High School Honor Band Performs Preschoolers’ Song About Lucky the Hawk

Enjoy this short story about Lucky, Oak Grove’s resident hawk, along with a song performed by preschool and high school students together.

Lucky the hawk is incredibly bold and fearless around humans, often joining outdoor classes perched in a tree or on a swing, calmly observing activity on campus and sometimes she is seen catching and devouring prey.

Lucky’s presence and behavior offer many learning opportunities as part of our emergent curriculum. This year, preschool students, along with teachers, wrote a song about Lucky. The song evolved and culminated in an end-of-year performance by the high school honor band, who learned the Lucky song, and added their own twist.

As Head of School Jodi Grass commented after the performance, “That is one of the great pleasures of having a school that goes from preschool through high school.”

More about Red-tailed Hawks:

No one is quite sure how old Lucky is, but it is said that she has raised a family in the large Oak Trees on campus, and the children named one of her babies “Rocket.” The oldest known wild Red-tailed Hawk was at least 30 years old when it was found in Michigan in 2011, the same state where it had been banded in 1981. Learn more about red tail hawks by visiting All About Birds.

More about the Oak Grove High School Honor Band:

In both Middle and High School, students with experience in music have the opportunity to explore playing in an Honor Band. With the guidance and expertise of music teacher Eric Sullivan, honor band meets after school, twice a week to learn songs. Honor band students have fun rocking out during events on and off campus. Collaborating on songs they choose, honor band provides students with an additional opportunity to expand musically, play different instruments, and be in relationship with peers across grade levels. Learn more about High School at Oak Grove here.

What is Emergent Curriculum?

“Emergent Curriculum” is just what it sounds like. Teachers observe and listen to children for insight into their interests and hypotheses. Projects emerge in the moment as kids make meaningful connections and spark each other’s eager theories. Children writing a song about Lucky is one of many examples of how teachers skillfully support emergent curriculum throughout the year, learning along side students. Click to enjoy another blog post about emergent curriculum in Oak Grove School’s Early Childhood Program.

Recent Blog Posts:

Lewis-Emily-in-Champs-Elysees

Alumni Profile: Lewis Lu ’19

,
It is from the small things of everyday life at Oak Grove, living with the people and the philosophy the school is so closely tied to. It can be how everyone is willing to listen to what you have to say and to live through the better and the worse of life with you; it can be feeling welcomed by everyone with open arms regardless of who you are and where you are from; it can also be a trip to India where you get to see the different lives people live in this world, just to name a few.
Benjamin Mertz speaking at Pavilion

Welcoming Artist in Residence, Benjamin Mertz

, , , ,
Through student assemblies, class meetings, faculty and staff in-service, and parent education, students of all ages, parents and staff will have the opportunity to engage with Benjamin throughout his stay in April.
Seeds of Belonging

Seeds of Belonging

, , ,
Seeds of Belonging Ojai is an anti-bias/anti-racism initiative for early childhood educators and parents that aims to cultivate futures of understanding, accountability, accommodation, and respect among differences in the local community and in the world at large.