Geography in Our School
Developing Global Connections and 21st Century Skills with ePals
This year students developed an awareness of how people, place, and environment interconnect. Students had the opportunity to communicate with students from England, France, Italy and Pakistan. Understanding how these interconnections affect the way people live is important to students as we move towards a global society.
This understanding has helped our students foster an acceptance of cultural differences and has encouraged a disposition of cooperation and collaboration. This project led students through an examination of the influences on culture. We hope the knowledge gained by out students has led to the appreciation and respect for the cultural diversity in our world.
The project helped students develop and practice 21st Century skills. These skills prepare students to effectively use online tools to promote collaboration, communication, and online content creation. We hope to engage students and promote lifelong learning. Students utilize the following 21 Century technology skills to meet the requirements of this project:
This understanding has helped our students foster an acceptance of cultural differences and has encouraged a disposition of cooperation and collaboration. This project led students through an examination of the influences on culture. We hope the knowledge gained by out students has led to the appreciation and respect for the cultural diversity in our world.
The project helped students develop and practice 21st Century skills. These skills prepare students to effectively use online tools to promote collaboration, communication, and online content creation. We hope to engage students and promote lifelong learning. Students utilize the following 21 Century technology skills to meet the requirements of this project:
- Using Online productivity tools and multimedia tools
- Online reading comprehension and media literacy strategies
- Student Collaboration
- Online Content Construction
- Online etiquette and digital citizenship
Connecticut History Day
Make your own history this school year, be part of an exciting opportunity and join the WMS History Club. If you love to be creative and have a passion for history then this the club for you!! The History Club will holds an annual interest meeting at the end of September.
This Year we spend the year exploring historical topics for the annual Connecticut History Day competition held in March. This year's theme is "Leadership and Legacy in History". Students can enter historical works as an individual or in the group competition. Students from our school have entered historical papers, exhibits, documentary film and also in the historical paper competition. Online registration for student projects begins in November and closes in February. The competition is held in March; students from our school enter in the New Haven district regional competition. Student finalists from the New Haven district competition are invited to enter in the State level competition held in April. This club meeting dates TBA.
Below are some photos of former student participants and their projects!
This Year we spend the year exploring historical topics for the annual Connecticut History Day competition held in March. This year's theme is "Leadership and Legacy in History". Students can enter historical works as an individual or in the group competition. Students from our school have entered historical papers, exhibits, documentary film and also in the historical paper competition. Online registration for student projects begins in November and closes in February. The competition is held in March; students from our school enter in the New Haven district regional competition. Student finalists from the New Haven district competition are invited to enter in the State level competition held in April. This club meeting dates TBA.
Below are some photos of former student participants and their projects!
National Geography Bee--Winner Joshua Goodman, Cluster 3
On December 20th and 21st Washington Middle School in Meriden hosted the annual National Geography Bee. Over 150 students participated in the preliminary competition from grades 6-8. Student competitors participated in 7 rounds in the preliminary competition and were narrowed to just ten finalists. The school champion was eighth grader Joshua Goodman of Cluster 3, and the school runner up was seventh grader Scott Angilly of Cluster 4.
Students were asked trivial style questions to test their knowledge of the social studies. Other finalist include eighth graders, William Barton (Past school champion), Gehad Saleh, and Ryan Zamboni all from Cluster 3. The seventh grader finalists included, Samuel Hurlburt of Cluster 4, Brayden Haag and Christopher Bartlett of Cluster 6. There was also a sixth grade finalist, Jaedan Curcio, of Cluster 7. The teacher monitors Mr. Langlois and Ms.Stolfi would like to thank all the contestants and school Principal Mr. Ray Southland for hosting this special academic event. We look forward to our champion qualifying to participate in the state level competition in March.
The state level Connecticut Geography Bee is held in April at Central Connecticut State University. This year Joshua Goodman qualified for the state level competition. The National Geography Bee is held annually in Washington, D.C. in May. First place in the National competition receives a $25,000 dollar college scholarship and a lifetime subscription to National Geographic Magazine, second and third place finishers receive $15,000 and $10,00 college scholarships. The national winner also receives an all expenses paid trip to the Galapagos Islands. Mark your calendars; be there or "BEE" square!!!
The next Geography Bee will be held at WMS in the Fall of the 2017-18 school year, times and dates are TBA.
Students were asked trivial style questions to test their knowledge of the social studies. Other finalist include eighth graders, William Barton (Past school champion), Gehad Saleh, and Ryan Zamboni all from Cluster 3. The seventh grader finalists included, Samuel Hurlburt of Cluster 4, Brayden Haag and Christopher Bartlett of Cluster 6. There was also a sixth grade finalist, Jaedan Curcio, of Cluster 7. The teacher monitors Mr. Langlois and Ms.Stolfi would like to thank all the contestants and school Principal Mr. Ray Southland for hosting this special academic event. We look forward to our champion qualifying to participate in the state level competition in March.
The state level Connecticut Geography Bee is held in April at Central Connecticut State University. This year Joshua Goodman qualified for the state level competition. The National Geography Bee is held annually in Washington, D.C. in May. First place in the National competition receives a $25,000 dollar college scholarship and a lifetime subscription to National Geographic Magazine, second and third place finishers receive $15,000 and $10,00 college scholarships. The national winner also receives an all expenses paid trip to the Galapagos Islands. Mark your calendars; be there or "BEE" square!!!
The next Geography Bee will be held at WMS in the Fall of the 2017-18 school year, times and dates are TBA.
Former Geography Bee Contestants and Finalists
Our visitor from Africa!
On Friday November 30th, 2012 WMS had a special visitor from The Gambia, a small country located in Western Africa. Mr. Kim Lam, a member of the Peace Corp was invited to our school to share his experiences in The Gambia and his work with the Peace Corps. In The Gambia, Mr. Lam trains people to use computers and technology and he also teaches them about Western Culture. In return he enjoys learning about the people and culture there as well. In his presentation he shared information about the Geography and people who live in The Gambia and what its like to be young person living there. Mr. Lam has plans to spend at least two more years in Africa and he said he hopes to help many people while he is there. Mr. Lam is originally from the San Francisico Bay area, but has close family in Connecticut.
National Geography Awarness Week
Event Dates:
November 13, 2016 - November 19, 2016
November 13, 2016 - November 19, 2016