The Student Edited, Weekly Blog of the Walden Community School

 

Weekly

Hello Everyone!!

This week we had our Halloween preformance!! It was amazing and a huge success. From the costumes to practincing, everyonre did great. Now that we finished the Autum preformance, it is now time to do the Winter preformance....

P.S This time we're taking the preformance on the road!!

- Sidney McCall

 

Arts Activities
This week in the Arts at WCS, we put on our first dance and drama performance! Halloween, The Story That Never Ended was written by our very own Sidney McCall and was directed and choreographed by our dance and drama teacher, Paula Gale. Everyone worked hard learning their lines, poems, and dances, and according to our friends and families, we did a great job! We have now begun working on a Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukah/Winter show. While we are still in the early stages of planning and writing, we are really looking forward to presenting our new show and taking it on the road. The Walnuts may be performing in local banks, hospitals, and nursing homes. For art this week, Ms. Gretchen helped us create Halloween themed drawings and paintings. They helped to create a spooky atmosphere for the classroom. Check in next week for more about the arts at Walden Community School.

News & Need-to-knows
In Florida, most Halloween pumpkins are grown in the Northeast and shipped here.  But, it is possible to grow your own with some effort.

Pumpkin growing requires much effort to control all the weeds, pest, and disease that are native to FL and not prevalent in the Northeast.  Pumpkins require well-drained soil with lots of 10:10:10 fertilizer with a slightly acidic soil. Some of the species of pumpkins that grow best in Florida gardens include 'Spirit,' 'Half Moon,' 'Big Moon,' 'Howden', 'Jackpot', 'Munchkin' and 'Jack-Be-Little.'

When planting, put three seeds together, and remove all plants except the strongest one when they are 4 inches tall. Give the remaining vine plenty of room - typically 8 feet in all directions. Pumpkins have both male and female flowers on the same plant. Bees are the best pollinators for pumpkins. Since most varieties mature in 3 to 4 months, seeding should occur by July 4th for Halloween sales. Happy Pumpkin Planting!

- Karin Williamson

Understandings

This week, Carrie and Sasha interviewed our oldest student, Abigail Anderson. Here is what she had to say...

MEET...ABIGAIL ANDERSON!

1. Q. How do you compare Walden to your old school?

    A. I like it better. I miss my friends, but I made great new friends!

 

2. Q. Was it hard to leave your old school?

    A. Yes, I had been there since 6th grade.

 

3. Q. How did you hear about Walden Community School?

    A. My teacher, Mrs. Bentley.

 

4. Q. What is your favorite part of Walden?

    A. My friends and the laid-back enviornment.

 

5. Q. What is your subject?

    A. I like chemistry.

Trivia (For Trick or Treaters!)

- Halloween was originally a Celtic holiday called Samhain Eve of All Hallow's Eve celebrated on October 31.

- Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with the Fall harvest and black is associated with darkness and death.

- Turnips and beets served as the original jack-o-lanterns.

- Jack-o-lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.

- The ancient Celts thought that spirits and ghosts roamed the countryside on Halloween night. They began wearing masks and costumes to avoid being recognized as human.

- Samhainophobia is an intense fear of Halloween.

 - Skipper Williamson