January, 2003

*Scientific Explorations:  Balls and Ramps Festival
Facilitators:  Grade One Teachers

First graders develop and utilize scientific thinking and processing skills throughout their highly engaging and interactive balls and ramps learning explorations and experiences.   First developed by the Education Development Center in 1991, the scientific concepts and explorations were later adapted by Kathy Hogan (Burbank) and Donna LaRoche (Winn Brook) in 1998 to include developmentally appropriate reading and writing learning activities that enhance the children's scientific understandings.

Working individually and in cooperative groups, our inquisitive young scientists explored properties and characteristics of balls and their motion.  Using a variety of ball and ramp materials, the children made predictions, conducted experiments, recorded observations and communicated their findings about gravity, inertia, momentum, friction, velocity and acceleration.

*Rainforest Storytelling
Presenter:  Ms. Diane Edgecombe

"From the banks of the Amazon River to the heart of the West African jungle, 'Rainforest Legends' brings to life favorite folktales and songs about the animals and plants of these lands.  Legends tell why the Amazon Birds grew feathers as brilliant as the colors of the rainbow, how three Invisible Hunters came to haunt the Nicaraguan rainforest, and how Jabuit the tortoise tricked the Amazon monster Kibungo into sparing the lives of the three-toed frog, jaguar and monkey".
Diane Edgecomb has been recognized nationally by Storytelling Magazine as a leader in the use of storytelling to promote environmental awareness.  She has worked extensively with science and nature organizations throughout the Northeast including the Museum of Science, the New England Science Center, the Massachusetts Audubon Society and the Park Service.  We were delighted with Diane's  visit here at the Winn Brook School!