Sunny Hill students meet “Grandpa Will”

The Woods and Strings Theater presented a marionette show at Sunny Hill Elementary on November 6 to fifth and sixth-grade students. The show presented tales of the Appalachia with the puppet, "Grandpa Will," his hound dog, wife. and family friend. After the show was presented, the students were given explanations of how the marionettes and setting for the program were constructed.

Mock election teaches students about voting

Sunny Hill Elementary Beta Club sponsored a mock election for president of the U.S. The election was part of a learning process to help students better understand the election system of our country. Students registered to vote and several students voted early on Oct. 30 with others voting on October 31. There were 491 voters. There was one vote for independent Ron Paul, 101 votes for John McCain, and 389 votes for Barack Obama.

Sunny Hill students enjoy Fun Night

Students with a “C” or above for all grades and S or E in conduct enjoyed Sunny Hill Fun Night on Oct.3. Activities included basketball, jousting, a bungee run, dancing, and an obstacle course. Visitors to Fun Night also the evening’s fare - hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, cookies, and water. “Everyone had a wonderful time,” school officials said.

Purple Pride at Sunny Hill

Sunny Hill Elementary students showed their "Purple Pride" when wearing their uniforms to attend the Haywood High School Homecoming parade on October 10.
 

SH teachers learn firsthand about rainforests

 Sunny Hill School teachers (from left) Marsha Reynolds, Jackie Whitten and Rhonda Jones learned firsthand about rainforests on a recent trip to Jamaica.

Three Sunny Hill teachers during Fall Break visited Montego Bay, Jamaica, October 11-15, and learned some lessons they can pass on to their students.

Marsha Reynolds, Jackie Whitten, and Rhonda Jones experienced the rainforest firsthand on their trip. After a safety and demonstration briefing, the three teachers ziplined quarter-mile cables across the Jamaican rainforest canopy, in some instances thirteen stories high above the ground, with a speed of about 35 mph.

They observed the Great River, many banyon trees, epiphytes, strangler figs, bamboos, ferns, wicker vines, and an abundance of other flora and fauna. During their trip to the island, they climbed through the 600-foot world-famous Dunn’s River Falls located in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. The waterfalls are one of the few in the world that empty into the sea.

While in Jamaica, they also learned facts about the Patois language, Jamaican schools, religion, minerals of the island, and culture of the Jamaicans.

Rewards for good behavior

Sunny Hill Elementary students were rewarded with a trip to McDonald's if they had all E's in conduct for the first six weeks. Students enjoyed having breakfast and lunch while spending time with their friends, classmates, and teachers. This is a great incentive to improve behavior.

Microorganisms carry on basic life processes

Ms. Jackie Whitten’s science classes at Sunny Hill have been studying during the second six weeks of school, cells, cell structure and function, and how to distinguish microoganisms. Students observed various microorganisms through the microscope that were singular and multi-cellular. They viewed parameciums, euglenas, algae, frog cells, plant cells, and bacteria that were pre-mounted or contained in pond water. They were excited to see the organisms they had read about actually moving and carrying on basic life processes. Pictured are students observing microscopic organisms found in pond water.

Sunny Hill students study classic book and movie

Students in Ms. Picken’s class at Sunny Hill, under the direction of Mrs. Kathy Donald, constructed several scenes from the book and movie “The Wizard of Oz.” The display included scenes from the farm scene, the Munchkin Land, the apple orchard, the haunted forest, the witches castle, and Emerald City. Students are reading “The Wizard of Oz” as part of the school-wide reading initiative at Sunny Hill this year. They take tests over the chapters they read. At the end of the school year, one lucky student who made 100 on his or her test will win a bicycle.