Holiday Happenings

This past Monday, April 22, was Earth Day!  It was a day spent learning about our environment and what we can do to help Planet Earth. Each grade participated in our Earth Day Celebration in their own way!

Kindergarten took part in Earth Day Writing where they thanked the Earth for something valuable.  The students reused plastic water bottles to make piggy banks.  Kindergarten also joined with first grade to decorate Earth Day cookies!

First grade celebrated Earth Day by decorating Earth Day cookies with kindergarten.  They also learned songs about reducing, reusing, and recycling!  In addition, first grade wrote an acrostic poem about the Earth.

Second grade explored facts about water and learned how water is important for Earth, nature, human beings and animals to survive.  Second grade students created their own "I Love the Earth" booklets that included drawings of the Earth's deserts, oceans, sky, animals, and forests. 

In observance of Earth Day, third grade began by discussing why we celebrate the day.  They brainstormed ideas and asked the questions: Are we all doing our part in taking care of the earth? Are we picking up trash or walking over it?  Are we really conserving water and electricity? Can we be more aware and take the lead in doing what we say we do?  The class then made Earth Day bookmarks and wrote individual pledges to continue to take care of the Earth. The students were asked to keep their pledges visible as a reminder throughout the year of their commitment.

Fourth through eighth grade students had the opportunity to hear from Jessica Lebovits, Area Director, Israel Advocacy and Education Western Region of the Jewish National Fund.  Jessica talked about the importance of conserving water and described how much water we actually use every day.  The students learned about the JNF's involvement in Israel to procure viable and sustainable water sources.  Some of the efforts that JNF is involved in are drilling for underground water sources, and recycling water.  Israel is the world's leading nation in water recycling, recycling 77% of its water, with the goal of reaching 95% by the year 2020!  Spain is the next highest country to recycle water at only 13%. The United States recycles less than 10% of its water. 

In addition, fourth grade and middle school had the opportunity to work with Orit, a visiting professor and researcher at Caltech (and Gili and Hagar's mother).   Fourth grade experimented with water and learned about the water cycle.  Orit discussed global warming, specifically relating to water and the future use of water, with middle school. 

Look out for upcoming Holiday Happenings about Lag BaOmer and Shavuot as celebrated here at Weizmann!!

Last Wednesday, the middle school went to Knott's Berry Farm for their Adventures in Science: Energy and Motion class.  After learning about gravity, inertia, Newton's Laws, centripidal force, and clothoid loops, the students had real hands-on learning experiences by riding the rides that use all the energy and force they had just learned about. They rode Sidewinder, Boomerang, Pirate Ship, Silver Bullet, Ghost Rider, Jaguar, Montezuma's Revenge, La Revolution, and the Hat Dance.  Such an amazing day! Thank you to P.T.O. for sponsoring this incredible day!!!

An Epic Thank You from Middle School! 

Our epic clothing and toy sale was very successful.  Thank you to all of the parents and children who brought in their gently used items for us, and thank you to all who purchased clothes and toys that were "new" to them.  We made over $170 for our mitzvah project, the Pasadena Mothers' Club, which is a local organization whose Family Learning Center is a "non-profit organization that prepares families living in isolation and poverty to succeed in school and in life through two-generation learning programs.  The Mothers' Club provides FREE social services and educational programs to low-income, at-risk families with children ages 0-5."  

You will not want to miss the State of the School Evening! The results of the Parent Survey will be presented along with information about this year's progress and growth. Join us on May 1, 7:30 pm, in Knell Chapel.

Weizmann Day School has 5 stars and 36 reviews on Greatschools.org. Please go on the website and add your comments, too!