Teacher Grants thanks to our MPTO - Howe Manning

This Spring, our Middleton PTO offered teacher grants for our elementary schools to enrich classroom experiences. These grants aim to support innovative projects and educational resources that enhance student learning. We are very appreciative of their support for our students and staff.

Art

This April, Ms. Nasser had the opportunity to attend the National Art Education Association's (NAEA) Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The NAEA Conference is the largest gathering of visual arts education professionals in the world. Ms. Nasser attended sessions, workshops, events, and exhibits designed by and for art educators. She also had the opportunity to share and present the unique ways that she is bringing robotics into the art room. Thank you to the MPTO for partially funding this grant so Ms. Nasser could attend this conference. She can't wait to bring back what she learned to her Middleton students!

Library

The title of our grant for the Library is: Empowering Young Minds: Enhancing STEM and Coding Literacy in Our Howe Manning Elementary School Library. The MPTO funded a collection of books that will enhance our library's collection of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), and Coding books to inspire and empower our students to become future innovators and problem solvers. By enriching our elementary school library's collection with STEM and Coding books, we aim to ignite a passion for exploration, discovery, and innovation among our students. Through hands-on learning experiences and exposure to diverse role models in STEM fields, we will empower our young learners to become critical thinkers and problem solvers equipped to tackle the challenges of the future. With this grant, we can create a library environment that cultivates a lifelong love for learning and prepares our students for success in a rapidly changing world. Mrs. Mulligan, our librarian, will create and implement pre and post tests for students’ attitudes and interest in STEM and coding. She will create book displays and themed reading challenges to promote engagement and excitement around STEM and coding literacy.

Ms. Klipfel's 4th Grade Class

Waste Warrior Grant: Thank you so much for funding the Waste Warrior project through your Think Big Grants and allowing these 4th graders to tour the Waste Management recycling facility. Students were truly fascinated to see the process of how recycling goes from our recycling bins to bales of recycling. Students arrived back at school as true waste warriors ready to help tackle proper recycling at Howe-Manning.

HM Garden: Thank you so much for helping to fund the HM Graden project through your Think Big Grants. Through your support, we were able to get compost delivered for the garden. In conjunction students from Howe-Manning and Essex Tech worked together to redo beds, weed, and get the compost in. We will be planting lettuce seeds next week to host our first-ever Howe-Manning Salad Day.

Teacher Grants thanks to our MPTO - Fuller Meadow

This Spring, our Middleton PTO offered teacher grants for our elementary schools to enrich classroom experiences. These grants aim to support innovative projects and educational resources that enhance student learning. We are very appreciative of their support for our students and staff.

1st Grade

The first grade team was able to use the grant money to give students an enriching educational experience! We purchased nonfiction books for students to read and explore as they chose an animal to learn about! Every student became an expert on their animal and we are currently creating our own research-based book to share with the school and our parents! At the end of this project, we will also tie in art standards to create a clay figure of our animal and a habitat diorama. Thank you so much for your support in creating meaningful experiences for our students!

2nd Grade

Project Description: In the spring at Fuller Meadow, 2nd grade students participate in a unit titled “Global Geography: Places and Peoples, Cultures." In studying these topics, students apply grade 2 standards for reading informational text, writing, and speaking and listening, and learn vocabulary and concepts related to history and social science. Students build on their Pre-K to grade 1 learning by concentrating on global geography, looking at reasons why people move or settle in particular places, how they keep cultural traditions alive, and how they use resources. They study these topics by exploring questions such as “What can people and cultures of other parts of the world teach us?” and “What do people do with the money they earn?” The MPTO purchased mentor texts that students used as a teaching tool for this unit.
Student Impact This grant enhanced our 2nd grade students' understanding of US and World Geography through an innovative approach utilizing mentor texts aligned with Massachusetts Social Studies Standards. Through this project, students engaged with diverse literary works that intertwine storytelling with geographical exploration, fostering a deeper understanding of cultural diversity and global interconnectedness. By integrating mentor texts into the curriculum, students will not only develop essential literacy skills but also gain geographic knowledge crucial for navigating an increasingly interconnected world. Through hands-on activities, discussions, and collaborative projects, students will actively explore geographical concepts such as continents, countries, oceans, and landmarks, while also developing critical thinking and analytical skills. This project aligns closely with Massachusetts Social Studies Standards, ensuring that students not only meet academic benchmarks but also develop a broader understanding of the world around them.

