Potomac Stories

On Wednesday, November 19, our third-grade classes successfully navigated the world of engineering to create a thrilling Cardboard Carnival for the Lower School students! Students utilized the basic engineering design process as their roadmap, tackling the essential question: "How can we use the engineering design process to create something that others can use?" 

They learned how to plan and improve their designs to ensure their carnival games were fun, functional, and ready for our Lower School students. This process helped them understand that starting to design is the key to creating a successful game.

Most importantly, the students discovered that "sharing ideas and working together help us to create amazing things." Through powerful collaboration and creativity, our third graders worked as a team to design and build amazing, functional games and accompanying elements entirely from cardboard.

Last week, our second graders took an educational field trip to Riverbend Park to dive into the rich history and culture of the Native Americans of the Potomac region. Students had the opportunity to learn about the customs, values, and ongoing contributions of indigenous people. They discovered how to appreciate and care for the plants, animals, and the environment. During the trip, students enjoyed a short hike along the river, searching for food, herbal medicine, and tools. They got hands-on experience by exploring artifact replicas, shooting a bow and arrow, and engaging in storytelling traditions. It was an unforgettable day of learning and discovery!  

Grade 3 began their buoyancy unit by testing a variety of objects to see if they sink or float, complete with water separating light into the light spectrum—creating a rainbow!

Grade 3 had a big day today with Fairfax County's Watershed Education Outreach team. They participated in water quality testing and a benthic macroinvertebrate study on Pimmit Run. The sun was shining, then the rain came, and then they found an eel and a snake! Students tested the Pimmit Run stream where it runs behind Potomac for dissolved oxygen, pH, and phosphate. All levels came back in a good range, which made the students proud. Though the benthic macroinvertebrates were low in number, they found hellgrammites of all sizes, leeches, caddisfly larvae, and clams. Mr. McEwen's class had the fun of observing a Northern Water snake shedding its skin! See photos from the day (to view photos on Panther Prints, use the password found on the CampusNET homepage).

The Grade 3 Tech Committee completed episode four of their TV show "Tiny Mic Talks." Students were out and about interviewing all members of the Potomac community over the past few months. This student-led production involves scriptwriting, filming, interviewing, digital design, and editing. Please take a moment to enjoy their coverage of Potomac's spring events, including a special report from Around the World – including interviews with parent volunteers, students, and more! 

The Lower School Middle Eastern Heritage Lunch Bunch was a delightful gathering for our Lower School friends. They nibbled on dates, shared words in their languages, discussed their backgrounds, listened to Middle Eastern music, and connected on similarities that they share with each other. One humorous moment was when they shared how, when a family member tells you "Inshallah" (the literal Arabic translation is "God-willing"), which is used interchangeably with hopefully or maybe, the kids all agreed it really means 'no.' Thank you to Ms. Pardesi, our diversity, equity, and inclusion coordinator, who designed a meaningful lunch for our young friends. Check out the photos from their lunch.