DASH 2

Today DASH gave us the opportunity to experience what it might feel like to have a learning disability. Students who have invisible disabilities often struggle in school even though they are smart in so many ways. Thanks to our volunteers, Mrs. Frere, Mrs. Foley, Mrs. Lacata, Mrs. Hudson, and  Mrs. Harlor, the class went through four different activities that attempted to simulate what having a particular learning difference might feel like. We went to Mrs. Frere's station and tried to deal with social situations. At Mrs. Foley's station, tried to do math and word problems. With Mrs. Harlor, we learned what having a reading disability feels like. Also, Mrs. Hudson showed us how difficult it is to have a writing disability in school.

At all the stations, we learned that there are different strategies that teachers and students can use to help those who learn differently achieve success.

We looked at photos that are hard to see the image to understand how some students feel when they are in school. It can be frustrating to try your best, but still not be able to "see" the solution.

We tried to trace a star while looking only in the mirror.

It was a real challenge staying in the lines.

Even when we concentrated really hard it was still very tricky. This is the way some students often feel in school because they have an invisible disability.

This is one student's work after trying for over 5 minutes to trace the star while looking in the mirror.

Students were given math word problems to solve, but the problems were written in a way to simulate a reading disability.  This helped the students see what a tough time others may have in school.

This is really tricky.

DASH BEGINS!

Today was our first DASH session.We learned that everyone has all of the intelligences to different degrees. Some of us are stronger at word work, while others are stronger at  picture smart  and others are strong at people smart or logic/number smart.   Our volunteers helped us explore some of the multiple intelligences. 

Mrs. Frere helped us with picture smart by looking at optical illusions.

Mrs. Foley helped us work on our number smarts.

Mrs. Harlor helped us explore the people smart intelligence by working together with legos.

Mrs. Lacata helped us learn about our word smarts.

LIFE IS GOOD!

As you know Proctor School's theme this year is Life Is Good. The school gathered to celebrate the 10 superpowers this week at our All School Assembly. Fourth grade students teamed up to show the meaning of each superpower with posters, a slide presentation and a song, (Good Life, by Flo' rida).

Our class collaborated on the posters for Simplicity, Love and Creativity.

BIRDS OF PREY!

We learned all about birds of prey from Jim Parks and his Wingmasters!  Mr. Parks rescues injured birds of prey and usually rehabilitates them and then releases them to the wild. However, a few of the birds he has rescued are not fit to return to nature. So, he uses them to teach school kids all about the adaptations these creatures have and use to survive. We were lucky enough to see six different birds. He brought a:

 peregrine falcon, 

red-tailed hawk,

great-horned owl,

barred owl,

saw-whet owl,

and a falcon.

 One adaptation of the falcon is the black feathers beneath their eyes. It helps to reduce sun glare as they hunt other birds in flight.

We learned some interesting facts, too. For example, owls and all birds can turn their heads 180 degrees because their eyes don't move like humans' eyes do.