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Dem Bones

How I would love to have more time to venture around the school and sit in on classes more often. Everytime I have the opportunity to experience a lesson by one of our teachers, I think about how I wish I could erase years off my current age and become a Lipscomb Mustang myself. I wanted to be a second grader a couple of weeks ago. I knew something exciting was going to take place that morning when our Science Lab Coordinator, Ginger Reasonover, came in the door dressed head to toe in clothing labeling her entire skeletal system.

In the slideshow below you'll see in pictures what students learned about their valuable bone structure. It was a fully rounded class complete with music and movement, lecture, hands-on experience (while piecing together the system with candy bones), and of course, Mrs. Reasonover's personal human display. The children seemed to love it, and what's more important, I bet they could answer some pretty intricate questions about what they learned. Now that's the way to do school!

Elementary News, November 16th, 2009

Click on FULLSCREEN, ZOOM to enlarge, and SCROLL to enjoy this week's newsletter from Mrs. Sharon Farmer, our principal.

Elementary News 11-16-09

Jesus Takes Top Spot

If ever there were a question about the spiritual impact DLES has on its students, the answer was loud and clear at Big Chapel last Thursday. After a spirit-filled song service led by one of our fourth grade teachers Mr. Adams, Mr. Chisam followed with a discussion about the school-wide survey conducted to find out our students' top ten things for which they are most thankful. The survey choices were compiled by our own third grade, with a write-in option, and distributed to representatives of each grade, first through fourth. The children anxiously awaited the answers as each envelope was opened and read, and with every "drum roll, please..." the excitement grew.

The Top Ten Reasons to Be Thankful results:

1. Jesus Dying on the Cross
2. God Creating Us
3. Parents
4. Bible
5. Grandparents
6. Brothers and Sisters
7. Church
8. Teachers
9. Christian School
10. Friends

Go ahead... dry the tears and take a big breath of joy. I know many of us who witnessed it did. To know that this was entirely student-driven, and to watch hundreds of hands go up in celebration for such meaningful reasons... well, it is simply a testimony to the presence of God in this place and the hearts of your children and their peers.

So, so thankful ~
JDG

I Know that I Know

Several days ago I was walking down the hall to run an errand. Rather than go the direction I'd intended, I picked up a scent - oddly enough - of Barbasol??? Was that really what I smelled? So I followed my curiosity to the third grade hallway, made my way into Mrs. Sanders' classroom, and sure enough... my nose had not lied. There, in the midst of foam-covered desks, a most-talented teacher (with shaving lotion can in hand) was reading off spelling words, one by one. To some this might seem a bit strange, but to those of us who love to observe master teachers finding unique ways to reach children and make the learning "stick", it was a great moment. The students were practicing spelling, sharpening their handwriting skills, and enjoying every minute of it. The power of multi-sensory learning... As I read recently in an article at early-advantage.com, "Multi-sensory learning takes advantage of the way our senses—hearing, sight, and touch, primarily—reinforce one another while learning. Each sense builds toward a more complete experience of a concept or idea." When done well, students at the end of such an experience know that they know what they are learning... and that can make all the difference!

Shine bright,
JDG