Tag: elementary education

Categories
Environmental Education

This Term at Lakehill’s Environmental Science Center

By Daniel Bracken
Director of Environmental Education, Lakehill Preparatory School
Kindergarten
Kindergarten learned about animal life cycles. They examined how some animals are born and grow while some experience large changes as they get older. Each student decorated a “metamorphosis cookie” using different types of candy to represent the stages of a butterfly’s life cycle.
First Grade
First grade learned how a bird’s diet determines the type and shape of their beak. Students used pliers, pipettes, tongs, chopsticks and tweezers to simulate beaks in order to pick up nectar, seeds, wax paper, Swedish fish, and rice (standing in for food sources).
 
Second Grade
Second grade learned about insect camouflage. They observed real insect specimens within their habitats and later created their own camouflaged stick bugs out of bamboo and leaves.
Third Grade
Third grade studied plant movement, learning about the different types of stimuli that induce plants to move. They set up an experiment to examine how light can cause plants to move. Pairs of  students constructed mazes that bean seedlings must navigate in order to reach the light source.
Fourth Grade
Fourth grade studied tree rings, learning how to determine tree age and the causes for the markings on their tree slices. By the end of class, they could describe some of their trees’ past experiences.
Fifth Grade
Fifth grade learned about soil nutrients, testing samples for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and pH levels, and determining which plants are best suited to live in different types of soil.
Sixth Grade
Sixth grade examined the water quality of the stream and pond at the ESC, testing water samples from the each. They learned about the nitrogen cycle and discovered the levels of nitrogen, ammonia, dissolved oxygen, and pH in the water.
 
Seventh Grade
Seventh Grade identified and researched their assigned trees at the ESC. Their findings will be used to make a QR tree tag on subsequent trips.
Eighth Grade
Eighth Grade built model solar houses complete with solar fans and lights. They will conduct an experiment to investigate the efficiency of their houses on a future visit.
esc3
Categories
Lower School Traditions

Three Simple Rules

By John Trout
Head of Lower School, Lakehill Preparatory School

How may rules did you have when you were in elementary school? I remember giant lists hanging on my classroom walls when I was growing up, and they all seemed to be telling me what I shouldn’t be doing. Ask any Lakehill Lower School student how many rules they have, and they can tell you. Three. Just three! And, rather than telling students which behaviors are unwanted, our rules remind children how a Lakehill student should behave. Students are expected to Be Safe, to Be Respectful, and to Welcome Others.

Such vague, nebulous rules don’t tell kids very much, and that’s their genius. They require students to think before they act, to imagine the natural consequences of their choices, and to craft a school environment that is warm and friendly. The Safety Rule reminds students to be aware of their surroundings and their bodies. When students push the boundaries, we, as teachers, ask them to tell us what could go wrong, and to decide how to correct the situation. The Respect Rule encourages empathy. Students are asked to imagine how a situation might look from another point of view, and to imagine how they would feel if roles were reversed. The Welcome Rule promotes togetherness. It reminds students to reach out to others to ensure that their peers feel wanted and have a place in the group.
This year, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of a special tradition in Lower School, the annual Triangle Rules Poster Contest. Dozens of Lower School students submitted posters to creatively remind their classmates of our Triangle Rules. The winners and runners up were celebrated at our Triangle Rules Assembly on Monday, October 17. The winning poster, a construction-themed illustration by third grader Madeline Jones, will be reproduced for display in every Lower School classroom and along the hallways as a year-long reminder of who Lakehill students are meant to be.
triangle-rules
Categories
Family and Community

Room 110 for Rent

By John Trout
Fourth Grade Teacher, Lakehill Preparatory School

This is my fourteenth year teaching fourth grade at Lakehill. Same hall for fourteen years.  Same room for fourteen years. Same desk for fourteen years. It’s been my home away from home. In fact, I’ve “lived” in room 110 longer than any of my actual homes over the years! It has been a familiar, comfortable place for me even when other parts of my life have been in transition.

