Linus Project

Third graders discovered the joy of serving others as the Lower School celebrated Martin Luther King's dedication to service.

As you can see from these pictures, the girls loved making blankets for those in need.

Mrs. Mills & Mrs. Rogers

Code!

In December, the girls began the coding unit by learning about Ada Lovelace, a famous, female computer programmer.  Next, the girls participated in the Hour of Code.  According to the Hour of Code website, "Launched in 2013, Code.org® is a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science, and increasing participation by women and underrepresented students of color. Our vision is that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science. We believe computer science should be part of core curriculum, alongside other courses such as biology, chemistry or algebra."  You can find more info about Hour of Code - even have your daughter do this at home - by clicking here.

The girls are now using Scratch, "a free programming language and online community where you can create your own interactive stories, games, and animations" (https://scratch.mit.edu/).  We will continue to use this programming language through 5th grade, building onto their skills.  In third grade, the girls learn the basics of Scratch:  creating animation incorporating movement and images, using xy coordinates to move sprites, alternating between different costumes, incorporating time and motion, and importing, creating and recording sounds to use in projects.

We use the downloaded version at school.  You can download this at home or create an account for your daughter (parents permission and email required) by clicking here.  Please be aware that if you don't download the program, your daughter will be on an online community that should be monitored by parents.

Art: Fresco Self-Portaits

The girls are finishing up a fresco painting an ancient technique of painting on plaster. They painted their self-portraits in watercolor mastering mixing neutrals to make their faces look realistic. 

The fresco connects their past-selves to their future-selves showing their uniques perspectives. They considered their past experiences which developed their strengths, interests and passions and showed what they would like to be doing twenty years in the future. 

Walters Art Museum

  Our adventure began on the yellow school bus which delivered all its usual thrills, especially going over speed bumps.  

         Three experienced docents guided us through the Ancient Egyptian Exhibit.  

The girls even learned how to walk like an Egyptian!

                    




The girls' background knowledge, listening skills, and genuine interest in learning were quite noticeable and appreciated! 

Mrs. Mills & Mrs. Rogers