Fourth Graders Build Holiday Houses

Sporting a look of serious concentration, Mount Madonna School fourth grader Brielle Goldstein lines up the pre-cut pieces of wood and carefully hammers in a nail, successfully connecting the first two walls of the small house she is constructing. This action is repeated again and again – a symphony of hammers – as 19 students around the classroom build their houses.

“This is harder than it looks,” says one boy, as he removes a bent nail and picks up a new one to try again. Within an hour, and with a little help from roving ‘holiday elves’ (aka parents), a neighborhood of mini wooden houses is assembled and ready for lighting and decorative trim.

Fourth grade teacher Linda Pope coordinates the annual project, integrating a lesson for her students on electricity with creating decorations for the school’s upcoming holiday concert.

On December 19, at 7pm, Mount Madonna School will host its annual Elementary Winter Concert, featuring holiday carols, dancing and skits by students PreK through 5^th grade. The public is invited to attend. The fourth grade’s holiday village will be on display at the Concert, which will be held in the Community Building Main Room, 445 Summit Road, Mount Madonna. For more information, please call (408) 847-2717.