Advent Giving Tree

OLS parishioners and school families participate in the Advent Giving Tree program, which helps provide Christmas gifts to needy families in our area.  Some of our 7th grade students are helping to collect, organize, and distribute the gifts as part of their Confirmation service hours.  Our community has been exceptionally generous in donating to this program this year.

Just a small portion of the gifts OLS has purchased for needy families.

We will take a break from our regular posts while our faculty, staff, and students enjoy their Christmas break.  All of us at OLS wish you and your family a blessed Christmas and a joyful new year!

Variations on Rudolph

Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer brings Christmas cheer to Mrs. Hodgson's room.

In reading, the first graders read three different versions of Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer.  The students compared and contrasted each version and then created a written summary, retelling the story in their own words.  After the written work was finished, they each crafted a special Rudolph to brighten the classroom.

Buddies Share Christmas Stories

Our 7th and 2nd graders recently teamed up to celebrate the Christmas season.  The junior high students joined their 2nd grade buddies to share a snack and read some Christmas stories.  Divided into pairs, the younger students enjoyed listening to Christmas tales such as The Night Before Christmas and Santa Calls.

Listen in as one of our students reads Olive, the Other Reindeer to his buddy:

The Jesse Tree

In Mrs. Eldridge's religion class, the sixth graders worked together to create a Jesse Tree.  Each student made an ornament representing the symbols of the Old Testament and New Testament stories. This Advent activity helped prepare the students for the Christmas season and complemented their recent studies of the Old Testament.

Winter Concert

The OLS Concert Band wows the audience with their polished performance.

Last Thursday, our bands and choirs treated us to an evening of upbeat and spirited Christmas music.  Directed by Mr. Hasenstab, the Concert Band includes students in grades 5-8 while the Beginning Band is made up of 4th grade students.  Both groups played several selections, from marches and jazz tunes to variations on Christmas standards, which showcased the vast musical talent of our OLS students.

In addition to the band performance, the primary and middle grade students sang several Christmas songs.  The OLS choirs are directed by Mr. Vizer, and they performed with great poise and energy.  From the primary's Run, Run, Reindeer to the middle grades' Candy Cane Twist, the choral selections left the audience tapping its toes and cheering for more.

Spirit Saturday #9

The image of Mary that appeared on Juan Diego's tilma.

Last week, OLS hosted an Advent family night during which children learned about Our Lady of Guadalupe.  In 1531, Mary appeared in a small Mexican town to an Aztec indian named Juan Diego.  Upon hearing of the apparition, the local bishop did not believe Juan Diego's story and asked for a sign that would prove his claim.  Mary provided a sign by imprinting an image of herself on Juan Diego's tilma, a long, cloth cape worn by the Aztecs.  Seeing this proof, the bishop finally believed Juan.  Today, Our Lady of Guadalupe is recognized as the Patroness of the Americas.

At the OLS Advent night, families watched a recreation of Juan Diego's encounter with Mary and then made tilmas like Juan Diego's.

First Reconciliation

An excited second grader poses with our pastor, Fr. Pete.

On November 19th, the OLS second graders received the sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time.  Our faculty, particularly Mrs. Huelsing, worked with the students over the past several months to prepare them for this important sacrament.  We are so proud of our students as they take this big step in their faith formation!

Mrs. Huelsing leads the second graders out of church.

Breakfast with Santa

All smiles for this OLS family as they visit with Santa.

Last weekend, the OLS Home & School Association hosted their annual Breakfast with Santa.  At this popular event, school and parish families gathered to make ornaments and decorate cookies, shop in Santa's gift shop, enter gift basket raffles, and of course, enjoy pancakes and sausage before visiting with our favorite North Pole resident.  It was a wonderful morning and fun for all members of our community!

Marc Brown Month

In Mrs. Hodgson's reading class, the first graders spent the month of November learning about Marc Brown, the author of the popular Arthur series of books.  The students learned about characters, plot, and setting, as well as the different roles of authors and illustrators.  After reading the Arthur stories, the class worked together to summarize what happened in each one.

The first graders also tried their hand at Arthur-inspired art projects!  They drew portraits of Arthur in the style of Marc Brown and created Arthur masks.  To practice their spelling words, they created Arthur bookmarks, which included their short e words.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Yesterday, OLS was closed in observance of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  Our faculty, staff, and students joined with other Catholics across the country to honor Mary on her feast day.

Mary, our lady of sorrows, help us to say yes when God calls us.

Spirit Saturday #8

 
Instrument cases lining the hallway can mean just one thing: the OLS band is in session!  Students in grades 4-8 are eligible to participate in the band program, receiving both small group and full ensemble instruction.  If you'd like to hear our bands perform, join us this Thursday at 7:30 in Faenger Hall for our annual Winter Concert.

