The School Day : The Grove School: A seriously fresh new preschool in Cary and Plano!

Inside the Summer Program: Outside My Window

Linda Nelson | March 4, 2010 | Comment

This is the sixth and final article in a series about The Grove School Summer Program. The program runs from Monday, June 7 through Friday August 27, 2010 at both our Cary, NC and Plano, TX schools. Learn more about the program.

Outside My Window
After learning about the Earth’s five biomes — deserts, forests, grasslands, tundras, and aquatic — this unit introduces children to ways of caring for and preserving our planet. The dramatic play center will become a recycling center filled with a variety of materials for children to discover, explore and dispose of in the appropriate recycling bins.

Literacy activities include making nature booklets and writing a class letter to the Earth. In small-group science activities, children will experiment with Earth-friendly energy sources such as the wind, and even plant their own marigold seeds.

What We’ll Read
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle by Rozanne Lanczak Williams

This book introduces the concept of recycling to children in a format they will enjoy — a song! Each page of the book contains a line of the song and shows how simple items children use every day can be reduced, reused, and recycled. Children learn how they can work together to perform the very important task of taking care of the Earth.

Culminating Event — School Cleanup

In this final unit’s event, children will put what they have learned about caring for the Earth into practice as they participate in a school-wide cleanup effort. Children will also help sort recyclable materials in the classroom recycling center to be taken to a real recycling center. Children will learn an ecology pledge encouraging them to continue to help take care of our special planet.

Linda is a program development senior specialist and holds a master's degree in Early Childhood Education. She loves the fact that The Grove School curriculum and learning environments help children take care of themselves, one another and the natural world.

Keywords: early childhood education, ecology, Grove School, Outside My Window, Summer Program

Inside the Summer Program: Arctic Adventures

Linda Nelson | March 2, 2010 | Comment

This is the fifth article in a series about The Grove School Summer Program. The program runs from Monday, June 7 through Friday August 27, 2010 at both our Cary, NC and Plano, TX schools. Learn more about the program.

Arctic Adventures
During this unit children will have many opportunities to learn about the frigid climates of the Arctic and Antarctic tundras. They will discover how animals are able to survive the harsh tundra weather through large-group discussions such as How Tundra Animals Stay Warm. Children will practice fine-motor skills as they write or draw pictures in their journals of an imaginary journey as a polar bear. Math skills will be expanded on as children sort items in ice-cube trays and measure ingredients for sugar cookies.

What We’ll Read
The Emperor’s Egg by Martin Jenkins

At the very bottom of the world, in a place called Antarctica, the Emperor penguins rule. In his book The Emperor’s Egg, Martin Jenkins describes the life of the world’s most devoted father: the male Emperor penguin. Children will be amazed to hear how he stands in the cold for two whole months with nothing to eat, all while balancing his baby’s egg on his feet and keeping it warm by tucking it up under his thick tummy feathers.

The Emperor’s Egg is a fun, fact-filled book sure to capture every child’s interest during the two-week unit about the frozen tundras.

Culminating Event — Arctic Games

The culminating event for the unit Arctic Adventures will find children slipping, sliding, and sledding in their own Arctic Games! Children will work together to learn fun winter games such as the Dogsled Race and the Penguin Snowball Pass, which they will play during the Arctic Games.

Keywords: Arctic Adventures, early childhood education, ecology, Grove School, Summer Program

Inside the Summer Program: Under the Sea

Linda Nelson | February 26, 2010 | Comment

This is the fourth article in a series about The Grove School Summer Program. The program runs from Monday, June 7 through Friday August 27, 2010 at both our Cary, NC and Plano, TX schools. Learn more about the program.

Under the Sea
This unit is awash with fun opportunities for your child to learn about the water biome. Large-group discussions include differences between saltwater and fresh-water bodies of water, whether or not water animals make good pets, and fun fish facts. Since many children are fascinated by sea creatures, they will have fun practicing measurement concepts in activities such as How Big Are Whales? Science concepts will also be introduced in water-related activities such as testing objects that sink and float, and experimenting with funnels. Throughout the two-week unit, children will have many opportunities to explore an under-the-sea environment — complete with treasure chest! — in the dramatic play center.

What We’ll Read
The Ocean Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta

“A is for Atlantic Ocean…B is for Bluefish….” In The Ocean Alphabet Book, children are invited to come along on an alphabetical journey through the North Atlantic Ocean. While having fun identifying different sea life from A to Z, children are also making connections between letters and their sounds. Each page answers ocean-related questions and gives fascinating details about sea life.The book’s watercolor illustrations in ocean-color hues of blues and greens are inviting elements for readers of all ages.

