Before we made the shift to distance learning, there was a plan to have a walking group as part of our Faculty Wellness Wednesdays. These healthy walks still took place this week, as our faculty members embraced getting outdoors.
As a part of the puberty and body image unit in science (a collaboration between Lower School Science Specialist, Konika Ray and Lower School Counselor, Kylie Cobb), Grade 4 learned about how different kinds of foods help our bodies. Using the idea that building our body is like building a car, girls discussed how carbohydrates are like the gasoline, proteins are the frame of the car, healthy fats power the car’s control system, and vitamins & minerals are oil for a car, keeping the internal systems running smoothly.
Students then made Superfood oat-based energy balls. They followed a recipe, then got to customize, adding ingredients like: cranberries, raisins, coconut, lime zest, flaxseed meal, blueberries, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, mango, and banana. Students found the final product absolutely delicious!
Grade 4 recently completed a special 8-week class called, My Body My Friend. The class was taught by Hamlin parent, Ginger Braun.
Ms. Braun shares more:
The purpose of My Body My Friend is to inspire girls to have a loving, nurturing, and supportive relationship with their body so they can experience self-love and self-confidence, thus igniting a foundation for full self-expression. This experience is created by using a multidisciplinary approach including mindfulness, yoga, coaching tools, journaling, art, and music. We consciously placed this program right before the health and puberty unit so the girls can use this foundation of friendship to accept the many changes her body will go through, and navigate both personal and social situations with greater ease and self-awareness.
For example, each girl has practiced using affirmations and learned ways in which our bodies listen to us and how we need to listen to our body. We turned up the volume of the Inner BFF and turned the volume down super low for the Inner Critic in order to practice kindness. We explored the concept of “Acceptance” and what needs to be released in order to fully move into a place of unconditional love for oneself.
Our girls really enjoyed the various activities and exercises involved with the class.