Avon Students from Heritage North save the villagers on the island of Montserrat

Mr. Lima’s 6th grade science classes connected to the Challenger Learning Center at Wheeling Jesuit University for Operation Montserrat. The NASA E-Mission provides students with a simulation of a hurricane and volcanic disaster on an island of the Caribbean. The students are dived into three groups to track the hurricane, volcanic activity and to evacuate the community from danger. The teams are provided simulation data from the Challenger Center and our E-Mission controller Amy help guide the students through the catastrophe.

This session is an intense problem based learning activity in which the students are required to use science, math and planning skills to accurately track the dangers and work as a team to develop an evacuation plan. The connection takes over two hours to complete, but provides the students with a practical and real world learning experience.

This was Mr. Lima’s second year of connecting to the Challenger Center for this E-mission. We are happy to say that this program has become a scheduled part of our 6th grade curricula for our honors science classes.
To learn more about the E-Mission please visit their website at www.e-missions.net/om/

Smiley Shark visits Avon East to enhance Literacy and Science curricula

Mrs. Grabert and Masin’s 2nd grade classes had a great IVC connection with the MOTE Laboratory in Florida for a lesson on sharks. The students listed to the story Smiley Shark as a lead in to a discussion about the different species of sharks. The story was entertaining and informative for the class. After the story the students participated in an interactive multiple choice quiz about the story and sharks.

The students enjoyed the fun facts about sharks and developed a better understanding of the species. Once the lesson was complete the camera switched to their shark tank for the students to view the sharks. Our presenter was engaging with the students and provided an excellent Q & A about sharks during the shark tank viewing.

This was our first experience with MOTE and will not be our last. They offer an interactive session that kept the students engaged the entire program. The smiley shark session is one of their shorter programs, but you can tell that they are organized and provide nothing but quality. I recommend this provider to schools looking to enhance their science curricula!

Eagles and Bears unite to enhance student learning

Avon Heritage South took its first steps toward our first international collaboration. Through Mike Griffith of Global Leap a third grade teacher and a fourth grade teacher meet with our soon to be partner school in Bamford, England.

Avon Heritage plans to take advantage of their early start time to work with a school in England. The interest has been in the district for some time, but the time zones made it very difficult. With the Heritage campus’ moving their start time to 7:30 am the window of opportunity grew to a time that is manageable to both schools.

Out first meeting with Mike Griffith and Bamford Primary School took place at 7am EST which was 12pm in England. The goal of our first meeting was to meet the other school and discuss collaboration activities for the 2006-07 school year. This will give the teachers from both school districts the opportunity to communicate and plan over the summer for a soaring start in September.

Thanks Global Leap!