WOH For Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Who Wants A Vacation? By Lisa Richardson, Fifth Grade Teacher
Covid has been hard! It has been a year of restrictions-no gatherings, no eating in restaurants, and no traveling! With so many restrictions, I thought it would be really fun for the 5th graders to take us on a virtual vacation. Each 5th grader was assigned a specific biome to research and create a fun brochure for a new travel agency called Richardson’s Travel Routes. You might ask, what is a biome? A biome is a large community of vegetation and wildlife adapted to a specific climate; the 5 major types of biomes are aquatic, grassland, forest, desert, and tundra. Students were required to learn all about their biome, take avid notes on their research, design a colored tri-fold brochure using Google Docs, create a model or poster that accurately represented their biome, and persuasively present it to the class.
Not only did the 5th graders do an amazing job of creating their tri-fold brochures, but they also presented them like expert travel guides. We learned so much! At the end of their presentations, I asked each student to tell us the most interesting things they learned about their biome while working on their tri-fold. Here are a few examples:
JJ: I think that the most interesting fact that I learned about the ocean biome was that have lost 50% of coral reefs. Another 40% could be lost in the next 30-40 years! Coral is dying, we need to help it.
Elizabeth: I learned about the Okapi and how it is the closest living relative to the giraffe but has horns on its head and stripes like a zebra. It is very shy. I love the tropical rainforest and all of its wonderful animals.
Sabrina: I found this spectacular adaptation for a weasel. I did not know that weasels change color for different seasons like snowy, white color in the winter and a pale, chocolate brown to blend into their surroundings. I also learned the largest, temperate deciduous forest is in the Eastern part of North America, which was almost completely deforested by 1850 for agricultural purposes. When I read that my brain exploded! I did not know that at all and it was a very exciting thing to learn about deciduous forests.
Ellis: I learned that there are underwater lakes called deep water lakes in the ocean biome. They separate themselves from the rest of the ocean because they are basically pockets of salt much saltier than the ocean.
Audrey: The most interesting thing I learned about the mountain biome is the world’s longest mountain name. Ready? It’s Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronu-kupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. Wow! That’s 85 letters long. I also learned that mountains take up 25% of the world’s surface. Ok, last one. I learned about the largest mountain in the world and it’s located in Hawaii. Its name is Mauna Kea and it’s located under the ocean. COOL RIGHT!!!!!
I am fully ready to visit these amazing biomes. I have yet to travel to the tropical rain forest of Brazil, the African Savanna or Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. They have definitely been added to my list of “Must See” places! God has blessed us with so many fascinating places on our planet. It gives me peace knowing that the 5th graders at Hope Lutheran will be planet earth’s future stewards!
Calendar of Events – Click Here
Wed. 3/10: 8:40 AM Online Chapel led by Mrs. Okabayashi, Principal
Thurs. 3/11: Last Day of Trimester 2
Fri. 3/12: No School – Grading Day / ESC & Sand Dollar Programs Open
Wed. 3/17: 8:40 AM Online Chapel led by Mrs. Neafcy, Kindergarten Teacher
School, Extended School Care & Sand Dollar Club Closure – Friday, March 12
School will be closed on Friday, March 12 for trimester 2 grading day. ESC & Sand Dollar programs are open (ESC students need to pre-register).
Financial Aid Information for 2021-22 Academic Year
We partner with School and Student Services (SSS) for our financial aid process each year. Instructions for applying for financial aid at Hope Lutheran School are available by visiting sss.nais.org/parents. Our school’s SSS code is 179833. The Early Decision deadline is March 30th and the final deadline to apply for aid is April 30, 2021.
Virtual Lest 2021 – Register Here
What is LEST? It stands for the Lutheran Elementary Schools Tournament and it was hosted every February by Concordia University in Portland. The first LEST was held in 1962 with four Portland area schools participating in a boys basketball tournament. As word of the tournament spread, schools from Idaho, Montana, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington began traveling by train, plane, or bus to participate in LEST. Over the years, additional activities and competitions were added, with recent years including over 1,000 students, 20 events, and as many as 21 schools from various states. Due to the closure of Concordia University last spring,
LEST 2020 was the final year in Portland.
What is a virtual LEST? With the closure of Concordia and the pandemic, LEST 2021 almost did not happen; fortunately, a small dedicated group (including our own Mr. Allen and Mrs. Okabayashi) worked hard to put into place limited competitions that can be done virtually. Just last week, information on the events was released to schools. LEST 2021 will occur on April 29-30, 2021 during the school day and we are currently creating space for students to compete in these events. The timeline for putting together teams and submissions is very tight, so please visit our website here and turn in your interest form no later than this coming Friday, March 12, 2021 via email to Mr. Allen at tallen@hopeseattle.org or via hard copy to the school office.
Grades 4-8 Morning Drop-Off Alert
When dropping off your older child in grades 4-8, please remember that our doors open at 8:15 AM. We are seeing a larger group of older students being dropped off prior to 8:15 AM, and are concerned about students mingling with other cohorts and potentially spreading COVID-19 as they wait for school to start. If you arrive early, please wait to drop off, as particularly in inclement weather, students tend to congregate in a small area and mingle with younger students as they arrive. Thank you for your support in reducing COVID spread.
Shoe Drive – Sponsored by Hope Student Grace M.
Got Sneakers? Why not donate them? Every pair of gently used sneakers are cleaned and given to people in need. Donating them will also keep the shoes out of landfills. We will be collecting them at Hope Lutheran lower parking lot on Saturday, March 20 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Watch for flyers with details coming home next month.
Book Drive – Sponsored by Hope Student Bryson A.
Bryson is collection books to donate to school age children, kindergarten through high school, in Africa. If you would like to donate a new or gently used book, students are asked to bring them to school next week. There will be a table to collect books in the entrance from Wednesday, March 10th through Friday, March 12th. Thank you for your support of Bryson’s confirmation project.
Church Events – Click Here
Cougar Mountain Cookie Dough Sale – Ends March 14th
Seattle Lutheran High School Boosters Club provides much-needed funding for athletic teams and clubs at SLHS. Boosters are asking for your support in a new Booster Club fundraiser: Cougar Mountain Cookie Dough! These 3 lb. tubs of cookie dough are all natural; contain no preservatives and no Trans fats. The cookie dough stores well in the fridge (for 3 months) or in the freezer (up to 12 months) and makes approximately 4 dozen cookies! They are great to have around the house or to give as gifts to friends and family. For more information and to place an order, click here. Deadline to order is March 14th at 10 am. Orders must be picked up on March 31st at Seattle Lutheran High School. Thank you for your support!