Doherty
March 18, 2022
Cultural Connections with Costa Rica
Costa Rica came to the Doherty Campus for Cultural Connections Week. Haile Hall has been transformed into the seven provinces of Costa Rica. The kindergarteners converted their hallway into the rainforest of Arenal Hanging Bridge Park in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. They also formed the ocean and beaches of the Guanacaste Region. Pre-kindergarten for 2-year-olds had a visit from a pilot, who taught them about planes and flying earlier in March. During, Cultural Connections Week, he returned after a trip to Costa Rica with gifts. In Unit I, students learned about the different layers of the rainforest in Costa Rica and what plants and animals live there. They each chose an animal to write a nonfiction book about. They also read a letter from a student in Costa Rica and discussed how her life is similar and different from theirs. Unit III students studied the ecosystem of Costa Rica and learned about its environmental protection efforts.
Read Across America in Kindergarten
Lindsay Pietroski and Cyndi Kenyon’s kindergarten classes took part in National Read Across America Day on March 2. Students brought in their favorite books from home and gave a talk about their book to the class, while dressed as their favorite character from the book. “The children love celebrating all sorts of books,” Pietroski said. Read Across America Day started in 1998 as a way to instill a love of reading in students.
Learning about Murals
In a virtual visit with ArtWorks, Unit III students learned about the process, design, materials used, and meaning behind many of ArtWorks’ murals. The visit was part of Unit III’s study of murals, which culminated in them making their own mural called “Persons of Impact” in the Unit III hallway in Jones Hall, said art teacher Kacey Watkins. For the mural, each student wrote an essay and painted a portrait of an impactful person in history. They also selected a quote by the person to be included on the portrait.
Students Practice Reading in Spanish
Students began reading their first books in Spanish in world language teacher Kristen Diersing’s class. In Unit III, students began reading “Itipuru,” which is completely in Spanish. Diersing challenged the students to read as a class, with partners, and in small groups. In the small groups, students took turns reading in Spanish and translating into English. “This helps them to start feeling comfortable with the pronunciation of the Spanish words while also still comprehending what is happening in the chapter,” Diersing said. In Unit II, students began “El Raton Pablito,” a beginner book for Spanish learners that includes simple sentence structures and words they are familiar with. “Usually, we read this book together as a class, but I challenged them to read with a partner. They did awesome,” Diersing said.
Green Team Keeping Doherty Birds Fed
Doherty Green Team, a student club focused on nature and keeping the campus beautiful, made bird feeders out of apples and seeds with the help of guest visitor Meredith Amann. The feeders were hung in the courtyard. The club also planted zinnias and dogwood seeds around campus. “We want to do things with the children that inspire them to take note of nature and care about keeping our world beautiful,” said club advisorand pre-kindergarten for 2-year-olds teacher Julie Brackett. The club is now busy planning ideas for Earth Week.
at Seven Hills?
Five Stingers Sign to Play in College
Five Stingers from the Class of 2024 signed their letters of intent to continue their athletic careers in college.
Click Here