Earth Day at North Branch

On Friday, North Branch celebrated Earth Day. The morning was full of activities such as nature trail rejuvenation, tree planting, seed ball making, special science presentations and litter pick up. The afternoon brought a play, special games and songs and more. In between was the annual Earth Day snack: strawberry shortcake! We ended the day with a lovely baby shower for Oscar, our Spanish teacher, and his family.

A special banner made by the students

Scare Bear, a 5th grade science project. Love the slightly evil goggles and the smocking.

Nursery students working on Earth Day art

I learned many interesting things while listening to the 7th and 8th grade ocean reports. Among them:

1. Octupi have three hearts.

2. Baby blue whales can gain up to nine (!) pounds an hour while nursing. They learn to swim about thirty minutes after being born – until that time, their mother holds them above the water to breathe.

3. There are 35 different kinds of seahorses – the smallest is 1/2″ and the largest (the Potbelly Seahorse) is 14″ long.

4. At the deep sea vents, some life forms can withstand 407 degree (C) water.

One of the 7th-8th grade science presentations on ocean biology

A fantastic octopus painting to accompany the report

The school baby shower gift to Oscar and Paola

Earth Day song to welcome a new baby

There were so many activities at school today for Earth Day that I am going to break them up into several posts. However, I wanted to put this one up right away. During the afternoon Earth Day assembly, the students, teachers and audience sang “This Pretty Planet.” We sing this song every year on Earth Day, but today it was sung in honor of Oscar (our Spanish teacher), his wife and their daughter. They are expecting a new baby to join their family very soon. We all wish you the very best and may your new boy bring you much joy and happiness.

This Pretty Planet

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A few things from the past two months

Once a month, students from 5th grade and up help at the local food bank. They help unload the trucks, stack food boxes and cans and pack the distribution bags. This picture is of some of our 5th graders who helped out in March.

Right before we went in - they were a little excited.

At assembly right before spring break, students unveiled the amazing and stupendous ball drop.  Maggie’s K’NEX elective created this over many hours.

Demonstrating one of the ball drops many functions

At the very end of assembly, the Seniors helped usher in the long-awaited spring break.

Spring Break!

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The North Branch Art Show

I know I’m biased, but, WOW! The North Branch Art Show is up in the Big Room, and it has some really incredible works of art. Michael Donegan’s art classes – Primary through Middle School – used many different mediums to create a really interesting and varied show. There are works in tempera, clay, wire, tissue paper and glue, foil, ink, torn paper and others. Thank you to Sarah Gerome for helping with the art show, and congratulations to Michael and all the students who made such beautiful works.

Here are some of the creations.

Look closely at the letter "h" in the word "North!"

The Middle Schoolers created wire sculptures

I love the little panda in the tree - done by a third grader!

Some of the mixed media works

A closer look at the Native Clay pieces

The All-School Mile Run, cold weather version

Friday, April 1st was our annual all-school mile run. All students except nursery participate, as well as many of the teachers and parents. The students have been training for the mile for the past several weeks. It was bitterly cold due to a late storm that passed through – but the kids ran, skipped and walked their mile and cheered on their friends. We began with a giant stretching session.

Trying to get warmed up in the chilly wind

The first group to run was the pre-kindergarten through third grade students.

Several parents and teachers ran the mile along with the students

Then the 4th-6th graders ran:

Students ran five laps around the field to complete the mile

The middle school students, along with Katrien and some of the parents, ran a mile on the nearby roads.

Everyone went out to the road to cheer on the incoming middle schoolers

Here they come! The younger students enjoyed watching the big kids run in.

The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon!

The Middle School class put on a fabulous play yesterday at The Hamner Theater. The cast played multiple parts in this mashed-up fairy tale comedy. The play, by Don Zolodis, is based on the Grimms’ collected stories. There was an excellent stage fight between an elf and our Spanish teacher, Oscar, that I hope to post later.

Narrators One and Two had finely-tuned comic timing!

Witch #2 hopes for a nice answer from the magic mirror, to no avail

"Snow White" fares a little better at the mirror

The Devil and his grandmother leave Albuquerque in flames

Cinderella and (as one person) the wicked stepsisters and stepmother

The Devil, Rumpelstiltskin and Cinderella