Water is everywhere

A summer school program at the Brockport Central School District helped English Language Learners (ELL), immigrants and children of immigrants develop their use of the English Language. Students in grades Kindergarten through sixth grade from Churchville, Brockport, Hilton and the Spencerport School Districts took part in the program funded by a collaborative grant. Students learned about literacy through guided reading, literature circles, computer assisted learning, listening and speaking activities. Everything had to do with water. Topics included under the sea, ocean, ponds, rivers, boats, storms, water cycle, water pollution, watermelons, drought, immigration, the Erie Canal and underwater animals. Students participated in immigration plays, science experiments about the water cycle, buoyancy and pollution. Teachers worked on increasing background knowledge, building vocabulary, increasing oral language and reading and writing skills. Spencerport teacher Stacey Crumb works with Brockport student Arlinee Villa. Crumb had each student locate where they are from on the globe and then discuss the nearest bodies of water.