The Arts
Art is an integral component of every
curricular aspect of Longfellow School. The school community believes
teaching art enhances the creative, emotional and intellectual growth of
each child. While they explore their world through a variety of mediums
and experiences, children celebrate diversity of expression. We find
that utilizing arts during instruction provides students opportunities
for problem solving, self-expression, risk taking, and community
involvement. The teaching of content through arts provides new
challenges for those already considered successful in school and can
also reach students who may not otherwise be reached. Students connect
to themselves and each other while exploring creativity within a
supportive setting.
ArtWorks
ArtWorks is Longfellow's self-supporting arts
program. Each spring Longfellow's ArtWorks Festival highlights the
talents and triumphs of each child's artistic accomplishments. This
family-oriented celebration includes dinner, children's activities,
music, and dance. ArtWorks also holds a live auction, silent auction,
and Artful Donations for students' individual works during the festival.
The money raised from the festival funds visual and performing arts
experiences for all students throughout the year, including:
- Visual art residencies
- Drama
- Theater
- Dance
- Poetry
- Drumming
- Art shows and exhibits at school and in the community
- A permanent collection of children's art
- High quality art materials and equipment
- Fifth graders’ major building enhancement project
- Continuing staff education to support art experiences in the classroom
Thank you for your interest in Longfellow’s
ArtWorks. For additional information or to get involved in classroom
projects, residencies, or the spring festival, please e-mail artworkslongfellow@gmail.com or call the front office at 406.522.6150.
Math
Longfellow students are provided rich,
engaging opportunities to explore math concepts through real-world
experiences. Longfellow uses Everyday Math as the core of its math
instruction. Students have opportunities to expand their math skills
through a variety of engaging activities and extensions in math.
Reading & Writing
At Longfellow School, we believe reading and writing are two parts of an integrated learning process. They go hand in hand.
Reading instruction at Longfellow encompasses
phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. The
essence of reading is to gain meaning from text. Children learn to read
by reading. Maximum growth occurs when students read at their
instructional level. At this level, readers use reading strategies and
need some teacher support. All grades focus on the following reading
comprehension strategies:
- Making Connections
- Asking Questions
- Visualizing
- Predicting and Inferring
- Determining Important Ideas
- Summarizing/Synthesizing
The essence of writing is to communicate
ideas in written form. Children learn to write by writing. Longfellow
teaches and assesses writing through the 6+1 Traits of Writing.
- Ideas - the heart of the message
- Organization - the internal structure
- Voice - the heart and soul, the feeling
- Sentence Fluency - rhythm and flow
- Conventions - spelling, grammar, and punctuation
- Presentation - pleasing to the eye
Longfellow believes that reading and writing
happen in every area of the curriculum. There is a school-wide
commitment to keeping reading and writing alive, joyous, and relevant.
We make use of community and parent volunteers through the CAP, and
America Reads programs so that all Longfellow Children gain the skills
and abilities to be be proficient readers.
Science
The opportunity to study the natural world is
an integral part of Longfellow’s approach to science. Students engage
in a variety of inquiry based science investigations both inside and
outside of the classroom. Inquiry based learning is emphasized across
the curriculum. Students have regular opportunities to explore
curriculum issues outside of the classroom through neighborhood
“Journey’s” and science-focused field days. In addition, students are
encouraged to engage in creative problem solving as they participate in a
variety of science contests throughout the year and an annual Science
Fair in February.
Technology
In order for students to feel comfortable
with the tools of the Information Age, they need access to computers and
related technology. As of 2010, Longfellow has tech tools to support
student learning that include:
- A computer lab with 20 eMac computers, printers, scanners, LCD projectors and digital cameras;
- An LCD projector and Digital Presenter in each classroom and the library
- A mobile computer cart with 24 Mac laptop computers and laser printer
- Highspeed, wireless Internet capability throughout the building
- District level Tech Support team
- Staff members committed to using technology as a teaching and a learning tool for their students
Children begin using the lab in kindergarten,
progressing to more challenging activities through the 5th grade.
Technology standards and assessment results guide the work of our staff
in this area. Longfellow has many different types of applications from
skill building programs to word processing and multimedia programs. All
families are asked to complete an Acceptable Use Agreement before the
students access online information. Lab classes integrate computer
skills with classroom curriculum.
The Longfellow Community and the Longfellow
Parent Association have helped to provide the school with technology
upgrades through fund raisers and donations on a regular basis.
Wetlands Festival
Longfellow’s Wetlands Festival is an
opportunity for students to explore and learn about the nature and
characteristics of wetlands. During September, the wetlands serve as a
thread of study that culminates in the day long festival. The entire
school participates at one of three different wetlands sites. Over
thirty Montana State University education students, Bozeman area
scientists, and scores of parent volunteers lead students through a wide
variety of outdoor science activities. Students gain an appreciation of
some of the environmental issues facing the Gallatin Valley and its
valuable wetlands. The Wetlands Festival is supported by Montana Water
Course, International Project Wet, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks,
Montana State University, The Federation of Flyfishers, Ducks Unlimited,
Bozeman Public Schools, the City of Bozeman and other area businesses.