Our school has just completed our recertification to be a Green School. In order to showcase all of our hard work and Green Initiatives, we created a Weebly. Check us out at: BodkinIsGreen.weebly.com. If you would like to be involved in any green school initiatives, please email Kristen Duffy at [email protected] or Donna Rush at [email protected]. We would love your feedback about this amazing website and green work. Please leave a comment on this post to congratulate everyone!
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Robotics By 5th Grader, Daniel H.
Robotics is after school with Mr. Baker from 4:00 (after all buses leave) to 5:30 pm on Thursdays (6 weeks). The first day you go, you build the structure of the robot with Legos. You build it from an instruction manual. If you finish building it on the first day, Mr. Baker will show you a little programming. Every other day you come, you do challenges. You have to make the robot do something. At the beginning of every challenge you add a sensor with the instruction manual. The real challenge is programing. Sometimes it takes more than one day to complete a challenge. On the last day of your session’s robotics, you make anything. You can look up creations on the computer. Or make your own thing. Personally, robotics is the best extra thing to do for school!! Drownproofing By Dylan J.
I have talked to my uncles and cousins about a thing called Drownproofing, and they did not know what it was. If you are like them and have never heard about Drownproofing, then this is the essay for you. Drownproofing is at the Annapolis pool. There you learn how to be safe in the water. For example, you learn how to properly swim with a PFD (personal flotation device). Also, on the last day, they tell you to come wearing pants and one of your parents’ button-down shirts. You jump into the water wearing your bathing suit under the clothes and then you try to make a PFD out of the shirt. Another reason why I liked Drownproofing is because it is a hands-on experience, and it is just for 5th graders; there are no little kids in the program! Now that I have told you about Drownproofing, I hope you can spread the word to people whose kids are going into the fifth grade; tell them all about it! Drownproofing By Ella H.
F-L-O-A-T Bubbles, Breathe. That’s one thing that you learn at Drownproofing. I know that you have questions running through your mind, especially this one, “What is Drownproofing?” Well, if you are wondering about the answer, then keep on reading. First of all, what is Drownproofing? Drownproofing is an awesome four-day class or field trip where you learn how NOT to drown! Where is Drownproofing, and when do I get to do it? Drownproofing takes place at the Anne Arundel Aquatic Center in Annapolis, MD. Like most field trips, you have to take a bus to get there. This field trip is in the 5th grade year at Bodkin and any student that is currently in the 5th grade can go on this fun trip. Each year, kids that go to Drownproofing learn valuable lessons so they have a chance to stay alive if they fall into the water. They will learn how not to drown by actively being in the water with an instructor. In my first sentence I wrote about lifesaving skills that we learned called the survival float. This float helps us stay alive in rough waters. Did you know that you can make a PFD (or personal floatation device) out of a long-sleeved button down shirt?! Well you can and we learned exactly how at Drownproofing. We also learned all about the five different types of PFDs and we learned the best way to swim and get into the water with a PFD on. It was very interesting. I hope you learned a lot about Drownproofing and I hope that one day, you take part in Drownproofing too! I think it’s really fun! Drownproofing By Brett J.
Do you want to stay safe in the water but still have fun? Well, at the Annapolis pool, they have a four-day program for 5th graders to learn about safety in the water; and the cool thing is, you have lots of fun! First, let me tell you about our day. After we got to the pool, it was a little confusing because it was our first time there and we didn’t know the routine yet. So, we went to a kind of meeting room. The reason we did this is because the 5th graders were not going to be listening if they are in the pool area because they would be too excited. After the instructor was done explaining what we would do, we were split up into groups and we went to the pool area. Each group had a different instructor. My instructor was Ms. Karen. She was very nice. She showed us the skill once or twice and then she let us try. My personal favorite activity at Drownproofing, was when we made floaties in the water out of our shirts. It was really fun! After a little over an hour of hands-on experience, we got ready to pack up. The girls went in their locker rooms and boys went in their locker rooms to get dressed. Then, after changing, we met back up in the classroom again. We went over the lessons from the day and made sure everyone had their things. Then, we stayed quiet and lined up to go back to the bus. We did this for four days. The cool thing is, you can have fun and learn about how to stay safe in cold water and learn survival skills. This is a great program for the fifth grade because this is the age where we need to know these safety skills and now we can teach others too. I hope you learned a lot about the benefits of Drownproofing. Not every “JK” is “LOL”
The discussion about bullying is no longer new…gone are the days that people say, “Oh, it’s just kid stuff.” Bullying, repeated targeted behavior intended to hurt another person, is serious and an important discussion to keep on the table. One type of bullying that is of growing concern is “cyber-bullying.” The lasting effects of a mean text, post, or comment can be significant. As younger children are using social media via tablets, computers, phones, etc., many find themselves unprepared to handle the social pressures there. Too often, a small conflict between peers gets played out in social media. Other times, unkind or embarrassing comments are shared (and then commented on) and harm a child’s feeling of self-worth. Children, despite reminders, fail to recognize the lasting effects of a mean post and need supervision… and dialogue. What can you do?
Our staff will be participating in Casual for a Cause to support Autism Awareness. Look for our neat shirts to show our support! We will also be sharing facts about Autism during our morning announcements and throughout the month of April to spread awareness in our school community.
Here are some facts and characteristics of Autism. * Autism is now reported in 1 in 68 children * Autism is called a spectrum disorder as there are varying degrees of abilities and disabilities * Asperger’s Disorder is no longer a diagnosis as it is part of the umbrella term of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) * Individuals with Autism demonstrate deficits in social communication and restrictive patterns of behavior/interests/activities * Boys are 4 times more likely to be diagnosed compared to school aged girls *Some possible signs of Autism may be that the child: - may not gesture by 12 months of age - may not say single words by 16 months of age - may not respond to his/her name - has language and/or speech delays * Possible therapies include behavioral, educational, family and medical Support In Schools Schools support students with Autism by: * Having trained staff to assist with student needs * Being mindful of the students’ environment to avoid frustrations * Using positively framed language: “Please ___” rather than “Don’t ___” * Assisting in positive social interactions with peers Our school will also be showing support by creating a puzzle piece wall in the main hallway. Our staff will be participating in "Casual for A Cause" to benefit Rise for Autism, a locally based non-profit organization to support families within Anne Arundel County with children with Autism. If your family would like to participate, please send a $5 donation and we will add your family's name to a puzzle piece on our wall. |
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