Look who’s following! OLPH, Jackson Elementary and Greenbrook Elementary!
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School
Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) is a Catholic school in Germantown, TN, and has won “Best School in Germantown” for nine years in a row! And if that isn’t enough, it’s the only Catholic school to receive accreditation through the National Association for the Education of the Young Child (NAEYC).
AWESOME JOB, OLPH!
OLPH is focused on the education of the whole child and its students excel in many areas.
Well, why don’t we hear from some students! The following was written for the OLPH newsletter, Wednesday Owl Watch, on October 1, 2014.
OLPH students Will Fracchia and John Douglas Benjamin featured OLPH students posing with Patrick, the seal. Photos courtesy of Marisa Behan.
Expedition Antarctica and the Weddell Seals By: Will Fracchia and John Douglas Benjamin
On Friday September 19th, Alex Eilers, the manager of education at the Pink Palace, came to OLPH and talked to the 4th – 8th grade students. She studies Weddell seals in Antarctica through a grant called Polar TREC, which stands for “Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating.” This grant provides funds for Ms. Eilers to travel to Antarctica, where she works with a scientist to tag Weddell seals. She brings her research back to students in the Memphis area. This was Ms. Eilers second trip to OLPH, she shared her experiences in 2012, after her first expedition to Antarctica, and spoke to the first through eighth grades in the gym.
This year, Ms. Behan set up another visit from Ms. Eilers. She presented to all students in grades fourth through eighth. Ms. Eilers research is specifically appropriate for the seventh grade, because they read The Winter Pony, a novel about the race to the South Pole. The seventh grade also studies World Geography as part of their curriculum.
Ms. Eilers is going back to Antarctica this December to remove the original tags for greater analysis of data, and to attach new flipper tags. The students who attended her presentation learned a lot about the climate and customs of the Antarctic region. One seventh grader who heard her presentation, Grayson Clothier, recounted, “Ms. Eilers is a very good teacher and I was intrigued by her presentation about Antarctica.” Maren Hines, a 5th grader, said, “It was very interesting to learn about Antarctica and the Weddell seals. I liked the life-sized stuffed-animal seal that she brought in.” If you want to learn more about Ms. Eilers and her travels, you can read her journal entries at (http://www.polartrec.com/expiditions/weddell-seals-in-the-rose-sea-2014/journals/2014-09-15). In the upcoming weeks, OLPH will be featured in one of Ms. Eilers’ journal articles, so keep an eye out for an update about that!
Great job, Will and John Douglas! OLPH students really do excel!
OLPH students posing with Patrick, the seal. Photo courtesy of Marisa Behan.
Jackson Elementary
I’m delighted that Jackson Elementary is again following my journey to study Weddell seals in Antarctica! They participated in a variety of activities during my 2012, expedition and they plan to do so again this year. But just what are they up to?
Martha Cummings is one creative librarian! She’s put a twist on our ‘Get Fit Antarctica’ program and has signed up each class in grades one through five on the Antarctica Revisited website. Not only are the classes logging their hours - getting fit, both mind and body – they’re eagerly watching their progress on their virtual journey.
And it’s growing right down the hallway!
Jackson Elementary Get Fit Antarctica hallway. Photo courtesy of Martha Cummings.
Mrs. Cummings has created a large – very large – display in the hallway outside the school library, highlighting their class’s efforts and showcasing the things that connect with the expedition. What a wonderful way to highlight science, geography, health and current events in an integrated and realistic way!
And, we also enjoy and encourage a little healthy competition!
As Mrs. Cummings says, “It is very important for all students to see that learning is a lifelong process and that science is ever-expanding.”
Greenbrook Elementary School
The ‘Spotlight’ classes at Greenbrook Elementary, located in Southaven, MS, are following our journey. Spotlight is a program for gifted students in the second through sixth grades.
Talk about perfect timing! They are beginning a Waves of Fun mini-study focusing on different ocean-related topics. And, of course, our expedition will fit perfectly with their new study--not only providing students with some fun, but some ‘out of the ordinary’ experiences as well.
Mrs. Stephanie Porter, Greenbrook Elementary Spotlight teacher, feels that this will be great exposure for her students as they have never met anyone that’s been to Antarctic or participated in this kind of research. She also feels it’s important that students realize what a great big world we live in and that the possibilities are endless.
The students are looking forward to receiving their postcards and seeing their flag flown over Antarctica.
A pile of postcards from Greenbrook Elementary. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Porter.
GES student with bunny boot. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Porter.
WAY TO GO EVERYONE!