Culminating Event — Water Day

Splish! Splash! Sploosh! The Water Day event at the end of this unit is sure to provide wet and wacky fun for all. During this event, children will demonstrate different water-related activities they have enjoyed over the past two weeks. Will this object sink or float? Let’s test it! Let’s make bubbles with our hands! Here’s how!

Keywords: early childhood education, Grove School, Summer Program, Under the Sea

Inside the Summer Program: Where the Green Grass Grows

Linda Nelson | February 25, 2010 | Comment

This is the third article in a series about The Grove School Summer Program. The program runs from Monday, June 7 through Friday August 27, 2010 at both our Cary, NC and Plano, TX schools. Learn more about the program.

Where the Green Grass Grows

During this unit children will have fun learning about different grassland environments and the wonderful animals that live in the grasslands through a variety of small-group and large-group activities. For example, children will draw pictures of and practice writing about an imaginary walk in the grasslands in their journals.

They will also explore measurement in the activity The Length of a Giraffe’s Neck, and graphing and patterning in the activity Animal-Coat Patterns.

What We’ll Read
We All Went on Safari — A Counting Journey Through Tanzania by Laurie Krebs

This delightful book by Laurie Krebs takes children on an exciting counting adventure through the grasslands of Tanzania. As children help count the animals from one to ten that they encounter during their Tanzanian journey, they also learn how to count from one to ten in Swahili. Informative and entertaining, We All Went on Safari — A Counting Journey Through Tanzania is a book children will delight in hearing again and again.

Culminating Event — Wildlife Safari

To celebrate the end of this unit, children will have opportunities to express their creativity by making their own animal masks. They will also be encouraged to wear their masks during the event and pretend to be the safari animals their masks represent.

Keywords: ecology, Grove School, Summer Program

Inside the Summer Program: Bees, Trees and Me

Linda Nelson | February 24, 2010 | Comment

This is the second article in a series about The Grove School Summer Program. The program runs from Monday, June 7 through Friday August 27, 2010 at both our Cary, NC and Plano, TX schools. Learn more about the program.

Bees, Trees, and Me

During this unit, children will learn about rain forests and boreal forests. The classroom environment is filled with pictures and objects representing each type of forest, allowing children to gain a better understanding of the greatness and wonders of forests and forest environments. Creating books and writing in their journals about forest adventures will further children’s abilities to recognize letters and their sounds and give them practice with fine-motor skills. Children will also participate in measurement, sorting, and patterning activities that will enhance their mathematical thinking.

What We’ll Read
The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer

The Salamander Room is a beautifully illustrated book showing the importance of the forest environment to the life of a little salamander. With imagination and care, a young boy transforms his bedroom into a forest home good enough for any salamander. As the story unfolds, the boy’s mother asks him how he will accommodate the needs of the salamander and the other forest animals, revealing the intricacies of boreal forests and the myriad of animals who depend on forests to survive.

With its wondrous forest scenes in glowing, woodsy hues, The Salamander Room is sure to captivate children’s imagination and inspire them to learn more about forests and the creatures who live within them.

Culminating Event — Campfire
Some preschool-age children have already experienced the thrill of sitting around campfires with family and friends. For this unit’s culminating event, children will participate in a pretend campfire experience. Children will work together to create paper logs and paper fire for the “centerpiece” campfire. They will also sing camp songs and eat trail mix they have made themselves.

Keywords: early childhood education, ecology, Grove School, Summer Program

Inside the Summer Program: Golden Sands and Desert Lands

Linda Nelson | February 22, 2010 | Comment

This is the first article in a series about The Grove School Summer Program. The program runs from Monday, June 7 through Friday August 27, 2010 at both our Cary, NC and Plano, TX schools. Learn more about the program.

Golden Sands and Desert Lands
During this unit children explore one of the world’s most fascinating biomes — the sandy landscape of desert regions. Deserts cover about one fifth of the Earth’s surface and receive less than 10 inches of rain per year. They display extreme temperatures and are filled with wonderful plants and animals that have developed interesting ways of surviving the harsh desert climate.

Children will be introduced to different types of deserts, the animal and plant life that inhabit them, and the weather conditions that make this biome so unique. Through math, literacy, science, and art experiences, your child will investigate animal tracks, learn why camels have humps and cacti have spines, and much more.

