Date: Fri 14-Feb-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

schools-100-HOM

Full Text:

100 Days And Counting... Celebrating A Nice Round Number

(with photos)

BY DOROTHY EVANS

In case anyone is keeping track, Thursday, February 6, was the 100th day of

school for Newtown children.

This fact provided a perfect excuse for a little math awareness work on the

part of many elementary school teachers, who challenged their students to see

how many ways they could count to 100.

They were even able to teach a little history, as well.

"We've been looking for a centenarian to speak to the children, and tell us

what it was like 100 years ago," said Pam Fagan, math/science specialist at

Middle Gate, who was the organizer of the all-school 100th day celebration

there.

"Even if we don't find such a person, we'll ask the older children to write

about what they think life will be like 100 years from now," Mrs Fagan added.

As it turned out, the Middle Gate fifth graders did get a brief history lesson

when nonagenarian and Ashlar resident Dorothy Anderson visited the school for

an hour's discussion about life in Newtown at the beginning of this century.

"We had to help out at home after school. There weren't so many other things

to do in those days," Mrs Anderson said.

When asked what changes or inventions she thought had been most significant

during her lifetime, Mrs Anderson said "communications."

"Being able to listen to the radio, talk on the phone and watch television has

made the most difference, I think," she said.

How Many Ways

Can You Count To 100?

The theme of 100 was used as the basis for many creative counting projects at

several elementary schools.

At Head O'Meadow, the morning and afternoon kindergarten classes found as many

creative ways to display the idea of 100 as there were children (82): 100

goldfish (the real Pepperidge Farm variety) pasted against a blue goldfish

bowl; 100 "I Love You" valentine candies arranged to form the number 100; 100

nails pounded into a board, spelling the word, "one hundred"; and 100 pennies

glued around a dollar bill.

At Middle Gate, all the classes combined their efforts in an interdisciplinary

project that lasted all day under the guidance of Mrs Fagan. The teachers

combined language arts, reading, writing, science and, of course, math.

"We dispensed with our regular activities this day," Mrs Fagan said.

Several children spent the afternoon connecting unifex cubes strung together

in units of 100, to see how many units it would take to circumnavigate the

entire loop of the Middle Gate hallway.

At 2 pm the whole school gathered in the hallway and burst balloons that had

been donated by PTA members - 100 of each color - and sang a ditty to the tune

of the Marines' Hymn, "The Halls of Montezuma."

I can count up to one hundred

I can count down backwards too.

A centipede has a hundred legs

But I have only two.

Next 100 is July 4

By the time they boarded their buses at the end of the day February 6, school

children from Middle Gate, Head O'Meadow, Hawley and Sandy Hook were

undoubtedly saturated with the number 100, and they probably told their

parents all about everything they did on their 100th day in great detail.

Their teachers hope that all those 100-day activities will help them realize

just how big that three-digit number really is.

As for the parents, just in case they are counting off the days until summer

vacation, 100 days is more than halfway to the end of school.

By state law, Newtown needs to have 180 days to complete its school year. The

school calendar, as set by the administration, currently allows for 182. The

last day of school is scheduled for Thursday, June 12.

By the time everyone counts up to 100 one more time, excluding weekends and

snow days, of course, we will be celebrating the Fourth of July.

Seems impossible, doesn't it?