Prior to the 2011-2012 school year, a partnership between our MMPTO, Spaulding Foundation, a parent volunteer (Tim Kirk), a local business, and myself resulted in MMES having the most dynamic and exciting lobby I have ever seen in an elementary school! Since then, Tim Kirk, Joe Gugino, and the MMPTO have worked together to support this unique learning tool that has improved the feel of the building from the moment you step into the front door.
I asked my teachers to let me know how they have used the aquarium over the past two years, and some responses are below...some really neat things are happening right in the lobby of MMES!
Thank you to the MMPTO, Spaulding Foundation, Imagine an Ocean, MMES staff, and Tim Kirk for making this available to all of us who learn from it!
Thank you to the MMPTO, Spaulding Foundation, Imagine an Ocean, MMES staff, and Tim Kirk for making this available to all of us who learn from it!
In grade 5 last year, we used the aquarium as the backdrop for an introductory lesson on the relationships and interactions between two or more marine animals. We read a story about symbiosis (mutualism) and then had the students create cause/effect chart to show how the animals rely on each other. After this lesson, we moved into demonstrating our understanding of relationships between two or more people and events in a non-fiction historical text. The students loved being in a new setting for their reading lesson and the live aquarium really helped to bring the lesson to life.
Common Core ELA Information Text Standard: Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
-Dina Flood
Grade 5
This first year the tank arrived, 2011-2012, I had every class create an ocean theme lesson. The arrival of our new fish tank was the inspiration for the art show that year,"Art from under the sea".
It was also the springboard for the ocean mural volunteer Deb Citron Stevens made with the third students that year.
In addition to the art show, I continue to have art lessons the second year, 2012-2013, that were inspired from the fish tank, here are two examples.
Painting from Life: Students came into the lobby with art supplies and sketched the fish and other living animals in the tank. Later students used watercolors to complete the finished look.
Another lesson inspired from the fish tank was the Crayola Clay Ocean Sculptures. Students made mini ocean animals and propped them up with thin wires to make it look as though their clay animals were swimming in a small coral reef.
This year I plan on having another painting from real life lesson and using the tank as our model.
I think the fish tank is a wonderful addition to our school. I enjoy watching the new arrivals.
Art
The aquarium provides a wonderful opportunity for students to take a meaningful break from the classroom when they need it. A few minutes spent gazing at the salt water wonders can be just the escape that they needed before returning to daily activities. Students learn new vocabulary about this unique habitat, and it amazes me how easily they can recall the names of the creatures they identify. They grow attached to some of the animals and personify their new friends, noticing patterns of how they swim or where they tend hide. This experience for the students is truly spectacular!
Cait Hatch
Grade K
We used the aquarium this morning to make an phonics lesson more engaging for second grade students. We first had a classroom lesson on adjectives. We then did an Aquarium Adjective Hunt and found 10 interesting adjectives. We used our 5 best adjectives and created super sentences. Finally we sketched the aquarium using our adjectives to help us with our sketch. I have attached a picture of us at the aquarium as well as the worksheet used in our lesson. My students loved this lesson!
-Eileen Cellucci
-Eileen Cellucci