Math and Thanksgiving Dinner

The sixth grade math students planned, shopped, and prepared the grocery lists for a Thanksgiving dinner.  Each student figured out the cost of a turkey dinner for the number of family and friends with whom they celebrate on Thanksgiving.  To do so, they studied the grocery store ads and then calculated the cost per person for a delicious dinner.

 Closely studying the ads, the sixth graders put math into a real-world context.

Playground Construction

The preschoolers at OLS are thrilled with a new addition that is currently underway: playground equipment!  Inclement weather has delayed installation somewhat, but the students are patiently awaiting the project's completion.  Once finished, the playground is sure to become a fan favorite!

All bundled up, the preschoolers excitedly watch the installation of the new playground.

Mass Participation and Leadership

Reading, carrying up the gifts, and singing: the OLS students do it all!

OLS students attend Mass once or twice per week with all-school Masses on Wednesdays and levels Masses on Fridays.  This fall, the first graders have been given the privilege to lead both an all school Mass and a primary levels Mass.  Their role is to read from the lectionary, lead the responsorial psalm, pray the petitions, carry up the Offertory gifts, and lead the congregation in song as members of the school choir.  Their favorite song is "Make a Joyful Noise to Our God."  You can often hear the children singing up to their classroom after Mass.

A sample of their favorite song:

The first grade parents really play an important role in their children's preparation for the Mass.  They have been such wonderful support by practicing the readings at home.  We hope that by taking on these roles as Mass leaders when they are young, our students will want to become lectors and choir members in the future.

Way to go, first grade!!

8th Grade Trivia Night

From preparations the night before to dressing up to work the event, the class of 2015 put their all into creating a trivia night for their friends and families.

Each year, the eighth grade class undertakes special fundraising efforts to help offset some of the graduation-related expenses.  In mid-November, the OLS class of 2015 hosted a trivia night for friends and family.  This pirate themed event, called a "not-so-serious" trivia night, involved hard work for all the eighth graders.  From marketing to decorations and from bussing tables to donning pirate garb, the students (and their parents!) worked together to make the night a success!

The OLS pirates of 2015.

Paper Bag Saints

The second graders proudly display their paper bag saints.

To celebrate the lives of saints during the month of November, the second graders created paper bag saints.  Each student was assigned a different saint, taught a few facts about the saint's life, and given a paper bag.  The students then learned what the saint looked like and worked to fashion their paper bag into a replica of the saint.  Once finished, the second graders toured the school, sharing their new-found knowledge of the saints with the rest of the student body.

Listen in as our second graders share their saints with you, too:

St. Elizabeth of Hungary

St. Therese of Lisieux

 St. Francis of Assisi

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our students have worked on many projects this month to express their thankfulness for the many blessings in their lives.  In the primary hallway, the first graders have filled the walls with gratitude, including this prayer:

Thank you for the world so sweet.
Thank you for the food we eat.
Thank you for the birds that sing.
Thank you, God, for everything!

So many reasons to be thankful.

We will take a break from posting during the school's Thanksgiving holiday.  The OLS community wishes you and your family a happy Thanksgiving!

A Day in 8th Grade

Social hour: the 8th graders take a break from their studies to enjoy lunch together.

Follow an OLS eighth grader for a day, and you will find them working in small groups in science, playing in the school band, studying and researching independently in the computer lab, performing various jobs throughout the school, and socializing as a large group at lunch.  These students lead the rest of the student body by their example, and what a fine example they provide!

Spirit Saturday #7

Today, our parish will be assembling Love Baskets, Thanksgiving dinners to deliver to those in need.  The OLS preschoolers and their families contributed to this important project.  The children brought in canned vegetables and cranberry sauce and then decorated them in their art centers.  Once complete, the preschoolers donated their artwork and canned goods to the Love Basket Committee.  While working on this project, the students learned about the importance of doing for others.

These cute canned goods are sure to bring joy to their recipients.

Schoola Clothing Drive

Last month, the OLS Home & School Association invited all school and parish families to clean out their closets and donate their gently used, name-brand clothing to a Schoola clothing drive.  Schoola sells the donated items in their online store and sends 40% of the profits back to OLS.  Clean closets + cash for our school = win-win fundraising.

Packed and ready to ship: 16 boxes of clothes donated by OLS families.

If you missed our clothing drive, don't fret!  You can donate items to Schoola at any time.  Follow this link to request a bag for OLS, fill it with your gently used clothes, and send it back to them - all at no cost to you.

Boo-tacular Book Reports

Mrs. Banahan's third grade reading class displays their Boo-tacular book reports.  Each student had to read a mystery, and they were very excited to keep reading until they solved the problem!

Plant and Animal Cells

The fourth graders working diligently on their cells.

In science, the fourth graders learned about the structures and functions of an animal and plant cell.  They made a model of the cell using clay and incorporated various items to represent the structures of the cell.  The students enjoyed this hands-on lesson and learned a great deal about cells while doing this project.

Samples of both animal and plant cells created by the fourth grade.

