Shelburne Farms Field Trip

Shelburne Farms Video by Tonya Girouard

Spring Sailing on Lake Champlain

A sailboat from CSC and a ferry on Lake Champlain.

This spring, our third graders will have the opportunity to visit the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center in Burlington for their “Floating Classroom” program. During this program, students will experience sailing on Lake Champlain while learning about our watershed, lake ecology, wind, weather, geology, and more. We’ll connect this program to our weather and interdependence science units. 

 The CSC is a non-profit organization funded by the generosity of donors and grants. The overall cost of this program is $45 per student, but we’re able to offer this opportunity to our students for $30 per person. 

We know this is a costly field trip, but the education and experience of the program (including sailing on Lake Champlain) make it worthwhile for all students. There are several different ways that you might be able to support this program before we look into different fundraising options this spring.  Look for a pink handout in your child's home-school folder (they were put in mailboxes yesterday...).

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your child's teacher.

Shelburne Farms Field Trip

 

We had a wonderful time at Shelburne Farms.  Thank you to the chaperones who were able to help us make this field trip successful!

Golf Field Trip

 

Earlier this month, we were able to take our golf skills from PE to the greens at Cedar Knoll Country Club in Hinesburg.  We had so much fun practicing our driving, pitching, chipping & putting on a real course.  We even got to "play" the 18th hole!

Many thanks to Mr. G for the skills practice, Mrs. Ayer & the Cedar Knoll family for letting us use the course, and all of the parent volunteers for helping to make it possible.

Direct Link to slideshow of Images

Virtual Field Trip: Lake Champlain Maritime Museum

 

Lake Champlain is a treasure trove of history and most of us would never even know!  The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (at Basin Harbor in Vergennes) is a wonderful place to discover the history of our lake and all of the mysteries hidden beneath the surface!

While you're staying socially distant this summer, try exploring underwater shipwrecks and learning even more about the history of our lake.  

Check out the website here: https://www.lcmm.org/

Snow Motion -- Week #1

What a fantastic day to be on the mountain today...despite the cold temperatures!  We can't wait to return again next week! 

Just a reminder -- ski boots & helmets should come to school; ski & poles should be dropped off at Cochran's.  (It really does make it much faster for us to get off the bus and get onto the mountain!)

Photos from November & December

Just catching up from the end of the decade! Photos included in this slideshow include the following events at RES:

• Financial Literacy with Community Bank
• Author Visit with Diana Dunn
• MMUUSD Literacy Coaching with 3rd Grade Teachers
• SNOW!!
• Mystery Oreos -- What is that mystery flavor?
• Ice Skating (Thanks Mr. G!!)
• Small Moment & Graphic Novel writing celebration
• Mrs. Ayer's class leading the RES All School Meeting
• Dance Party PBIS Celebration
• Perimeter Exploration
• Pillow Polo Tournament in PE
• RES All School Holiday Sing-Along
• And so much more!!

 

First Tee Success!

Cedar Knoll Golf Trip Postponed

Our field trip to Cedar Knoll has been postponed until Thursday, June 13th due to the expected rainy weather.

On Thursday, students will need to come to school prepared with:

• sneakers
• layers of clothes suitable for movement
• lunch (or order one from the RES Cafe)
• water bottle
• bug spray and/or sunblock to be self-applied

We will be leaving RES at 10:30 am and returning by 2:00 pm.

Help! Golf Volunteers Still Needed

Image by Oberholster Venita from Pixabay

We are looking for a few more volunteers for our field trip to Cedar Knoll Country Club on Tuesday, June 11th.  You don't need any golf experience...just a willingness to supervise and encourage new golfers!

If you're able to volunteer, please let us know...we'd love to have you!

Upcoming Third Grade Events

Upcoming Third Grade Events

Mrs. Ayer, Mrs. Girouard & Ms. Poncelet

Week of May 14th → Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBAC)

• 

  Scholars will be taking these assessments each day (Monday thru Thursday) from 10:00-12:00.  
• Be sure your child has a healthy, hearty breakfast and comes to school with a snack.   (Helpful test-taking “tools” will be provided.)
• Make-ups will be on Friday, May 18 and the week of May 21st.

