Summer 2011!

Plans are underway for our new programs! We hope you will join us for another exciting summer of learning and fun.

Session 1 June 20 - July 1

Construction Zone - Ages 4-9

Students will have a chance to put their building skills to use while they construct using a variety of materials including clay, wood, Lego bricks and recycled materials. Project-based activities will keep their hands busy while they learn about measurement, geometry and even how to "construct" sentences and paragraphs.

Engineering & Design - Ages 10-14

Project based learning activities will give students the opportunity to learn about the engineering and design involved in building of bridges, domes and skyscrapers. Students will learn the geometry and physical science involved in the art of building, while they create their own structures. Academic concepts will be integrated throughout the day to help them build their own personal "blueprint" for success in and out of the classroom.

Session 2 July 5 - July 15

Imagination - Ages 4-9

Students will immerse themselves into fairytales, folktales and dramatic play as they let their imaginations run wild. Painting, puppet making and performing are just a few of the creative outlets available during this session. Academics will be integrated throughout the day to maintain skills in the areas of reading, math and writing using a variety of experiential projects

Theatrical Arts - Ages 10-14

Tapping into your creativity is a must for students as they write, design scenery, act and learn the ins and outs of theatrical arts. Students will explore the characteristics of different genres in literature and film through project-based activities that foster creative thinking and problem solving. Academic concepts such as descriptive writing, character development and the mathematics involved in set design will be a natural extension of this creative theme.

Session 1 ~ June 20 - July 1 $600

Session 2 ~ July 5 - July 15 $575

Classroom Survival!

Miss Jenny's survivors have been busy with discovering how they learn in order to be better advocates for themselves in the classroom. The students answered questions and participated in activities that helped them to distinguish whether they were visual, auditory, kinesthetic or tactile learners. They also learned about how they can help themselves throughout the school day by doing exercises from a program called Brain Gym. Each student created their own personal handbook of their learning profile complete with pictures of some of the movements from the Brain Gym. Here are just a few examples:

First Week Challenges

The "survivors" are off and running on their new adventure!  Classrooms are beginning to learn social and classroom survival skills as they meet new faces and reconnect with old friends.

Our challenge day began when the students received their first "tree mail" giving them a clue to where the immunity idol was hidden.  The team who found the idol first was later able to vote for a person from their team who demonstrated good sportsmanship and team spirit. The challenge was hosted by Miss Jenny and Miss Andrea in room 6 and was a great way to kick off our theme.  The students made shapes that their teams had to guess, had to jump through hoops and make dirt cake with gummy worms that members of their team had to dig for. They had a sweet treat at the end and voted for the person who would receive the immunity necklace.

Here's a little clip of the event:

The Stage Is Set

We've been having a blast setting the stage for this summer's Survivor Miriam.  I think the kids will be excited to see the atrium transformed into "Survivor Island." Here's a preview to get things started:

Survivor Miriam

The planning for this year's “Survivor Miriam” Summer Program is underway. While the TV show encourages players to “Outwit, Outplay and Outlast”, our goal will be to “Enlighten, Encourage, and Empower.”

The Miriam School Summer Program offers the opportunity for students to maintain academic skills through instruction in reading, math and written language in the morning. During the afternoon, the students will participate in a variety of enrichment activities based on our theme and will explore the social skills necessary for successful teamwork.

• Session 1, "Navigators" will introduce the skills of survival. Older students may learn about how to read a map and how to survive both in the classroom and in the wild, while the younger students will learn about the many different habitats found around the world.
• Students moving on to Session 2, "Explorers" will continue their journey of survival. Younger students will learn how animals and people "survive" in different environments. and older students will explore their own personal learning styles, and learn about the ways in which exploration has changed the world as we know it.
  

Weekly "tribe challenges" will focus on team building games and activities that are not about competitiveness, but rather about empowerment.

“Survivor Miriam” offers 2 two-week sessions. Students can sign up for one or both two-week sessions. Groups are determined by age, social skills and academic compatibility.

"Navigators" Session 1: June 21 - July 2 - $600
"Explorers" Session 2: July 6 - July 16 - $575 (No program on July 5)

Registration for "Survivor Miriam" will begin in January.
Contact mbless@miriamschool.org for further information.

Group 3's Joke Book

Powder Valley Hike

The students enjoyed an encounter with nature on our Powder Valley Consevation Nature Center field trip this week. Some of the groups met deer along the path and stopped to listen to the many sounds of the forest as they hiked the beautiful trails. They also enjoyed the many exhibits inside the nature center which include a real bee hive, an aquarium of fish native to Missouri's rivers and streams, and a nature puppet stage.





The Nature Center is open year round, is centrally located and offers many different classes throughout the year. You can visit Powder Valley's blog for up-to-date notes on the latest natural events and scheduled programs.