Language Learning the Fun Way!
Posted by kellyyeh
Play! Play! Play! Learning a new language is exciting and fun!
In the Lower School Mandarin classroom, PreK students used face stickers to create animal faces. They had so much fun designing their own animals while learning vocabulary for different facial features.
Second graders played a game called “Draw My Little Monster.” Students drew a monster based on the teacher’s instructions. For example, they were given prompts such as, “The monster has five blue mouths” or “three small ears.”
Other grades used family member cards—similar to poker cards—to play a game. Students had to say sentences such as, “I have three older sisters,” in order to place their cards. The first student to get rid of all their cards won.
Every child loves to play. Learning a language through fun activities not only helps students build skills, but also keeps them interested and engaged. The Mandarin classroom atmosphere is lively, full of energy, and filled with fun!
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.
When Football, Math, and History Team Up
Posted by Maureen Diallo
Last week in first grade, we combined Super Bowl weekend fun with Social Studies, math, and Black History Month learning! We were joined by a very special guest teacher for the day Mr. L. (also known as second grader Brendon!).
Mr. L. shared an engaging history lesson about Fritz Pollard, a pioneering African American football player and coach. Pollard was one of the first Black players in what became the National Football League and later became the first African American head coach in the league’s history — a true trailblazer in sports history.
To keep the football theme going, our first graders took on a fun math challenge! Students worked together to kick (flick!) a triangular red or blue “football” over the goal post for a point, and then tallied and counted by fives to keep score. They strategized about the best technique and distance from the goal post to earn points — and it proved to be quite the team challenge!
Learning, teamwork, history, strategy, and fun — this Social Studies lesson had the perfect mix!
Seeing the Sound of Jazz: Duke Ellington Inspires First Grade Learners
Posted by Maureen Diallo
Within our Language Arts curriculum, first grade has recently been focusing on people from our past. We fell in love with the story, Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra, by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Through this beautifully written, award-winning book, students explored the life and legacy of Duke Ellington, a revolutionary jazz pianist and composer whose contributions are considered some of the most influential of the 20th century.
As we immersed ourselves in the incredible sounds of Duke Ellington’s music, students were encouraged to imagine what his music might look like—thinking about color, art, and design. Inspired by the dynamic illustrations of Brian Pinkney and the sounds of Duke Ellington himself, our first graders created their own Duke Ellington–inspired artwork to accompany their fact-filled writing pieces. The result was a joyful blend of history, music, art, and literacy.
Fun Friday: Our Vote, Our Game!
Posted by Sarah Pollex
Fun Friday is the BEST part of the week in PE class. Why? Because we get to pick the game by voting. That’s right—we all have a say!
From freeze tag to sink the ship, pinball to bean bag toe touch, students shared their favorite game and the winning choice took over the gym. Once it started, the energy was off the charts! Laughter, cheering, and teamwork were everywhere as we all jumped in and played our hearts out.
Fun Friday isn’t just about games—it’s about making choices, working together, and having a blast while being physically active. We can’t wait to see what game we’ll vote for next week!
