April at Tiger Cub Immersion School was a month of discovery, growth, and celebration, as students explored the captivating theme of "Trees" before turning their attention to caring for our planet during Earth Day. From observing the changing seasons in our neighborhood to tending to seeds and plants of our own, April was filled with hands-on experiences that nurtured curiosity, academic development, and a deep appreciation for the natural world.
Our journey into the theme of "Trees" took students on an adventure exploring the characteristics, life cycles, and inhabitants of trees in our community. Students learned about a variety of trees, including maple, oak, and cherry blossom, through stories such as "Plant the Tiny Seed," "The Busy Tree," and "A Tree Is A Home." Inspired by these texts, students experimented with watercolor paints, tissue paper, and recycled materials to create tree-themed artwork, including seasonal tree collages and a collaborative classroom tree adorned with arboreal animals and insects. Our younger students honed their fine motor skills by potting pretend plants and building with Unifix cubes, while our older students sorted trees by their distinct characteristics and crafted nests, owls, squirrels, and caterpillars. Students also participated in guided neighborhood walks and garden visits, recording their findings in nature journals.
April was a month of growth in academic pursuits, as students continued to develop their language, math, and problem-solving skills. Students practiced writing the Chinese characters 水 (shuǐ), 土 (tǔ), 门 (mén), 包 (bāo), and 九 (jiǔ) while expanding their vocabulary through stories like "Owl Babies" and "Forest Bright, Forest Night." Our younger students worked on identifying shapes and recognizing letters, exploring words with the /x/ sound such as ox, box, fox, and axolotl, while our older students practiced counting up to 20 and strengthened their classification skills by sorting animals, insects, and recyclable materials into categories.
April was also a month of meaningful celebrations, beginning with a festive Easter Egg Hunt on the playground, where students collected colorful eggs filled with surprises after decorating their own paper bag baskets. The latter half of April brought excitement as students immersed themselves in caring for our planet during Earth Day. Through stories like "Change Starts With Us," "I Can Save the Earth," and "What A Waste," students learned about conserving resources, sorting waste, and making thoughtful choices to reduce pollution. Students explored the meaning behind this important day through hands-on activities, including painting the Earth, germinating chia seeds, rolling wildflower seed balls, repurposing plastic bottles into painted vases, and creating a collaborative collage from natural materials gathered on a nature walk.
As April draws to a close, we are excited to welcome the month of May and embark on a new theme: "Buildings," where students will explore what makes our school special and how different spaces are designed and used. Stay tuned for another month of fun, learning, and discovery at Tiger Cub Immersion School!
Students learned about different types of trees, including maple, oak, and cherry blossom trees.
Students used watercolor paints to create artwork inspired by nature.
Students crafted a variety of tree-dwelling animals and insects this week, including squirrels, owls, and insects.
Students created tree collages by attaching crumpled tissue paper and using images of their own bodies to represent the tree trunks.
Students explored the garden and recorded their observations in their own nature journals.
Students sorted trees by their distinct characteristics.
Students tended to classroom plants and the garden, raking the soil and watering the plants.
In celebration of Earth Day, students germinated chia seeds by adding water and cotton balls together with the seeds to a container and covering it to create a moist and humid environment for the seeds to sprout. Students also observed sprouting potatoes, as well as shaped soil into spheres before rolling them in wildflower seeds to create seed balls.
Inspired by "My First Earth Day" by Karen Katz and "What A Waste" by Jess French, students practiced scooping "trash" out of the water to help clean ocean animals' homes.
Students collected colorful Easter eggs scattered on the playground!
