A New Year at Marlowe!

We're back and school and running at full steam ahead! Since most of our students are either returning from last year or attended camp, we were able to jump right into learning. I am just thrilled by how much we have been able to accomplish! Just look what we have done:

Princesses, Spies, and Super Heroes

Princesses and Super Heroes...what could be more fun??

We started the week by exploring the idea of the modern super hero. The children created their own costumes, dabbled in comic strip creation, and made some popsicle stick and cut-out heroes of their own.  

The children worked tirelessly to become proud superheroes. 

We then jumped back in time and studied Rome, Greece, and the superheroes (gods) of the ancient world. We read their stories and compared their characters to the heroes of Marvel and DC. 

 We then leapt into medieval times where we learned about knights, castles, and royalty. We listened to minstrel music, learned some courtly dances, and created a play-sized castle!

The following week, new recruits showed up to spy training and found they could not enter without a hand and retinal scan.

Headquarters was stationed in a previously abandoned castle.

The first order of action was creating a new identity for each agent.

Agents learned the secret password and handshake as well as some essential hand signals. 

After a quick course on vexillology (the study of flags), the special agents created coded bracelets, secret messages, and facial composites. They also gathered evidence and solved several classroom mysteries. 

And just like that, summer ended. I hope you all enjoy the remaining days of vacation, and I look forward to seeing you all soon!

Camping, Experimenting, & Exploring Space!

Camp Out

We had a lovely time during our week-long campout! We made a trail mix to keep the munchies at bay, caught fireflies in a jar, created a compass necklace to help us find our way, "roasted" marshmallows, and told spooky stories around a campfire.

Little Scientists

As little scientists, we collected geodes that we were able to take home, and we even created our own crystals!!! We learned about weather systems (tornado in a bottle), polymers (water, ziplock bag, and sharp object), and chemical reactions (experiments with sodium bicarbonate and citric acid). The children also received a basic introduction to botany and how plants grow. 

Alien Adventures

As astronauts in training, our little space cadets, learned about telescopes, constellations, rockets, and all things extraterrestrial. They spent the week training and studying hard and are all well on their way to becoming NASA engineers. 

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