Lakehill's Lower School teachers are well known for their creative projects and programs that bring learning to life for their students. In the past week alone, Lower School students have become inventors, explorers, and delegates to the Constitutional Convention. Who knew learning could be so much fun?    

Fourth Grade Invention Convention

On February 11, Lakehill fourth grade students gathered for the school's annual Invention Convention, a much anticipated event that tested students' ability to link simple machines together in order to perform a task, such as kicking a soccer ball or pouring cat food into a bowl. The Invention Convention was inspired by the works of cartoonist and engineer Rube Goldberg.

Participants were encouraged to identify a need and to use their problem-solving and creative-thinking skills to find a solution. Students then linked wedges, pulleys, levers, wheels and axles, screws, and inclined planes together to perform the desired task. After careful planning, students were required to build their contraptions out of scavenged materials, such as school supplies, duct tape, and cardboard boxes. 

Many inventions turned an electronic device on or off, such as an alarm clock or an iPod. Other machines solved common household problems, such as crushing a can for recycling or dispensing mini marshmallows into a cup of hot chocolate.
 
Inventions were officially judged for creativity, use of simple machines, and the ability to explain what steps in the invention required the most trial and error to perfect. If a particular mechanism failed to work as planned, students were given credit for the step if they could explain how they would adjust or replace the malfunctioning part in order to fix the machine. Students learned that plans and models must often be modified in order to achieve the desired result, and that inventors rarely get it right the first time.

Third Grade Living Wax Museum
On February 15, Lakehill's third grade students stepped into a museum. Not as visitors this time, but as the exhibits themselves. To culminate a unit on explorers, students had the unique opportunity to bring the explorer they had researched to life, complete with amazing costumes, backdrops, and props. The explorers on exhibit filled the auditorium stage and aisles. As the spotlight was shined upon each explorer, they came to life, sharing their tales of exploration and their contributions to the world. This is the first time that third grade teachers Jenny Livengood and Rochelle Rasheed have attempted the project. Based on the enthusiastic response from students, parents, and teachers,  it most certainly won't be the last. 

Fourth Grade Mini-Musical  

Lakehill's fourth grade students recently brought history to life as they shared the story of how the Constitution was created. To coincide with their study of American history, students performed the mini-musical, "Shh! We're Writing the Constitution" on February 16 for Lower School students and parents.  

Pancake Breakfast
Upper School students were on campus early on Thursday, cooking up a good deed. This year marked the seventh annual Pancake Breakfast hosted by the sophomore class. In less than an hour, sophomores served hundreds of pancakes to teachers, students, and parents. The money raised from this tasty fundraiser will be donated to a cause selected by the class.  

Jump Rope for Heart
Lower School students burned off the calories from their pancake breakfasts on Thursday by jumping rope for a good cause.

Under the direction of physical education teachers Angelo Florez and Jhoana Cayme, students in kindergarten through fourth grade participated in this year's American Heart Association Jump Rope for Heart.

During the event, teams of five to six students took turns jumping, passing the rope when they needed a break.  

Coach Florez says that Lakehill students have raised more than $5,000 for the American Heart Association so far. Donations can be turned in through February.  

Valentines for Vets     
Members of Lakehill's Middle School Community Connections Club showed a little love to members of the U.S. Armed Forces for Valentine's Day through a program supported by U.S. Rep. Jeb Hensarling.

The annual Valentines for Vets allowed students to create handmade Valentines cards to give to hospitalized veterans at the Dallas Veterans Administration Medical Center and members of the armed services returning to and from overseas posts through Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Valentines for Vets is an annual program conducted in conjunction with National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Week. Every February, Americans open their hearts to hospitalized veterans by sending cards and letters to Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers across the country.

Valentines for Seniors 

Meanwhile, Lakehill's youngest helpers were planning a Valentine project of their own.  

Kindergarten students made Valentines during their class party and enlisted the help of the Lower School Community Connections Club to help them reach their goal of making 110 Valentines. Kindergarten students hand-delivered the Valentines to residents of the Pearl Norton Care Center at Juliette Fowler Homes on Valentine's Day.