Lotspeich
February 26, 2021
Fourth- and Fifth-graders Create Quilt Featuring Famous Black Changemakers
Lotspeich fourth- and fifth-graders created a quilt in honor of Black History Month. Students learned about Black changemakers throughout history during the month of February. For the quilt project, each student chose an influential person in African American history and created a paper quilt square featuring a drawing of the person and facts about the changemaker. The project was inspired by Faith Ringgold, an artist known for her story quilts that focus on topics such as civil rights and African American life and culture.
Fifth-graders Engage in Expedition Simulation
Jennifer Steller’s fifth-graders recreated an expedition to North America in social studies class. Students engaged in an expedition simulation and explored how early American settlers made decisions, worked cooperatively, and ultimately survived in the new world. Students researched and designed flags, discovered how natural resources affected survival, and the importance of careful planning and preparation. Fifth-graders were faced with new challenges from “fate cards” and had the opportunity to trade with each other and local native peoples. They reflected on their expedition with diary entries. Students also learned that not all who came to America were doing so by choice. “Students learned Europeans chose to come to America for many reasons, but not all the arrivals to their New World had that same choice,” Steller said. “We discussed how drastically different the experience was for Africans that were taken from their homelands and forced into slavery in the Americas. These early inequities are still perpetuated today in society and it is imperative to learn all perspectives of history because every story has more than one side.”
Second-graders Study Scientist Charles Henry Turner
In honor of Black History Month, each school day in February, Lotspeich students learned about African American changemakers throughout history. Science teacher Kate LaBare taught second-graders about changemaker Charles Henry Turner, a Cincinnati-born entomologist and naturalist. LaBare first read students the book, “Buzzing with Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner” by Janice N. Harrington, and students learned about Turner’s passion for asking questions, hard work, science, and insects. LaBare then asked students to “observe like Charles,” where each student chose a handful of different realistic plastic invertebrates. “The students honed their observation skills by seeing how the examples were the same and different,” LaBare said. They also brainstormed new questions that they wondered about, such as, “why do spiders have eight legs but insects have six,” and “do all lady bugs have seven spots?”
Seven Hills Parent Teaches First-graders About Chinese Lunar New Year
David Tan, parent of first-grader Dao Tan, recently spoke to Aimee Burton and Jennifer Egan’s first-grade classes about the Chinese Lunar New Year via a Zoom video call. The holiday was celebrated on Feb. 12. Tan spoke to students about the holiday and its traditions, as well as the Chinese Zodiac. Tan told students about the Legend of Nian, a fairy tale that explains the Lunar New Year and traditions such as firecrackers, dumplings, and decorating homes with the color red. “The goal is to scare the Nian (a monster) away,” Tan said. Tan also answered students’ questions about the Chinese Lunar New Year.
Pre-kindergarteners Enjoy Reading Time with Lotspeich Librarian
Librarian Lori Suffield recently visited Kiki Schneider’s pre-kindergarten classroom to read to students. Suffield visits pre-kindergarteners not only to read, but also to teach students poems and to sing songs. Suffield includes books featuring diverse characters and written by diverse authors throughout the year. “During Black History Month I feature Black book creators in many of my lessons,” Suffield said. “This week it was perfect to read “B is for Baby” by Atinuke because pre-kindergarten teachers are focusing on the writing and sound of the letter B. Other books in my lesson included “Black is a Rainbow Color” by Anglea Joy and “The Old Truck” by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey.”
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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.
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