Recent Learning & Activities

Wow, we have certainly been busy in Room 12. If you have some time, be sure to check our class photo gallery -- there are over seventy photos from the past two months showcasing all sorts of learning.

You might see some photos of our 1st and 2nd graders working with the 3rd and 4th graders from Ms. Byrne’s class. Our two classes have been chosen to help design the sets for Kahalaopuna, the opera we will be performing in May. After hearing the story read by its author, James Rumford, the two classes met to begin brainstorming.

As you can imagine, the children have some pretty vivid and fantastic ideas of what the background scenery should look like. Our classes will be getting together next week as well, and they’ll be working in groups to paint, draw, or sketch various scenes. These proposals will then be given to Mrs. Koshi. She hopes to choose various elements from different proposals to come up with our set designs.

To help us generate ideas, we took a trip to the Blaisdell Concert Hall for a backstage tour of the Romeo & Juliet set. It was incredibly exciting for our two classes (and for Ms. Byrne and me) to see how many people it takes to design a professional set. We learned it takes sixteen carpenters to assemble the set and that it is all carefully measured and drawn out in blueprint form before assembly begins.

Thanks to the lighting crew, the costume and wig masters, and the props crew who gave us an intimate tour of the backstage area of the Blaisdell. It definitely motivated us to get going on our own set designs. If you feel you’d be able to help assemble the sets for Kahalopuna, be sure to let Mrs. Koshi know; we’ll begin construction in early April.

This morning we had a visit from Wilbur Wright, and tomorrow George Washington and Thomas Jefferson will be stopping by Room 12! It’s all part of our biographical research. All 2nd graders have selected a famous person in history to research and learn about. The children will be presenting their learning to our class and their parents today and tomorrow. It is truly amazing how much energy and enthusiasm the children bring to these projects. To see them presenting in front of their class in a calm and poised manner is so impressive. I know that they will forever remember details about Paul Revere or Betsy Ross’ life because it was important and meaningful for THEM as children to read about these people and to present to us what they feel is impressive about the person they researched. I’ll add those photos to our gallery next week after the rest of the children do their presentations.

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