Toe-ga Party!
Posted by Faith Barbuto
No not that kind of toga, this is yoga for your toes! My eager party goers were instructed to take their shoes and socks off before entering the classroom. They were visibly excited! They came in to find upbeat music, their Assembly floor cushions and pompoms dumped all over the floor. They were told to use their toes to pick up as many pompoms as they could from the floor and place them on a cushion, only one rule, they could not place them on their own cushion! This is a clever way to promote sharing and empathy while also eliminating the competition aspect of the game. They had so much fun but it got messy! No worries, clean up was step two of the fun! Different sized containers were placed around the room and children were encouraged to try throwing and blowing pompoms into each. They don’t realize they are actually doing the deep breathing part of the exercise! We experimented with the different containers and noticed which were harder to get them into- mindfulness in disguise. Before we cleaned them all up I had each child chose their favorite pompom to hold for later and then we used those to practice our Ujjayi or Ocean’s Breath breathing technique by trying to blow the pompom off our cupped hand. They were over the moon when I let them take that pompom home for more practice! I learned this and so much more in my recent Deep Play for Kids certification training. I can’t wait to bring more of this to Unquowa. Classes coming soon!
Area and Perimeter Zoos!
Posted by Karen Engelke
This was a fun project for students to practice real-world math. Students used area, perimeter, and critical thinking skills to design a layout for a zoo. They were challenged to create exhibits that would adequately fit the given dimensions of each animal and the requirements needed to house them properly. They were also tasked with fitting as many exhibits as possible within the given grid paper. Lastly, they were asked to name and decorate their zoos. It was a fantastic project that the students really enjoyed.
Rainforest Adventures
Posted by Maureen Diallo
The first-grade scientists are coming to the end of a fun-filled Rainforest unit in Science! The class has explored each layer of the rainforest, including the forest floor, understory, canopy, and emergent layer. They zoomed in on some pretty amazing trees and plants, such as the bromeliad which has its own water tank and is a habitat for many bugs and frogs. Our classroom became the rainforest canopy and was filled with student-created animals like spider monkeys, macaws, and emerald tree boas. The first graders also created endangered rainforest animal posters to help teach others about animals in the rainforest. Each first grader gathered all of their knowledge of the Rainforest to create a nonfiction writing piece with a supporting illustration. As a final piece to our Rainforest unit, the first graders traveled to the Beardsley Zoo and were able to see many of the animals that they learned about like the golden lion tamarind monkey, ocelot, emerald tree boa, jaguar, sloth, and spider monkey.
Archaeological Findings at Unquowa!
Posted by Alice DesGranges
The second grade has learned how the study of art helps us understand history and identify artifacts. Following their study of ancient Greek pottery, the Second Grade applied their knowledge to an “archaeological dig” at the Unquowa school. Students carefully excavated pottery pieces classified them and made findings of two black figure and one red figure (not so ancient) pots.
Grades 3 & 4 Visit to the Audubon
Posted by Karen Engelke
Grades 3 and 4 had the pleasure of visiting the Fairfield Audubon Society. Grade 3 took part in a program entitled Bird ID where students learn how to identify different types of beaks, feet, and feathers to determine how these features relate to behaviors and habitats. Grade 4 took part in a program called Adaptations: Structures and Functions. They were able to study up close 4 different native animals and learn about how their adaptations help them survive in their habitat. Both classes participated in a guided tour of the nature trails and 4th grade was able to do some ponding. Our visit ended with a Birds of Prey presentation where students learned and viewed up close a Peregrine Falcon and Barn Owl.
Stepping Back in Time
Posted by Sarah Raggio
Grade 5 recently visited the Fairfield History Museum for a morning filled with activities centered around the Revolutionary War and specifically, the battles in Fairfield and towns nearby. The trip was the perfect complement to our social studies curriculum and the book choice in literature class. The students just finished reading, My Brother Sam is Dead, a historical novel set in Redding, CT during The Revolution. While at the museum, the students had an orienteering exercise in the old burial ground, a visit to the old schoolhouse, and the opportunity to perform in a play about the Burning of Fairfield.
We had such a great time!