Of course, the room itself has changed. New windows, new desks, new tiles, and every year, a new crop of eager learners to share this home away from home with me for a year. Together, we’ve created memories of adventure, realization, and triumph. Together, we’ve enjoyed days of excitement, accomplishment, and determination. And, peppered in amongst them, there have been days with frustration, setbacks, and uncertainty. But, like a family, we’ve been there for each other through thick and thin, making the best days even better and even the lowest days less intimidating. That’s what families do, and Lakehill has, since day one, felt like my extended family.

Fourteen years of memories, home, and family. That’s going to be hard to beat! Part of me yearns for a fifteenth year (and a sixteenth, and a seventeenth) in room 110. But, a bigger part of me is excited at the notion of new adventures, new challenges, and a hike down the road less traveled. And, that’s exactly what I’ll get next year as I take on my new role as Head of Lower School. And, I’m not losing my home-and-family-away-from-home. Instead, it’s growing! It’s always a little scary leaving behind the comfortable and familiar. But, I’ve got a huge and loving family to help me along the way.

John Trout
Categories
Uncategorized

Celebrating Teamwork

By Patti Brooks
Lower School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School

In my 31 years as part of the faculty at Lakehill, I have come to appreciate the value of teamwork in our school. “Teamwork” is defined as: “work done by several associates with each doing a part but all subordinating personal prominence to the efficiency of the whole.”

One of the great strengths of our school is the spirit of camaraderie that prevails within our faculty. For example, a teacher might ask, “Does anyone have any cotton balls?” and before you know it, she is inundated with several bags of cotton balls! No matter what the request, so many staff members want to help each other…..(no rewards are given, no recognition is expected).

This spirit of helpfulness and teamwork spills over onto the students. We have a new Lower School positive incentive program this year called, “Get Caught.” In this program, we are trying to “catch” the class being mannerly, good citizens as a group – or team – during the day. The faculty or staff member noticing the good behavior gives the group a red ticket and compliments their behavior. There is a drawing each week at our Wonderful Wednesday Lower School assembly where the red tickets are drawn from a hat. The class chosen gets special recognition during the next assembly.

We have seen very positive results from the “Get Caught” program and hope the students realize that striving for goals as a group is very rewarding. ( I am proud to be on a faculty where setting examples for students comes effortlessly from the heart!)

Ms. Brooks draws a red ticket out of the hat.
Ms. Brooks draws a red ticket out of the hat.
Categories
Learning and Leading

The Garden Of Life

By Patti Brooks
Lower School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School

I recently had an eye opening experience…I planted my first vegetable garden!  Many of you probably are thinking, “What? Your first garden at 68 years old?” Well, this old dog has proved she can learn some “new tricks” (or maybe just figure out some obvious analogies.)
The whole experience has showed me that gardening and teaching have a lot in common:
  • The soil has to be ready in the garden, just like the atmosphere in the classroom has to be conducive to growth.
  • The seed that is planted must be nurtured daily, just like a child’s family and teacher nurture and encourage daily.
  • The little sprout that pokes through the ground causes so much excitement, just like that first successful Spelling Test!
  • The chance of bad weather and hungry bugs threaten the safety,  but can successfully be dealt with just like the occasional recess disputes are settled.
  • The mature plant is so proud to display its edible root, leaf, or stalk, just as the proud child beams on Awards Day each Spring.
In planting my first round of vegetables, I learned that growing a successful garden is very similar to nurturing and helping a class of second graders achieve success. And much to my own delight, both of these experiences are extremely rewarding!
Categories
Family and Community

Crossing Paths

By Bob Yttredahl
Upper School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School

For the first 15 years of my career as an educator, I remember myself saying countless times to parents that my goal is to treat their child as if they were my own. Within the realm of my educational and coaching philosophy that essentially means that I care for each student and attempt to give them individual attention (providing them with what they need to be successful). I care for them in the utmost way and provide them with guidance and discipline along their educational journey. Philosophically speaking, the same way I would treat my own children. However, truth be told, I had no idea how I would raise my own children because I didn’t have any. Fortunately, five and a half years ago that changed. As my wife and I travel through our parenthood journey of trial and error, I quickly realized I didn’t have a full grasp of what it meant to “treat their child as if they were my own.”

