Riverstone Blog » IB http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog Musing from the Head of the School Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:53:45 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Set Painting with Grades 2 & 11 http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/set-painting-with-grades-2-11/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/set-painting-with-grades-2-11/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:31:12 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=4701 Our Grade 2 students took a break from practicing their scenes for their upcoming performance of Midsummer’s Nights Dream to work with our Grade 11 students to create backdrops for the play. The Grade 2 students had a great time in the High School art room with the “Big Kids” and Jim Harper, our High School Art teacher.

Contact Rachel Pusch if you’re interested in joining us for our Grade 2 production of Midsummer’s Night Dream on Friday, February 10!

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/set-painting-with-grades-2-11/feed/ 0 Art at the Bank on Thursday, February 2 http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/art-at-the-bank-on-thursday-february-2/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/art-at-the-bank-on-thursday-february-2/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:32:16 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=4691 Stop in at Western Capital Bank from 5:30 – 7:30 PM tomorrow to see some fantastic art created by Riverstone Middle and High School students. Music will be provided by Riverstone musicians as well. The address is 1750 W Front Street, Suite 150. Hope to see you there!

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/art-at-the-bank-on-thursday-february-2/feed/ 0 National Geographic Bee Competition is Fierce http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/national-geographic-bee-competition-is-fierce/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/national-geographic-bee-competition-is-fierce/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:57:28 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=4648 “Timbuktu, a center of caravan trade for almost 1000 years, is located north of the Niger River in which landlocked country?”

Grade 4 student, Ryan S, knew the correct answer, and as a result, became Riverstone’s National Geographic Bee Champion! Last Friday, Grade 4 and Grade 5 class representatives battled to be the school-wide champion. When all was said and done, Ryan S. answered the final question correctly and Maggie L (Gr 5) became our runner-up. To follow up his win and qualify to compete at the Idaho state competition, Ryan took a 70 question written test on Monday that has been mailed to the national office for scoring.

This event was organized by the Academic Excellence group of the Student Council. They requested information, announced the Bee at the assembly, and organized the actual event, including setting up the stage, keeping score and keeping the time. They did a great job!

Congratulations to all involved in the competition. And in case you were wondering…the correct answer is Mali.

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/national-geographic-bee-competition-is-fierce/feed/ 0 Kindergarten Artists Read Art http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/kindergarten-artists-read-art/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/kindergarten-artists-read-art/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:30:46 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=4634 Our Kindergarten artists spent this past week “reading” art. The students were asked to use their knowledge of the visual world to interpret and describe what they saw in artwork. They were given the opportunity to share the artwork they were reading and the story of what they saw with the entire class.

Our Kindergarten artists are doing this as part of their How We Express Ourselves Unit of Inquiry, Telling a Story. Don’t they look completely comfortable sharing with their classmates?

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/kindergarten-artists-read-art/feed/ 0 Cell Cakes and Cookies http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/cell-cakes-and-cookies/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/cell-cakes-and-cookies/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:37:35 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=4588 Our Grade 9 Science students were given the challenge of making an edible object in the form of a cell with all the parts to scale. The boys made cookies and the girls made cakes. After the students gave presentations about their cells, they ate them! Yum!

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/cell-cakes-and-cookies/feed/ 0 Hands-On Science! http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/hands-on-science/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/hands-on-science/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:06:55 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=4519 Our Grade 1 students are learning about animal classification in our unit of inquiry, Who We Are. What better way for the students to learn about the classification system of animals then to see and touch them in real life? Middle School Science teacher, Mr. Pedersen, has the perfect room and expertise just for this! The students saw, touched, and handled animal hides and molds of animal tracks, including some endangered species items such as a green sea turtle shell and hair piece made from a green sea turtle, as well as a sperm whale tooth, carved elephant ivory, a 12 foot python hide, kangaroo hide, many skulls, and more!

The students were also able to touch live animals which included a 30 inch corn snake, bearded dragon, leopard geckos, Russian Tortoise, and box turtles. The students saw various types of animal classes and compared and contrasted how they are alike and how they are different.

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/hands-on-science/feed/ 0 Let’s Go Fly A Kite http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/lets-go-fly-a-kite/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/lets-go-fly-a-kite/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:40:17 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=4498 Grade 6 and 7 students learned about wind, kite craftsmanship, and Afghan culture during their last few Design Technology classes. Gudiparan Bazi means Kite Flyer in Afghan and kites were a perfect way for students to begin the Design Tech process for the year.

The creation of the kites proved to be very challenging, but the fact that there was no wind to fly the kites during class was even more challenging!

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/lets-go-fly-a-kite/feed/ 0 Presenting the History of Jazz http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/presenting-the-history-of-jazz/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/presenting-the-history-of-jazz/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:51:36 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=4479 Grade 8 music students recently shared their final presentations and performances about Jazz. Students discussed and performed works from throughout the 20th century that represented different styles of Jazz. The performances were the result of each students research into their chosen piece. They used this research to create an engaging presentation for the audience. They also used the results of this research to create an arrangement of their piece that could be performed by the classes. They really got excited about costumes and even wore choir robes to represent one era of Jazz history!

As part of the Middle Years Programme, students in Grades 6-9 are enrolled in a semester each of music and art. Riverstone’s art and music teachers are subject area specialists and, as you can see, do a fantastic job of exciting kids about their subjects!

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/presenting-the-history-of-jazz/feed/ 0 How’s My Water? http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/hows-my-water/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/hows-my-water/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 03:07:32 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=4366 Grade 7 science students have been studying water quality testing and, as one assessment of their knowledge, were asked to give presentations and teach other students about specific tests that they researched. The presentations included posters, videos, digital displays, and testing demonstrations. After the presentations, students had to answer questions based on what they had learned in their own research and what they learned while listening to the other students’ demonstrations…which is why you see them writing so intently in the photos!

As a guest in the class, I was really impressed by the students’ knowledge of their topic and creative presentations. It was also wonderful seeing our new all-school science lab in action!

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/hows-my-water/feed/ 0 Good Books http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/good-books/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/good-books/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:26:25 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=4351 Our Kindergarten students were in for a real treat yesterday when our international students in Grade 10 visited the Kindergarten classroom. The older students read books that they had written as a class assignment. The Kindergarteners heard about origami, a favorite car, and the adventures of a Russian girl, amongst others. To be honest, I couldn’t tell you who enjoyed themselves more!

Thanks to Jane Kaserman, Jane Pierie, and Kate Cook for organizing this fun activity!

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