A Peek Inside Our First Week

There’s a specific kind of magic in the first week back—a mix of fresh slates, big curiosity, and finding our rhythm together. In our studio, we don't dive straight into textbooks. We start by building our culture. Over the last five days, the space transformed into a workshop for hands-on discovery, asking big questions, and laying the groundwork for the year ahead.

Here is a glimpse into our first week.

Around The World Study

Our first morning began in a circle, gathered around stories celebrating the beauty of human connection. We talked about how the world is much like a giant mosaic—our shared human experiences create empathy, while our distinct differences bring vibrant culture and color to the mix. We talked about how we need both sameness and difference in a mosaic in order to create a beautiful picture. This is true in our world, and also in our classroom. 

To turn this big idea into something tangible, the children set to work decorating the covers of their new travel journals with paper mosaic tiles. Each journal quickly became a reflection of its creator—a unique piece of art ready to hold a year's worth of discoveries, questions, and ideas.

On the second day of our Around the World Study, we talked about how each of us is part of the mosaic of our classroom and world and talked about what makes each person unique- their family, their culture, their likes and dislikes, their religion and beliefs, and more. To bring this idea to life, we did a hands-on art project where each student filled their silhouette with what makes them, them!

Celebrating Identity and Loving Who We Are

As the week picked up momentum, our focus turned inward toward self-love and confidence. We spent time reflecting on the qualities that make us unique, brainstorming lists of things we genuinely love about ourselves, and crafting life-sized paper portraits to match.

We also leaned into the power of names with a reading of Chrysanthemum, reflecting on how unique each child’s identity is. Building on that idea, the kids began mapping out their academic, personal, and social goals for the year—learning to embrace the "power of yet" whenever a challenge feels a little out of reach.

Curiosity, Science Experiments, and the Library Walk

In our Science Study, we tackled what it truly means to be a scientist, exploring how researchers observe the world through the Scientific Method. The kids put their observation skills to the test with an experiment using water, ground pepper, and dish detergent. 

That spirit of inquiry carried right into our very first Curiosity Club, where every student explored their personal interests, asked big questions, and selected a topic to begin researching next week.

Meeting Every Learner Where They Are

Behind all the creative energy, we spent time establishing baseline assessments in reading, writing, spelling, and math. Because we believe in low-stress, individualized instruction, these checks were woven naturally into our routine—a few pages of math at a time and short reading conversations—so every child felt supported rather than tested.

Using the Science of Reading framework, we completed our initial spelling inventories. Students will begin bringing home weekly word sorts aligned specifically to their personal learning patterns. 

A Foundation Built to Last

Our first week proved that learning happens best when children feel seen, valued, and genuinely excited to walk through the door.

Thank you to all of our wonderful families for trusting us with your learners and making our very first week so remarkable. We can’t wait to see what week two brings!