Blog Archives

Hour of Code

12/14/2015

Submitted by Lindsay O'Donnell
Reading Specialist, Fort Garrison Elementary

Fort Garrison students, in Lindsay O’Donnell’s Library classes, are proud to have participated in the Hour of Code during Computer Science Education Week (Dec. 7-13). The Hour of Code is a national movement aimed at increasing the number of students involved in computer programming and to educate students about future careers in this field.

Every Fort Garrison student in grades K-5 participated in the Hour of Code. Kindergarteners started learning coding by turning the library carpet into a grid and giving each other directions to reach a destination. Older students wrote lines of code to program their very own computer games featuring characters from Star Wars, Minecraft, and Flappy Bird, among others. Students used drag-and-drop blocks to link commands with events in their games. Some students were ready for a challenge and coded using JavaScript programming language. Many of our students agreed that computer programming seemed like a great career to have when they’re older!

For more information on the Hour of Code and to see other coding websites for kids, visit https://code.org/learn.

Fort Garrison Bug Hotel

12/11/2015

Submitted by Stacy Siegel
Reading Specialist, Fort Garrison Elementary

Third grade students at Fort Garrison Elementary worked with art teacher Grace Hulse and media specialist Lindsay O’Donnell to build a unique structure on their school grounds. Each student selected an insect that is native to Maryland and using their devices completed research about their insects. The students identified what their insect does over the winter: lay eggs and die, hibernate, nest, or migrate.

For nesting and hibernating insects the students constructed a “bug hotel” to provide a welcoming place to spend the cold winter months. The hotel, created from natural materials provides shelter for pollinators and pest controllers.

The FGES hotel was built by stacking pallets and bricks to make a three story structure. Students brought in plastic two liter bottles, bamboo stalks, clay pots, and twigs from home. Additional materials (pine cones, leaves, bark) were collected on the school grounds and nature trail.

Students sorted materials and arranged them in plastic bottles, cigar boxes, and bundles. The various containers were aesthetically arranged on the pallets. The hotel was topped off with potted plants and a sign to welcome visitors!

Flipped Learning to Differentiate

12/4/2015

Submitted by Corrine Dalfonzo
1st Grade Teacher, Chase Elementary

In my first grade classroom, I have been working hard to meet the needs of all my learners. For our current math unit, first grade students are working on addition and subtraction. I have a small group of students who have exceeded the first grade math standards for this unit, so I looked at the second grade standards and found some ways to enrich their learning. By comparing the standards for both first and second, I am able to see where my students who already mastered the first grade standards need to be for next year. These students watch a video teaching them the standards for second grade while I teach the rest of the first graders the standards for their unit in a whole group setting. After the whole group lesson we move to small group rotations. The group that watched the video meets with me for a short mini lesson and practice with the second grade standards. Following the mini lesson they complete appropriate lessons on Study Ladder. The students are challenged and engaged and they are not sitting through whole group instruction for skills they have already mastered.

Hour of Code

Fort Garrison Bug Hotel

Flipped Learning to Differentiate

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Hour of Code

Fort Garrison Bug Hotel﻿

Flipped Learning to Differentiate

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Fort Garrison Bug Hotel