Hour of Code

Grades: 1-12
Teachers: Morgan Cuthbert, Mike Arsenault, Cathy Wolinsky, and Alice Barr
Subject: All
Project Name: Hour of Code

Resources: Yarmouth Coding Resources and Code.org

Thank you to YEF for their support in helping find volunteers to come in to classrooms and talk about working in a computer science field.

All students in grades 1-12 had an opportunity to participate in an "hour of code" activity that was appropriate to their grade level. This is a slide show of some students at Rowe using iPads and YES using laptops with assistants from HMS:

This is the slide show from the High school activities

Digital Citizenship: Digital Discussions

Grades: 9
Teachers: Alice Barr , Suzanne Hamilton and 9th grade Teachers
Subject: Information Technology and Core Values
Project Name: Digital Discussions
Resources: Digital Discussions

This year we are going to have 3 periods during the year when we have discussions based on topics related to digital citizenship with 9th graders. Students will choose the topic they want to participate in. Round 1 will cover Digital Footprint and Digital Overload. Students will watch videos and read articles during Science and Social studies classes. On December 6th, students will participate in the Digital Compass opening activity and then go to smaller groups for the discussion. Groups will be generated randomly and each will have a teacher facilitator. Students will come prepared to the discussion ready to share and bring more questions. At the end of the sessions students will write a reflection. In future discussions, students will facilitate, based on the EdCafe Model.After the last discussion, students will write an essay based on the theme of Digital Citizenship.

AP Environmental Science Holiday Sculpture

Grades: 11-12
Teachers: Chris Hill
Subject: Science
Project Name: AP Environmental Science Holiday Sculpture

Project Guidelines:

You and 2 other students will be constructing a holiday sculpture made out of material that you would otherwise throw away.  This sculpture will be on display in the YHS library for the month of December.  The sculpture must be handmade, with nothing pre-constructed, and include the following:

* Every part must be made of trash or previously used products.  Nothing 'new' can be included in the structure. (note:  the library does have old books and magazines)

* Have some sort of holiday theme that is clearly apparent in its structure.  Examples may include, but are not limited to:  Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, New Year, etc.

* Be self-standing with a base of some sort.

* No food items may be used.

* Have a maximum height of 3 feet.

* A short, typed, informative paragraph explaining the purpose and vision behind the construction of your sculpture must be included, separately.

* The use of 'new' nails, glue, staples, etc. can be used to put your sculpture together.

* Most of all, be creative and have fun!

Vocab Minute Songs

Grade: 10
Teachers: Maritia O'Neil
Subject: English
Project Name: Vocabulary Minute Songs
Resources: Project Website

This project is modeled on the Princeton Review's Vocabulary Minute. Using a list of SAT vocabulary words, students created their own songs to help them remember what they have to learn. The results are quite creative!

Class 1 and Class 2

Far Away, So Close

Grades: 10-12
Teachers: Melissa Noack
Subject: Art
Project Name: Culture Clash
Resources: Project Website

In a collaboration with a school in Beijing China,  students create and share photos from their communities. They visually explore the similarities and differences of their own experiences. The project was features in School Arts Magazine on page 24.

Math Faces Project

Grades: 11-12
Teachers: Todd Shaw
Subject: Math
Project Name: Faces

Final projects made with Grapher

Digital Citizenship: Online Living

Grades: 9
Teachers: Alice Barr and Suzanne Hamilton
Subject: Information Technology and Core Values
Project Name: Online Living
Resources: Online Living at YHS

Essential Question:

How can we use Yarmouth Core Values to guide our conduct and decision-making in our online lives?

Description:Students choose 4 sessions based on digital citizenship themes.

• Safe or Sorry
• Fake or Real
• Share a Little or a Lot
• Create/Credit or Steal
• Bully or Protect

iPads in the music class? Let me count the ways!

Grades: 2-4
Teacher: Karen Renton
Subject: Yarmouth Elementary School Music
Project Name: iPads in the music class? Let me count the ways!

