Melody in Edmonton, Canada

Grade 4/5 Edmonton AB Canada

Mary Hanley School

Canada

Edmonton
(Melody #022B0114)

Even though Melody was only here for a short visit because of Teacher's Convention, we kept busy. She joined us while we practice ordering decimals using the Wii, did Olympic gym with us and even came outside with us when we went snowshoeing. She found out that Alberta, Canada is very cold this time of year.

We learned that we would have to help Melody face the challenge of maneuvering around our cold, icy sidewalks in her wheelchair if we wanted her to feel comfortable in our class. We thought we'd make her feel welcome by making sure she was able to move around our classroom in her wheelchair, listen to, what she had to share and most importantly talk to her like she was just like a normal gr 4/5 student.

Melody in Alma, Canada

Mrs. Beesley's Gr. 3/4 class

Alma P.S.

Canada

Alma
(Melody #019B0114)

Melody is enjoying lots of fun in the snow, with a one no bus day and temperatures around -10 to - 24. That's without the windchill. Melody helped build a snow fort and went X-C skiing with Mrs. Beesley.

Melody is helping us to understand what it must be like to to constantly struggle against barriers.

Melody in Lethbridge, Canada

Mrs. Marcotte's

OLA

Canada

Lethbridge
(Melody #010A1113)

Melody has had a great time. She has been learning about fractions, making moving machines, and how to make secret instructions like on our Novel study City of Ember. She also joined us on pink shirt day which is a day to stand against bullying.

We learned what Melody might feel like being in a wheel chair. We learned about what types of accommodations are in our school for those with disability and what accommodations our class would require for Melody.

Melody in Hong Kong , Hong Kong

2CM

RCHK

Hong Kong

Hong Kong
(Melody #025B0114)

I took Melody to my painting class and math class, also, we went to the Chinese restaurant for the dinner.

You cannot be selfish and jealous. You have to be kind and happy to take care of other people.

Melody in Surrey, Canada

Mme Keogh div 12

Martha Currie Elementary

Canada

Surrey
(Melody#018B0114)

Today it is February 25th, and it is a snowy day in Surrey. It is our last day with Melody.

We think Melody had a good time with us, but she may have found our class difficult to understand. You see, we’re a French Immersion classroom, which means we speak French almost all day. Aurevoir Melody, bon voyage!

Melody in Hong Kong, China

Lee

China

Hong Kong
(Melody #025B0114)

Irish Dance class

She still can enjoy the dancing even she cannot walk

Melody in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Province Of China

Tsai

Taiwan, Province Of China

Hong Kong
(Melody #025B0114)

shocked ,surprise

She help me learn my unit.

Melody in Carleton Place, Canada

Mrs.Lemieux's Grade 4/5 class

Caldwell Street Public School

CANADA

Carleton Place, Ontario
(Melody #005A1113)

She went to the library in the morning and then we had a draw to take her home for a sleep over. She went to Sydney's and because of the snow she stayed there for the weekend.

We learned it is not fun without talking or walking. we even tried it ourselves.

Melody in Surrey, Canada

Mme Keogh, Div 12

Martha Currie Elementary

Canada

Surrey
(Melody #018B0114)

On Thursday, our class took Melody to the Honeybee Centre. This is a place in our community of Cloverdale that studies honeybees in agriculture and makes honey.

The Honeybee Centre makes many flavours of honey; one of them is cinnamon. We think Melody would have really like this flavour. She also tried eating the honeycomb, she might have found this a little waxy compared to honey. At the Honeybee Centre, we also visited a room called the Bug Lab. In this room there were all sorts of different insects and arachnids such as tarantulas, stick bugs, scorpions, beetles, cockroaches, centipedes, and of course bees. We’re not sure how Melody would have felt about all these insects. Maybe she would have found some of them disgusting, and others really interesting. We also got to make beeswax candles. The wax came in different colours. We enjoyed this activity, though Melody would not have been able to make one herself. We’re not sure if she would have enjoyed watching us make candles, or if she would have felt left out of the activity. At the end of the visit, we took a test on bugs. Melody would have rocked it. She has such a great memory that the test would have been easy for her as long as someone would have helped her put the information into her Medi-Talker.

Melody in Surrey, Canada

Mme Keogh, Div 12

Martha Currie Elementary

Canada

Surrey
(Melody #018B0114)

Over the weekend, another student took Melody home with her. Together, they went to the local park, to Choo Choo’s Restaurant, to gymnastics and to the skating rink.

She had a very busy weekend. She brought a friend from class to join them at the skating rink. At the rink, they ran into three other girls from our class! She noticed that the rink is wheelchair accessible, but she’s not sure if regular wheelchairs are allowed on the ice. At Choo Choo’s, there were no stairs, unlike the restaurant she visited in the book, so it was easy for her to enter. Melody would have ordered the macaroni and cheese.

Melody in Surrey, Canada

Mme Keogh, Div 12

Martha Currie Elementary

Canada

Surrey
(Melody #018B0114)

One of our students took Melody swimming to the Surrey Sports and Leisure Centre.

While he went swimming, his mom and brother took Melody in the elevator to get up to the viewing area, since she couldn’t take the stairs. They also took a few pictures outside with Melody with one of the bears from the Winter Olympics in 2010. He noticed that if Melody wanted to go in the water, she would need a special wheelchair, and she would need to use a lift to get her in and out of the water.

Melody in Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Clara

Hong Kong

Hong Kong
(Melody #020B0114)

She went with me to the Glee-Club, We went on the scooter together and we made a really nice drawing together.

