Regent Dawson Visits With St. Mary?s Students at the Constructivist Design Conference Front row left to right - Matthew Anderson, Regent James Dawson, Joshua Kennedy (kneeling) Charles Grandaw, Elizabeth Leonard Back row left to right - Benjamin Donaldson, William Jadlos, Gretchen Warner, Mary Lobdell, Emily Anderson

CANTON -- New York Regent James Dawson shared his knowledge of Adirondack Mountain geology with students from St. Mary?s School, Canton, during his visit to the Constructivist Design Conference at St. Lawrence University on July 19, 2012.

The St. Mary?s students provided the “campus school” at the conference, demonstrating to educators how constructivism can be effectively used with elementary aged students. Facilitated by their teachers Stephanie Jones, Meg Trainor, and Ginger Thomas, the children investigated personally relevant topics related to the Adirondack Mountains such as the names and facts about the 46 high peaks, animals in the Adirondacks, and how to effectively prepare to hike a mountain.

The students chose to share their learning with their parents and conference participants on the last day of the conference through a skit, a graph, pictures, models, a video, trading cards, oral presentations and even movements to help remember all the names of the high peaks.