Holly is Always Welcome!

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love  Holly! 

Whimsical Tree House

Today's tree house post is by a student with a gift for descriptive narrative!

The Ultimate Tree House

White, pearl-like orbs hang in various sizes like a solar system. Their center - the largest orb with a diameter of 15 feet - hangs nestled between towering trees. Within the orb there lies a kitchen-living room combo with curved windows along the equator. The floor is a polished cherry, and the cabinets are slick and reflective.

As one heads toward the perimeter one will find a total of three much smaller orbs, each with a diameter of 10 feet. One houses a bathroom, another a bedroom, and the last is storage.

Bridges drape like candy worms from mouths to connect the orbs. Stairs twist around trees, and lights hand from branches like noodles.

Along the periphery there lies great plant life of shrubs and tall grasses. Above the periphery hangs a walkway: it forms a circle with wooden panels and trees for columns. Bridges create connections to the orbs from this path and as well as the pathway, have rope handles decorated with flowers.

The Ultimate Tree House

It's summer and school's out! Except school's not out at the Hospital School so our students are dreaming of summer activities. They wrote about their ultimate tree house using this prompt from visualwritingprompts.files.wordpress.com and today we'll highlight one student's poem and another tree house dream tomorrow.

The Ultimate Tree House

Deep in a forest

up in a tree

lies a nice tree house

built just for me.

Up the long ladder

through the trap door

it makes the Queen's palace

look like a bore.

Swings, trampolines, and ropes

oh my!

Down on the zipline

you feel like you fly.

In my big bedroom

there lies a big bed

and on my big pillow

lies my small head.

I love my nice tree house

up in a tree

deep in a forest

built just for me.

Ukeleles and More

The Academic Troubadour Program was able to bring back a student favorite, William the ukulele instructor.  William worked with several students today, not only with ukuleles but also a banjo, mandolin, and guitar.  Student learned several songs in both English and Spanish, and played them after a brief lesson from William.  The instruction also included popular songs such as "Let it Go" and childhood classics such as "How Much is That Doggy in the Window?" Cheerful songs were heard all day and all the student who participated left smiling.

Art with Kim

With music from Madagascar playing in the background, Kim Murdock from Afterschool Art and More led the students through a drawing lesson in a calm and supportive atmosphere. She has been in business working with schools and community programs since 2007 and started coming to the Hospital School in December 2014.  "Doing art in the Hospital School is a good way to connect with even more kids in the community." With her step by step instructions, all of the students were able to successfully create beautiful art! Check out her website and like her on Facebook.

Czar the Elephant

On Wednesday, May 13^th the North Carolina Zoo visited the Hospital School and students being served in the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic.  There was a life size puzzle of Czar put together on the floor for students and staff to see how big elephants really are.  During eye surgery for cataracts Czar was measured and a life size cut out puzzle was made. Students and staff were able to lay down and compare their size to Czar.  Students also got to compare the size if their hands to Gorilla and Polar Bear hands and paws.  Even the biggest students felt small in comparison to these animals.

Space Weather!

Healing and Hope through Science and the Morehead Planetarium brought a mobile dome to the NC Children's Hospital Thursday so children could experience a close up and personal view of "Wildest Weather in the Solar System" and "Constellations". "It is AWESOME!" exclaimed one 5 year old patient, a sentiment that was echoed by older kids and parents alike.

NC Science Museum and Birds!

On Tuesday the NC Museum of Natural Sciences visited the Hospital School.  Students learned that one of the biggest birds is the ostrich who can reach up to 8 feet tall, and one of the smallest is the bee hummingbird, that weights about one ounce.  Feet can tell if a bird lives in the water, the trees, or walks mostly on land, and nests can be made out of almost any material that a bird can find.

Distracted Driving.

The National Distracted Driving Awareness event on April 6th was a great success. A simulator in a full size car was brought into the hospital lobby for people to test drive in order to see how long it took before they crashed. Personal testimonies were presented by family members who had lost people in accidents due to such distractions. Law enforcement officers were also there to provide information. Teachers, students and parents all had a chance to participate in this great community effort through discussions of the dangers of distracted driving, making posters to present at the event, and participation in driving the simulator.

Tar Heel Fans

 

We love the Tar Heels in victory AND defeat.  

Go Heels!!!!

Math Wonder Woman!

Valencia Quiett,one of our UNC tutors, juggles  problems from multiple levels of math all in the same class period - Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Advanced Functions - she does it all without blinking an eye!

Skulls, and Bones, and Ears! Oh My!

The NC Zoo visited with us this week and brought skulls for a few different animals, bones, fur, paw prints, and a giant elephant ear (not real, of course). The kids learned what to look for in a skull to try and determine what kind of animal it was. They learned about polar bears and their fantastic sense of smell.  Did you know that a polar bear can smell a seal under the ice up to 20 miles away? AMAZING!

Invertebrates!

The North Carolina Aquarium visited the Hospital School today and students were able to see and learn about different species of hermit crabs (2 kinds), sea urchins (3 kinds), sea stars, and a horseshoe crab.   Did you know that a hermit crab getting good nutrients from the food it eats determines how fast it will grow? Did you know that horseshoe crabs have blue blood rather than red because it is copper based? Did you know that kids LOVE the aquarium?

 

Thanks to Healing and Hope Through Science for organizing this visit and to Kira and Sam for bringing the sea animals and teaching the class.

Seuss Day

Fun with books, crafts and Dr. Seuss!

Snow Again?

"Hurry Spring!" says the Turtle outside the Hospital School.

Flower Power

Beautiful flowers + talented kids = amazing creations!

 

Kudos to the wonderful staff of 

Healing and Hope Through Science!

"It was AWESOME!"

William Dawson, musician and music educator, brought a collection of stringed instruments to the Hospital School, and by the end of class the children were able to make beautiful music, "almost like it was published" one student said. "Awesome" was a much heard comment about William's visit.