Afternoons, Week of May 14th  → Outdoor Science Activities

• Please send students with socks & sneakers, as well as a light pair of pants to wear while hiking outdoors.  There have been some ticks spotted already this season, so we want students to be dressed appropriately to avoid contact!
• Sunscreen and/or bug spray may be applied by students.

May 30, 2018 → Shelburne Farms Field Trip

• Permission slips were sent home last week.  Due Friday, 5/11.
• Please contact your child’s teacher if you need another form.

Save the Date: Field Trip to Cedar Knoll Country Club

This spring, 2nd and 3rd graders will be doing a golf unit during P.E. class.  The unit will focus teaching proper grip, safety awareness, etiquette of the game, and how to putt, chip, pitch, and drive.  On June 12th, we will be taking a field trip to Cedar Knoll Country Club in Hinesburg. The rain date is scheduled for June 19th.

Second Grade will be golfing in the morning from 8:30-10:30 after which they will return to RES.  Third grade will be golfing from 10:30-12:30 and then return to RES.

I’m looking for a few volunteers to help me run stations.   No experience required! I’ll fill you in on everything that you need to know.  I will need lot of help to ensure that all proper safety protocols are being followed by scholars and appropriate spacing is given when swinging clubs.

Please make sure to have your child bring a snack and water bottle, and apply sunscreen and bug spray at home.

Teamwork: On the (Tennis) Court & Off

Last week, RES third graders visited the Burlington Tennis Club to try out all of our tennis skills on the clay courts!  We practiced our ball & racket handling skills, agility, serving, and our backhand and forehand shots!

Then, we traveled to Oakledge Park on Lake Champlain for a picnic lunch and an afternoon of cooperative games.  We all played "Giants, Wizards & Elves" and then had a choice of a scavenger hunt around the park or playing capture the flag.

RES Ambassadors of STEM

A few months ago I blogged about an opportunity that Richmond Elementary School was part of through a grant from the Vermont After School Program and Montshire Science Museum. That Tinkering Grant award allowed us to have some awesome materials for engineering exploration both in school and in an after school class that I hosted.  The relationship that RES established with the Vermont After School program has led to excellent learning for students as well as professional development for myself as the RES enrichment teacher. It also led us to an opportunity to visit the Vermont State House in Montpelier last week and talk to state representatives about all of the great engineering activities, and the amazing makers and scientists that we have at RES. 

I was proud to bring six students to Montpelier to participate in a day that included engineering design challenges, a visit to floor of the State House (where our Richmond representative called out our students by name!) and time to engage representatives in making through our RES marble maze display (Students designed elements and created on the spot). 

It was great to share about the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)---and to see RES students SHINE!  At RES this year we are on a journey to bring making, creating and engineering to all students through the creation of a Makerspace.  It is a journey as we figure out how this work fits into our curriculum as well as our after school programming.  Connecting to the Vermont Afterschool program has been an excellent way to engage in dialog about how we can provide multiple avenues for all students to access these skills and opportunities. 

post originally appeared on Mrs. Rankin's blog Enrichment at RES.  Reposted with permission.

Echo Field Trip

Last week, we had the opportunity to visit Echo Leahy Center for Lake Champlain in order to further our learning about watersheds and the issues that impact them. First, we listened to a presentation from the Lake Champlain Basin program about invasive species in Lake Champlain, why they are troublesome, and what is being done and how we can help. Then, we helped to tell the story of Lake Champlain's history with fossils and artifacts. Did you know...that a beluga whale was found in Charlotte? How did it get to Vermont? We also built our own model of a watershed with a housing development, roads, a farm, and thought about ways we might be able to prevent the farm runoff from getting into our lake. We talked about impervious surfaces and absorbent surfaces, too.

 A HUGE thank you to the chaperones who helped us make this trip successful. Thank you, also, to Echo for providing us with this field trip (and the bus!) at no cost! (Third grade teachers took a class at Echo this summer to write the curriculum; Echo gave us a field trip as a thank you for helping to further develop the education program offerings at Echo.)

Huntington River in Review #ngss #fieldtrip

Last week, we visited the Huntington River at the Audubon Nature Center as part of our science unit about Interdependence and Organisms.  While at the river, groups of students completed three different activities.

At one station, students were working with Mrs. Ankerson to conduct a "BMI" (benthic macroinvertebrate) count of the Huntington River.  This required us to use our identification skills to determine which organisms we found in the river.  Photos of some of these organisms are in the slideshow.

