Lower school students are spending the week immersed in experiential learning adventures in and out of the classroom. Experiential learning is at the core of the instructional strategies employed by the educators at MVS to place students’ understanding of the curriculum in the context of the real world.

Such engaged learning is a natural fit for curious lower school learners, and the innovative-thinking faculty make orchestration of schedules look easy.

Third through fifth graders are engaging in themed immersions that include: Rubbish Revised for Rhythm and All Aboard Planet Earth. We found the “Rubbish Revised for Rhythm” group in the music room with Mrs. Hardin where they were hosting two local high schoolers who perform percussion on found instruments.

“Do you prefer to play music on drums or trash?” one sincere 4th grader asked the musical duo.

All Aboard Planet Earth will take their learning off campus, to several outstanding local parks.

Right outside a group in the Survive, Thrive, Stay Alive immersion built tents using limited tools and will later enjoy building a fire, collecting rainwater (weather permitting), geocaching at local park and a few hiking opportunities. Still other students were making banana bread out of overly ripe bananas, getting to know reptiles with a visitor from the Five Rivers Metropark and putting on a play.

If that’s not enough activity, a group of students hosted special guest Carol Gerber, author of over two dozen books. Gerber spoke in the newly renovated library, where eager students packed in to hear a favorite author talk about her writing and recited two-part poetry alongside the engaging author.

The excitement is contagious among students and faculty alike.