First grade field trip to the Maryland Zoo
First Grade kicked off their Quarter 2 exploration of animals with a trip to the Maryland Zoo! They are learning about what animals do in the winter by studying hibernation, migration, and adaptations. Each student is also researching an animal, creating a guessing game and making a painting to present to their families. The zoo trip was the perfect way to explore lots of animals up close!
Fall is here!
This is what our outdoor time looks like at Silver Oaks.
The Sprouts use leaves to create number bonds.
Students head towards an outdoor classroom.
Some days the forest really shows off.
Silver Oaks Celebrates Dot Day in Art!
International Dot Day was September 15, 2022! Our students celebrated “making their mark”.
International Dot Day is based on the book The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. On September 15, 2009 a teacher read Peter H. Renyolds’ book The Dot to his third grade class. This started an international movement to celebrate just making your mark! Learn more at internationaldotday.org
Some art classes at Silver Oaks celebrated dot day this week—
Kindergarten learned about Black artist Alma Thomas and did some dot paintings inspired by her work.
First grade’s dot art was inspired by artist Andrea Nelson. They drew a field of dotted flowers. They made water droplets with pipettes and used their paintbrush’s tippy tippy toes (Thanks Cassie Stephens) to dance some water color on the drops.
Third grade took some beach rocks from Lake Michigan and created painted dot rocks.
Silver Oaks had a great first week back at school!
A parent wrote this for her daughter after the first day of school.
"So, I did a hard thing, and let me tell you,
I feel proud and happy to have done something new.
At times I was excited, and then nervous, even sad,
I think now that I’ve done it, I’m so very glad.
I can do hard things because I’m strong and I’m bright
I just proved to myself, that I’ll be alright
And next time a hard thing comes my way
I know I can handle it, because of today.
Now that I’m braver and a little more willing
I can step by step lead a life more fulfilling
And grow as a person, and bring along others
‘cause what’s the point if we don’t help one another?
So now when something feels a little bit tough,
I can say to myself; “You are strong enough.”
And if I struggle, and there’s times that I will,
I’ll have friends along with me to climb up that hill.
I can’t help but feel that I started something today
That will lead to something big somewhere along the way.”
- Silver Oaks parent
“Can You Guess What I Am?”
The Sprouts Host an Animal Guessing Game
What lays three eggs that hatch in 11-13 days? What North American animal can open jars and doors? What animal weights 300 pounds and hibernates in the winter?
On a warm day in the spring, Ms. Helen and the Sprouts invited their families to the Glen to test their knowledge of North American animals.
The Sprouts researched their chosen animals and crafted clues that were tricky—but not too tricky—and memorized their clues to boot! The audience was sharp; the guessers got the right answer on their first try, at least most of the time.
Tune in next time for more animal guessing game excitement!
Hosts and Contestants (ie students and their families) mingle in the Glen after the Animal Guessing Game.
SOCS Annual Virtual Silent Auction
The day is almost here!
On Friday, April 1, the SOCS Annual Online Auction kicks off. We are so excited to present a plethora of truly wonderful items and experiences, donated by our SOCS families and community, and a wide range of local businesses and organizations.
There will be something for everyone - museum and sports event tickets, wellness packages, games and toys, giftcards, arts workshops, kids’ party packages, and so much more! Take a sneak peak on our auction website now here (use the green “View Items” tab to preview auction items) with more exciting items to come… Happy bidding!
The SOCS Online Auction will kick off on Friday, April 01 at 8pm, and will close on Sunday, April 10 at 8pm.
https://www.biddingowl.com/SilverOaksCooperative
Wrapping up the FunDrive, with many helpers!
SOCS families likely noticed that the storage units that have adorned the parking lot have disappeared! It took a lot of hands to get all the clothing and household goods from the storage container in the parking lot to Value Village.
Get ready….get set….
But like everything at Silver Oaks, it was a community effort!
…Go!
All the donations fit inside the truck, but just barely.
All the clothing we’ve outgrown and books we’ve read too many times will have a second life.
And our donations helped raise money for our school. All told, our community donated:
21 large items (5 cents each)
1397 pounds of housewares (10 cents a pound)
1893 pounds of soft goods (20 cents a pound)
for a grand total of $519.35! Thanks to everyone who donated items, drove the truck, and moved bags and boxes!
SOCS Enjoys the Sunshine
SOCS students and teachers are troopers in all weather, but after a month of hand warmers, soggy boots, and thermal underwear, the school enjoyed today’s blue skies, sunshine, and (relatively) balmy temps.
Winter Book Drive and Read-a-Thon at Silver Oaks Cooperative School
This week…
Silver Oaks students begin a Read-a-Thon that will last though February 25. The Read-a-Thon is a fundraiser for the school, where students collect pledges that support the school, and encourage reading at home, or anywhere! Noses in books as we await warmer days and springtime.
