Children grow and change so much over the course of a year that it is very natural for them to be curious about things that grow in nature.  Thus the Pre-K children have been introduced to such books as "The Carrot Seed," "Planting a Rainbow" and "The Empty Pot."  They have even turned their sand table into a black dirt table so they can practice the planting of plastic flowers.  Oh what a lovely mess they are creating.

Of course, they could not stop with the planting of pretend flowers so they planted grass seed because it grows quickly.  Wanting to know what is happening under the earth, they are also observing the root system of plants by planting seeds in plastic bags that contain dirt and water.  

All of this is carried over to music class where they pretend to be seeds that grow and sprout.  You can imagine the music room as they do vocal exploration through the sounds of baby animals.  All of this will culminate with the family music time that takes place on May 29th.  It is wonderful to watch parents and children make music together.

Now the first graders are taking growing to a whole new level.  They have planted flowers for a very special occasion and those sit under the grow lights waiting for the next drink of water. This planting helps children understand the water cycle.  Meanwhile, lady bugs and meal worms progress through the various stages of growth in their own containers.  The children just squeal when they discover a meal worm that has turned into a beatle or a larva that has changed to a lady bug.  

The ant farms in the other corner of the room draw much attention because there is nothing more fascinating than the busy lives of ants and the pathways they create under the earth.  By first grade, the children have become real scientists as they learn to observe carefully and make accurate recordings of their observations.  True to our MPA standards, these classrooms are literally alive with learning.

Nansee Greeley

Lower School Director