Learning Fair comes to Piscataquis Community Elementary School
GUILFORD — For the two and half months prior to April vacation, Piscataquis Community Elementary School families read E.B. White’s novel “Charlotte’s Web” at home together through the One Book – One School program with activities based on the previous night’s chapter being held during the ensuing school day.
Each family got to keep their copy with the books funded by a grant. Discussion questions — for example “Charlotte was busy creating the last word for the web. What was it and why was it chosen?”— on the district Facebook page helped get parents and children talking about what they had just read.
The inaugural PCES One Book – One School program culminated with a Learning Fair on the evening of April 17, the night before the last day of classes prior to vacation. Attendees, nearly 200 came through the doors along with another 10 helping out, could take part in fair games, math and literacy activities and family reading areas in the gym as well as enjoy fair food in the cafeteria. Hot dogs were donated by Herring Brothers, Eli’s Market contributed the buns and the HUGS parent teacher group proved chips and water.
SOME ART — Mark Arthers recreated a smaller illustration from “Charlotte’s Web” into a larger work of art to become 20 puzzle pieces reassembled by Piscataquis Community Elementary School students as part of the One Book – One School shared family reading program. A Learning Fair at the Guilford school concluded One Book – One School on the evening of April 17.
Principal Anita Wright said the fair concept ties in with the setting of “Charlotte’s Web” as protagonist Wilbur the pig is sent to the county fair.
A Wilbur stuffed animal served as the One Book – One School mascot. Each morning a trivia question from the previous night’s reading was posed over the announcements, and the first homeroom to call in with the correct answer got to have Wilbur for the day. Wright said the trivia contest got very competitive, with some calls coming in even before the question was completed.
“Everybody enjoyed having Wilbur for the day, he’s been well loved,” she said, with the stuffed animal going to a door prize winner at the end of The Learning Fair.
Literacy Coach Lauren Taylor, who chose a favorite title of hers for the reading program selection, mentioned during the weekly morning meetings each grade performed a skit from a different chapter in “Charlotte’s Web”. Some reacted scenes, grade 2 rewrote an excerpt to be from another character’s point of view and first-graders changed the lyrics to “Old MacDonald” to “Old Mrs. Taylor”.
She said sixth-grade was scheduled to perform the following morning. These eldest PCES students were planning to recreate the release of Charlotte’s babies from the egg sack with a large gym class parachute and balloons.
ZUCKERMAN’S BARN — PCES was like a barn yard with a Learning Fair on April 17 to celebrate the conclusion of reading “Charlotte’s Web” for the inaugural One Book – One School shared family reading program at the school.
“They’ve done a fantastic job,” Taylor said.
Title Ed Tech III Mark Arthers recreated a book illustration of his into a larger work of art. The poster was cut up into 20 puzzle pieces which students put back together over time. “Kids loved figuring out where the pieces go,” Taylor said.
“It’s been a really, really neat experience,” she said, saying everyone in the school enjoyed the program.
“My goal is to get everyone reading at home,” Taylor said. She said One Book – One School is a great way to accomplish this as the students will want to talk about books at home and parents will be interested in seeing what their children are doing.
Taylor said as students read they thought about word choices and vocabulary, the rich writing and decisions White made. They also learned about the author’s time in Maine and how this influenced his writing.