The Cup Song burst onto the scenes after being featured in a popular Youtube video and in the 2012 movie, Pitch Perfect. Originally an old-timey country ballad, Miss Me, is now a trendy song used to create “Cup Song” videos.
With our 2nd grade students moving on to 3rd grade and our retirees moving on to explore other interests… I thought it would be fun for the entire school to learn the cup song to perform the last day of school!
We will surely “Miss You” when your gone! Below is a how to video. Start practicing!
Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22nd. Earth Day is a reminder of the huge job we have of saving our planet 365 days a year!
Watch the video below to learn about “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”and read the suggestions to find other ways you can “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” everyday!
1. Change a light
Replace a regular bulb with a more energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulb.
2. Drive less
Walk, bike, use public transportation like a subway, bus or even car pool. Talk to your parents about considering a hybrid, or alternative fuel vehicle. And keep your tires inflated properly.
3. Recycle more
Think before you throw away trash. Recycle instead. Cut down on how much you throw in the trash, which ultimately ends up in a landfill. And be sure to take e-waste, like computers, cell phones and hazardous waste to a special recycling facility.
4. Avoid products with a lot of packaging
When it comes to your shopping habits, consider buying products that are better for the environment or that are made from recycled materials, and have less or no packaging. And when it comes to food, support local farmers markets.
5. Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. Install a low flowing shower head and wash a full load of clothes in cold or warm water.
6. Adjust your thermostat.
Moving your thermostat down 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in summer can save a lot of energy. And ask your parents if your local utility company offers alternative power like solar power. If so, consider switching.
7. Plant a tree
A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.
8. Turn off electronic devices
Simply turning off your TV, DVD player, stereo, and unplugging your iPod and cell phone charger when not in use, will save you thousands of pounds of CO2 a year.
9. Spread the word Talk to your friends, family and teachers. Teach them what you’ve learned and make your house and school as green as possible. Think of ways to raise awareness & educate others, create fund-raisers in your local community to make a change.
10. Go Green
Work to make these changes in your daily life so it becomes second nature.
In the video below, Ms. Kolesar’s class suggests more ways we can “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”!
Try This!
Play My Garbology!My Garbology is an interactive game that teaches about sorting garbage for recycling, reusing, and composting. Sort garbage into four bins according to where you think each piece of garbage should go.
Have a fashion show! Create an outfit from materials that were destined for the trash! Below is an example of how much fun it is to”Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”!
Literature Connections!BookFlixhas the following books and related ideas to help celebrate Earth Day.
Use the pair The Curious Garden and Helping Out to teach students about our role in conservation and the many ways that we can help the earth. In The Curious Garden, Liam changes his entire community by making their town a greener place. Trees and seedlings are also traditionally planted on Earth Day. Discuss how plants create clean air while beautifying the landscape. Then, plan a class garden. What kinds of plants will the class grow, and how will the class care for them?
Use recyclable materials to make crafts for Earth Day! Create paper flowers out of colorful pages from old magazines and line them up in recyclable jars to make a bright windowsill garden. Or, gather broken crayons throughout the month. Melt different shades of blue, green, and white in old muffin tins to create new.
Trashy Town and Making Less Trash to teach your students why cutting down on garbage and pollution is necessary for the well-being of the planet. Create lists of ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle as a class. Are there ways that you can help improve your school’s recycling program? How can you encourage others in your school and community to be more eco-friendly?
Use the pair Joseph Had a Little Overcoat and Recycle That! to share how we can make small changes that help the planet in a big way. What are some items we tend to throw away that can be reused or recycled into something new?
Challenge: Research and report on an environmental concern. Give at least one way for others to help. Can you make a “Breaking News: Earth Day 2014″ video with your parents for the school to watch on April 22nd?
Today is Scrabble Day! It celebrates the popular board game on the birthday of it’s inventor, Alfred Mosher Butts. Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a gameboard marked with a 15×15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary.
This Scrabble online free game is great practice for the real thing. Combine the letters into high-value words on a timer for the most points. Sharpen your vocabulary and memory skills with this fun, fast-paced word game!
To begin, go here and click the Small | Medium | Large under the picture. This opens the game in a pop-up window.
Today in library we worked in pairs to build catapults! We were given materials and a blueprint and had to work together and follow directions to put the contraptions together. Watch the videos below to see our finished products in action!
In library Ms. Eyer read us the book, The Change Your Name Store by Leanne Shirtliffe. We LOVED it and decided to do some research into our own names. Students interviewed their families to find out more about where their name came from and why it is special. Click on the icons above to hear the story of our names!
March’s word of the month is PRIDE! We are so proud to be a part of such a wonderful community here at William O. Schaefer! Thank you, students, for working so hard! Keep making Mrs. Benaquista & I proud! Your families too!! But most importantly, continue to make YOURSELF proud!! 🙂
Below you will find the song for you to practice the song with! Also the book if you are reading a few lines. Don’t forget we ALL read the last two lines in the book!
Below are five more facts about groundhogs and their special day!
A groundhog’s life span is usually six to eight years. Litters are normally born mid-April or May, and by July the young animals are able to go out in the wilderness by themselves. However, while in captivity, groundhogs have been known to live for up to 22 years. They can grow up to 3 feet in length and can weigh as much as 30 pounds.
Groundhogs are vegetarians. While they do sometimes eat insects, they mostly consume greens, fruits and vegetables. They also drink surprisingly little water. They get most of their liquid from the dewy leaves they eat.
Groundhogs are also known as “whistle pigs” because of their ability to sit up on their hind legs and make a loud, high-pitched whistle sound. They use this noise an alert about oncoming dangers, like coyotes or eagles. They also use this sound during the spring when they begin mating.
The tradition of Groundhog Day was brought over by German immigrants in the late 1800s. The town of Punxsutawney,Pennsylvania eventually became the center of the tradition. At the time, the “unburrowing” ceremony was planned by members of Groundhog Lodges, meant for socializing with others and enjoying meals.
The original custom never involved groundhogs. The Europeans originally used badgers or sometimes bears as their weather forecasters, as both animals hibernate and wake up when the days become longer and the sun’s angle becomes higher.
For even more facts about Groundhog Day…
Read: Groundhog Day by Gail Gibbons
Every February 2, people all across the country wonder about the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil. Will he see his shadow on that day or won’t he? Will spring come early or late? Here is information about Groundhog Day, its origins, and the animal at the center of this delightful annual event.
