Pictured: Second graders participated in a pizza-making activity to learn about the production of goods.
Photos courtesy of the Massapequa School District
Second graders at Lockhart Elementary School got greater insight into the innerworkings of their community on March 18 through the Junior Achievement High School Heroes program.
Across the district, 89 Massapequa High School students are visiting 24 second grade classes in March and April. The annual learning experience connects elementary and high school students while supporting the second grade social studies curriculum, which focuses on communities and citizenship.
Massapequa High School students worked with second graders at Lockhart Elementary School on March 18 through the Junior Achievement High School Heroes program.
The high school students spent nearly a full day with Lockhart’s second graders to teach lessons about careers, civic responsibility and economics. The youngsters explored the different professions that exist in a typical community and how jobs are interdependent upon one another. They experienced the working world by opening up their own pizza shops. On paper circles, students fulfilled orders by putting on stickers for different toppings, and were paid a fictitious dollar for each correct order.
All of the lessons included an interactive component. To learn about civic participation, second graders had to vote for a community improvement project.
The curriculum included lessons on careers and economics.
The goal of the program is to provide high school students with an opportunity to become leaders and role models. For the second graders, they learn critical thinking, decision-making and problem-solving skills, how to organize information, set goals and work collaboratively.
Before visiting the classes, they worked with Massapequa’s School-to Career Coordinator Denise DeLury and a Junior Achievement trainer to review the curriculum, structure of the lessons and teaching kits. Each group also met on their own to finalize lesson plans and put together the materials.
Ms. DeLury said that the high school students also learned classroom management techniques and teaching strategies such as questioning, giving directions and checking for understanding.
The experience gives high school students an opportunity to serve as leaders and role models for younger children.
For the high school students, their goal was to have the second graders enthusiastic about learning and come away from the day with new knowledge.
“I hope they find a fun activity from this that helped them learn more about the real work,” said junior Sienna Massimi, a Lockhart graduate who was excited to be back in her former elementary school and with her former second grade teacher, Melissa Carney. “I like working with kids and helping bring happiness throughout their school day.”
Junior Isabelle Provenzano, who aspires to be a pediatrician, said it was great experience for her to work with children. Luke Ciaravino added that spending with Lockhart’s second graders was “very fun and engaging.”
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