First Grade Postal Service Open

Our first grade post office opened the day before Valentine’s Day with a ‘lovely’ line of customers eager to buy stamps to send off their valentines!  That afternoon, our postal workers were so busy stamping and sorting and delivering all of those special letters to their very special recipients!

Our post office is connected to our hero study and getting ready to run a post office has meant lots of work and lots of fun.  The students designed hero stamps with skill and creativity, adding great details and color.  The clerk at Staples was so impressed with the artwork that was about to be turned into our stamp plate sets.  The stamps had to be cut apart, mailboxes painted and readied  (one mailbox had to be done twice because the first one accidentally got recycled!), posters created announcing the opening, a visit to Elkins Park Post Office and lots of practice making change!!

Our visit to the Post Office provided the opportunity to see how mail is dated, cancelled and sorted.  All the jobs that our first graders would need to know how to do in our own postal system.  They also got to see how mail is loaded onto the trucks for delivery. The students have been very excited selling stamps in the morning and then collecting all the mail in the afternoon and getting it ready for delivery throughout the entire school.

Receiving mail is GREAT fun!!! Please stop by and purchase stamps and send a letter to someone in the AFS community.  You can drop your properly addressed mail in one of the blue mailboxes located in the LS lobby or outside the LS library. The recipient will be glad you did and so will our first grade postal workers!!  Stamps are ten cents each and the money raised will be donated to a nonprofit that the first graders choose at the end of our study.

Happy writing!!

Fabulous Movie Night!

Many thanks to our wonderful Home and School Association for last Friday's fantastic Movie Night.  After a delicious dinner served up by Chef Jay.  EC and K families settled down to watch a film together in the comfy of their jammies with stuffies and blankets as well!

Mirroring and Shadowing with Second Grade

Students in Second Grade learned about the movement concept of Mirroring and Shadowing.

Mirroring is when the leader is facing a person or group that follows their movements moving the same side of the body at the same time.

Shadowing is when the leader is facing AWAY from the person or group that follows their movements moving the same side of the body at the same time.

Through these activities, students learn about form, line, and shape and how to focus and follow the physical movement of others. Next, we will extend this activity through different variations (stay tuned!).

Below are videos of student leaders leading the group in Mirroring. Enjoy!

Music: Adagio for Strings-Samuel Barber

Collaborative Kindergarten Nature Art Study

Observing the work of a few kindergarten nature art sculptors

 The warmer weather, mud, sticks and all of the other parts of nature that we have not thought about lately have seemed to "reappear" and become parts of creative and collaborative nature sculptors on the Redbud playground. On a recent day, as the artists created, one could hear calls to view, "Look, look! Come see what we did!" A crowd gathered as the children explained how they had used found tree stumps, wood cookies and sticks to make the marvelous creation on the landscape wall. As the artists walked back into the classroom after recess, they could be heard talking about the things they could collect the next day to add to their nature creations: rocks, pine cones, and seeds

Found nature objects as part of a sculpture

The next day, the nature artists went back to work and began adding other dimensions to their work, as the sculptures became taller and the balancing of materials was explored.

                   

Honey Locust seed pods and seeds added color and shape to new artwork. The artists asked where we could find other nature materials and they began to unearth small rocks and plans for nature walks beyond the playground emerged. The pine trees across the driveway seemed to call to the children as they thought of using pine cones and pine needles for future art projects.

Contrasting colors, shapes and textures

A few budding nature artists and a collaborative natural materials sculpture on our outdoor playground has created an excitement that is permeating the kindergarten classrooms. To support this exciting new interest, we have begun looking at the art of nature sculptor, Andy Goldsworthy, Through his books and some interesting videos, the students have been introduced to Andy Goldsworthy's creative process and techniques. The children were fascinated to learn that every part of his sculptures are made from natural materials and that sometimes, the artist uses, water, mud, thorns and sometimes spit to hold materials together!

One of nature art sculptor Andy Goldsworthy's books

Creating a face using a "foot slide" through the wood chips

The ever-changing weather has not stopped the creative work of our kindergartners for rainy days have inspired nature creations inside and cold hands have the children using their feet to create with as well.

Feathers, shells and pine cone indoor art creation

Our newest emergent nature art study will offer opportunities for strengthening collaborating skills, looking at materials in new ways, seeing patterns in nature, practicing problem solving and trail and error, as well as cause and effect. Collaborating on natural works of art also provide many ways for kindergartners to practice growth mindset skills such as resilience, perseverance and flexibility.

