Putting the A in STEAM

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) is a growing topic of interest in education. STEAM integration happens in many areas in both small and large ways in the lower school at AFS. There are many opportunities in the art room for students explore concepts such as balance, design, structures and both the natural and built environment through the lens of art-making.

Both the Cardinals and Catbirds three and four year old classes recently created wood sculptures in art class. They learned firsthand the effect of friction when they sanded their wood pieces to make them smooth. Their sculptures were created using a process of trial-and-error to balance their wood pieces.

The fourth graders used their problem-solving skills in creating standing figures and animals using pipe cleaners, beads and wire. They worked collaboratively and found that there were many possible responses to the task with which they were presented.

To learn more about STEAM, design-thinking and how to foster creativity and inventiveness in your child, join us at the "The Parenting Workshop, Ideas and Strategies for Helping Children Thrive" on November 14th.

Author Jacqueline Davies visits Lower School

Jacqueline Davies, a wonderful children's book author, is visiting Lower School on Friday, December 4th. She will be meeting with classes in kindergarten through fourth grade. Our second grade students have been reading her picture book The Boy Who Drew Birds during their bird study this fall and creating pictures of birds inspired by this book. This book is about the life of John James Audubon and how as a young person, he created a plan to learn where birds go each winter. 

Jacqueline Davies has written two other picture books as well for children ages of 4-10, The House Takes a Vacation and Tricking the Tallyman. The Lemonade War series is a chapter book series written for ages 8-12. An order form to purchase her books is being sent home this Friday, November 6 in student's Friday folders. If you wish to purchase a book and have it signed by Jacqueline Davis during her visit, return the form with a check made payable to Abington Friends School by Thursday November 12. The link below leads to her website. You can read further about her books and her life as an author.
http://www.jacquelinedavies.net/books.html

 

2nd Grade Physical Education

Mr C and Josh have been working with second graders on a variety of skills that develop fitness, speed, reflexes, and coordination.  They designed an AGILITY CIRCUIT that includes: Ladder Drills,  Zig Zag cone movement, and Hoop Agility.  Check out the videos to see your student in action.

Join Us for the Fall Food Drive & Music Fest!

Fall Food Drive & Music Fest

When: Sunday, November 8th, 3-6 pm 

Where:  Muller Cafe

The Fall Food Drive is a Lower School Community service project benefiting Whosoever Gospel Mission in Philadelphia metropolitan area. Families help by donating food items that reflect the current need of Whosoever Gospel Mission. Needed food items include: 

Coffee (ground), Sugar, Powdered Milk, Powdered Iced Tea Mix, Cooking Oil & Shortening, Cookies & Crackers, Canisters of Oatmeal, Complete pancake mix & syrup, Canned pasta & sauce, Canned Chili, Canned Vegetables & Fruit, Macaroni & Cheese Boxes, Rice, Canned Chicken, Salad Dressing

At the event, students will make cards, use their math skills to sort and graph the food donations, participate in a shared dinner and make merry with Lower School Music Teacher, Keisha Hirlinger. 

Pizza, salad and chicken fingers will be provided for dinner from Tony Roni's. Families may bring items for shared dessert. Please keep desserts peanut/nut free and provide an ingredient list for homemade goodies. 

Please RSVP here. 

Any questions, please contact Melissa or Fiona. 

A Day for Monarchs

Spectacular monarchs were in flight at the Halloween Parade on Friday morning and again on Friday afternoon. First grade's monarch study was an exquisite display as the students awed families with their unique and wondrous butterfly wings at the parade.

In the afternoon, the first magnificent seven adult butterflies were released to start their fall migration south. It was such an exciting event, filled with the promise of their miraculous journey and the anticipation of those monarchs still to emerge from their chrysalises. Seven new adults are fueling up for their long trip, five are still developing in the shelter of their chrysalises and one lone caterpillar is still munching on milkweed. Mother Nature at her finest!!

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El estudio de los pájaros en 2º grado (Bird Study in 2nd grade)

The second graders’ Bird Study continues to soar during their Spanish language experience. We have been learning the Spanish words that describes the basic parts of a bird and have been playing fun games to help us reinforce the vocabulary.

One fun game loved by all is el juego de los matamoscas (the Swatter Game). This is an effective learning activity for all types of learners that engages and reinforces  new vocabulary. The kinesthetic and tactile learner is stimulated with the physical activity of swatting the flashcard while the auditory learner is engaged with the sound of the vocabulary being called out in a musical tune.

The life-like photographs on the flashcards and the matching words engages the visual learner and additional activities were provided where they enjoyed reading and labeling the parts of the bird on their activity sheets. 

Added activities were provided as opportunities to reinforce the learning. We read storybooks and observed short videos that introduced us to a variety of bird species. One video that was truly enjoyed by all was one by TuBebeGenio.blogspot.com on YouTube where we got to learn the names of some lovely feathered creatures.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKnK9mk8waI

cigüeña – stork

águila – eagle

perico – parakeet

gaviota – seagull

avestruz – ostrich

búho- owl

colibrí – hummingbird

cuervo – crow

halcón – falcon

paloma – dove

gallina – chicken/hen

flamenco – flamingo

buitre – vulture

cisne – swan

garza – heron

lechuza – owl

pingüino – penguin

pájaro carpintero - woodpecker

Go ahead and ask your second grader what the following words translates in English. You too will be amazed!

Alas

Cabeza

Cola

Cuello

Ojos

Patas

Pico

Piernas

Plumas

Diwali Celebration in First Grade

First grade's exploration of Diwali grew ever richer when Janani and Rudy,  Subha and Radha, and Radha's grandmother shared the story of Diwali with both first grade classes. We loved the paper cut style of the art work accompanying the story. Then there so were many beautiful outfits to try on and a delicious feast of samosas, gulab jamuns and mango lassis. On November 11th, the actual date of Diwali, we will continue our celebration with special projects and music with Keisha. We look forward to hearing of Susan's first hand experience of Diwali as it unfolds for her in India!! Namaste!

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