Summer Enrichment Activities and Opportunities

Summer vacation is almost here!  Summer is a great opportunity for children to participate in enrichment activities.  Generally speaking, there is more time for this in the summer because schedules are a little less hectic and structured.  There are so many activities and opportunities out there...things that can be done at home as well as things that can be done in various locations.  These range from computer based learning, to hands on activities in the real world.  I have compiled some resources for you to check out.  Try a few of these this summer!

Websites:

1.  Braingenie: http://braingenie.ck12.org/
2.  Mathnook:  http://www.mathnook.com/
3.  Game Goo:  http://www.earobics.com/gamegoo/gooey.html
4.  Squigly's Brain Teasers:  http://www.squiglysplayhouse.com/BrainTeasers/index.php
5.  Cryptokids:  Codemakers and Codebreakers: https://www.nsa.gov/kids/home.shtml

Enrichment Opportunities:

1.  Connecticut Association for the Gifted's list of Summer Enrichment Programs:
      http://www.ctgifted.org/website/cmsAdmin/uploads/Summer-Programs-spread-2015.pdf
2.  Myconnecticutkids.com's Enrichment classes guide:
     http://www.myconnecticutkids.com/connecticut/kids-classes-guide/
3.  CT Parent Magazine's Enrichment Directory:
    http://ctparent.com/enrichment/enrichment.htm

These are just a few resources!  Hopefully families can take advantage of some of the offerings.  No one can EVER have too much enrichment! 

Attention Girls....Interested in Coding? Watch this video!

Coding at Home!

Computer coding can be easy, and it is always fun, even for children who have no experience with it!  Getting your child interested in coding will show them the value of computer science and allow them to explore all of the cool ways coding can apply to real life.  Below is a link to an article from Edutopia.com that will provide parents with various resources for coding for beginners.  All of the information is great and helpful.  Definitely check out the link to the best Apps and websites for programming and coding.  This link provides you with MANY fun ideas for your kids to check out coding on an iPad or computer.  All of them are fantastic, and many are free.  Make this a "Summer of Coding"!

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teach-kids-coding-resources-parents-matt-davis

I hope to include some Coding Enrichment groups here at K.E.S. next year, so look forward to that!

Amelia Earhart

As part of their language arts enrichment, some 4th grade students have been learning about Amelia Earhart, her accomplishments as a female pilot, and her disappearance.  As they gain background knowledge and explore different aspects of her life, they are thinking about coming up with their own theories about how and why she and her plane disappeared that fateful day.  Coincidentally, CNN.com published some old photos of her just last week.  The 4th grade students were able to see these pictures in class the other day.  They thought it was neat to see such authentic, old pictures of a woman hero!  If you are interested in seeing the pictures yourself, click on the link below and you will be taken to the article.  Enjoy!

http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/21/travel/gallery/tbt-amelia-earhart-crosses-atlantic/

K.E.S. Learning Fair is on June 3rd!

Exciting news!  The 3rd Annual Learning Fair will be held here at K.E.S. on the evening of June 3rd!  The Learning Fair is a wonderful school-wide enrichment opportunity for students in all grades.  Students can choose to do a project on just about ANY topic of their choosing and present it in ANY format they wish.  It is a chance for students to LEARN more about something in which they are interested.  In the past, we have had projects on numerous topics such as ice cream, gymnastics, electricity, how volcanoes form, Derek Jeter, and opera singing, just to name a few.  Information and forms for the Learning Fair went home with students last week.  So far about 25 students have signed up.  If your child would like to participate but has not yet signed up, please send the form back to school ASAP.  If you need a new form, contact me.  It is a fun night!

L.E.A.P.'s Annual Take-A-Part Night is this Thursday!

This Thursday, February 26th is the L.E.A.P. program's annual Take-A-Part night.  It will be held in the BES cafeteria from 6-7 pm.  Here are the details:

• open to 3rd and 4th graders throughout the district
• attend with a parent, grandparent, guardian, or other adult
• bring your own tools and an old electronic device to take apart (cell phones, computers, toasters, televisions, radios....the possibilities are endless!)
• spend the hour taking your device apart and learning about how it was built and how it works

This is a fun family event that always results in really cool findings.  Students who have attended in years past always remark on how neat it is to see the insides of their items and most students are able to figure out how their devices used to work.  A flyer was sent home with students on Monday.  If you are interested in attending please fill out the bottom of the flyer and return it to school by Thursday.   We hope to see some of you there!

Welcome back to the K.E.S. L.E.A.P. Blog!

Happy January everyone!  I apologize for the delay in getting this blog up and running, but we had some technical issues to sort through.  Going forward, I hope to use this blog as a way to update parents and students about what has been going on with L.E.A.P. including the following:

1.  L.E.A.P. pullout for 3rd and 4th grade
2.  Math and Language Arts enrichment for grades 1-4
3.  Interest Based Enrichment units for grades 2-4
4.  School Wide Enrichment opportunities
5.  Crazy 8's Math Club
6.  Useful information and links for parents and students

Please check back here regularly or sign up to get an email sent to you each time a new entry is posted.  Feel free to comment on anything you see!