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AGIS Students Make a Difference In Our Community
 From January until May, Lily A. and Mikaela A. from Mrs. Cole’s class collected close to $600 in an effort to purchase a television and DVD player for the Emergency Room at Jennersville Regional Hospital. They raised money by making and selling beaded bracelets. Lily also sold cookies at her parents’ pizza shop, and Mikaela conducted a presentation to the local Lion’s Club to request donations.
On June 4, the girls presented the TV, DVD player, several children’s DVDs, coloring books, and crayons to the staff of the ER department. The girls wanted the children that have to go to the ER to have some comfort while they are waiting to be seen or while waiting for a loved one.
We are so proud of Lily and Mikaela for their devotion to this project and for the great effort to help their community.
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AGIS Raises Awareness and Funds for Childhood Cancer Research
Two classrooms in the red pod at Avon Grove Intermediate School (AGIS) hosted a fourday Lemonade Carnival April 24-27 to raise awareness and funds to benefit the second-annual Alex’s Virtual Lemonade Stand project, and the effort to find a cure for childhood cancer. The students raised $1,845. Ms. Marlese Henderson's fourth-grade class and Ms. Kelly Cooper's third-grade class participated in a virtual kickoff videoconference for the fund-raising project on April 11, along with 1,500 other students from across the country.  The videoconference was hosted by MAGPI, a division of Information Systems and Computing at The University of Pennsylvania, which is committed to promoting advanced applications, collaborations, and services for the research and education community through high performance networking technology. Joyce Perry, an instructional technology specialist for Avon Grove, helped the AGIS teachers set up the videoconference using a monitor, the Internet, and a Tandberg system. Students at Penn Wynne Elementary — where Alex went to school — kicked off the online conference, designed to raise awareness for childhood cancer in an innovative way. Alex’s mom, Liz Scott, made a presentation and answered questions. Participating schools also had 30 seconds to introduce themselves in a creative way during the virtual spirit rally. Avon Grove Intermediate School students performed a cheer. They later found out they won the “Lots of Lemon-y Enthusiasm Award.”
Participating schools came up with their own ways to raise funds for the cause. The AGIS students decided to have a Lemonade Carnival, which ran from April 24 through April 27, according to Ms. Henderson. The students came up with a variety of games and craft activities for other children to play — all centered on a lemon-yellow theme. The school sent flyers home with all students to tell parents about the project. Students from throughout the school brought in one dollar each to donate in exchange for 10 tickets, and they visited the carnival in shifts. Classmates from Ms. Henderson’s room and Ms. Cooper’s room manned the booths and ticket table. Volunteers constructed a lemonade stand, and students traded in the tickets for a glass of yellow or pink lemonade. Lemon-flavored treats, made by volunteers, were also available for the kids. Participating students were also able to choose from a number of activity booths set up in the red pod’s common centrum area. Some tried their luck at guessing how many lemonhead candies were in a jar. Others tossed a yellow, lemon-shaped beanbag through holes in a wooden target. Some students chose to try their hand at bowling with a lemon to knock down plastic pins. Students also made posters, and lemon headbands from yellow construction paper. Some students played a trivia game, doing their best to answer questions about Alex and her lemonade stand project. »Read the News Release for More Information |
AGIS Autism Awareness
About 400 students in grades three through six at Avon Grove Intermediate School joined together on Friday, April 27, to form the shape of a giant autism awareness ribbon, which consists of two crisscrossing strands and a single loop. The students gathered on the paved playground area in back of the school to form their human ribbon. With some direction provided by teacher Jeff Kobasa, who was on the roof of the building, the students from 16 classrooms got into formation in no time. The day was also a schoolwide spirit day to commemorate the end of Autism Awareness Month, which occurs annually each April. Students and staff were encouraged to wear red, yellow or blue – the colors of the autism ribbon, which is made up of  interlocking puzzle piece shapes. The autism puzzle ribbon represents the mystery of autism, the diversity of the people living with autism, and the bright colors of hope. The Autism Society of America, Greater Philadelphia Chapter, provided enough ribbon for volunteers to make an autism awareness ribbon for each student and staff member. The volunteers, who included parents, staff members, and sixth-graders who serve as school autism ambassadors, made a total of 1,850 ribbons. Autism ambassadors from grades three through six helped distribute the ribbons, which students and staff wore on spirit day. In addition to Friday’s event, signs were posted throughout the school building during the month of April to increase awareness and educate students about autism. Students and staff members read educational messages about autism each day for two weeks over the morning announcements. Also, each of the school’s four pods has a copy of the book “My Friend with Autism,” which staff can read to students. Barbara Moyer, Autistic Support Teacher, coordinated the autism awareness events at the school.
