Thunder & Lightning: What’s in a name?

The class name, Thunder and Lightning, is one that sparks an immediate sense of energy. That is fitting for the name of a class of fourth and fifth grade students. With this name, Thunder and Lightning, there is a sense of power and speed. It is no accident that numbers of superheroes and sports teams have lightning bolts on their suits and thunder somewhere in their names. It is also no accident that a class of often electric and booming fourth and fifth grade students would have a name like this. This is a group of "notable nines," "terrific tens," and "electric elevens." - ages and stages that are high energy, which shows up in their drive to produce, memorize, investigate, etc. They are not unlike thunder and lightning as they enter the Upper School. (See the links in the sidebar to read the qualities of the common qualities of notable nines, terrific tens, and electric elevens.)

As with the Water Class, the Sun Class, the Forests Class, and other Mustard Seed classes, this class will have a name that reminds us of the wonder of creation. In this case, the names are also tied together. Fourth and Fifth Grade students will share two rooms (and more) and a team of teachers and so are as connected as thunder and lightning. Together they will study powerful things, from the science of electricity and the sparkling life of Benjamin Franklin to the awesome geography of North America and earth systems. Together they will remember the thunder of God’s voice to Moses and the charge of God’s word to our lives. It will be a powerful year ahead.