Superhero Stories

 In English class, the sixth graders have been working on a creative writing assignment.  They've been charged with the task of creating a story about superheroes.  Last week, they headed to the computer lab to get their creative juices flowing.

Stay tuned: we'll post an excerpt or two from the stories when they are completed later this quarter!

Bellarmine Speech Team

Our Lady of Sorrows participated in the Bellarmine Speech Meet on Saturday, November 8th at OLS.  Our team did an awesome job!  In the humorous category, Matilda W. received a red ribbon.  In the duet category, the teams of Amy D. & Faith K. and Maggie M. & Hannah H. all received blue ribbons.  Natalie K. & Francesca D. received a gold ribbon-perfect score for their duet.  We are very proud of the way our team represented OLS!  We would like to thank the teachers, students, and parents for their hard work before, during, and after the meet.  OLS is a wonderful place to be!!!

The next meet is February 7th.  Do you want to join our team?  If so, please contact Ms. Schweiss to choose your speech!

Spirit Saturday #6

The OLS Girls on Track and Girls on the Run participants collected leftover Halloween candy for the troops serving overseas. They will ship it to the servicemen and women as part of a care package to thank them for their service to our country. 

Spooky Stories

The third graders share spooky stories that they wrote for Halloween. They turned off the lights and read them in spooky voices while holding a flashlight.  Boo!

Primary Math

Mrs. McGrath shows her primary math groups that numbers can be fun!  After a week of hard work, her first, second, and third graders often celebrate on Friday by playing math games on the SmartBoard.

Eagerly waiting their turn at the SmartBoard.

Egypt Day

The OLS sixth graders recently completed a unit on ancient Egypt.  To fully explore the interdisciplinarity of this topic, they examined Egyptian culture and history from many perspectives, including social studies and art.

Students create sarcophagus designs in preparation for Egypt Day.

They then shared what they learned with the kindergarten students on Egypt Day.  The sixth graders helped the younger students create Egyptian-inspired art projects and taught them some of the history behind such uniquely Egyptian elements as the pyramids, sarcophagus, and Sphinx.

The kindergarten and 6th grade enjoy learning about Egypt together.

Student Reporter News: Family Group Lunch and Recess

This edition of Student Reporter News recaps a recent family group activity.  Eighth graders Sam S. and Samantha L. explain family groups and describe their recent event.

Mrs. Ryan's family group poses for a picture before the kickball game.

 On Wednesday, October 29, 2014, the kids at Our Lady of Sorrows got together with their family groups.  Family groups are groups with kids from every grade in the school, except preschool, led by almost every teacher in the school.  We got together with our family groups to eat lunch and go out to recess together.  It was a fun time to interact with other kids from different grades.  I learned more about each kid in my family group which was really fun. -- Sam S.

Gathering up for some kickball.

This recent Wednesday, October 29, our school had a Family Group Lunch.  This luncheon was very fun and all students took part in the games at recess.  I really enjoyed this luncheon because it allowed even kindergartners to play the same game as kids my age.  I heard from lots of kids that they had a great time and really enjoyed their lunch and recess.  I am in Mrs. Siekerman's family group and as one of the two eighth graders, I helped all the little kids get set at lunch and also have a great time playing kickball at recess. -- Samantha L.

One of the older students pauses the game to help tie her teammate's shoes.

Science Band

The seventh grade has been learning about waves, what they are, and the different types of waves.  They learned about the properties and behavior of waves.  Students were given an assignment to make a musical instrument that was capable of playing three distinct notes and a song.

They created instruments ranging from water glasses to rubber bands, carrots and cucumbers to soda bottles and straws.  In all the instruments, they observed the results of the sound waves.  The students used their instruments to play Hot Cross Buns, Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Mary Had a Little Lamb, as well as some tunes they composed themselves.  Take a listen for yourself!  Check out the last 25 seconds to hear the full band improvising together:

What an impressive Science Band!

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Editor's note:  Low video quality due to the size restrictions of the blog hosting site.  If you want a better quality video, send us an e-mail at olsorrowsblog AT gmail DOT com.

Spirit Saturday #5

At the beginning of the school year, the eighth grade class selects a theme for the academic year.  This year's theme is emblazoned on a banner that hangs in the main stairwell:

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Short Vowels and Curious George

In Mrs. Hodgson's first grade reading group, the students have been learning about the short vowel sounds of a, i and short u.  They also learned the digraph th and sh.  They finished their first reader, reviewed material since the beginning of the year, and took the Unit 1 Test.  It was long, but the children did great!  They filled in the dots for the multiple choice questions, just like the big kids.  There was a writing portion of the test where the students wrote statements, questions, and exclamations!  They have also been reading lots of Curious George books, by H. A. Rey.  They now know that an author writes the book, and an illustrator makes the pictures.

The first graders practiced these short u words for their spelling test.

Hallway Art

A glimpse of some student artwork on display this month: