Yesterday, the Villa Academy 5^th grade bundled up for a day at the beach.  Both classes headed to Whidbey Island for a visit to Deception Pass and a picnic lunch on Rosario Beach.  Fortunately, the questionable weather held off and the fifth-grade was able to enjoy a dry day outdoors.

Their adventure started with a guided tour of the tide pool area and a presentation on the legends and lore of The Maiden of Deception Pass. The tour included opportunities for the students to observe the living organisms that dwell in the tide pools and the tour guides advised students on with specimens were safe to touch and which were for observation only.

After lunch, armed with shovels, trowels, buckets, cookie cutters, a wig, coconut halves, a gallon jug of vinegar, baking soda, PVC piping, and various other materials, the kids “dug in” and began work on their group sand sculptures.

It was busy day, but a very successful fieldtrip!

On March 26th the seventh grade will be going to the Museum of Flight to participate in a Challenger Mission to the Moon. Students will spend half of the day touring the Museum of Flight, and the other half on the Challenger Mission to the Moon.

Preparations will begin a week prior to mission day. Students will work on activities designed to prepare them for their moon exploration including the development of a “Mission Patch” that will be worn in space.

Villa’s budding astronauts will return to the Moon for the first time since 1972 to gather information relevant to the selection of a site for the new moon base.  This very realistic simulation will allow students to experience the actual tasks and activities of a real space expedition. Students work collaboratively in teams, from space and from the mission control center, to conduct experiments and successfully choose a location for the new base.

This spring Villa Academy’s fifth grade students will take their science studies outdoors on an environmental adventure to the Olympic Park Institute: Wednesday, April 21^st through Friday, Friday April 23^rd

The Olympic Park Institute is an overnight camp and field science facility outside of Port Angeles.  The field science education program encourages students to make a personal connection to the natural world and become good stewards of the environment. Activities are inquiry based and focused on the scientific process.

This three-day fieldtrip will coincide nicely with the fifth grade spring science curriculum.   Just prior to their trip, students will participate in a simulation, called “Environmental Detective,” that explores the mystery of why fish are dying in the “Gray Area.”  Then at camp, students will test the health of Barnes Creek and Lake Crescent.

Classroom activities coupled with the Olympic Park Institute field exploratory will help students understand how our actions positively and negatively affect the environment.

Click here for more information on 5^th grade’s trip to Environmental Camp

Everyone looks forward to spring break, but 32 of Villa Academy 7th and 8th graders are especially eager for the upcoming vacation.  Once again students will be visiting Washington D.C. for an exciting glimpse at our nation’s capital and to soak up invaluable lessons about American history. Karen Jones, Jody Elsner, and Kate Brooks are delighted to be chaperoning the trip this year.

The trip’s 5 day itinerary includes Jamestown, Williamsburg, Monticello, and Washington DC.  Parents looking for more information should click here.