Global Gators in Galapagos!
Posted by Lloyd MitchellOur 11-day spring break expedition to Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands was a true masterclass in adventure, resilience, and wonder for our 25 students and 4 chaperones. From the historic streets of Quito to the breathtaking volcanic landscapes of the archipelago, our Global Gators embraced every moment, even the “early bird” 4:25 a.m. wake-up calls, with enthusiasm, curiosity, and unmistakable Gator energy.
In the Galápagos, we witnessed nature in its purest form. We hiked through the Santa Cruz Highlands to count giant tortoises in the wild, explored subterranean lava tunnels, stood on the edge of the massive Twin Craters and experienced the wonder of zero latitude and longitude. Whether it was snorkeling alongside sea turtles at Las Tintoreras or sharing a bench with a sunbathing sea lion on San Cristóbal, every moment was a reminder of our responsibility to the planet.
Transitioning to the mainland, we immersed ourselves in the vibrant culture of Otavalo. We stood in the shadow of the Cotopaxi volcano, learned the ancient art of Andean weaving, and listened to the melodies of handmade pan flutes. Even an unexpected “bonus day” in Miami couldn’t dampen our spirits; instead, it became a final chance to bond over Cuban sandwiches and Wynwood’s street art.
Beyond the sights, this trip was about the “Unquowa spirit”—the laughter, the curiosity, and the growth. We returned home with full hearts, a few extra souvenirs, and memories that will truly last a lifetime.
Knitting in Makerspace!
Posted by Joey Casey6th graders recently have been working on hand knitting, developing their vocabulary and skills with this versatile textile structure. They are starting to work with a knitting machine and will be designing and knitting some hats. The machine is non-electric and fully mechanical, operated independently by students. How does each student know what size to make? We measure! We knit what’s called a gauge swatch and measure the number of stitches (horizontal) and rows (vertical) in a 10cm sample. After reducing that number to 1cm, we plug in the information to find out how many stitches to cast on and how many rows to knit. There is a lot of applied math in knitting and we take full advantage of everything students have learned over the years in the classroom!
14 Years of Friday Night Lights: More Than Just a Ski Club
Posted by Lloyd Mitchell
We just wrapped up our 14th season of Friday night lights at Ski Sundown, and it was one for the books! Beyond the carving and the trail runs, this club has always been about the community we build off the lift. One of our favorite traditions came full circle on our final outing: while our 8th graders take pride in leading the bus loading for every trip of the season, they officially pass that responsibility to the 7th graders on the very last night. It’s a symbolic “passing of the torch” that prepares the next group to lead. This season, it was inspiring to watch students move beyond their typical social circles, forging genuine friendships across grade levels. Whether on the chairlift or in the lodge, these connections are what make our club more than just a trip—it’s a family.
Year of the Fire Horse!
Posted by Carina Blackwell
Xīn Nián Kuài Lè, Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái – Happy New Year and Wishing You Good Fortune!
Our Grade 4 through 6 Mandarin students kicked off the Chinese New Year celebrations by preparing over 600 vegetable dumplings, which, along with other delicious Chinese dishes created by our Chefs, were enjoyed by the entire school during a special festive lunch. Meanwhile, our younger students had fun practicing their Mandarin skills by crafting Play-Doh dumplings, listening to stories about why red and firecrackers are essential for Chinese New Year Celebration and making colorful Chinese New Year crafts. As part of the celebration, all Mandarin students received traditional Red Envelopes to mark the New Year of the Fire Horse.
A special thank you to Unquowa parent Mrs. Toolan, who visited the 5th and 6th grade Mandarin class to share insights into Chinese New Year traditions. The students had a great time taking turns wearing the festive dragon costume and dancing around the classroom!
Throughout our two-week celebration, Mandarin students across all grade levels showcased their language skills with performance on the school assembly. Their songs were filled with wishes of good luck and health for the New Year. Adding to the joyous spirit of the occasion, everyone came to school dressed in red!
Enhancing our foreign language program, this cultural experience is always a festive and delicious highlight of the year that our Unquowa community looks forward to celebrating.
Tasty Tectonic Plates!
Posted by Colleen Noyes
Students in 6th grade science class brought plate tectonics to life with a delicious hands-on model. They mixed frosting with food coloring and spread it on a work surface to represent Earth’s mantle, then placed graham crackers on top as tectonic plates and demonstrated the three types of plate movement: divergent (pulling apart), convergent (colliding), and transform (sliding past). As they pushed, pulled, and slid their “plates”, students saw how Earth’s internal heat drives mantle convection and powers the forces that shape our planet. Afterwards, students completed a lab report and diagrammed each boundary movement. Their curiosity and excitement was evident throughout this fun and informative lesson.
Fun and Thoughtful Character Awards!
Posted by Kristin DuCharme
Grade six humanities students created fun and thoughtful Character Awards based on the characters from The Epic of Gilgamesh. They chose a character and designed a unique award that reflected that character’s traits, actions, and overall role in the story. Using evidence from the text, they explained why their character deserves the award and how their behavior, strengths, or challenges shaped the epic. This project encouraged creativity while helping students analyze character development and connect the characters’ qualities to larger themes in the text. It’s a great way to celebrate learning while showing deep understanding of the epic’s timeless figures.
