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As part of a study on pumpkins, preschool and pre-K students discovered what’s inside a pumpkin by observing a pumpkin, making observations , and tasting baked pumpkin seeds. During the preschool and pre-K Eco-Friends Strand, children were presented with the question, “What does the inside of a pumpkin look and feel like?” This questioned spurred curiosity for students and made them want to further their education on this mysterious pumpkin. Students were encouraged to observe and describe what they see and feel inside the pumpkin. Here are a few observations from students:

“It looks like a spider web”-Naomi

“It looks like a boy swinging from a tree branch” (talking about the pulp that hangs from the pumpkin hollow) – Brooks

“It feels disgusting and it almost made me throw up” -Brycen

“It looks like spaghetti”- Rishika

“It feels gooey and gross, and I didn’t like it” – Samuel

“YUUUUUCK” – Layne

Even though the kids didn’t like the way the pumpkin pulp felt in their hands, they still enjoyed the experience of observing the inside.

We also made estimations on how many  pumpkin seeds would be inside of the pumpkin. Needless to say, there were waaaaay more seeds than we thought there would be; they decided to stop counting after about 200.

I can tell you that the students thoroughly enjoyed participating in this activity: The funny thing is, they have no idea that we accomplished all of our learning objectives during this experiment . . .Let’s keep that a secret!

 

 

Lauren is the Strands teacher at The Grove School of Plano.

 

 

This is a basic activity we did in Strands as a fun way to examine plant science up close. Many students of all ages – and adults – do not understand how plants get food. The most popular misconception is that plants get their food from soil. In reality, it is photosynthesis that allows plants to absorb food. Photosynthesis is the process that plants absorb sunlight to create their own energy (or food). We decided to find out for ourselves if this is true, so we planted seeds without any soil at all. Basically, we broke down the process of plant science to its most basic level to help build a better understanding from the ground up.

Step 1: We soaked our sponges in water, squeezing out any excess water so that the sponge would be wet, but not dripping. Then we placed it on a plate. Each child was able to pick the sponge color of their choice; they squeezed the sponge until they could squeeze no more!

Step 2: We evenly sprinkled the mustard seeds over the sponges and then placed the plate in a well-lit area. This was the favorite part of our experiment. They loved watching the tiny seeds fall into the holes of the sponge.

Sept 3: We watched and waited. The mustard seeds were planted on October 11, 2011. After 6 days of keeping our sponges nice and damp and full of sunlight, we had mustard seed sprouts. The kids were absolutely amazed when they saw how fast their seeds grew!

Mustard seeds are from the mustard plant, which is a vegetable related to broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cabbage. They are an important spice in many regional foods.

Lauren is the Strands teacher at The Grove School of Plano.

 

 

I’m Lorrie Schelkle, I am excited to introduce myself as the new Head of School at the Grove School of Cary, NC.  I began my role as Head of School on September 26, 2011.  I have over 15 years of experience with Knowledge Universe. I served in a “best of class” role as an Early Childhood leader where I led my school and center team through the process of accreditation with the distinctive early education voluntary accreditation system, NAEYC.

 For the past 4 ½ years I have supported operational leaders at center, district and region levels coordinating systems of accountability, communication, quality education and standards of professional practice. 

 I am thrilled to be at the Grove School and look forward to making North Carolina my family’s new home, as well as meeting new families who are interested in our school.

 

 

My tour asked me, “What are you all about?” I was confused. “What do you mean” I asked. “Well, what’s the most important value to your school? Is it academics, is it being eco-friendly? Who are you?”

 Good question. This made me think: How do I summarize in just a few minutes what The Grove School is all about?  My answer was this: We are a Healthy Mind, Healthy Body, Healthy Planet school. All pieces of this value system are equally important, and all aspects of our program weave together and interconnect with this central concept. One does not exist without the other.

 Our outside gardens provide a unique experience. Even our youngest children are given the opportunity to water the gardens, talk about where their food comes from, and even harvest their own vegetables. But our gardening is about more than just eating healthy. Last spring the children discovered a spider. They learned how spiders contribute to the life of plants, and how our eco-system relies on insects as part of the food cycle. While somewhat simplistic, the notion of science is a step into higher level thinking skills. And allowing kids to grow and harvest their own vegetables encourages them to adopt a healthier lifestyle, thus developing a stronger body. Our planet benefits from less pesticides and the compost bin we’ve created, and our goal is to instill these values in our children so they know how to create their own eco-friendly gardens one day -Healthy Planet.

