<p class="ql-block">From indoor and outdoor physical activities to Chinese cultural exploration, from reading and writing in English to earth science learning, this week packed with excitement. Making new friendships, engaging in thrilling activities, and having fun learning experiences…all of these make this week going faster. </p> <p class="ql-block">The morning in the camp starts from fresh mind and good energy. </p> Basketball <p class="ql-block">Basketball practice involves a mix of drills, skill development, and team cooperation. </p> Physical Training <p class="ql-block">Physical training is to help maintain and improve overall health, fitness, and well-being.</p> Chinese &Art <p class="ql-block">Intangible cultural heritage is an important part of human culture, showcasing the rich history and unique spirit of the Chinese people. To keep it alive, protecting, sharing, and passing it down has become a big focus for the country and different communities. This week, we spotlight a new project each day. Students get the chance to learn about its cultural background and even try their hand at creating their own version of it. </p> <p class="ql-block" style="text-align:center;"><b>Monday-Rabbit Lantern (兔子灯, tùzi dēng)</b></p><p class="ql-block">Rabbit lanterns date back to ancient China, particularly during the Mid-Autumn Festival and Lantern Festival.They symbolize fertility, peace, and prosperity. The rabbit is associated with the Moon Goddess Chang’e, whose companion is the Jade Rabbit. These lanterns were traditionally made from bamboo frames covered with paper or silk, often lit with candles inside</p> <p class="ql-block" style="text-align:center;"><b>Tuesday-Bamboo Weaving (竹编, zhú biān)</b></p><p class="ql-block">Bamboo weaving has been practiced in China for over2,000 years, with evidence from the Warring States Period (475–221 BCE). It was essential for daily life, used to make baskets, hats, furniture, and even armor. </p> <p class="ql-block" style="text-align:center;"><b>Wednesday-Clay Dog (泥狗, ní gǒu) </b></p><p class="ql-block">Clay dogs are part of China’s folk toy, originating from Huaiyang, Henan Province. They became popular during the Ming and Qing dynasties. These colorful figurines were originally used as ritual objects to ward off evil spirits and later became children’s toys. </p> <p class="ql-block" style="text-align:center;"><b>Thursday-Sugar Painting (糖画, táng huà) </b></p><p class="ql-block">Sugar painting began in the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) and became widespread in the Qing Dynasty. Street artists would melt brown or white sugar and quickly "paint" animals, flowers, and mythical figures on a flat surface. It was a popular treat at temple fairs and is now considered intangible cultural heritage. </p> <p class="ql-block" style="text-align:center;"><b>Friday-Oil-Paper Umbrella (油纸伞, yóu zhǐ sǎn) </b></p><p class="ql-block"> These umbrellas have been used in China for over 1,000 years, with origins in the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). They became widespread during the Tang and Song dynasties. Made from bamboo frames and oiled paper, they were waterproof and durable. In Chinese culture, they symbolize romance and prosperity (the word for "oil-paper" sounds like "have children" in Chinese). </p> STEM <p class="ql-block">This week, the kids explored the wonders of Earth Sciences through a mix of engaging lectures and hands-on activities. We learned about the different layers of the Earth and why each one is important—then brought the concept to life with our own layered Earth crafts! We also dove into the world of minerals and fossils, where the kids examined an exciting variety of real specimens. To wrap it up, everyone made their own paper-plate fossils to take home as a reminder of their geological adventure.</p> English Language Arts <p class="ql-block" style="text-align:center;"><b>Group K-1</b></p> <p class="ql-block">This week we focused on their writing and spelling. We continued with our daily verbal reading exercises and then practiced our spelling and writing. We practiced our rhyming words and introduced writing full sentences. I also briefly reviewed their handwriting skills as well, practicing knowing when to use upper and lowercase letters and when to capitalize. Always writing daily to reinforce learning sight word spelling and writing stamina! </p> <p class="ql-block" style="text-align:center;"><b>Grade 2</b></p> <p class="ql-block">Beside reading books, we build vocabulary and understand the basic sentence structure. We also write short paragraphs. </p> <p class="ql-block" style="text-align:center;"><b>Grade 3-4 (morning& afternoon) </b></p> <p class="ql-block">We work on grammar, improve comprehension and analytical skills with more complex texts and write structured paragraphs and multi-paragraph compositions. </p> <p class="ql-block" style="text-align:center;"><b>Grade 5-6</b></p> <p class="ql-block">This week, we split up the two teams to participate in a week long english competitions. Over the week, we participated in spelling bees, story telling, and debates to practice their spelling, creative writing, and public speaking. The team with the most points at the end of the week won some treats!</p> Maze Swimming Pools Break Time Volunteers <p class="ql-block">By tutoring, playing, and mentoring, these teens helped kids thrive—and in the process, found joy, purpose, and a community of their own.</p>