4th Graders "Get Connected"

Fourth grade students who are part of the "Get Connected" unit in the Gifted and Talented program had an opportunity to expand and enhance their understanding of communication through the study of music, drama, dance, visual art, sculpture, architecture and poetry.

The culminating event for the unit was a field experience to the Old State House Museum and the Arkansas School for the Blind. The day began with an introduction to the history of the museum building and a study of its architecture.

A quick visit to the various exhibits followed. The Lights! Camera! Arkansas! exhibit featured Arkansans who have been involved in the movie industry, tying nicely into the arts aspect of the unit.

At the School for the Blind, students were introduced to contracted Braille and tried to decode some messages. In the computer lab, they experimented with a program called Jaws, an assistive aid for the blind. The 4th graders also participated in a sport called goal ball, specifically designed for the visually impaired, that utilizes a rubber ball with embedded bells. Students were blindfolded and had to depend on hearing the bells signal the ball's approach.

They also learned how communication changes across cultural lines and when there is a physical impairment. An introduction to basic American Sign Language and Braille gave learners an appreciation for how students with vision or hearing loss adapt to the classroom setting.

After a pizza lunch, the students returned to school tired, but happy and wiser.