At another station, students played a game with Mrs. Ayer to learn about the food chain within the Lake Champlain Basin.  Students were either algae, macroinvertebrates, or yellow perch.  During the game, students also learned about ways that the watershed can get polluted.  Some examples of pollution include dog poop, cow manure, road runoff, oil, etc.  We'll revisit this topic again later.

Finally, with Miss Darby, students spent time observing the environment in two ways.  First, they used their senses (sight, sound, touch, smell) and took notes of their observations.  Then, they drew a scientific drawing (accurately detailed with labels) of their surroundings.

A huge thanks to the Audubon for allowing us the opportunity to use their land for our field experience!  (Donations to the Audubon would be greatly appreciated!)

Andes Manta Visits

This is a guest post from RES Enrichment Teacher Mrs. Rankin.

 

Today third graders had the amazing opportunity to make musical instruments with the musical group Andes Manta.  Students visited the Flynn for a performance this morning. Students and chaperones got to experience quite a show.



Here is an example of a similar performance of one amazing part of the show, when the Lopez brothers create a rainforest:



We were very lucky to not only see this great performance, but to welcome Andes Manta to our school to create payas, an Andean musical instrument.  Each student created their very own paya and participated in small group discussions with the artists.  Students talked about music, creating instruments, Ecuador (culture and geography) as they worked alongside great musicians!



 

This work connected to students study of South America in Spanish classes as well as their third grade geography unit (biomes, landforms, and culture!).

This great opportunity was made possible by the Flynn Education Department, collaboration between enrichment, Spanish and third grade teachers AND a very generous donation from Cumbancha (http://www.cumbancha.com/). Thanks to everyone who supported this effort to bring an enriching experience to our school!

Making Andean Musical Instruments!

RES ENRICHMENT and SPANISH PROGRAMS  in collaboration with the FLYNN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT are excited to announce an: AMAZING THIRD GRADE OPPORTUNITY!

After our attendance at the Flynn theater on Monday November 2nd to watch Andes Manta perform,   ANDES MANTA WILL BE COMING TO RES!!!  

 

(photo courtesy of Andes Manta)

The four Lopez  brothers will spend an hour and a half in the afternoon creating authentic Andean musical instruments with our students. Each student will create an instrument to bring home!

This opportunity has been sponsored in part by World Music Record Label, Cumbancha (based in Charlotte Vermont), http://www.cumbancha.com/ and we are very thankful for their support of music and making at RES.  

This is a unique opportunity for students, and we know it will be memorable!  if you are interested in coming to support students as they build and make their instruments (from 1-2:30 on 11/2) please contact Darcie Rankin at darcie.rankin@cesuvt.org.  

 

Cedar Knoll Golfing -- Postponed to 6/4

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Dear 2nd & 3rd Grade Parents/Guardians,

 

Due to the rain and wet grass, the 2nd & 3rd grade golf trip to Cedar Knoll Country Club will be rescheduled for Thursday June 4th.  If you were unable to volunteer for the June 2nd date and wish to help out with the June 4th date, please email Mr. G.  All lunches ordered through the school will be moved to Thursday.  Please make sure your child wears appropriate footwear (no flip flops  or sandals) and apply sunscreen at home.

 

• 2nd Grade will leave RES at 8:30 and return at 11:30


• 3rd Grade will leave RES at 10:30 and return at 1:45

 

Thanks,

 

Brian Godfrey

P.E. teacher

brian.godfrey@cesuvt.org

A Day on the Courts

This fall, third graders have been practicing tennis skills in PE with Mr. G.  Today, we had the opportunity to hone our skills on the clay courts at the Burlington Tennis Club.  Scholars were able to practice their racquet and ball handling skills including practicing balancing a ball on a racket while moving around the court, tapping & bumping a tennis ball alone and with a partner, practicing underhand serving across the net and hitting the ball baseline to baseline, and practicing their forehand shot.  As you can see from the video, we had a fantastic time!

 

A huge thank you to the United States Tennis Association for their generous support of new racquets, balls, and nets for our school.   Thanks, also, to the BTC for allowing us the use of their courts...what a great experience to play on real courts! Thank you to Alex, a USTA Tennis Pro, for donating his time to help us learn and practice our skills, and to Mrs. Ankerson for helping to arrange the trip to the courts at the BTC today.