Thankful for our many blessings of 2011 and looking forward to 2012!

Recent Thanksgiving Events for K4 and First Grade!

Upcoming December Events in Lower School!

Kindergarten Christmas Play (9 a.m. performances in Willett Hall)

*Wed., Dec. 7th Kindergarten Christmas Play performed for Lower School
*Thurs., Dec. 8th Kindergarten Christmas Play performed for MS/US
*Fri., Dec. 9th Kindergarten Christmas Play performed for Parents/Guests

Classroom Christmas Celebrations
*Thurs., Dec. 15th 1:45 in each classroom

Caroling led by our 4th Graders
*Fri., Dec. 16th 10 a.m. Willett Hall followed by early dismissal at 11:30 a.m. for Christmas Holidays

What is a Potlatch?

Fifth Grade has been studying Native Americans of North America and have culminated their study with a celebration known as a Potlatch. This special celebration marks the birth of a child, rites of passages, weddings, funerals, and honoring of the deceased. The potlatch will usually involve a feast, with music, dance, theatricality and spiritual ceremonies. A Potlatch is a magnificently planned party. It's a really big deal. Planning for a potlatch might take an entire year, or even longer! Today, as in olden times, each person invited to a potlatch receives a present. This present can be as simple as a pencil or as complicated as a carving. In keeping with this potlatch tradition, the 5th grade students each created a “gift” to be given to another student. Everyone was excited with the giving and receiving of gifts! After learning about the different Native American groups, their customs, lodgings, foods they ate, and even how they dressed, the potlatch was a fun way to wrap up this unit of study.

Thank you to Mrs. Elam, our fifth grade social studies teacher, for directing this hands on learning experience!

Have You Ever Heard of a Pirtle, a Skunkey Doodle, or a Flutterfly?

Have you ever heard of a Pirtle, a Skunkey Doodle, a Flutterfly, a Mird, a Draculent, or a Queen Bumble Pig? Well, the Fourth Graders at Trinity have! After completing a chapter in Science on Adaptations, the students participated in a pumpkin project, which involved creating an animal (that doesn't exist) using a pumpkin for part of its body. In class, the students drew their pumpkin animal on paper and began to think about what their animal would look like and what it would be called (scientific name). They also had to determine the animal's body part and behavior adaptations (such as migrating, hibernating), the animal's environment, the animal's predator and prey, the diet of the animal, as well as it's instincts and learned behavior. Time was spent in the Mac Lab typing each of these parts that would later be arranged on a poster that each child turned in detailing the adaptations of their animal. Much thought and planning went into this entire assignment. Each student introduced their animals in class this week. They are all on display in the Lower School hallway if you would like to visit the pumpkin zoo!

To see a slideshow of the pumpkin zoo, click here:

Science Lab Garden--Digging Deeper with Learning!

Students enjoy learning about soil and plants then actually planting a garden in our science lab's outdoor classroom with Mrs. Henderson! This project comes full circle for our students when the vegetables are harvested, cooked, and served by Sage Dining Service at lunch. Another great project that allows our students to dig deeper into 21st century learning skills such as information gathering through use of technology, critical thinking/real life problem solving, collaboration, communication, and creativity.

Parents, thank you for attending parent conference day last Friday! Communication between parents and teachers is a major part of success in the classroom. Thank you!

Homecoming Highlights!

Thank you to everyone that worked so hard to make Trinity Homecoming 2011-2012 a huge success!

Sharing Special Times at Trinity!

I had the honor of sharing in two very special times last Friday here on campus. Friday morning was "B'fast & Books" time for those scoring in the top four for each grade level. Friday afternoon was "Listen & Lead" a time of sharing about Christian leadership with our fifth graders that occurs each nine weeks. Please enjoy the pictures from these special times here at Trinity!

Lower School Learning is Everywhere!

Intentional Classroom Practices!

As I walk through the halls and watch our faculty and staff engaging with learners, our first August faculty meeting comes to mind. We made a list of words that we felt described what we wanted happening in our classrooms. I see those words everyday all over our campus! The following are a some of the words from our list: collaborative, learning, students, teachers, families, Christian, preparation, intentional, lifelong learner, different experiences, technology, hands on learning, comfortable, happy, encouraging, and building each other up. I pray that as you visit our campus or chat with our students that you get a glimpse of what I get to experience each day on our campus!