By Dakota Wilkinson, Grade Level Coordinator Grades 4-5 and Classroom Teacher Grade 5 Orange
As our students progress to Grade 5, they embark on a three-day, two-night camp. We understand that this may cause some anxiety for both students and parents, especially considering it is often the first time students stay away from home. To alleviate these thoughts, we designed the Grade4 Sleepover to build confidence in both students and parents, creating a positive foundation for future experiences.
Curriculum Connection: Mind and Body Unit
The Grade 4 Overnight Stay seamlessly integrates with our current Unit 3 curriculum, focusing on the mind and body. This unit, explores key aspects such as student wellbeing, confidence, motivation, agency, and authenticity.
The Grade4 students immersed themselves in a series of engaging rotations after school hours, including Yoga, Survivor Challenge, Music, Scavenger Hunt, Aikido, and Team Building activities. Each rotation lasted 30 minutes, allowing students to explore various aspects of the mind and body. The evening continued with a delightful pizza dinner, a party disco, and a cozy movie session watching "InsideOut."
Afterward, students made their beds and settled down in the Aula for a night's sleep. They awoke to music at 6:30, packed their belongings, and started the day with a delicious breakfast, marking the beginning of a new school day filled with energy and enthusiasm.
Resilience, teamwork and joy
We are proud of the resilience, teamwork, and joy demonstrated by our Grade4 students throughout this memorable night. The Grade 4 Sleepover not only contributed to their personal growth but also laid the groundwork for the upcoming Grade 5 camp and future stays away from home.
They will be extra tired as they come home today, ready for a shower and hopefully off to bed!