Proud of my students!

All four of the girls have had great teachers this year – teachers who have challenged them and facilitated really great projects. This was evident last week as we attended the spring Open House at school and were able to see all the many displays put on by all the classes.

It was Creative Arts Week and the theme in the elementary building was “Around the World.” Each grade level had a different country to study and the teachers and students absolutely outdid themselves with learning and teaching and creating and ingenuity! One of the highlights of the week in our elementary building was our trip around the world…each student had a passport and got it stamped every time another country was visited. All the students visited all the countries and even got to sample some food from that country on their trip!

Kindergarten had Australia and the classroom where I work was transformed into a rainforest, complete with the overhead canopy across the entire room, while outside in the halls you could take a visit to the Great Barrier Reef. First grade visited Mexico while the second graders learned about many Native American tribes, specifically the Navajo. Third grade explored Scotland while the 4th graders experienced Indonesia. The best part is the fact that all this teaching and decorating and project-creating was done with the knowledge that Our world belongs to God. Every bit He created, every bit He controls, every bit He loves…especially His people around the world on every continent, in every country, and in every small village. And at the end, after we learn, we say To God be the glory.

This is the rainforest canopy inside the classroom where I work. Totally awesome!

 

A bagpiper came to entertain…it was such a blast! For a while he played in the hallway and all the classes came out and stood in the hallway (we didn’t know he was coming -  was a surprise from the 3rd grade teachers) to watch and listen and clap. Then the principal came out and started doing a Scottish jig and then all the kids started as well!

 

That’s Elise with her Aboriginal Artwork created on sandpaper.

And Becca with the Hopi Village she created with several classmates.

Working on the village with friend Charley

 

Grandparents’ Day also happens during Creative Arts Week and Becca’s teacher had pictures available of all the grandparents who visited her classroom! Thanks, Miss K!

 

In the middle school, most of the week is focused on setting up all “the projects”. Middle school is full of projects. From the 5th grade inventions and musical instruments, to the 6th grade science experiments, to the 8th grade class trip project displays, there is always lots to look at in the middle school gym. I was particularly proud of my two favorite middle-schoolers, though.

That’s Bethany with her Science Experiment display that was the catalyst for a lot of scientific learning along the way, with all its struggles, challenges, and triumphs. She did a great job –especially in her writing and analysis of the experiment.

And that’s Sarah with the report about the mosaics on the Stanford Cathedral she put together with two classmates. She was the official photographer and writer for the display – using two of the gifts God has given her.

It was a great week and it’s been a great year, too! This weekend we’re putting together some pretty fun “Teacher Appreciation” gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week…if you know a great teacher, be sure to say Thank you to them this week!