This follows on a successful book drive organized by the SOCS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. The Winter Book Drive is the start of a planned biannual effort to expand the schools library to include more books that represent, celebrate, and affirm the diverse identities of our students and the school community. The Read-a-Thon is the perfect opportunity to dive into Winter Book Drive reading!
Families were encouraged to make concurrent purchases for the Homeless Children’s Playtime Project, from their published wish list for books. Families were also encouraged to support independent, Black-owned bookstores like Loyalty Books in Silver Spring, Mahogany Books in Anacostia and at National Harbor, and Solid State Books in DC.
The Winter Book Drive brought in 56 new books for the SOCS lending library, and 28 books for the Homeless Children’s Playtime Project! We are excited to continue to grow and expand the SOCS library to offer all of our kids opportunities to both see themselves in the books that they read, while also using story as a window into the lives of others in their community.
Silver Oaks Cooperative School has recommendations for home reading on Bookshop.org.
Upcoming Fundraiser!
As a nonprofit school we run several fundraisers each year. One we started last year was an online silent auction. This spring we are continuing the tradition. It’s bound to be full of amazing items to bid on with donations from our members or businesses like Scavenger Hunts by Let’s Roam and Adventures from Scratch. Save the date and check back in March to see more details!
Snow Adventures!
Building Snow People
Exploring snow & ice in water
Snow painting
Snow cooking
Snowcanoes (snow volcanoes)!
Snowcanoes (snow volcanoes)
December Wonders
“This past week was fun as the Acorns explored symmetry with snowflakes, created a spaghetti store, found frozen leaves in ice chunks, and visited our old friend The Creek for a bit. Who can pass up the opportunity to play in a creek on a 60-degree day in December?!” -Ms. Kate, Kindergarten Teacher
Humpty Dumpty STEM Project
“Today, we tried to put Humpty Dumpty back together again! We are going to make a second attempt tomorrow. We think we can possibly do better this time. We used glue, tape and rubber bands. Tomorrow we are trying paper clips and maybe even staples.”
“Also, we are going to fly paper airplanes like Humpty did in the book we have been reading After The Fall by Dan Santat. Please try to make paper airplanes at home this evening to send in with your child. I am terrible at making paper airplanes and am curious at what designs you and your child can come up with.” -Ms. Helen, Sprouts’ Teacher
Glow Gallery
“Last week we ended with a special activity. We watched this video about artists who paint with their mouths or toes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0FEY6JWdUE. I explained how some people (not all) celebrate a holiday called Christmas and one of the traditions is to send out greeting cards. After watching the video I paused on a few pictures and pointed out how detailed and beautiful they were...and how it was amazing that this was not only a great artist who painted it but one who painted without the use of their hands! Then in the afternoon we tried it ourselves to gain a better appreciation of just how talented these artists were. We drew monster pictures for the Glow Gallery and painted them with neon watercolors using only our mouths or feet! Of course we washed the brushes well, tried out our mouths first and then toes, and made sure to sit spaced apart to keep germs from spreading. We all had a blast! It was SO HARD!” -Ms. Annette, Second Grade Teacher and Co-Founder
Flexibility
“The kids worked hard, played hard and learned hard. The word for this week was "flexibility." When you can't have exactly what you want, it's necessary to bend a little. Or when two people want the same thing, being a little flexible helps things along. Otherwise we all get stuck. The kids often hear me ask, ‘Can you be flexible about it?’ Or ‘You were so flexible! Thank you! High five!’” -Ms. Kate, Acorn’s Teacher
October--Diversity Awareness Month
One of the steps Silver Oaks has taken this year to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community is to highlight a different topic each month. For October we are celebrating Diversity Awareness Month. Recently I took my children to a new playground in Columbia, MD that is designed to meet the needs of all. Before we went I asked my kids to think about what made this playground inclusive. As we explored, we discovered all kinds of inclusive design!
A variety of swings are available so all can have fun and be safe.
This pirate ship wiggles and is wheelchair accessible.
Not into climbing? There are lots of sensory activities to explore.
Communication Boards are stationed around for non-speaking people.
A Merry-Go-Round That is Wheelchair Accessible
Ramps provide access, and the structures being low to the ground are great for new walkers.
We went to the Blandair Regional Park in Columbia, MD. This park also has another playground and an agility course. This isn’t the only inclusive playground around. Some others to explore are Clemyjontri Park in Fairfax, Virginia, Opportunity Park in Bowie, and Fairland Regional Park in Laurel. If you go, see if your children can find the ways the playground works for everyone.
The beginning of a new school year!
We got to know each other.
Teachers hit the ropes course.
Sprouts play a game together.
We got reoriented with our indoor classrooms.
The calm before the storm.
The Sprouts display their work.
We talked about our feelings.
Acorns draw feeling from “zones of emotions”.
