Excitement ran high inside Winsor Hill Elementary School during a unique Reading Week Celebration.

There were colorful creations – and costumes of sorts – throughout the Johnston school as students enjoyed a myriad of activities, including illustrating words from the book “Miss Alaineus, A Vocabulary Disaster” by Debra Fraser.

“That really motivated the students to pull out their dictionaries and really think what word they wanted to model in our Vocabulary Parade,” noted Stephanie Petrucci, a fourth-grade teacher, who helped make the Reading Week a success. “This year’s Reading Week was certainly special.”

Petrucci said the Reading Week theme was “Spring into a Good Book,” and “on a beautiful spring day the students went outside and participated in a Vocabulary Parade” among other events held during the week.

The Winsor Hill students came to school dressed as words from Fraser’s book and paraded around the school for others to enjoy.

“Students and even teachers dressed in words, from ‘blizzard’ to ‘American,’” Petrucci said. “What better way to inspire the minds of elementary school students than challenging them to create a costume based on academic vocabulary?”

Petrucci credited Winsor Hill librarian Diane Walsh for adding to the Reading Week’s success, as well as reading coach Nancianne Smith.

“We also had open mic poetry readings during lunch,” she added. “The students also enjoyed guest readers and garden-themed books.”

GARDEN CLUB HOSTS AUDUBON SOCIETY

Winsor Hill also recently held two after school programs focused on animal adaptations and vertebrates, presented by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island.

“Our students really enjoyed participating in hands-on experiences to deepen their understanding of animals and vertebrates,” Rene Toppi said. “We had student working in teams and they were able to observe, classify, and ask questions about a variety of materials, ranging from snapping turtles to snake skins.”

The sessions also included learning about animal furs, and each lesson culminated with a visit from live animals.

“Our grades one and two enjoyed their visit with Pokey, the Eastern box turtle, and grade three and four students were intrigued by Lola the Pueblan milk snake,” she concluded.