AMAZING! Floyd Cooper

Floyd Cooper was repeatedly described as "amazing" by Lower School students in all grade levels.  It was a joy and privilege to learn from him about his inspiration, journey and ambition. With each group he demonstrated his artistic techniques and shared stores from his life.  Floyd Cooper talked about the importance of persevering despite the ups and downs that occur when you are fulfilling ambitions.  Each presentation was like an interactive story and concluded with a robustly energetic drawing game. Check out the drawings in the Lower School hallways and see if you can identify the "scribble."  Lower School is thrilled to have spent the day with Floyd Cooper, learning from such a skilled and AMAZING individual.

Where In the World Is......

Third grade has been hard at work learning about the fascinating geography of China.  A country of many different landscapes, China's unique geographical features have long impacted the history and people of China.  In our early geography lessons, we studied the different landforms of China.  Students had to match pictures of different landforms and figure out the definitions based on the visual cues.  

 

In class, we had a presentation on the geography of China and learned about the natural and man-made borders of China, including the fourteen countries that surround China.  Students noted the number of times the country of India borders China, and remarked upon the location of the rivers that we've read about in some of our Chinese folktales.  We also learned many important facts about the about many of the major deserts, mountain ranges, and waterways in China.   

For each landform, students created a symbol to represent it and carefully located it on the map.  These maps will become the base of our geography studies this semester, and we will add different elements to our maps each month to explore where major landmarks are located, how the land is used, what lives there, and other interesting ideas. 

A Conversation with Seth

Today the third graders were very excited to have their first interview. The interview is part of an ongoing project in which third grade gets to know our Abington Friends community better and then shares their knowledge with the rest of the Lower School at Assembly. The students spent a chunk of library time asking Seth some prepared questions. The interview was videotaped and the next step will be to create a short film using iMovie.



Our interviewer was poised and conversational as she asked Seth about set design, lighting, his favorite foods and favorite color.  Seth came prepared with a map of light cues as well as a mock up of the set design for the upcoming production "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown."
After the interview, we talked about what went well with the process and what could have been done better. On the whole, we all felt it was a very good start and we learned a lot about what Seth does and how he does it.

Multi-sensory Handwriting in Kindergarten

 

In kindergarten, we use a multi-sensory approach to teaching, developing and strengthening handwriting skills. Fun and hands-on letter writing activities with materials such as shaving cream, play dough and chalkboards help young writers to explore the formation of letters using "big lines, little lines, big curves and little curves." These four types of lines are the foundations of the hand writing program we use, Handwriting Without Tears. This common language about lines makes it  easy for students to repeat in their mind or say out loud as they work to form letters independently.

Recently, the students have been  practicing writing "frog jump letters," letters that begin with a big line down, frog jump back to the top. and then continue with the formation of the letter. The frog jump letters include:   F E P R B D N M.  A kindergartner excitedly shared that frog jump letters, "jump up like frogs. First the big line goes down, jumps all the way to the tippy top of the big line, and then the next line finishes the letter it will be!"

 

Using chalkboards, tiny wet sponges, paper towels and chalk, the students were ready to try a new method of practicing letter skills, Wet-Dry-Try. First, the letter lines are practiced by using a wet sponge to "erase" the chalk letter. Then the letter lines are practiced by "drying" the lines with a paper towel. The last step is to try writing the letter with chalk over the dried letter and magically the letter appears again!

  

After exploring a variety of opportunities writing frog jump letters with shaving cream, play dough, and with chalk, the new writers were ready to confidently share their growing fine skills using traditional paper and pencil in what one friend called, "a big kid handwriting book!"

Getting Ready for Meeting for Worship

Being prepared for Meeting for Worship is an underlying precept in Quakerism.  It allows one to be ready for the peaceful silence and open to receiving important messages. The Meeting experience is richer when students are prepared.  In first grade, we are using our time on Wednesday mornings to engage in quiet activities that will allow the transition into the Meeting House to be smooth and deliberate.

We listen to soft and varied types of music as we read quietly or color in nature themed mandalas.  We have used this time to create beautiful butterflies that complement our Monarch study.  Some students have asked to write letters to friends and families and others have chosen to use the time drawing.

This week our activity had a dual purpose.  We read the book, I AM PEACE - A Book of Mindfulness and had a thoughtful discussion afterward.  The students reflected that the child in the book used nature to help become calm and peaceful. Noticing the clouds and trees, and feeling the breeze helped the child let go of unsettled feelings inside.

Since it is not always feasible to go outside when you are feeling unsettled, we made miniature peace gardens that can be used in the classroom as a focal point when a student is feeling tired or out of sorts. They can bring their peace garden to a quiet place and using calming breathing they can let go of their unsettled feelings.

 

Students worked thoughtfully on their gardens using rocks, seashells, mosses, pine cones, acorns, and twigs and some added miniature butterflies.  One student created a "nature person" in their garden and another added a "fairy house."  The students were quietly engaged and creative, a wonderful combination to be fully present for Meeting for Worship.

 

Second Grade Learns About Bird Banding

Last Wednesday, the second grade students traveled to Rushton Woods Preserve near Newtown Square to observe how birds are banded.  During this time of fall migration, many birds stop off at Rushton Woods to feed and rest as they fly south.  Volunteers spend mornings catching the birds in mist nets and recording information about them.  The students watched as each bird was carefully inspected and weighed, and if they had not been caught before, banded on the leg with a small metal cuff.  The children were assured that none of this hurt the birds, but maybe frightened them just a bit, and it was important for the students to be quiet throughout the process.  After each bird was checked, the children had the opportunity to touch it and some even got to hold a bird before it was released.

A walk in the woods, lunch in the herb garden, along with a chance to quietly sketch among the many lovely flowers growing near the barn area, completed this very exciting day!

Jumping into Musical Instrument Exploration with EC!

Early Childhood classes come to the music room once a week. We begin each class with an instrument exploration which includes un-pitched percussion instruments such as drums, shaker eggs, rhythm sticks, wood blocks, guiros, a scraper instrument, among others. 

Students are encouraged to explore the sounds and different ways of playing the instruments. Some dance around while playing instruments, others create "bands". Some students spontaneously create a marching band! All of this comes to an end when they hear the special instrument clean-up song played on the recorder by the teacher. All of the joyful noise ends and these awesome young musicians stop playing and responsibly and gently put all the instruments away and come to the circle to begin our music lesson for the day.

Through this exploration, students learn to feel comfortable in the environment. They learn that sound, music, and instruments are both available and accessible to them. They learn to take risks and explore sound alone and with others. Learning to stop and listen is an important musical skill. The ability to tune-into the clean-up song and regulate oneself to stop and clean-up is both a positive musical and life skill. 

EC musicians have been rockin' it out in all of these areas! I cannot wait to see what they bring us next!