The News From MGWS

Last night MGWS celebrated the arts through writing, dancing, instrumental music, singing and even technology.  It was a wonderful evening!

Students in Mrs. Visciano’s 4th grade class created state floats as a project this week.  Yesterday, the other 4th grade classes were treated to a parade of floats…

After week’s of work, the 5th graders unveiled their masks for yesterday’s Mask Walk.  Students silently paraded down the halls of MGWS while parents, staff and 4th graders looked on.  The masks were colorful & creative, scary & lightheated…

The winners in the solar car competition were announced this morning:

In the SPEED category - 

1st Place – Coolio Crayons

Also placed – FIGI, Twilight, Thunderbird, Starlight, The Three-tailed Cat, Police Department, The Sour Lemon, Cool Canteloupes

In the INNOVATION category -

1st Place -Cool Canteloupes

Also placed – The Banana Split

In the TECHNICAL MERIT category -

1st Place – The Rocket Car

Also Placed – Cool Canteloupes, American Jeep, Coolio Crayons

In the CRAFTSMANSHIP category -

1st Place – Funky Frog

Also Placed – The Mighty Blueberry, cool canteloupes

In the KIDS’ CHOICE category -

1st Place – Coolio Crayons

Also Placed – The Bana Split, Peace

Tomorrow is the big race!  The forecast is for heat and lots of sun, so for the first time in a few years the race will be held outside on the blacktop.

Today the cars were all displayed in the home ec. room where they were judged in 3 categories:

-craftsmanship – attractiveness, choice of materials, integration of solar panel and cargo into the car, and how well materials were put together.

-innovation – creative appearance, creative use of solar panel, integration of all vehicle systems, design of car (simple, yet effective)

-technical merit – How well the solar panel is used, wheel and guidance system effectiveness, power train alignment and design, secure motor mounting, low friction, effective transmission as a system

Yesterday MGWS students attended an assembly on bike safety run by a representative from the Bicycle Coalition of Maine.  Students learned:

~how to wear a helmet properly,

~to dress brightly for safety,

~to use the ABCs to check their bikes before going out on the road; and

~some of the rules of the road, like riding on the right and obeying the same traffic signs that cars and drivers have to follow.

Our class and two other classes just got back from an ecology camp at Pinkham Notch. We were the first of three 5^th grade groups to experience this amazing nature camp. Every year the nine 5^th grade classes are split up and sent to Mount Washington for three days and two nights.  We have these three days and two nights to experience learning in this Mountain Classroom.

 While we were at Pinkham Notch we stayed at Joe Dodge Lodge. We stayed in rooms with up to four students per room. The boys stayed on one floor and the girls stayed on the other floor. Everyone ate in a separate building next to Joe Dodge Lodge. The whole time we went on hiking trips and played games that taught us about the wilderness. We were split up into seven groups with different counselors: Jared, Hobbes, Michelle, Garret, Kasey, Kat, and Sarah. Over the course of three days we learned about maps and compasses, streams and rivers, and producers, consumers, and decomposers. Some groups went on night hikes and learned about what senses some animals use at night.

 Pinkham Notch was a great experience for us and we encourage people of all ages to visit this amazing place!  Go visit Pinkham Notch as soon as you can! You will be amazed by what you will see and do.

         By: Victoria Biddle, Sarah True, and Olivia Martin