Thinking Deeply About Fiction Books in First Grade

First graders are grappling with big ideas as they listen to books read aloud and read their own books during reading workshop. As they listen to the first book in the Dino Rider's series by Will Dare, How to Tame a Triceratops, they are encountering sophisticated vocabulary and expressive language. During one of their discussions, after listening to a chapter read aloud, they needed to confer with a partner in order to think about the meaning of the word "exaggeration"and then to decide if the main character was exaggerating something that he said happened to his hero.

Students are learning that there is not always a clear right answer and they need to think about the clues in the story and then use their inferential thinking skills to deepen their understanding of the story. After listening to the story read aloud, first graders then have the opportunity to apply their thinking skills to their own books. The strategies of making text connections. thinking about setting, character, problem and solution and the main ideas of the beginning, middle and end of the story are becoming deeper ways for students to show their understanding of the story. Students develop resilience and stamina as they look for ways to give examples from the story to prove their ideas. 

The Next Logical Step...

Our third graders have officially entered into the realm of coding in the library. Many students have experience either through summer camp programs or on their own at home with coding, but few have explored the basic skills of coding,  namely logic and problem solving. If you search the Internet for coding activities your browser will burst with new online programs, some free some not, that teach young students how to program. However, often a very important skill is overlooked, that of really thinking like a programmer. To become true coders students need to learn to think logically and to problem solve. Students who lack these skills will often become frustrated as the programs they envision do not become reality. This is because students consider programming bugs to be problems within the computer instead of what they are, a mistake made by the person writing the code, the programmer.
This means that we start coding off the computer.

Our third graders are working on their logical thinking and problem solving skills. In addition we emphasize that computers are not really smart, rather it is the person creating the program with the real brains. A computer will do nothing it is not instructed to do. Our first lesson was having students create simple pictures using lines and colors. They then had to create instruction cards for another member of the class to replicate the same picture. This lead to much laughing but through the merriment, students understood that it was not the person following the instructions, but rather the instructions themselves which were bugged. Interesting conversation followed about how they could have made the code simpler, easier to follow and was the order of the directions correct? How did a person know where to put the yellow line?

We followed this activity with another short pairing we called Caller and Drawer. Paired students were given a picture made with shapes. Sitting back to back, one student called out instructions on how to create the picture, while the other student drew the shapes with the directions. Again, there
was much hilarity as the students shared their pictures, however, this time students were working much harder to get their ideas across. We discussed how clear, short directions were most effective. As a bonus, this also lead to a discussion about how we all communicate a little differently and that we need to be open to each other and seek to listen to understand.
Presently, the students are applying their skills to board games. We have grouped the students into fours with some groups playing Mouse Mania while others are playing Make'n'Break. The Mouse Mania is a simple straight forward coding game, however, we have used the adapted version of the rules for Make'n'Break. Similar to the Caller and Drawer game. Students played in pairs and worked to have their partner build the image they were assigned on the card.
The students are really enjoying the game play even as I continue to circle back emphasizing the skills they are learning through the play. Because students want to become better players, they are listening to advice and thinking more about how they can more logically approach their tasks. The
students will be moving onto the online coding application, Scratch, in a few weeks, once they have time to establish and build some basic skills.

As with all skill development and mastery, some students will cement the skills very quickly while others will establish mastery at their own rate. Giving ample opportunity for the game play followed by discussion provides practice for students. If you are interested in helping your student along, let your child break down simple tasks or chores into steps. Encourage them to begin seeing the sequence, and the logic behind the sequence. It seems simple, but connection and reinforcing helps students solidify new information and skills.

In the library, we will continue providing opportunities both on and off the computer to introduce and develop these skills.

Second Grade Explores Ancient Egypt

Since early January, the second grade students have been immersed in their social studies exploration of ancient Egypt! We started by asking what the students might think they already know about this amazing civilization, and it was wonderful to note that many of them shared things they had learned from last year’s second grade class when they gave “Egypt Tours!”

We then learned about their ancient writing called hieroglyphs and what colors they used in their beautiful artwork and writing.  Each student created a cartouche with their name in hieroglyphs and also learned about the Rosetta Stone which help provide the key to deciphering this complicated form of writing.