Be caring...

Melody in Victoria, Canada

Division 7 Salmon Sky Viewers

Arbutus Global Middle School

Canada

Victoria
(Melody#016B0114)

Melody is visiting a French Immersion, Global Middle School. She met many interesting people including Sahara who shares a lot in common with her.

We learned that when two cultures meet, they are more alike than different.

Melody in Ottawa, Canada

Mrs. Belaire's Grade 5 Class

Holy Redeemer School

Canada

Ottawa
(Melody #023B0114)

Some of the things we did with Melody were she came to the Boys’ Handball Tournament with us and helped to cheer on our team, the Rockets! She also helped out with daily activities such as getting technology from the Learning Commons, having snacks with the students, and playing outside for recess. At the students’ homes, Melody received tours of the students’ homes, went to choir practice, went bowling, visited the Humane Society, and had her own little bed made for her to sleep in.

The students realized just how difficult it would be for Melody to participate in the daily activities that they were used to taking part in everyday. It really opened our eyes to how difficult Melody’s life must be.

Melody in Richmond, Canada

Division 3

W.D Ferris Elementary

Canada

Richmond
(Melody#008A1113)

Technology Day, Library

We learned that she travels places to places not just our class. And we don't make fun of other people who has the same abilities as Melody has.

Melody in Richmond, Canada

Division3

Ferris Elementary

Canada

Richmond
(Melody#008A1113)

Technology Day,Library,and Computers.

We learned that she wants to travel all over the world and meet other students and experience what can do.

Melody in Richmond, Canada

Division 3

Ferris Elementary

Canada

Richmond
(Melody#008A1113)

A technology day, a library read aloud, and computers

I learned that Melody is going all around the world to a lot of schools.

Melody in Richmond, Canada

Divivsion 3

Ferris elementary

Canada

Richmond
(Melody#008A1113)

Melody has experience technology day with us at Ferris elementary, she watch us play WII and listed to what we are doing right now.

no matter what you look like you have to let them see your true self, like Melody ^_^

Melody in Richmond, Canada

Div.3

Ferris

Canada

Richmond
(Melody#008A1113)

We are having Technology Day and she is playing with us

There are lot of kids like Melody

Melody in Bowmanville, Canada

Ms. Thatcher's grade 6/7 & 7

Duke of Cambridge

Canada

Bowmanville
(Melody#014A1113)

While in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, Melody had a chance to wear her Canada scarf (can you see the maple leaf?) and she visited many Canadian landmarks, including Camp 30. Although Camp 30 is now a run-down historical site, it was a former camp for delinquent boys and prisoner of war camp. It was also the setting for the Eric Walters book Camp 30.

Students took Melody everywhere around our 3 story school using the elevator and ramps. Students noticed how long it could take to get from one place to another, and they also commented on how some of the doors in our school are not equipped with automatic door openers. They were instructed not to open doors (to experience what Melody may feel like), so students actually got "stuck" in our gym after realizing that there was not an automatic door button to get them out.

Melody in Richmond, Canada

Ferris Elementary Richmond BC

Ferris Elementary

Canada

Richmond
(Melody #008A1113)

Melody is visiting our grade 6/7 class where we are busy preparing for a Science Fair, Jump Rope for Heart, and Anti bullying Day.

I learned that it takes awareness to make sure Melody is included in our activities. We need to locate her beside a group so that those students can remember to think about her learning needs.

Melody in Carleton Place, Ontario, CANADA

Mrs.Lemieux's Grade 4/5 class

Caldwell Street Public School

CANADA

Carleton Place, Ontario
(Melody #005A1113)

Melody is experiencing what it would be like to be a student in our classroom. We are a French Immersion school, half day English half day French. She will be going to French class with the students each day, learning what they are learning as well as participating in Science, gym and recess. We hope to include Melody in every aspect of our week. Melody will get to come home with me, Mrs. Lemieux. She will stay at my house while she visits. I live on a farm and she will get to visit the farm and surrounding towns. Perhaps she may even experience having a sleep over at a student's house!

We hope to learn that we are all equal and that we all have special talents that we can share. We have a "no bully zone" in our school, we have a pledge that we recite each week called a Power of a Friend. We will learn to put that pledge into practice with Melody each day.

Melody in Joplin, Missouri

Abby, Ayla, Kyra

UNITED STATES

Joplin, Missouri
(Melody #040B0114)

Melody went to Joplin for a dance competition. There were a lot of people dancing, a lot of people watching, and a lot of music. There were even judges! It was a long day- it lasted until midnight. Melody would have seen many different colors by listening to the music. All of us won awards for our dancing.

We learned that the facility was wheelchair accessible; there were many people there who used wheelchairs to get around. Melody would have been able to sit up front and watch us dance.

Melody in St. Louis, Missouri

The Chamberlains

UNITED STATES

St. Louis, Missouri
(Melody #001A1113)

Melody visited the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, MO. The arch is officially known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and is also called the Gateway to the West. It was built as a monument to Thomas Jefferson and all the pioneers who traveled to the west of the Mississippi River through the St. Louis area.

Melody would not have been able to travel to the top of the Gateway Arch if she had not been carried. If the tram system that transports visitors to the top were to break down, visitors would have to use the 1,076 emergency stairs to return to the bottom of the Arch.

   

Sharon M. Draper
United States
Los Angeles, CA
(Melody #004A1113)

I'm in California to speak at a conference and accept an award for Out of My Mind, so of course Melody came with me! She has met some wonderful students already. I'm excited to see all the places Melody travels to around the world!