Recycling in Kindergarten

Today Kim O'Rourke came to speak with the kindergarten classes today about recycling. Her presentation titled "Michael Learns to Recycle" was about a young boy who learns how to recycle and why we should recycle.

Releasing Butterflies

First graders have spent the past few weeks learning about the life cycle of the butterfly.  They got to experience the life cycle of the butterfly through their own eyes as they watched their caterpillars eat, get fat, turn into a chrysalis, then hatch into a beautiful Painted Lady butterfly.  Each first grade class hatched 5 beautiful butterflies!

First Grade Field Trip

First graders went on a field trip to the Lincoln Theater which is on the campus of University of Hartford.  They saw the play "Click, Clack, Moo".  It was a great trip!

Mentor's Picnic

Some friends from Macdonough were able to go on a picnic with their mentors on Friday!  They were treated to a DJ, a magic show, a BBQ, and some fun professional photography.  The rain held out so it ended up being a really nice afternoon!

Macdonough CHET Winners Dreamed Big

Two Macdonough students were among 93 state-wide winners of the 2013 CHET Dream Big! Competition. The contest encourages Connecticut students in kindergarten through fifth grade to share their dreams about life after college through drawings and essays. All of the winners were recognized at a ceremony held on May 16 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

Sam Maldonado, a fourth grader in Ms. Claffey’s class, and Jamil Sampel, a fifth grader in Ms. Ellis’s class, were each awarded a contribution to a Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET) direct-sold 529 college savings plan.

State Treasurer Denise L. Nappier, who serves as Trustee for CHET, was very pleased with the students’ efforts throughout Connecticut.

“We were impressed with the heartfelt essays and expressive artwork that our talented young entrants produced for this year’s competition. It was challenging to pick winners from among more than 2,200 submissions; all of the students put forth a great effort with their drawings and essays,” said State Treasurer Nappier.

Winning entries are viewable at: http://www.chetdreambig.com.

Caterpillar Reading

The kindergarten students were part of a reading race to first grade. Students had to read 6 books at home and then they received a part of a large caterpillar. Each kindergarten class had their own display of a caterpillar and we raced to first grade. Mrs. Lenihan's class won with 75 caterpillar bodies, that's 450 books read by the kids. They had a popcorn party to celebrate.

From the Middletown Patch

Middletown Elementary Earns Teaching Garden

Aimed at elementary school students, Teaching Gardens provide hands-on experience nurturing growing plants, harvesting produce and ultimately understanding the value of good eating habits.

Posted by Cassandra Day (Editor), May 11, 2013 at 09:47 am

The American Heart Association announces that Macdonough Elementary School in Middletown will receive a Teaching Garden thanks to Aetna and its team of nurses.

The school’s Garden Club will receive the materials needed to plant a real-life laboratory with garden-themed lessons in nutrition, math, science and other subjects.

The garden is possible through a unique sponsorship provided by Aetna and its nurses, who will lead the Plant Day Celebration on May 17 and provide continuous support through the harvest.

The Macdonough Elementary School Teaching Garden was created using American Heart Association science and nutrition guidelines coupled with information from gardening and education experts, all thanks to Teaching Garden founder Kelly Meyer.

Aimed at elementary school students, Teaching Gardens provide hands-on experience nurturing growing plants, harvesting produce and ultimately understanding the value of good eating habits.

Numerous studies have shown that participation in school garden programs can have a positive impact on student’s attitudes toward fruits and vegetables.

Macdonough currently works to educate students through their Garden Club, which meets weekly. The new Teaching Garden will provide staff and students upgraded materials and curriculum.

“We are thrilled to have been selected to receive an American Heart Association Teaching Garden and thankful for Aetna’s sponsorship,” said Amy Waterman, program coordinator, Family Resources Center, Macdonough Elementary. 

Thank You Home Depot

The Middletown Home Depot facilitated the final meeting of pen pals in the Equal This Program.  Miss Weindruch's class and Mrs. Totten's class, of Colchester's Jack Jackter School had a blast!  Workers helped students create a cork bulletin board to assemble, decorate, and take home.  They were incredibly patient and kind.  We also had staff members that took us on a guided tour and demonstrated how math is used daily at the store, with both staff and customers in a multitude of real life applications- whether it be comparing the price value of annual or perennial plants, or calculating the area that a carpet will cover, or understanding the volume of appliances to ensure that they will fit in planned spaces.  

Our Model of Middletown

For a cumulative project in our Equal This program, 5th grade students designed and constructed a model of their town to share with partner schools.  These models were intended to give our partners a more comprehensive look at similarities and differences between the landscapes of urban Middletown vs. a more suburban/rural Colchester.  Miss Weindruch's students really embraced this project and were tremendously imaginative in their engineering and construction.  Look carefully and see if you can find all of the executed details: like a fully suspended basketball that has just gone through a hoop at the YMCA, a functioning ferris wheel that can spin representing Coleman's Carnival,  the crew shells adorning the Harbor Park area of the river, a mobile swing set in Macdonough's playscape, and a truck crossing into Portland over the Arrigoni Bridge. 

Planting Seeds

The kindergarten students planted radish seeds in class today. The children are learning about living and non living things.

Habitat for Humanity

Macdonough staff members lent a hand at the North End's newest Habitat for Humanity project on Liberty Street.

A Mother's Day Celebration

Today the kindergarten children invited their mothers in for a special treat. The children sang songs for them, treated them to strawberry shortcake and gave them home made gifts. Happy Mother's Day!