Moorestown Friends hosted the 43rd annual Lower School Grandparents and Special Friends Day on Friday, October 24 for families in kindergarten through fourth grade. More than 300 grandparents and special friends attended to help make the day memorable for students, including visitors from California, Georgia, and Arizona — we even had grandparents in attendance from India and Australia!
Guests gathered in the Red Gym Friday morning for refreshments and performances by fourth grade students. The program included a xylophone melody as well as a vocal performance of John Lennon’s “Imagine.” Following the performance, grandparents were addressed by Head of School Larry Van Meter, who welcomed them to MFS.
Grandparents then proceeded to their grandchildren’s classrooms, where they learned about curriculum and had the opportunity to see it in action. Many grandparents were able to see the Responsive Classroom approach to classroom community building, Writing Workshop, and Reading Workshop.
In the West Gym, students in kindergarten and second grade shared activities from music, Spanish, and PE. The kindergarteners sang “All God’s Critters Got a Place in the Choir” and led a movement activity called “Jump Jim Joe.” Second graders performed “Family Tree” and “Vitamin Si,” both by Tom Chapin.
First and third grade students had the opportunity to work on a special art and science activity that used principles of design thinking. In the Dining Hall Commons, they were asked to construct towers that could support the weight of a tennis ball. Teams communicated ideas, problem solved, and had fun creating all sorts of structures. Students then discussed the variables in height and weight that affected their projects.
To view photos from Grandparents Day, visit our online gallery!