There are many joys and sorrows in being a parent. It truly is one of the, if not the, most fulfilling experiences in life. To be able to guide and nurture a young person is a magical experience. It is also very humbling. When that young person displays a particular behavior that they picked up from mom or dad, it really is a reality check for that parent. As they get older, parents realize how much of an impact they have on the little one and in return are motivated to take corrective measures in their own lives. I am a firm believer that I have learned more from my five year old than I have taught him. This has led to a wonderful experience of sending him to kindergarten.

This year I have been able to come full circle as my fatherhood and educator paths have literally crossed and became one. What a joyful opportunity to have a “bring your son to work day” every day. It was on that first day of kindergarten that I truly came to realize what it means to “treat them like they are my own.” I am fortunate to work at a school where looking at things through the lens of a parent is not much different than looking at things through the lens of an administrator.

Even though there was a lot of trepidation as the first day of school approached (with me, not my son), we knew he was going to be in wonderful hands. So, as he went off to begin his educational journey, I had one wish–that was that his teacher would treat him like he was her own. After five years of parent education, I now know what that means…and I am so glad we are at Lakehill.

Categories
Learning and Leading

The Five Senses To The Rescue

By Patti Brooks
Lower School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School

Remember when you first learned about the Five Senses? Was it in your kindergarten, first, or second grade class?  Well, it doesn’t matter, really. You know them and probably take them for granted if they are working correctly!

Here is a different slant on those five senses. In my 40+ years in the classroom, the five senses had a crucial part in the success of my day, and they were never even mentioned.  I realized early in my teaching career that I had to “win kids over” and make learning fun for them. When I was able to accomplish that, they enjoyed the class more, learned more, remembered more, and were happier, thus, they were more successful.

Most of everything we know enters our brains through our senses. Most adults know whether they are auditory learners, visual learners, etc. Children don’t know this, though, so I had to keep trying all methods to teach them in the way they learned best. In so doing, I hit on a plan that made us all happy, and it was…..”The Five Senses to the Rescue”!

Here is how it worked:

Sound – A pleasant, calm, but energetic voice captured their attention. (Whispering directions is actually the best….try whispering at the dinner table and everyone will freeze and listen intently). Also, playing soft piano music during quiet work time is very relaxing and covers up the rustling sounds of a busy classroom almost like white noise.

Taste – Yes, I figured a little cereal snack in a small Dixie cup about mid-morning would be welcome. Sure enough, several said, “I was really hungry; we didn’t have time for breakfast.”  Sorry to say, I had to quit this after a few years as the ants kept finding our cereal box!

Smell – Well, everyone who REALLY knows me has heard of “Puppy Spray”.  Puppy Spray is a fragrance that smells sort of like cotton candy at the Fair!  After recess, most children have a sweaty puppy smell about them. The spray wafted out in the hall and even high school seniors would walk by on their way to Spanish or PE with a big grin saying, “We smell Puppy Spray!”  My students asked me two or three times a day to spray it in our room because it just made us happy.

Sight – Too obvious, but here goes. Lots of stickers on papers, charts with stars, silly Garfield posters, interesting Human Body posters…..one with the inside sinus cavities showing a sinus headache, ouch!  Sight is HUGE in a classroom and the room has to be welcoming and friendly looking. After all, we were in our classroom more hours during the day than we were in our homes.

Touch – An important component in learning. Many people learn by touch. Often, I let my kids stretch out on the cool tile (and take off their shoes) after recess while I read our novel aloud to them.  We learned all about characterization, plot, setting, voice inflection, and cause and effect during these casual, relaxed times. Several students would sit in our “soft spots” to just curl up and listen. I taught them that if you had trouble learning 7×9, just take off your shoes and socks and write 7×9=63 on the sole of your foot. (It tickles so much, you just remember it!)

So, the Five Senses don’t necessarily have to be a Science Lesson. They can be part of a happy classroom environment or “The Five Senses to the Rescue.”

Categories
Lower School Traditions

Butterfly Memories

By Patti Brooks
Lower School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School 

Springtime means so many different things to so many people! In my case, for almost 30 years, it has involved the metamorphosis of the Painted Lady Butterfly.

In my second grade classroom, we always highly anticipated the arrival of the tiny, squirmy larvae from Carolina Biological Supply.  When they arrived, everyone usually shouted happily, anxious for their own larvae to “raise”. (Many even named their larvae).

