St. John’s has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School 2022-2025! We are so excited to receive this recognition. Read our full program submission here:
Mathematics: First Graders dive into categorization!
Mathematics: First Graders dive into categorization!
First grade is a magical time in a child’s educational journey. It’s a year filled with exploration, discovery, and the foundation of essential skills. One such skill that first graders explore is categorization. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at how first graders engage in a delightful activity of categorizing different shapes into groups. Join us as we dive into the world of geometric wonders and the budding minds of these young learners.
Categorization is a cognitive skill that lays the groundwork for critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. It helps children organize and make sense of the world around them. When first graders categorize shapes, they not only learn about geometry but also develop their analytical thinking and fine motor skills.
Students were partnered up and provided with a variety of shapes. They were tasked with sorting these shapes into categories based on their characteristics. For instance, they might create groups for “Shapes with Straight Lines” (e.g., squares and rectangles) and “Shapes with Curves” (e.g., circles). Alternatively, they could categorize shapes by the number of sides – “Shapes with Three Sides” (triangles) and “Shapes with Four Sides” (squares and rectangles). Some pairs even decided to categorize their shapes by color. Once the sorting was complete, the first graders went on a “gallery walk” around the room to observe the different sorting strategies of their classmates’. Finally, the students gathered to discuss their categories. This provides an opportunity for them to articulate their reasoning and learn from one another. It’s a valuable exercise in communication and collaboration.
The journey of a first grader is filled with exciting milestones, and the activity of categorizing shapes is undoubtedly one of them. It’s a fantastic way for young minds to delve into the world of geometry while honing their cognitive and social skills. So, the next time you see a group of first graders enthusiastically sorting shapes, know that you’re witnessing the early stages of their lifelong learning adventure.
By: Miss Bowie, 1st grade
Hands-on Learning Excitement
Last month the 7th graders, under the direction of Mrs. Miller, dissected fetal pigs. This hands-on experience was exciting for students. St. John’s loves technology, but this kind of hands-on experience is something the students will never forget!
Thank you Mrs. Miller!
Chapel Drama Skit Team!
Do you want to see a class of happy, hard-working middle schoolers? Come to chapel on a day that our chapel drama elective is performing and you’ll see middle school students doing something they love while glorifying God and sharing the Gospel. Throughout the semester, this elective class has taken part in most of the aspects of putting on a show – writing some scripts, acting their parts, suggesting stage blocking, creating set pieces and props, and creating digital backdrops. They also collaborated with the students in the costume design elective. These costume design students proposed and put together costumes for the Sherlock Holmes-themed Holy Week skits as well as put together digital backdrops for those skits. It was fun to see both classes working hard to make a dramatic production that brought others closer to Christ. Well done to our costume design and chapel drama students!
Mrs. Elliott, General Music, Band, and Electives
Kindergarteners are a lot like caterpillars!
In kindergarten, it has been a joy to watch our cute, tiny caterpillars go through some amazing changes. When we first got our caterpillars, we gave them everything they needed, we had patience, and with time, we were able to see something pretty special in the end.
Kindergarteners are a lot like caterpillars. At the beginning of the year, they come to a big classroom for the first time, where everything is new to them. Everything seems so big and almost impossible. As they come to school daily, and as their teachers and parents give them what they need, we start to see some changes. By the end of the year, with a little extra patience and love, they have made a complete change and are ready to take off and fly.
God is truly amazing! What a joy and blessing it is to be a part of this amazing time in their lives.
-Molly Harrison
Kindergarten Teacher
STEAM Night – Year Two!
On a Thursday in May, families made their way to St. John’s to participate in a fun-filled night of building with marshmallows and toothpicks, creating robot critters and more. Families were invited to move through ten STEAM stations throughout the STEM lab and middle school hallways. Two of the stations had families trying to build the largest structure using ten pipe cleaners or marshmallows and toothpicks to win a prize. Four of the stations were make and takes, where students created 3D bubble wands, lava lamps, robots and catapults.
The last four stations were all about technology. Students programmed and coded Ozobots to move from their “home” to the STEAM night. Next, they made music by playing “banana keys” using a Makey-Makey hooked up to the iPad. Then, they made a stop motion video using M&Ms and Skittles. Last, families played a game called Newton using the Osmo attachment to iPad where they had to use school materials, like pencils, to virtually move balls on the iPad screen to hit targets. Overall, the STEAM night was a fun and engaging experience that allowed students and their families to practice their Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math skills!
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