ISVI Happenings
March, 2008
Students at ISVI are Learning Sign Language
One of the activity periods for third quarter is Sign Language with Mrs.
Serena Preston and Ms. Kelli Swanson. The students have learned all kinds of
signs. They have learned the alphabet, so if they do not know the sign for the
word, they can fingerspell it. The students have learned family/people signs,
common words such as hungry, thirsty, eat, drink, sleep, and some signs for
verbs. The students have expressed a lot of enthusiasm about this activity
period. One day they learned signs for all kinds of food. Some of these included
popcorn, soda pop, pizza, and cookies. After they learned the signs for a
variety of food, they were asked to sign to Mrs. Preston and Ms. Swanson which
food they wanted. Then, they received it and were able to eat that food. Ms.
Swanson says, “The part that I enjoy most about this group is their motivation
and willingness to learn."
(Picture of ISVI student and teacher hand-over-hand working on hand signs)
Space Camp Activity Period
Several ISVI students have been enjoying the Space Camp activity period with
Mrs. Cindy Miller and Ms. Darla Chambers. They have been studying the Solar
System. Each week they have added a planet in order from the sun. The students
have really enjoyed this activity. They like learning about each planet and
adding it to “their solar system”. They have learned about rockets, parachutes,
etc., as well. Mrs. Miller and Ms. Chambers have, also, incorporated songs,
poems, and websites into this activity period. Keep up the exploration of space!
2008 Fairfield Challenge Eco-Poetry Slam
Two students represented ISVI at the 2008 Fairfield
Challenge Eco-Poetry Slam at the Chicago Botanical Gardens on February 10th.
The Eco-Slam is a division of the Fairfield Challenge competition created for
high school age students. There are ten categories of the Fairfield Challenge
for students to enter. The Eco-Slam is just one of them. Mrs. Barbara French and
Mrs. Pat Wright are the teachers who coordinate the Fairfield Challenge for ISVI.
Mrs. Wright was unable to attend the February 10th event, so Mrs.
Serena Preston attended the event with the students and Mrs. French. The
Fairfield Challenge required certain guidelines to go by when writing their
poems. The students even had to present their poems in front of a panel of
experts from Chicago poetry and performance institutions. They were judged on
creativity, style, speaking up on behalf of the environment, dynamics of vocal
and physical presentation, as well as their stage presence. The students
represented ISVI wonderfully. Mrs. French shared that, Treenen Sturman, the
Director of the Fairfield Challenge said, “It takes an immense amount of courage
and conviction to do what your students did today. Their efforts, and your
efforts on their behalf, are the reasons why I do what I do. I know in my heart
that as long as there are people like yourself, and your students in this world,
that the promise of a better, healthy environment is closer than we can
imagine.” ISVI is extremely proud of them! The following are the poems that the
students shared.
Mother Nature’s Cries
In a world of scarce times and wicked rhymes
When all people care about is committing crimes
That ruin this once in a lifetime chance
While destroying the world with no common sense.
A land that was once beautiful and green
Is now covered with a dark haze that’s hard to be seen
Mother Nature is going to come back to bury us alive,
And all we can do is ask ourselves why-
There were once eagles per every mile
Now there cast down (Put in exile)
There were once whales that roamed the seas
Now it’s the captains that choose whales to seize
There were once forests both far and near
It was us that made them disappear
I wrote this not expecting any of you to care,
But to get the word out to give you a scare
That we’re polluting the air with poisonous gasses
Slowing the world down while our technology surpasses...
They say we’re the land of the free and the home of the brave,
But we’re slowly turning ourselves into a human grave
Mother Nature’s cried over us for years
Now it’s our time to shed a few tears
There was once a human race.
(Picture of two ISVI students at the Fairfield Challenge Eco-Poetry Slam_
Earth Isn't a Game
Earth isn’t something to play around with.
It’s important as can be.
But I don’t think you see.
Your destroying our home.
Soon there will be no where to go.
Earth isn’t a game.
I’m not trying to tell you what to do.
But it’s all because of me and you.
That the worlds looking like this.
Clean up your trash.
Stop putting chemicals in the air.
It’s just not fair.
Little children are dying from toxic fumes.
New people getting sick every day.
And there’s so much more to say.
But the lesson is this.
Be careful what you do.
Because it’s not good for our world.
I hope you understand what I’m trying to say.
Maybe I’m weird but I want to live another day.
So let’s make tomorrow bright.
Let’s make it a pretty sight.
Save our earth because . . .
EARTH ISN’T A GAME!!!!!!
Maple Syrup Festival
On February 18th, a group of ISVI students
went on a field trip to the Springfield Memorial Gardens to attend the Maple
Syrup Festival. The students learned a variety of things including the
ingredients that go into maple syrup and how long it takes it make it. They even
got to be outside for the “syrup tour”. The students were accompanied by Mrs.
Walker, Mrs, Lyons, Mrs. Kruzan, Mrs. Allen, Mrs. Strowmatt, and Ms. Young. They
ended the field trip with a sit down lunch at Cracker Barrel.
(Picture of two ISVI students tapping a maple tree)
Braille Challenge
On February 20th, eight ISVI students traveled to the Missouri School
for the Blind to compete in the Braille Challenge. The students were accompanied
by Ms. Darla Chambers, Ms. Dawn Chambers, and Mrs. Kathy Turner. This year, ISVI
had three winners. In the sophomore division, one student received 3rd
place. In the varsity division, one student received 1st place and
another Collins received 3rd place. All of the students representing
ISVI did a great job and made ISVI very proud.