Did you ever wonder why jellyfish have tentacles? Just ask a pre-kindergarten student. Or did you ever wonder about how a seahorse protects itself? Just ask a first or second grade student. Ask a kindergarten student about the deep dark layers of the ocean outside their classroom and a third or fourth grader about bioluminescence or the food chain. Next time you enjoy calamari think squid and think about our fifth and sixth grade students dissecting a squid and asking questions such as" What is the function of the pen? How do squids reproduce?" The air has been electric with excitement about learning. Walk down the hall and peek into a classroom and you might have seen children quietly writing under a blue underwatery canopy listening to the sounds of the ocean or you might have heard "Como se llama tortuga en ingles? Como se llama esponja en ingles?", or heard ocean songs, or witnessed clam and crab relay games.
For two weeks Lansdowne Friends School has been transformed for the All-School Theme while the whole school studied oceans. Questions have been raised, information has been researched, connections have been made, and hands-on discovery has been offered often and everywhere!
The Pre-K focused on life in the coral reef. Kindergarten studied the variety of life in the ocean. Tr. Susie's 1/2 class explored the kelp forest, coral reef, and deep ocean environments. Tr. Jill's 1/2 class investigated the diversity of life in the ocean. Tr. Alison's 3/4 class learned more about diversity and adaptation and the depth of the ocean. Tr. Deb's 5/6 class studied the relationships among horse shoe crabs, red knots, and people.
The theme has also provided lots of opportunities for class collaborations. All-school collaborations produced a coral reef (organized by Tr. Al), a kelp forest (organized by Tr. Susie and Tr. Jill), and a representation of the human effect on the ocean (organized by Shelley). The gym gradually became an underwater world. Fish, coral, and sea anemones appeared on the continental shelf and the coral reef. Beautiful watercolors expressing seaside experiences, gorgeous clam shells fancifully decorated are artistic and whimsical ways art is integrated into the theme. Drawing skills are being applied to scientific scaled illustrations of horseshoe crabs for a book our oldest students are creating and shop skills are being integrated as they make a diorama of the New Jersey shore including horseshoe crabs and redknots.
Other highlights of the Ocean theme included an all-school trip to the Camden Aquarium, a winter trip to the beach by the Kindergarten class, and the culmination night on which students shared their work with their families.
