Bighorn news: Math, anemometers, and Senior Spotlight

MEET SENIOR KAYLIN GUTHRIE

Participate. That’s the advice for future Oasis Academy students from graduating senior Kaylin Guthrie.

“Do every school activity and soak it all in, because if you don’t then your school years will be over and you’ll miss it,” Guthrie said.

The senior has played on both the Oasis Bighorns volleyball and softball teams. She’s been a force on the softball team playing on the state championship team in 2021 and last year was named as an Honorable Mention for the NIAA 2A Northern League.

“Playing sports is one of my favorite memories because I have made so many good friends while playing,” she said.

Guthrie started at Oasis in second grade and has enjoyed the experience.

“I have always loved learning at Oasis Academy,” she said. “Every teacher here is amazing and so helpful. I had some ups and downs at Oasis, but this school has given me amazing opportunities.”

She’d like to thank Eric Grimes for making an impact on her education career.

“I would like to thank Mr. Grimes because he’s always helped me when I needed it,” Guthrie explained. “He pushed me when he knew I could do it. He is an amazing teacher, and I hope to have a teacher like him in college.”

Guthrie also enjoyed science during her time at Oasis and wants to go into the field when she graduates.

“My favorite class is biology because I love science. It’s super fun when we get to do labs and hands-on work because it helps me understand the concepts better,” she said.

Guthrie will graduate in May with her high school diploma and associate of science degree from Western Nevada College. She then plans to attend Great Basin College in Elko to study radiology. She wants to eventually work as an MRI Technician.

SECOND GRADERS MAKE ANEMOMETER

Second-grade students embarked on an exciting journey into the world of meteorology by creating their very own anemometers. The young scientists learned how to measure wind speed while having fun with a hands-on project that combines creativity and scientific inquiry.

An anemometer is a device used to measure wind speed.

The students begin by tying four paper cups together with string and straws. One cup was marked differently to make counting rotation of the cuts easier. They then arrange the cups in a cross pattern, attaching them to the ends of two cardboard strips. The cardboard strips were stapled together in the middle to form the anemometer's arms.

They then put two straws on top of a pencil with a tack and taped cups to the end of the straws. We held the pencils loosely so the wind would force them to move.

The completed anemometer was mounted on a pencil, allowing it to spin freely. When the wind blows, it catches the open sides of the cups, causing the anemometer to rotate. The stronger the wind, the faster the cups spin around.

The project allows students to learn about scientific observations and engineering skills and practice their math skills.

MATH NIGHT

Oasis Academy hosted Parent Math Night on Oct. 9 with special guest Singapore Math Curriculum Author and Trainer Cassy Turner.

The evening started with families gathering in the cafeteria to hear about the Singapore Curriculum from Turner. Turner explained tricky math terms and walked parents through different strategies taught in the classroom. The families were then able to attend breakout sessions in their student’s classrooms.

Classrooms were filled with fun games to help make learning math fun, with Oasis math teachers helping guide the process.

“Math night was a wonderful opportunity to see an in depth look at Singapore Math and how "new math" is really just a way of helping students find different strategies to come up with the correct answer,” said Jenny Hiskett, Oasis parent. “It was fun to see how first grade math is the building blocks for upper grade math.”

The evening was organized by Oasis math Strategist Kim Sorensen.

“An Oasis math night has been a long-time goal for our math team and we were excited to make it happen,” Sorensen said. “Mrs. Turner sharing her expertise with us added to the night. We were thrilled to see so many parents and students come and join us after a long day; their support truly made the evening special.”

Seeing the reaction of parents and students was a reward for the teachers.

“As teachers, we live for 'Aha' moments. To experience a moment with parents makes it even better,” she said. “I heard parents say ‘oh, you are teaching kids to think about math how we do.’”

The night was a success and team effort.

I appreciate our teachers who helped make this night so successful. They are who make Oasis an exceptional place to be,” she said.