Video: Springfield students' bridge to learning

Students at Union Street Elementary school read their poetry on Channel 3 News.

http://www.wcax.com/story/20961675/springfield-students

Springfield students' bridge to learning Posted: Feb 04, 2013 6:18 PM EST Updated: Feb 04, 2013 8:30 PM EST By Adam Sullivan - WCAX SPRINGFIELD, Vt. - Students at Union Street Elementary school read poetry they wrote about the Bartonsville covered bridge. "My poem was about how it got destroyed during Irene," said student Ariella Godfrey. "Pretty amazed that much force could just take it down the river like that," said student Mathew Martel. "It's a storm, it's not its fault, it just comes," Godfrey said, reciting her poem. The poems are a way to integrate more than one subject into the 4th grade curriculum on spans. "How to make bridges stronger, looking at different types of bridges, styles of bridges, really focusing on covered bridges and Vermont history," said Erin Rounds, a Union Street teacher. But the inspiration behind these lines may surprise you -- A Channel 3 story."When it aired on Channel 3 we watched it in class and took a look at the transcript," Rounds said. Those words were written by Channel 3's Melissa Sheketoff, on the day the Bartonsville bridge officially reopened. Yet another topic -- current events-- intertwined into their studies. "They have a place to put their learning when it is tied into real life -- current events, things that are happening right now," Rounds said. In other words, it brings the material to life. The next step in the process is for the kids to build a bridge of their own. "It actually gets you to focus on your work. Like bridges, you actually get to make them and glue together pieces," Ariella Godfrey said. "I just like building stuff and learning about different types of tools that you can build with," Mathew Martel said. Bridging subjects to build a more interesting route to learning.