanities Specialist
Irving A. Robbins Middle School, Farmington, CT
During the Podcast Challenge, seventh graders research, script, record, and edit “podcasts with purpose” on a topic of interest. Students decide whether their podcast will inform, serve as a call to action, or entertain their listeners. Some of our topics this year included: the insulin shortage in the U.S., cryptozoology, e-waste, the importance of music education, cybersecurity, workerâs rights, and more! Students have the opportunity to conduct interviews with professionals in their field of study, attend feedback workshops facilitated by eighth graders who previously completed the project, and create their own music and sound effects. The project culminates with a Celebration of Learning where students pose questions to a panel of experts, listen to each otherâs podcasts, and engage in reflective interviews with one another. Students are then invited to enter their original creations into two national competitions with National Public Radio or the New York Times.
âI am most proud of how much working with students on their podcasts really deepened my relationships with them. This project truly cultivated trust. I was able to focus more on guiding from the side as a coach while watching them run away with the passion for their topic and the project. It was truly a student-driven experience.â
– Lisa Mishriky
“I really liked the Podcast Challenge project. It was fun to research with a partner and learn about something we both really wanted to learn about. Creating the podcast from start to finish – research to editing – was really interesting and made me really proud. It didnât feel like school to be honest.â
– Luke
âThe interview with the professionals was the highlight of my project. It was really awesome to interview someone about a topic that we were all so passionate about.â
– Jonah
Sharon Becker, Beth Block, Kerry Visone, 8th Grade Science Teachers
Alysson Olsen, LIbrary Media Specialist
Irving A. Robbins Middle School, Farmington, CT
When was the last time you took a moment to educate yourself on your own well-being or on factors that could affect your future health and those of people you care about? Our 8th graders educate our IAR community about the interdependent systems of the human body as related to a medical topic of their choice. Many students chose personally meaningful areas of study related to family, friends or even their own personal medical and/or mental health situations. Students had the chance to research using databases, books and reliable websites. They even had the opportunity to interview medical experts in our community where they could ask specific questions related to their research. Students presented on topics from Parkinsonâs disease to diabetes, to broken bones and selective mutism. The choice of engaging newsletters, powerful MedTalks, and captivating screencasts allowed our students to shine in their own unique ways as civic-minded contributors. They educated our community about the causes, effects, treatments, and implications of their topic. Students also raised money via school-wide pajama days – money collected that project winners, voted on by their peers, could donate to charities related to their medical moment topic.
“It is incredibly rewarding to watch students go through the process from choosing a disease, disorder, or neurodiversity to becoming an expert on that topic. I continue to be in awe of how much they learn throughout the process. Medical Moment is a highlight of the school year!”
– Kerry Visone
“I am most proud of how the students become more aware and more thoughtful and understanding of how peopleâs daily lives are affected by the different medical conditions that are presented.”
– Beth Block
“It helped educate people on different diseases and disorders, which I think is going to be very helpful when we grow up into adults (some of us might even go into the medical field because of this project).”
– Leena
“I think Medical Moment really helped me understand many different aspects of the medical field and what people do everyday to save lives. The project helped me become more aware and appreciative for everyone in the medical field.”
– Claire
“This project helped me be a more positive global citizen because I am now more aware of medical conditions and am less likely to judge before I know the whole story.”
– Brooke