Upper School News - November

The Upper School Newsletter is a collaboration between students and guides. Alia M, Olive S, and Lily S. are our student writers, and Jonell is the faculty advisor. We will strive to produce a newsletter every two weeks.

The Memory Project

by Lily S.

The Memory Project is an art project that several Upper School students are doing with John. We have received pictures of children who live in orphanages in the Philippines, and we are drawing and painting portraits of them. If you think about it, our parents have been taking photos and videos of us since we were born, and many of us have pictures on Facebook and Instagram for the world to see. However, these children are from families that are not fortunate enough to have the resources to catalog their lives by taking videos or pictures of them. We hope they will be happy to have portraits of themselves to look at and see that people care enough to make paintings of them.

A Day in the Classroom with an Upper School Student

by Alia M. and Olive S.

Take a look at the school life of a fictional student based on real events that occurred during the first nine weeks of school. 

Jackie pulled her cardigan out of the floorboard as she got out of her car. When she got inside, she checked herself in, then took a seat at the meeting tables and visited with her friends. After the short morning meeting, Jackie went to her science lesson with Garrett. In science, she and her classmates had a lively debate about whether or not something is or is not alive. Later, they learned about taxonomy, or how living organisms are classified. After science, Jackie had work cycle, so she looked up the classification of a wolf. It is Domain: Eukaryota, Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Vertebrata, Class: Mammalia, Order: Carnivora, Genus: Canis, Species: lupus. 

Then Jackie went to US3 for a math lesson with Jennifer. In math, Jackie practiced converting fractions to decimals. After her math lesson, she stayed in US3 for Spanish with Maria Asuncion. In Spanish, she worked on conversations, verbs, and weaving.        

Before lunch, she washed her hands, put her food on her plate, got her napkin, then she said "We Are Thankful" in English and Spanish along with her classmates. After lunch, it was time for clean up, so Jackie got a broom and swept. When the room was clean, Jackie and her classmates went outside for recess. After recess, Jackie came inside for the afternoon work cycle. Jackie continued her research on Canis lupus. Next, Jackie had silent reading, Jackie was reading The Girl who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill. Then it was time for carline, and she went home!

Humming Bird Memorial

by Alia M.

At Abintra, the Fleisher Building, which is the home base for Upper School, is a beautiful building with many glass windows. Our campus is home to many lovely feathered friends. However, birds run into the glass, and a birdie burial is not uncommon. One of our more frequent burials is of our gorgeous green hummingbirds. Since school started, we've buried four hummingbirds and two Goldfinches. We hate to see these beaked beauties go. Luckily, we came up with a solution: we made black and white bird cut-outs to tape on the windows! Since putting them up, we have had far fewer bird burials.

The Memorial

Bird cut-outs warn the hummingbirds of glass!

Yoga

by Olive

John has been teaching yoga with students and guides for several years at Abintra. This year, John started leading yoga at the farm as well as on campus. In yoga, we usually do the basics like downward dog, cobra, yoga flow, and savasana, but sometimes students take turns demonstrating and leading partner poses, tumbling moves, and planks. Yoga is strengthening, healthy, and very good for our minds and bodies. We think that yoga is an excellent practice for our community. When we do yoga, it gets us prepared for the long day ahead of us.

Albanesi Math

by Jonell

Albanesi is a Montessori math curriculum that individualizes math instruction for Upper School students. The youngest students use the program as their primary math training, with Jonell and Jodi providing lessons as needed. Students who receive math instruction with Jennifer also have the opportunity to use these math materials.

Students begin the program by taking a placement test to determine which work plan to use to start their practice. The Albanesi work plan outlines math skills and the associated task cards needed to practice the skills. Task cards describe specific Montessori tools and “tasks” students complete to master a concept. Throughout the year, students complete Albanesi work plans, task cards, and review tests as they progress through the program. The Albanesi math curriculum aligns with national math standards.