Learning about the many gods and goddesses they worshipped came next, as well as exploring the details of the mummification process and why they made mummies.  Throughout this exciting study, the students have been working on a wide variety of projects that help to show their understanding of each topic.  All of their amazing work will be on display for “Egypt Night”, Tuesday, March 17^th and for several weeks afterwards.  Be sure to check it all out!

Lower School Adult Book Club Reads: Lights All Night Long

Join us for our next Lower School Book Club for adults led by Ann Botel-Barnard, our Language Arts Specialist. We are excited to come together to share a love for a great story!

Lights All Night Long by Lydia Fitzpatrick

Location: Lower School Library from 8-9am

Date: April 17, 2020

Enjoy a light breakfast and great conversation as we discuss what we loved about the book, what we had questions about and what we could connect to. Feel free to join us even if you have not read the entire book. You will still have a lot to contribute and the discussion will enhance your reading of the book. You are welcome to bring adult friends and relatives that are also interested in discussing this book. RSVP: abotel-barnard@abingtonfriends.net

100th Day of Kindergarten

We recently celebrated the 100th day of school in kindergarten.  We have been counting since day 1, and we are all learning how to count by 1’s, 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s!  The students all brought 100 items from home and arranged them in groups of 10.  We created a 100’s museum, and our 3rd Grade Buddies came over for a visit to see the work of their kindergarten partners.  We had a pizza party and had fun seeing and counting all the different things that our classmates brought.  Numbers can sometimes seem mysterious to our students, and the number 100 has a grandeur that captivates kindergartners.  It was an exciting day of honing our math skills.

4th Grade Basket Weaving

The fourth graders explored the connection between their social studies focus on colonial times in America and hands-on art-making skills. During a community time, the fourth grade and resource teachers gathered together to help the students weave their very own baskets.

Karolye began with an introduction in which shared a collection of her own beautiful hand-made baskets, demonstrating the range of stylistic choices that go into designing an object. Amanda then introduced the steps that the students used to weave their own baskets, using round wooden bases and soaked reeds of varying thicknesses. 

The students learned how to insert the spokes into the base, using a ruler to make sure that they were positioned correctly. They then folded the spokes under to secure the bottom and began weaving thinner reeds through the spokes using an "AB" or "under over" pattern. The students quickly made the connection to the yarn loom weavings they created last year in art and set to work making their baskets. 

Basket weaving required good patience and problem-solving skills from the students. As they were working they stayed flexible in their thinking and re-worked areas as needed. They were incredibly proud of their finished product and amazed that they had made a 'real' basket. Several students even dreamed up ideas for future baskets and are eager to try basket-weaving as a station during independent work time in the art room!

First Grade Hero Study, “The Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay” / Los Reciclados de Paraguay

In connection with first grade’s Hero Study, in Spanish class the students were introduced to a hero in Paraguay. His name is Fabio Chávez, an Argentinian musician who served as a director of a music school in Carapeguá, Paraguay. What made him a hero? Favio, along with a Paraguayan teacher named Luis Szarán, coordinated a project that brought great joy to children living in a landfill of Asunción. Because musical instruments were too expensive and families in this town named Cateura could not afford to buy them, Favio, Luis and others, collaborated and decided to make musical instruments out of materials found in the trash. Then, Favio provided music classes to the children, naming the community project the “Recycled Orchestra of Cateura”.

To introduce Favio’s and Luis’ work to the first graders, we read Susan Hood’s book titled “Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay”. This is a true tale of Ada Ríos who grew up in Cateura dreaming of playing the violin. One day her grandmother reads a flyer from Favio for free violin classes. She signs Ada and her sister up and their lives are forever changed.  To date, the Recycled Orchestra plays venues around the world, spreading their message of ingenuity, hard work, perseverance and hope. After the read aloud, the students viewed the 60 Minute report on YouTube on this extraordinary story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxUuKthY1dQ

Just like Favio’s and Luis’ project came to fruition through collaboration by many, here at AFS we too have the phenomenal opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration to better foster students’ learning. During Community Time, a time allotted for all resource teachers to come together, the first graders got the chance to craft their own musical instruments. With Amanda’s guidance, stations were set-up with recycled items and instructions on how to make musical instruments. All the students got the chance to choose one to make; drum, maracas, sand blocks, lyre, rainstick, and clapper. 

 

Later, with Keisha’s support the students created music using their newly constructed instruments. 

When asked what they should be called, the first graders had many suggestions but the one they settled on was “The Creation Orchestra of AFS.” What an absolute incredible experience!