After researching their chosen country, students wrote reports, created hands-on models, and presented their country report to others in our school community. Thank you to our MPTO for making this happen.

Online Digital Resources for Animal Research

LINK to Resources

Digital Resources for May

May the 4th Be With You Star Wars Library Cinco de Mayo Library Memorial Day Library May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Spring Library

Google Slides at Middleton Public Schools

Students at Fuller Meadow and Howe Manning use Google Slides to share the information that they gather during research in all classes. Using Google Slides for presentations in elementary school is a fantastic idea! It's user-friendly, offers creative options, and can make the presentation process more engaging for both students and teachers.

Here's a simple guide on how to use Google Slides for elementary school research presentations:

Creating a New Presentation: Log in to your Google account and navigate to Google Drive. Click on the "+ New" button and select "Google Slides" from the dropdown menu.

Choose a Theme: Google Slides offers a variety of pre-designed themes. Students can choose a theme that suits the topic of their research or simply select a playful theme that appeals to them.

Adding Slides: Each slide should focus on a specific aspect of the research. Common slides include title slide, introduction, main points, facts, images, and conclusion. Click on the "+" button to add new slides.

Research Content: Students can type or copy-paste the information they've gathered from their research onto the slides. Encourage them to use bullet points, short sentences, and visuals to make the content easy to understand.

Visual Elements: Google Slides allows students to insert images, videos, and even audio clips to enhance their presentations. They can use this feature to include relevant pictures, diagrams, or even short video clips related to their research topic.

Formatting Text and Images: Teach students how to change font styles, sizes, and colors to make their text more visually appealing. They can also resize, crop, and arrange images to fit the slides neatly.

Practice and Rehearse: Once the slides are complete, students should practice presenting their research. Encourage them to speak clearly, maintain eye contact, and use gestures to engage the audience.

Collaboration: Google Slides allows multiple users to work on the same presentation simultaneously. Students can collaborate with their peers, teachers, or parents to gather feedback and make improvements to their presentations.

Sharing: When the presentation is ready, students can share it with their classmates, teachers, and parents. They can choose the sharing settings to allow viewing or editing access as per the requirements.

Presenting: On the day of the presentation, students can use Google Slides' built-in presentation mode to display their slides fullscreen. They can navigate through the slides using arrow keys or by clicking on the screen.

Using Google Slides not only helps students develop their research and presentation skills but also introduces them to valuable digital tools that they can use in their academic and professional lives.

The Solar Eclipse is coming - Get your resources

The next solar eclipse is this Monday, April 8, 2024. In order to engage elementary students with the wonder of a solar eclipse, providing digital resources can offer an interactive and educational experience. Through carefully curated online platforms, students can access a variety of materials including videos, simulations, and informative articles tailored to their age group, allowing them to grasp the science behind this celestial event in an accessible manner. Interactive maps illustrating the path of totality, live streaming of the eclipse, and virtual reality simulations can transport students directly into the phenomenon, fostering curiosity and understanding. Additionally, incorporating interactive quizzes or games can make learning about eclipses both fun and informative, encouraging active participation and retention of knowledge. By leveraging digital resources, educators can enhance students' learning experiences, making the solar eclipse a memorable and enriching event in their academic journey.

Link to lower elementary resources

Link to upper elementary resources

Link to resources

Teaching Resources for the Eclipse

STEM in Kindergarten

In our kindergarten classes, our students engage in hands-on STEM activities. In March, we had the challenge of constructing bridges capable of supporting a cup filled with shiny pennies. Armed with colorful pipe cleaners, clay, and an abundance of creativity, these budding engineers delved into the realms of science, technology, engineering, and math. With giggles and determination, they experimented with different designs, applying basic principles of balance and stability. Through trial and error, they learned the importance of structural integrity and problem-solving, all while fostering a love for STEM that will undoubtedly shape their future endeavors. As their bridges took shape, so did their confidence, as they celebrated each success and embraced each setback as an opportunity to learn and grow. Indeed, in our classrooms, the foundations of innovation are being laid, one cup of pennies at a time.

Digital Resources for April

April is Poetry Month Easter Digital Library Earth Day is April 22 For more digital resources, check out our website.