During the month of April, signs were posted throughout Avon Grove Intermediate School to educate students and increase awareness about autism. Also, students and staff members read educational messages about autism over the morning announcements for a two-week period. »Read the News Release for More Information |
Measurement Olympics 
Miss Daniels and Miss McGuffin's 6th grade math classes participated in the measurement Olympics. Olympians competed in events such as the high jump, shot put, discus throw, and javelin. Winners were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals during a special ceremony.
Click HERE to see highlights! |
6th Grade Rocket Scientists
 While working on the astronomy unit, Miss McGuffin's 6th grade science class built double-barreled rockets. The purpose of the activity was to build a simple rocket and put Newton's third law to the test. Look for future NASA engineers to come from this group!
Click HERE to see highlights! |
| Symmetry in Self-Portraits
Mrs. Mantell's fifth grade extended their lesson on symmetry into the art room. They used black and white photos of themselves to draw a self portrait. First they folded the photo in half and attached it to their paper. Then they drew in the missing side, trying to keep it symmetrical. When they finished the first half they removed the photo and completed their drawing from the half of the face they had already drawn. In art class they discussed value: the range from light to dark and shaded their faces in to make them feel real and 3 dimensional.
Click HERE to see more examples of these wonderful projects! |
Author Visit, Jen Bryant
Our Reading Specialist, Mrs. Rosen, did a great job of selecting an author that could deliver an engaging presentation as well as a variety of books for the students to explore. All of the fifth grade and sixth grade students attended Ms. Bryant’s presentation about the writing process, writing picture books and novels, and the background for her novel, The Trial. Many families purchased books and the author enjoyed signing them for students.
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| 6th Grade Sciences |
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Mr. Murray's 6th grade science classes have been exploring the physics of motion and applying those concepts to technological design. The following pictures deomonstrate students' understanding of force, friction, stored and potential energy, and air resistance. By using hands-on activities, students have understood the way engineers develop, modify, and improve design to meet specific requirements. |
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Author Michael Dooling's Visit |
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Children’s illustrator and author, Michael Dooling, visited AGIS on October 18 and 19. he shared his love of history to the third and fourth graders. He told the story of Mary Anning and the Sea Dragon through his illustrations. In this story a young girl discovers the bones of a sea dinosaur.
Michael also told the students how he illustrates a story using emotion, color, body posture, facial expression, perspective and value. He emphasized that it is important to try and not be afraid to make mistakes. He prefers to use oil paints because he can often correct mistakes since they dry slower then watercolors.
Finally, Michael encouraged two students in each assembly to join him in painting a picture. Once the painting was completed the students signed the painting along with Mr. Dooling. |
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Lobby Murals |
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The next time you visit our school, check out the beautiful ocean murals in our main lobby. Local artist Dan Gotel donated his time and the PTA donated the supplies for this worthwhile project.
Thank you to all involved! |
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Third Grade Bedroom Maps
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 As part of a Social Studies unit on map skills, students in grade 3 Orange House recently made maps of their bedrooms. To do this they first created a model of their bedroom in a box. By looking at their model, they were then able to make a map and key for their bedroom.
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Updated
8/30/07
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