Spread the word…
We All Fit
GRE E N SBU RG SA LE M SC H OO L DI ST RIC T NE WS
reensburg Salem
Not knowing what to expect, the students filled the
middle school auditorium. The assembly started with a
video clip from the TV show Glee. On screen the actors
sang and “signed” the song Imagine… ”You may say I’m
a dreamer, but I’m not the only one, I hope someday
you’ll join us, and the world will be as one.”
And then it began. Teachers, one after another,
sharing personal stories about the power of
words and how language affects attitudes and
attitudes affect actions. They shared the struggles we all experience trying to “fit in.” Using
a puzzle theme as an analogy, the students were told that all the different shapes and
different colors fit together making a whole picture, making a more beautiful picture.
It was a GSMS’s way of spreading the word to end the word… the R-word and other
hurtful words. Stopping the R-word is a national campaign to get people to stop using
the word “retard(ed).” The assembly focused on the fact that some words hurt, they are
offensive and derogatory. The campaign asks people to pledge to stop saying the R-word
as a starting point toward creating more accepting attitudes and communities for all
people.
The students were asked to sign a puzzle piece – to take a pledge to use more respectful
language toward one another. Reminding them that while words can hurt, they can also
uplift, inspire and motivate.
DC from the Ground Up
Eighth grade students in Mr. Cameron’s social studies classes worked
in teams to learn about the monuments, memorials, museums and
government buildings in Washington D.C. As an expansion of their
lessons in early American history and the workings of the federal
government, and in preparation for their field trip to our nation’s
capital, the students explored the city on many levels. Using the
Lion’s Lab makerspace in the library, students created a 3D map of
the National Mall area in Washington D.C. Math skills were used to
create buildings to scale and map out a grid of the city. Students
researched their chosen building to learn its significance and
history. Employing simple CAD techniques, each team inputted the
structure’s specifications into the 3D printer and created a resin scale
reproduction. As a culminating activity, the students presented their
findings to their classmates, providing them with visuals, as well as
facts about their topic.
46 | Greensburg-Salem