Lotspeich
March 11, 2021
Lotspeich Celebrates Grandperson’s Day Virtually
Although Lotspeich couldn’t host special guests this year for Grandperson’s Day, the Lower School found its own way to celebrate during this very unique year. Classes completed a variety of projects to send to their grandpersons, whether virtually or to drop in their mailboxes or on their doorsteps. Here are a few examples! Librarian Lori Suffield read the book “Grandma’s Purse,” by Vanessa Brantly-Newton, to first-graders and then they created a purse or suitcase for their person. In third grade, teachers Yael Newman and Kim Walden read Margaret Wise Brown’s “The Most Important Book.” Students then chose something important to them and wrote what is “most important” about it. Second-grade teachers Danielle Necessary and Cicely Knecht recorded their students presenting their river projects. We love our grandpersons and hope they enjoyed these great lessons!
Seven Hills Parents Share Tuskegee Airmen Presentation with Kindergarteners
In late February, Upper School history teacher and learning specialist Amaris White and Michael Carlock, parents of kindergartener Gabrielle Carlock, spoke via Zoom to kindergarteners in the Early Childhood Center about the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black military aviators. The lesson was part of Lotspeich’s Black History Month celebration of African American changemakers throughout history. Carlock’s great uncle, Benny Kimbrough, was a member of the group. White and Carlock told kindergarteners the history of the Tuskeegee Airmen, explaining that roughly 1,000 Black airmen served the United States during World War II. Carlock and White took questions from students. Students enjoyed assembling toy planes sent by White and Carlock, as well.
Third-graders Study “Hidden Figure” Katherine Johnson
Third-graders in Yael Newman and Kim Walden’s classes are doing an in-depth study about the life and work of NASA research mathematician Katherine Johnson, who was the subject of the book and film “Hidden Figures.” “Once their research is concluded, and with our yearlong theme of ‘beginning, middle, and end’ in mind, the children will be writing a report about Johnson’s early years, middle years, and later years,” Walden said. “They have been excited to discover just how pivotal Katherine Johnson’s work was to the success of the U.S. space program.” Newman added, “Students peaked their interest with reading various picture books about Katherine Johnson. Students loved seeing her life depicted in the movie ‘Hidden Figures.'”
Sound Experiments in Fourth Grade
Fourth-graders in Kate LaBare’s class recently learned about sound waves. Students conducted an experiment to see what sound waves feel like. LaBare gave each student an inflated balloon to use as a sound detector. Fourth-graders put the balloons close to their masked mouths and made various noises. “Students practiced feeling vibrations from their voices as they traveled from their mouths (and through masks) into a balloon,” LaBare said. “They experimented with changing the pitch and loudness of their voices.”
Pre-kindergarteners Walk Like Dinosaurs
As part of their study of dinosaurs, pre-kindergarteners in Tyler McIlwraith’s class learned about dinosaur footprints and the way the ancient animals walked. McIlwraith took two life-sized paper dinosaur footprints and asked her pre-kindergarteners to guess how many students could fit in each footprint. Pre-kindergarteners then took off their shoes and put them in the prints to see how many students would fit. Later in the day, students recreated the ways dinosaurs walked. Using a long sheet of paper and paint, students dipped their hands and feet in the paint and walked across the paper in a variety of ways, including on two feet and all fours. They used different colors of paints to highlight the diversity of dinosaur footprint shapes.
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