Putting the Garden to Bed
Posted by Mary Faulkner
As one season ends and another begins, we notice that nature, in her own way, prepares herself. Leaves fall from trees, animals prepare for long cold winters by storing food and preparing dens, and we humans too, do many things as well to prepare. For people with gardens, one of those tasks is putting the garden to bed. PEL fellows Abby, Sarah and Michael led our fifth graders in that same task here at Unquowa. First, the fellows led students in a brainstorming discussion on why it is necessary to put a garden to bed. The students discussed the difference between annuals and perennials, why it is important to pull some plants and leave others and the importance of putting trellises and stakes away for use the following spring. Students were then led outside where they were put into assigned groups to complete different tasks. From clearing out beds, gathering the last of the harvest of vegetables and herbs for the kitchen, spreading compost for fall planting and gathering seeds for investigations and spring plantings, there were no idle hands. The students where excited and worked with enthusiasm, knowing all their hard work would lead to another great harvest next season! Thanks our PEL fellows and the fifth grade students for a job well done!
After School Guitar!
Posted by David Coe
The brand new instrumental music room is the place to be on Friday afternoon!
There’s an amazing group of 4th,5th and 6th graders attending the after school guitar program. We are learning note reading, chords, rhythms and all the aspects of solo and group performance. The students are having lots of fun playing and singing “This Land Is Your Land,” “Ode To Joy” and many other great songs!
Starting the Day with Music
Posted by Megan KirkThe Junior Chorus is a wonderful group of 3rd-5th grade students who come Wednesday mornings to further their vocal experience here at Unquowa. We learn about singing as a choral group, stage presence, techniques and most of all we have a fun time! Music is a perfect way to start your day!
Here is a clip from our first performance at Assembly:
I Can Say My Chinese Name!
Posted by Yajuan Zhang
This year is very special for fifth grade students. It is the first time students can choose and focus on one second language. It is also the first time for Upper School students to experience the full-time language program. Students have the language class four times a week with each time 45 minutes. This year, eight students chose Mandarin and they make a great class to experience the challenge and fun of learning a totally different language.
Students are curious about learning the culture differences. With an interesting discussion about the difference of the name order between China and the U.S., students are more engaged in learning the meaning of their own Chinese names and practice saying the names with a rhythm. As soon as you turn on the video, almost immediately you can tell how students are excited about saying their Chinese names and expressing it in this mini-dialogue with a lively rhythm. And of course, you always sense the fresh air blowing on your face when being part of anther culture, don’t you?
Science Collaborations
Posted by Faith Barbuto
Every Wednesday, the kindergarten and fifth grade classes come together for a collaborative science lesson. From tasting apples, to searching for signs of fall, the kids really enjoy working together! The kindergarteners were really excited to help their fifth grade buddies build rivers. After spending one class session collecting natural materials, we gathered together the following week to assemble our river models. On this unseasonably warm fall day, the air was just buzzing with ideas and excitement. Teams of kindergarten and fifth grade students collaborated to create realistic and accurately scaled river beds. Listening to them communicate and exchange ideas you could tell that all student ideas were being valued and experimented with. Some groups tried many ideas before settling on a final concept. The real test will come later when water is run through and we determine how much of our riverbeds were eroded but as you can see by these pictures, the creations were worthy of Andy Goldsworthy.
Learning to Investigate
Posted by Mary Faulkner
Rather than just read from a book about the parts of a scientific investigation or how to use instruments such as a thermometer accurately, the fifth grade science students have started with some hands-on learning. The first investigation explored the terms experiment, model, variable and control group. Students were given slices of fresh bread to study and asked to write thorough observations using all of their senses. Each slice was then stored for six days in either a plastic baggie or a paper bag. The students were then asked to do a second observation. Terms were introduced using the setup and parts of the observation and experiment. The next investigation involved taking accurate measures of cold, warm and room temperature water using a thermometer. We discussed the importance of making accurate measurements when performing an experiment. The students did a wonderful job and are proving themselves to be serious scientists!
