UMPS Curriculum Fair Celebrates a Year of Learning

It was a proud night for all the participants at the May 17 Upper Moreland Primary School () Curriculum Fair.

The event took place from 6:15 – 7:15 p.m. throughout the UMPS building, where families of the school’s 700 students took a gallery walk, admiring various academic highlights of the past school year.

“It’s a collage of different activities or projects from the school year,” Susan Smith, UMPS principal, said.

The students’ artwork, science projects and essays festooned the hallway walls, leading visitors into classrooms with even more colorful and spectacular school projects.

According to Smith, visitors, who were mostly parents and siblings of UMPS students, were allowed to amble by the decorations of academic work, and strike up conversations with teachers, as well as with other parents.

“It’s not a parent-teacher night. It’s different, because so many amazing things go on throughout the school year, and this is a time to highlight the students’ achievements and accomplishments,” Smith said. “The parents can walk with their children in a very informal setting.”

As UMPS principal for the last two year, Smith said she has observed how the Curriculum Fair is successful in promoting school community.

An Effort of Titanic Proportions

Smith said that UMPS teachers keep in mind certain projects, in anticipation of the Curriculum Fair.

This year, 33 classes showcased their year’s finest work, including a wall of construction paper flowers with the title, “Blooming Manners.”

“They like to see it displayed,” Mary Ann Fucich, UMPS first-grade teacher, said. “They got to choose what to put on the petals.”

Fucich explained that each petal contained a word or phrase related to lessons her students learned about being polite to one another. She said that this project was part of a Character Education lesson, which is an application of the school’s core curriculum.

“We try to have all the curriculum presented and highlighted,” Fucich said, citing other projects related to math, science and social studies.

Second-grade student Joey Smith said that he was happy to be able to showcase his work for Curriculum Fair visitors.

“I’m proud of my artwork,” Joey said. “I think they like it a lot. I think it’s great for everyone to like it.”

Another classroom displayed an interactive, large-scale representation of the ill-fated ocean liner the Titanic.

“The kids at any age are fascinated with the Titanic and its history,” , UMPS second-grade teacher, said.

In recognition of the 100^th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, Cannon introduced her students to the Magic Tree House book, “Tonight on the Titanic.”

From this book, Cannon pulled several lessons surrounding the history of the Titanic, including a science lesson about floating ice; a math lesson, using Morse code; and writing lessons, as students described what they learned in essays an in their “ship’s logs.”

Her students’ Curriculum Fair display included a representation of the hull, complete with paper portholes the students made. A gangplank leads into the ship, where the students’ Titanic-related projects were showcased.

“The kids go home and talk about it all week,” Cannon said of the opportunity to present their work. “They really help drive the parents to the event.”

“It’s important to be a part of our children’s education,” Cheryl Dalske, UMPS parent, said. “We’re all a big team.”

Dalske, whose son, Benjamin is in kindergarten class, said that she was glad her whole family could participate in the UMPS Curriculum Fair.

“I think it’s fabulous to have this day for other members of the family to come in,” Dalske said.

She said, while there are specific days for particular family members, this is the one day of the year in which everyone in the family can see what their UMPS student does throughout the year.

Dalske added, through her son’s first year at school, her family has been able to meet so many other encouraging UMPS parents, teachers and staff at events like the Curriculum Fair.

“I didn’t realize how much more part of the community we’d become,” Dalske said. “Our children have expanded our world.”