Oaks create a classroom charter.
We tried new things & returned to familiar things.
First Taekwondo class with Mr. Alex.
Finding friends in the glen.
Saplings explore the creek.
We worked.
Oaks estimate.
Acorns spell.
Woodlands read.
It was a beautiful first week of school!
Special - Introducing Ms Gloria - Kindergarten teacher
Prior to joining Silver Oaks Cooperative School, Ms Gloria taught Third Grade, First Grade, and Early Learning for seven years in nonpublic school settings in Washington D.C. and Maryland. She has studied and uses approaches such as Reggio Emilia, the Project Approach, and play-based learning. Ms. Gloria lives in Adelphi, Maryland with her husband and is a proud mother/grandmother of an adult son and daughter and a 2-year-old grandson! In her spare time, Gloria is a student of history and enjoys volunteering at the Smithsonian Museums, the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) and the National Air and Space Museum (NASM). Ms. Gloria is an avid birder who loves nature, reading, researching, gardening, bicycling and traveling to the great outdoors.
Lucky for us, Ms Gloria answered some of our burning questions in this super exciting interview!
Ms Gloria, what is your favorite book? I enjoy books about nature, animals, travel and history. A few of favorite children’s books that I’ve enjoyed reading to my students this year are a Tiny Seed by Eric Carle, A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston, Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault.
Ms Gloria, what is your favorite food? A few of my favorite foods include berries, watermelon and guacamole and chips.
Ms Gloria, do you have a favorite color? My favorite color is all shades of blue!
The Acorns and Ms Gloria searching for rainbows (with spray bottles in the sun)…
What is your favorite weekend flower? I love growing roses! My favorite flowers are roses, orchids and hibiscus plants.
Is there anything about outdoor teaching that you did not expect? I’ve had a blast teaching this year at SOCS outdoors! As an avid bird lover, teaching in the glen [the outdoor classroom] has brought me closer to our feathered friends. It’s been so cool to sight and hear the songs of woodpeckers, blue jays and cardinals and many other species of birds throughout the day!
Is there anything you particularly love about SOCS? What I love the most about teaching at SOCS is the wonderful, close and supportive community of staff, teachers, parents and students.
Special - Introducing Ms Kate - Aide and substitute teacher
Ms Kate is a proud Yinzer (Pittsburgher) and graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. Her pre-parenthood work was spent at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which was great fun. Then, as life would have it, everything changed all at once--her husband got a job here in DC and they became parents and Ms Kate said good-bye to the Post-Gazette and hello to full-time motherhood. Her foray into hanging out with a classroom full of kids began when her son, then 3, started preschool at Silver Spring Nursery School (SSNS). She began co-oping twice a month and was immediately in awe of the teachers. They were so calm! They knew all the right things to say! Meanwhile, Ms Kate had a migraine by the end of her 3 hour co-op stint! But, she gradually got better and co-oping became a real source of joy and discovery.
Ms Kate considered it a privilege to spend hours with ones children in their classroom--getting to know their teachers, their friends, the other parents... She was all in and wanted more! So, since 2016, Ms Kate have been a teacher's aide--first at one preschool, then at SSNS when a spot as the 4s aide opened up. She felt the luckiest--working in a preschool with an amazing community, supported by teachers deeply dedicated to their task of helping young children and their families learn and grow together…
“…And then came 2020! Of all the silver linings to this hardest of times, our brightest has been SOCS. I am grateful every day for SOCS staff and community. And just like co-oping at SSNS 7 years ago was a revelation, working here has been the same eye-opening experience. The teachers' dedication, skills, joy--it's inspiring, and it's been SO fun working with older kids. I can't tell you how much I enjoy a school day here.”
Ms Kate answered our questions in this super exciting interview!
Ms Kate, what is your favorite book? So hard! This is my top five (for the moment!): Calvin & Hobbes, No Ordinary Time, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, BlackSwan Green, A River Runs Through It, Hamlet. (And My Antonia, Chronicles of Narnia, Wrinkle in Time, Endurance, True Grit, The Kingdom and the Power, Mornings on Horseback—so many good books!)
Your favorite food? Bread and ice cream!
Ms Kate, what is your favorite color? I have two! Blue and green.
Are you a dog person or a cat person? Definitely dog person!
Ms Kate, is there anything about outdoor teaching that you did not expect? To have such excellent weather! Our fall was absolutely perfect! Of all the years to have outdoor learning, this one has been superb.
Is there anything you particularly love about SOCS? Watching the kids do their thing at recess! The energy, the noise, the running---I love it! I also love watching the teachers do their thing, whether it's Ms. Stephanie introduce theater warm-ups and tongue twisters or Ms. Annette singing some wacky songs to the Acorns…there are so many joyful moments I get to stumble upon throughout the day and I just cherish it.