Saturday, October 24, 2015

1st grade making music

First Grade has been busy making music this year.  This week students explored rhyming words, rhythms and melodic contour while reading and performing the book In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming.  
Mrs. Ferace’s  class had a great time in Mrs. Tamburro’s music room playing the bells and using ribbon streamers to highlight the melody of In the Tall, Tall Grass.





THIRD GRADE SCREAMS!

Third grade students star in a new version of a famous painting called The Scream by Edvard Munch. Each student created a mixed media artwork inspired by The Scream that incorporates tempera paint, marker and a digital self portrait.




Friday, October 23, 2015

PTO Sponsors 4th Grade Poetry and Art Workshops!

Charcoal hands sketched historic landmark details after engaging in lessons of varied figurative language and poetic prose including: alliteration, simile, and personification.  This was the scene today in the Heritage Library as 4th graders participated in a PTO sponsored workshop from the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation's Executive Director, Louise Sturgess.

The Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation exists to educate Western Pennsylvania residents on the importance of preserving historical sites.  Advocacy and education of the PHLF includes workshops like the ones Heritage students participated in today which marries poetry and art as students learn to "become" the historical landmark detail. The Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation annually partners with Writers of Westmoreland during its Young Writers Institute hosted at Franklin Regional each summer and the Western Pennsylvania Writing Project at the University of Pittsburgh to bring historical preservation awareness to local residents. 

"Thank you for this experience...," expressed one of many 4th grade students, as he finished up his piece.  "That was so much fun!."

Thank you PTO for sponsoring this unique opportunity to combine art and writing.


To learn more about the work of the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, please visit their website http://phlf.org/







Thursday, October 22, 2015

National Honor Society visits 2nd grade

National Honor Society students visited Mrs Seymour's 2nd grade class on 10-21-15 to serve as buddy readers. The high school readers work with students and model behaviors of proficient readers that we are trying to develop in our younger learners.



Heritage Assembly-Magic of Science & Magic Show

Magic of Science

We want to thank our PTO for bring Professor Steve to our school on Monday, October 19th.
The Magic of Science Program was a high energy, fun filled, educational show that utilized magic, science demonstrations, and student participation. All the students had a great time while learning about science!



Tuesday, October 6, 2015

"May I pet your dog?"

     This was the popular question that eager readers at Heritage Elementary asked 7 registered therapy dog handlers at our B.A.R.K kick-off today!
B.A.R.K - Bettering All Readers with K-9's, a program designed to pair students with canine companions, visited our school today. The purpose of these friendly furballs will be to serve as literacy mentors to our reading students once a month throughout the school year.
     "This is the best day ever," said one student as she gently pet the fur of Rosie, a Shih tzu who came dressed to impress wearing a sparkling jeweled crown.  The intention of today was to acclimate the readers to the dogs and to practice appropriately interacting with the dogs.
     Each month during the B.A.R.K visit, readers will have the opportunity to engage in literacy activities alongside these friendly K-9's. The B.A.R.K program will continue through May and is expected to bring fun and fluency to a group of very excited readers!



BARK

Touch, taste, smell, hear, see?

Touch, taste, smell, hear, see? Our new sensory room, thanks to a recent special education impact grant through the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit Foundation, is a world of exploration and sanctuary for students who have sensory needs or are overwhelmed with their school day. Our sensory room is a place that offers comfort, relaxation, and a sense of peace. Overactive students are calmed and inactive students are engaged. Students may use the space to take breaks between lengthy assignments and activities. Students with Autism require varying degrees of sensory integration throughout their day, and our sensory room meets those needs.

Although the sensory room is mainly for special education students, any student may utilize it. Parental input was requested to gauge what should be made available to the students. The grant made possible the purchase of a ball pit, an aquarium lamp, bean bag chairs, mood mud and therapy putty, stress balls, a fiber optic and lava lamp, and many other hands-on materials that stimulate at least one of the five senses.

The sensory room provides opportunities for engagement in prevention and crisis de-escalation strategies. Our sensory room is a magical place where our students can enter a special little world filled with lights, moving colors, soothing sounds, and areas where they can touch, feel, and explore a variety of textures and material that stimulate their five senses.   (courtesy of Penn Franklin newspaper)