 Take into consideration the lesson the Strands class did on recycling. They collected items from outside and placed them in the proper recycling bins. They discussed how each could be reused or recycled instead of being thrown into the trash and landfills. This was a lesson in conservation. Healthy Planet, right? Then there’s the fresh air they received, running around outside, gathering and collecting materials – Healthy Body. As they went outside, students were able to discuss the types of objects they located and sorted them according to different properties, such as size and shape. And in Ms. Cristen’s room, they brought in recycling items from home and simply played with them, using their imaginations and creativity to play games – Healthy Mind.

Our curriculum does not consist of one core value being taught at a time. Rather, it is a wholistic approach to learning, with all aspects of our curriculum supporting one another.

The Grove School is a refreshing new idea, and one that I truly believe in. If you haven’t done so already, we’d love to have you stop in and see for yourselves what makes us so unique!

 

 

 

Our September 16 Luau was a huge success. From the colored snow cones to the large bounce house and bean bag games, there was something for everyone to do. Our parent volunteers put in considerable time and effort, and it reflected in the quality of our party.

In reflection of this event, I asked myself if these kinds of parties are worth the effort and costs involved. Isn’t a quality education in a healthy environment enough? Is it necessary to spend tuition dollars on a party, when perhaps those dollars could be better spent on classroom supplies?  School-wide events such as this are most certainly beneficial to the school in a number of ways.

 

School-wide events enhance student learning: Apart from learning the ABCs, children thrive in an environment where they belong to a part of a community, and when parents are actively involved within that community. According to MichiganStateUniversity, parents’ active involvement with their child’s education has a direct positive relationship to their academic success. In fact, the earlier that parents become involved, the greater the level of a child’s achievement throughout their academic career. (http://www.livestrong.com/article/534725-the-importance-of-parental-involvement-in-childrens-school-life/#ixzz1YiWgaYbB) .  This involvement extends beyond helping with homework and connecting with teachers. Attending school events, meeting other families, and participating in functions demonstrates to children that learning extends beyond the classroom, and that the school is an extension of who we are, not just a place we visit.

 

School-wide events benefit parents: The importance of social connections extends to more than just children. Studies suggest that the transient nature of today’s communities creates a sense of loneliness and isolation in adults. How many parents in our preschool have been transplanted to our school from other cities, states, and even countries?  In an article titled “Expatriate Family Syndrome”, American psychotherapist Cathy Tsang-Feign discusses “transient family syndrome” where she notes that families who frequently move intentionally isolate themselves and prevent themselves from forming tight relationships. In doing so, this puts tremendous pressure on families to fulfill one another’s social and emotional needs,  (http://www.cathyfeign.com/documents/tsangfeign-expatfamily.pdf), resulting in more stress and loneliness. Conducting social activities outside of regular school times, in an environment that extends outside of the classroom, provides parents with an opportunity to meet other adults with similar interests and values. This decreases that feeling of loneliness and isolation.

 

School-wide events may increase teacher job satisfaction: Raise your hand of you want to work on a Friday night! What – no takers? Why ask employees to stay late on a weekend? While it may not be a good idea to force employees to give up a weekend night, consider this: employees who see each other outside socially outside of the typical work day establish stronger personal work relationships. In a study done by Findley and Harmer on work relationships and job satisfaction, the results indicate that one’s relationships with co-workers and direct supervisor are a significant factor determining positive job satisfaction for young employees (http://www.richardharmer.com/articles/Jobsatisfactionandworkplacerelationships.pdf). Have you ever noticed how the employee you sit next to every day suddenly looks completely different to you when they put on a pair of jeans? Establishing a personal relationship outside of our professional day-to-day relationships provides us with someone we can vent to and share our daily experiences with. It also makes  lunch breaks more interesting!

 

School-wide events benefit the business: When planned appropriately, costs associated with throwing these parties are easily offset by the effects of positive parent referrals. While it’s necessary to be selective with expenditures, happy families translate into growing and thriving schools. Parent feedback and referrals are often why families choose a school for their children. Even if a successful event leads to no new enrollments, longer length of stay can be easily anticipated when student learning is enhanced, parents have greater bonds with other families within the school, and teachers are more invested in their jobs. Parents who volunteer at their children’s schools are more committed to their education and progress, thus improving the overall quality of the education provided.

 

School-wide events are fun: Our DJ/Clown/Spokesperson kept us laughing as he engaged the children in his latest rendition of the Wiggles song “Fruit Salad, Yummy Yummy”. And who can forget how he got the children to make announcements on the dance floor? And after an hour of jumping around in the bounce house, tossing bean bags, and playing with their friends, the kids went home exhausted. A healthy, positive, way to end a Friday night!