We started our much-anticipated chemistry block last week. Throughout this block we will be building the students' powers of observation and deepening their understanding of the earth’s substances and forces. The block began with the study of combustion and its role in the transformation of matter. The students closely observed the way various substances burn and learned about the connection between combustion and human breathing. We will continue exploring and observing combustion processes this week, and we will also study biographies of notable chemists.

In math, we started a new geometry unit. The students will be working with angles and triangle constructions over the next few weeks.

On Friday, Ali Hamadou, a parent at The Garden School, spoke to the students about growing up in North Africa. He enthralled us with his stories of growing up in a village in the Kabylia region of Algeria. His life story touched on many of the topics we explored throughout our study of African geography. He spoke of the impacts of French colonization and the spread of Islam on the Berber people. He talked about the contrast of the Mediterranean climate where he grew up with the heart of the Sahara in southern Algeria. He brought examples of traditional Kabyle garments, and he told us about popular dishes like couscous and shakshouka. He spoke about the economy and government corruption that led him to emigrate and about the challenges of moving to new countries and continents. He taught us about some of the revolutionary movements and figures that were prominent in the intellectual rebellions. It was such a rich experience for our class! I'm so grateful to Mr. Hamadou for his willingness to share his story with us.

We will continue reading books about Africa to deepen our understanding of human geography across the vast continent.