Leveling Up Leaders!

Year 4, Session 1, Week 3

Improvement and striving for excellence have been at the forefront this week! Our learners have had several socratic discussions about what systems are working well and which need revising. They have voted on and implemented changes for the betterment of the tribe. After a few days of trying something new, the heroes always reflect and provide feedback. We are always evolving at ALA to be better than the day before!

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A guide poses with three children in a dance studio with mirrors and mats

Young child holds a jump rope on a sunlit pavement outside

A young hero sits on a porch beside chalk drawings and a purple tray of supplies

Two heroes kneel on the sidewalk drawing with chalk beside a purple tray

A young hero walks across a parking lot carrying a blue hula hoop near a basketball goal and orange cones

A young hero in an orange vest steps along a curb beside seated guides outside the school

Two chickens pecking on grass beside a fence and a wooden coop box

Four children run across a grassy field near school buildings on a sunny day

Four children play on grass by a chain-link fence and wooden box outdoors

A hero shoots a basketball toward a portable hoop outside near parked vans and power lines

A young hero kneels on a rug, threading red letters onto a lacing board in a classroom

Two children play with dinosaur figures on a classroom rug while other heroes build blocks nearby

A young learner feeds a chicken inside a fenced coop outdoors

Five children sit on a rug playing with a colorful spinner in a classroom

Two boys lie on a rug playing a round color game with red, blue, green, and yellow sections

Three young boys build with magnetic blocks on rugs in a classroom

A young hero uses a laptop at a table in a classroom

Two learners work on laptops at a classroom table

A young learner sits on a classroom rug with toy dinosaurs spread around a map mat

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Quest - “Build the Tribe”

A great way to strengthen a community is through playing games! When playing a board game you strengthen skills such as communication, strategizing, honesty, patience, and perseverance. How will you handle defeat? What should you do if you know someone else isn’t playing by the rules? What can you try if you get confused or struggle? In the Elementary Studio, the learners played the games of Snake Oil, Life, and Clue during quest time. These were new to everyone so they had to learn how to navigate the rules together. “Life” quickly became a group favorite!

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A learner sits on a rug in the Elementary Studio beside card game stacks and green cubbies

Learners' card games scattered on a patterned rug during quest time

A smiling learner crouches on a rug beside game cards in the Elementary Studio cubbies

Boy lies on carpet playing a board game with cards nearby and green bags on shelves in the background

A learner sits on the rug holding cards beside a colorful board game in the Elementary Studio

Two learners sit on the floor learning a board game together during quest time

Clue board game spread on the floor with cards and pawns during quest time

Girl sits cross-legged on a rug, writing on a scorepad beside a Clue game board during quest time

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Art

In continuation from last week, the Little Heroes made another masterpiece in Henri Matisse’s paper cutting style. Abstract shapes in bold colors adorn brightly colored backgrounds. Additionally, both studios began discussing space due to the “Super Blue Moon” that took place on Wednesday. We listened to a song about the planets, and then each learner crafted their own planet by weaving yarn around cardboard circles. Throughout the week, the Little Heroes practiced a layering technique with paint and created beautiful canvases of the full moon. Once completed, they were treated to a moon pie snack by our guide Ms. Gigi!

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Three children at a table weave yarn around cardboard circles with colorful papers and a vase of yellow flowers

A young hero cuts colorful paper at a table beside a vase of yellow flowers

Six colorful Matisse collage artworks are arranged on a wooden floor

Five children stand in a hallway holding colorful Matisse art projects

Two heroes paint a black-and-white moon canvas together at a table

Three boys paint black cardboard squares at a classroom table in a classroom

Two learners paint moon canvases at a classroom table during a moon craft activity

Two learners sit at a table with moon-themed craft boards and art supplies in a classroom

Seven blue canvas paintings of moons arranged on grass

Three children sit at a picnic table outdoors, eating moon pies beside a white building

Young heroes paint cardboard circles at a classroom table during a full moon art activity

Children sit around a table working with small trays in a blue classroom during Leveling Up Leaders

Three children sit at a table making string art in the classroom

Two boys work at a table, one holding a colorful rubber-band ball in a classroom

A young hero in pink glasses threads yarn on a classroom craft table

Young girl with a yellow bow threading yarn at a table

Hanging red string art ornament in a school hallway with a private school sign in the background

Colorful yarn-wrapped circular craft hangs by a blue string in front of a classroom window

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Writer’s Workshop - Poetry

This week we learned about odes! Odes are poems that praise something or someone by expressing emotion. They often rhyme but it isn’t a requirement. We read “Ode to My Socks” by Pablo Neruda and analyzed his use of descriptive word choice. ES worked on their first draft of an ode to present at exhibition. On Thursday, they wrapped up their first drafts of an ode, free verse, and haiku then it was on to revisions!

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Little Hero’s Studio

The Little Heroes put their baking skills to the test when they made a banana cake from scratch! LHs practiced using their fine motor skills when mashing bananas and cracking eggs. They all got to enjoy their creation at the end of the day and shared some with the older learners. Additionally, they expanded their critical thinking skills by planning, and conducting, their own scavenger hunt! The scavenger hunt had them traversing the building looking for certain items that fellow heroes hid based on clues. Another highlight from the week was when Tucker read to his peers outside. At ALA we encourage our learners to step up as leaders! We love to see their growth as they rise to these challenges daily.

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Baking ingredients and measuring cups spread across a table in a classroom

Two heroes share a snack at a classroom table with bowls, forks, and drink cartons

Two heroes stir ingredients in a bowl at a table during a classroom activity

Two children mix ingredients in a bowl during a cooking activity at a table

Two learners stir a bowl together at a classroom table with a tray nearby

Two boys stir a yellow mixture in a bowl at a classroom table

A foil pan of baked dessert drizzled with chocolate sits in front of a toaster oven

Tray of dessert bars topped with chocolate drizzle, chocolate chips, and colorful sprinkles

Five learners on bean bags give thumbs up around a snack tray in a classroom

Children line up barefoot indoors during a scavenger hunt, holding a paper clue

Four children walk through a classroom past rugs, shelves, and easels

A boy reads from a book to four seated children on a wooden deck outdoors

A young hero sits on a chair reading to four seated children on a wooden deck outdoors

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