We distributed the larvae in clear cups, giving two to each child. Each day, as we arrived at school, we were amazed at their growth! After a couple of weeks, the nice fat larvae would slowly make their way to the top of the cup. The magnifying glasses we used were a big help as we tried to see the little suction feet, called prolegs, help the larvae climb. Eventually the spinnerets wove the chrysalis and the “waiting game” began.

It is not easy for children to wait….patience with the process of nature is hard! Eventually each chrysalis starts its swinging rhythm and the time has come for the miraculous emergence! (If you have never witnessed this stage of metamorphosis, I hope you get to see it sometime in your life. It is truly amazing to watch the adult butterfly push out of its case and spread its moist wings for the first time!) We then had a fun “Release Party”, enjoying snacks and releasing our butterflies to the world of nature.

A respected colleague of mine told me that this process reminds her of the metamorphosis that a child goes through from Kindergarten to his or her senior year! This analogy is a great one…taking much patience, care, and help along the way from loving parents and teachers alike. Luckily, we have lots of great teachers and parents at Lakehill and the process is a success over and over again!

Categories
Lower School Traditions

Spring Fever

By Patti Brooks
Lower School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School

I am lucky enough to be one of the few people in Dallas without allergies. To me, Spring Fever isn’t associated with the miseries created by the pollen from blooming plants and trees.  My Spring Fever centers on the urge to smell freshly mown grass and the fragrance of our tulip tree blossoms accompanied by happy 7 year olds.

For years spent in the second grade classroom, I could feel the magnetic pull of the windows!  My students (and I), all wished we were outside running and playing in the sunshine instead of doing Phonics! (Ha ha, little did they know how I felt the same way they did.)  Actually, they figured it out when we took our first neighborhood “nature walk” of the spring.

We always felt a little guilty when we left the building and other students behind as we walked outside into the warm air. I remember how it was impossible to keep from skipping, even if you are an old Nana. We always took baggies with us and gathered nature’s treasures along the way.

It was a fun and carefree way to welcome spring. Just ask any Lakehill student who spent a year in my second grade room if they enjoyed our own special celebration and tribute to “Spring Fever.”

 

Categories
Lower School Traditions

Monday Moments

By Patti Brooks
Lower School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School

We have begun a new tradition in Lower School this year called the Monday Moments assemblies. Many goals are in place for this weekly K-4th meeting, such as:
1. Spotlighting the patriotism shown by our Lower School children when they stand tall and begin the assembly with the Pledge of Allegiance….(I must admit the first time I heard all of thier voices ring out, I felt like crying. It was so moving to see 140 children so respectfully pledging their allegiance to our flag!)
2. Recognizing the individuality of the FOCUS students in each of the 5 grades. We introduce them and their parents to kick off a week of special attention showered on every Lower School student each year. This special, fun week really gives us insight into the many talents of each student as they enjoy the spotlight in their classroom each year they are in Lower School.
3. Celebrating the accomplishments of students who have said their Memory Work for that six weeks or have done exemplary work on their Reading or Math Folders. Lower School teachers are always watching for outstanding work to praise.
4. Fostering school spirit in many ways such as singing the school Alma Mater and learning a cheer from the Middle School cheerleaders. (We raise our hands, pound our feet, and blast out “Lakehill Warriors Can’t Be BEAT” with exuberance and excitement.)
5. Bragging on the accomplishments of individual students who have won competitons, medals, trophies, awards, badges, etc. outside of school. We have a wonderfully talented group of children, many who excell at several sports and have varied talents. We like to “sing their praises” often!
6. I have found that everyone has some talents, but not all children know their talents. One of the most important goals of the Monday Moments assembly is to point out the talents of those who are kind, unselfish, and compassionate. The Rachel’s Challenge links  are helping us accomplish this goal. Children turn in links to their teachers, praising and thanking their peers for “playing with me when I was lonely at recess”, “walking in with me to get a bandaid and help clean my cut”, “smiling encouragement at me when I got the answer wrong”, etc.  These heroes in our midst are being noticed and recognized in front of the whole Lower School each week. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if every Monday in every office or place of business this was done?
I’m proud of our wonderful Lower School students and the outstanding teachers that make this assembly possible. “It takes a village” and ours is working smoothly.