What We’ll Read
The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell

This American Southwest version of The Three Little Pigs teaches children about the desert biome as they also expand their knowledge of the desert and some of the creatures who live there. The rich text encourages vocabulary development by inviting children to learn new words from the desert environment. The book’s wonderful illustrations of the three cowboy javelinas and its expressive and humorous language are sure to entertain children and create further interest in the desert and its creatures.

Culminating Event — Sand-Art Gallery
The culminating event for the unit Golden Sands and Desert Lands will be a Sand-Art Gallery. Throughout the unit, children will create artwork using sand to display at the Sand-Art Gallery. Children will also make invitations to the event for family members and friends.

Keywords: desert biome, ecology, Grove School, Summer Program

Intro to ecology at The Grove School Summer Program

Laura Como | February 22, 2010 | Comment

This summer, as part of our regular school day, children at The Grove School will go on an “eco-adventure.” This amazing introduction to ecology focuses on five major biomes of the world—deserts, forests, grasslands, tundra and water.

Throughout this science-based program, children will explore the characteristics of each biome’s plant and animal populations. They’ll also learn proactive steps they can take to care for and protect the environment around them.

We’ll use math, literacy, science, writing, drama and art experiences to investigate these fascinating parts of our planet. And there will be lots of ways for parents to encourage ongoing learning about the biomes at home and in the community.

Program Details

- The program runs from Monday, June 7 through Friday August 27, 2010 at both our Cary, NC and Plano, TX schools.
- There is no extra fee for the program. It’s a part of The Grove School’s regular school-day curriculum.
- We encourage parents to sign up now for the program, but you can enroll your child in The Grove School anytime throughout the summer months for them to be a part of this experience.

Laura is our director of school operations. With 3 children of her own and a19-year tenure in the early education field, her expertise is helping to build a community of health conscious achievers with the capacity to love and appreciate the world around us.

Keywords: Cary, early childhood education, eco adventure, ecology, Grove School, Plano

Family dinners

Wendy DeSpain | February 19, 2010 | Comment

I think the breakdown of the American family is the lack of sit down family dinners. Just 30 minutes sitting together without music, tv, ipod, or blackberry, being forced to actually interact with each other on a personal level. This is daily bonding time is integral in the strengthening of the fibers that make a strong family unit. Extra curricular activities and homework demands have taken over weekend day evenings and more families are eating out more frequently due to rushed evenings when both parents are working or when there is a single parent. More families are eating in the car or on the coffee table while in front of the tv or on the computer or phone. As evenings have become busy, family dinners have become endangered.

I remember my own childhood, family dinners were absolutely expected. My mom had dinner on the table and my dad came home from work to eight kids sitting around the table ready to eat together. No one missed dinner. Family members were required to be there and interact; it was simply understood. Over time, this accumulates into a massive amount of family time. Without it, cumulatively, the impact is devastating. I think we are witnessing the result in our society today.

Thankfully, some programs, like that at The Grove School, help teach the value of family style dinners by practicing them at lunch time. Interaction is facilitated and seating together is required. Healthy, organic snacks are delivered to the classroom in serving dishes from which teachers serve snack while sitting with students. Conversation and engagement are the positive results.

Wendy is our Head of School in Plano, TX. She has deep community ties, having spent 15 years with the Plano ISD in various teaching, administrative and leadership roles. In addition to her zeal for helping children learn, Wendy enjoys being in the great outdoors with her family.

Jamie Oliver at TED: Teach every child about food

Britt Stromberg | February 17, 2010 | Comment

“I wish for everyone to help create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.”

Jamie Oliver
TED2010

This is something we do every day here at The Grove School. Our curriculum teaches kids how to make good food choices. We introduce gardening and the basic concepts of how to grow our own foods. And our daily menus include fresh, nutritious and delicious meals that help children to grow stronger physically and mentally.

In Jamie’s TED Talk, I was most impressed by his idea to have every child leave high school with 10 healthy recipes they can use to cook for themselves as they go through college and life. What a practical and empowering bit of knowledge to instill in our children.

Britt is the editor of The Grove School website. She's got 15 years of writing and editing experience, a 6 year old daughter, a garden and a healthy obsession with all things green.

Keywords: fresh food, Grove School, healthy body, Jamie Oliver, TED

Video: building The Grove School

Dan Flood | January 21, 2010 | Comments (2)

See what both of our recently opened schools in Cary, NC and Plano, TX look like inside and out.

Dan steers our business development. As the father of a toddler and a conscientious consumer, he's energized by The Grove School's focus on high-quality education and the triple-bottom line (social and environmental responsibility in tandem with profitability).

Keywords: building of, Cary, Grove School, Plano, video

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