Lower School Challenges & Resources

Summer Skies Flashlight Constellations

Long summer nights are here, and what a great way to explore the stars in the dark with a flashlight and some paper. Start creating your own summer skies here.

Estimated time: 15-20 minutes

Make a fluffy POM POM fast using just your hand, some yarn, and a pair of scissors, featuring Ms. Townhouse's daughter!

My daughter and I had a BLAST making these pom poms this week. We wrapped the yarn around our hand about sixty times. Yes, count to sixty! Go through the steps here!

Estimated time: 10 minutes

Make a simple stomp rocket out of a juice pouch!

Materials needed:

Empty Capri Sun or other plastic juice container (you'll be stepping on this box to launch your rocket)
Flexible Drinking Straw
Colored Paper
Pencil
Tape
Scissors
Glue Stick
Washi Tape (optional)

Estimated time: 15 minutes

Click here to learn how to put together all your materials and launch your juicebox rocket into the air!

Check out all the nominees for the Beverly Cleary Children's Choice awards, 2020! This year's titles are all free and accessible as eBooks, readaloud videos, or PDF files! Get started reading or listening to this very special list here!

Looking for some eBooks in Hebrew? Click here to browse the International Children's Digital Collection for resources in Hebrew and 70 other languages, too!

Calling all paper airplane folding pros!

Do you love folding the perfect paper airplane? Can you make it aerodynamic? Check out this collection of paper airplane templates from The Smithsonian Museum (instructions and colorful paper included!) to get your projects off the ground and in the air!

Want to dig deeper?

Read more about how gravity works here.

Then sign up to create a digital paper airplane to have your aircraft take the distance challenge. How far can it travel? Can it fly farther than the others?

Open Library

This is an incredible source for children's books. You can find the book you want to read and share. Plus, it's free to sign up! Check it out here.

Are you a recent graduate of the Mo Willems #molunchdoodles program? Receive your diploma, and enjoy your graduation gift here!

Lower School Challenge #5: Travel the World From Home.

Select ONE "destination" in the Travel the World From Home section on this site. This location should be new to you. Maybe you've always wanted to check out the live cam of the porcupines at the Houston Zoo or maybe you've been meaning to listen to season 3 of "Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls" podcast. Either way, you choose! We will be using our explorations to reflect after the Passover break!

Here's a link to a beautiful Haggadah for your Passover Seder.

Lower School Challenge #4: Building a small town or scene with your "empties."

In my household, we are accumulating so many recyclables, from empty pasta boxes and milk cartons to paper towel rolls. We also have so many odds and ends (glue, questionable veggies, felt, yarn, paint, rocks, etc.)

Here's the finished result! We first painted the boxes, made some blue slime, added a solar panel, a candle chimney, felted a rainbow and a cat, and searched for old, leafy things in the fridge.

Pie Paperweight!

My daughter and I ran out of air-dry clay (I am a huge fan of Crayola clay), so we decided to make our own. We let these dry for about three days before we painted them. Here's a recipe for easy, no-cook air-dry 3-ingredient clay, using everyday kitchen staples:

Large mixing bowl + measuring cups

2 cups flour

3/4 cup salt

3/4 cup warm water

Ziploc bag (to store any leftover clay)

In the mixing bowl, measuring and add all three ingredients. Use your hands to knead the dough for about 2-3 minutes. If the clay becomes dry while you're making art, simply add a bit of water. You can store any unused clay in a Ziploc bag.

To make the pie paperweight: Simply roll your clay and cut a triangle (we used clay tools for this part). Add a strip on the top of the triangle for the crust. Next, roll as many balls of clay as you'd like, varying the sizes (you can do cherries or blueberries or even apples!). Lastly, cover your pie in more clay strips, overlapping them in a criss-cross to look like real lattice work! Let dry for 3 days - week before painting. Clay will turn a bright white as it dries. This is a good thing! You can achieve that "glossy" kiln-fired look by using Mod Podge as a sealant after your paint dries.

LOWER SCHOOL CHALLENGE #2

Calling all builders! Choose ONE of the challenges on the LEGO calendar, then share a photo of your creations here (don't forget to put your name on it!). We can't wait to see what you create this week. Keep checking back to see your friends' creations!

You can also email your LEGO creations to us:

Ms. Citrin

rcitrin@bernardzell.org

Ms. Townhouse

atownhouse@bernardzell.org

PARENTS! TEACHERS! Need great ideas to help in your work with your homebound students? Check out this selection of helpful resources chosen by expert Library of Congress staff:

Library of Congress Resources

Storytime from Space!

Experience all of Frida Kahlo's artwork here.

What's your wonder? Ever wonder how much the sky weighs or where the oldest city in The United States is located? Click here to find answers and ask questions!

Lower School Challenge #1: Become a Citizen Historian

You are now a historian. Starting on Thursday, March 19th, keep a digital journal detailing what you are seeing in the news; how the world, the nation, your friends, neighbors, and family are responding to this pandemic.

You can also use one of your other talents as you see fit (drawing, poetry, songwriting, etc.)

Try to document each day.

You are creating a primary source that that can be used by people in the future to learn about our lives during this crisis from your unique perspective.

Be authentic. Be honest. Be reflective.

Sample Guiding Questions:

You can write anything you like about your experiences.

The following is a list of potential prompts you can respond to.

1) What did the government announce/declare implement today?

-Does it make sense?

-Does it impact your life? Why or why not?

-How did your family respond?

2) What is open in your neighborhood? What is closed?

3) What does your neighborhood look like? Are people walking around?

4) How is today different from yesterday for you, your family, our nation, the world?

5) What do you need that you might not have, have enough of, or have no access to acquire?