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Riverside first-graders learn skills from states
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April 30, 2015
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by Stephanie Longo CNG EDITOR
It was a chance to practice what some might call a dying art and learn about the United States at the same time. Students in Shirl Caboot’s first-grade class at Riverside Elementary West recently wrote letters to people living in various states as a way to integrate their social studies and language arts classes. Students were challenged to find someone they know in as many states as possible and, as Caboot explained, the students met that challenge head-on. “The integration of both subjects seemed to mesh,” Caboot said. “The excitement grew as the students chose a family member or friend who was living in Pennsylvania or another state. The letters spanned 14 states, from Massachusetts to Florida and New Jersey to Wyoming.” Caboot said that once the student letters had reached their designated recipients, the children began to hear from them via text, email, Skype and phone. “The students were anxious to come to school to announce how they got a response,” Caboot said. “Each student took pride in his or her accomplishment. This project broadened the children’s understanding of land size, such as towns, states and countries, when discussing the addresses on the envelopes.” One student, Haley Skoranski, received a reply from her aunt, who lives in Clifton Park, New York. “Thank you for the nice letter you sent me,” the letter read. “I looked on my map and saw where you live also. We are lucky to live in the United States of America. Your printing is very good. I hear you like school, so keep up
Participating students in Riverside Elementary West’s first-grade letter-writing project are pictured. From left, front row: Gabrielle Jordan, Thomas Collins, Bella Peters, Matthew McKeefery, Cooper Borowski, Omari Stafford, Carmela Cordero and Avianna Belotti-Sheridan. Back row: Tavion Branch, Eimer Cruz, Luis Espino, Emma Gesek, Tierra Schiavo, Dean Martin, Steven Fuentes-Perez and Haley Skoranski.
the good work and always do the best you can. I’m proud of you.” Caboot said that letters like the one Haley received help foster the educational process because it personalizes the children’s learning experience. “Whenever students take a learned skill and follow through on it independently, it becomes a huge success,” she said. “When students are
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engaged and have ownership of a project, they acquire more knowledge than expected.” A planned visit through Skype will happen within the next few weeks where the class will read a story to a preschool class in Barnegat, New Jersey. Students are continuing to receive letters and are continuing to write letters to other friends and family members throughout the country.
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