The iPad has made a powerful presence in the YES classroom this year. Let me tell you about a few of the ways we have been using them. iPads for music learning have come from the Yarmouth Education Foundation (YEF), the Yarmouth Music Boosters and we also borrow the set from the YES Computer Lab.

CLASSICAL KIDS APP – This app is a story telling app that incorporates historical facts about various composers in an interesting part fictional story format, complete with lots of GREAT classical music. We have heard about Tchaikovsky, Bach, and Mozart’s Magic Flute. I find that these stories have worked really well in chapter type format, and also allows me the luxury of resting my voice and being able to step back and watch students.

THE STATES APP – This is very simply a map of the United States and it’s growth since the 1700’s. I used this first when we were learning the 50 Nifty United States song in the 3rd grade. Recently I used this app in the 4th grade when we were learning about the history of African American spirituals. It helped to show the split between the North and the South and the Ohio river, referred to as the Jordan River in so many spirituals.

PIANO GAMES APP – We used this app in both the 3rd and 4th grade when we were learning about beat and tempo. It tied in beautifully with the 3rd graders who study Countries. This app is a game that helps you to learn to play the National Anthems from various countries.

PIANO FREE APP- This app is simply a piano keyboard, and worked really well with the 3rd graders who have been learning to read 3, 4 and 5 note songs on various pitched instruments.

EXPLAIN EVERYTHING APP – This app worked really well with the 4th graders when they were learning how to write BAG songs for the recorder. Not only was it helpful with students that were absent and missed the initial instructions, but this app also allows you to take pictures. I was able to take pictures of all of the songs and then we were able to play all of them as a class! Way cool!

iAUTOHARP – I haven’t had a chance to use this app yet, but I’m looking forward to using this with 4th graders. They will be able to play chords on this autoharp app to accompany others who are playing recorder.

Grade: Kindergarten

Teacher: Amy Finnen

Subject: Kindergarten Explorations on the iPad

So far this year, I have utilized the iPad in several ways. I use the iPad to take photos and post them directly to my Blog. I have downloaded several apps which students access to promote literacy and math skills. Students work with a partner on the iPad during a few scheduled times each day. There is a schedule rotation, so that students know when their turn is. I also can use the iPad along with the class projector to play interactive story books.

Posting to our class Blog directly enhances student learning by facilitating communication between school and home. Even though I think my learning activities are fun and exciting, I know that many students go home and say “nothing”, or “played at recess” when asked what they did at school during the day. When parents and children can sit down and view photos of what we did at school, it provides a springboard for conversation. When children talk about what they learned at school this further cements the learning that occurred. It also builds higher-level thinking skills as students think and talk about their learning.

Students also get direct access to the iPad during the day. Some of the apps that students work on are:

• Spelling Magic 1 (has a moveable alphabet that provides opportunities to build/construct words)
• ABC Pocket Phonics (students trace letters to learn correct letter formation and spell simple words)
• Montessori ABC for Kids (students learn and trace alphabet letters)
• Houghton Mifflin Readers (students can read books at their independent reading level)
• Storia (an eBook app where students can read books on the iPad)
• Bingo (students solve math equations and try to win at Bingo)
• Hungry Fish (students solve addition and subtraction problems)

Some storybooks we have read together are:

• Trees Grin
• Van Gogh and the Sunflowers
• Teddy's Day
• Green Eggs and Ham
• The Cat and the Hat
  
  
  

Grade: 11
Teachers: Anne Tommaso and Mandy Lewis
Subject: English
Project Name: Community Book Discussion
Resources: Project Website

Students choose a book to read based on a theme. Members of the community are invited to participate by reading one of the books on the list and joining a group for a student generated discussion.

Grades: 9-12
Teacher: English Department
Subject: English
Project Name: Poetry Out Loud
Resources: Project Website

Poetry Out Loud is a National Recitation Contest. It was created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. This is the second year that Yarmouth has participated.