Check out the Latin and Greek Roots Program

Next week we are launching our Latin and Greek Roots Program. This program aims to engage our Bobcats in exploring language, building academic vocabulary, improving overall reading skills, and having fun participating in a community building program.

The focus of the program is to expose students to and teach the Latin and Greek Roots that are such a huge part of the English language. Each week I will introduce our students to three new Latin and Greek roots and their meanings. I will challenge our Bobcats to think of words they know that contain those roots or to think of new words using those roots. Students will be able to share their words and their meanings on bulletin boards around the school. In sharing what we know, we will all learn and have a good time while we are doing it.

I am really looking forward to growing this program at Ben-Hem and I ask that you take time at home with your children to talk about the roots and play with the language we are sharing with them.

Our first three roots are:

1. Tele: far away, distant

2. Micro: small

3. Scope: watch, view, examine

Think about these roots. Are there words you know that contain them? What do those words mean? If you think of any, share them on our virtual bulletin board. You can also share your words on the bulletin board in the main lobby!

BEN-HEM TEAM FOR RECIPES FOR HEALTHY KIDS COMPETITION

Cole, Ryan S., Ryan M., Sam, Isabel, Dora Bei, and Connor were part of Ben-Hem’s RECIPES FOR HEALTHY KIDS TEAM. RECIPES FOR HEALTHY KIDS is a national contest to come up with tasty and nutritious recipes for school lunch. A Grand prize winner will win $3,000 for use by the school food service.

We worked with Mr. Marshall,  the food service director, chef Ryan McDonald, and Ms. Cappellano, a dietitian, and came up with  two recipes:  Carrots with cinnamon and orange juice, and zesty pink lentil salad. Ben-Hem third and fourth graders had a chance to taste both of  these dishes during their lunch periods.  Students were asked to fill out a survey about what they thought of each dish – did they like it and why?, what did they like/dislike and suggestions on how the chef could improve the dish. They were also asked for suggestions for naming the dishes.

Some students like the carrots because they were sweet. Others thought they were too sweet. If they liked cinnamon, they liked the carrots, if they disliked cinnamon the carrots did not appeal to them. Some students liked the lentil dish because it was crunchy. We submitted the lentil recipe to the dry beans and peas category. There were 264 other recipes submitted in this category.

Recipes were judged from January 1 through February 28, 2011 according to the following criteria:

  • STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
  • NUTRITION
  • CREATIVITY AND ORIGINALITY
  • EASE OF USE IN SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE AND PRESENTATION (We submitted a photo of the lentil dish.)

The top ten contestants in each category will have their recipes published in a RECIPES FOR HEALTHY KIDS cookbook and will receive recognition for their recipe.  Judges will name fifteen semi-finalists  – the five top recipes in each category  in early March and will visit the semi-finalist schools.

Check out information about this contest on the web at: www.recipesforkidschallenge.com. Stay tuned for the announcement of the 15 semi-finalists!