I wish I could have/give 100 soccer balls, puppies, flowers, Legos, baseball cards, marshmallows, sailboats, gummy bears and tzedaka coins. When I am 100, I will be a zeida; I will retire on a lake; I will teach dance; I will be an artist; I will watch TV all day and take a nap; I will be happy! These are just some of the statements heard around Westchester Day School’s elementary school classrooms as students marked the 100th day of school milestone. Kindergarten through second grade celebrated the occasion with grade level projects, games and parties, all centered around grade appropriate learning activities.

Kindergarten students wore special shirts they created decorated with 100 items. From shells to dots to stickers and even letters of their names, each child was invested in showing us that they knew how to count to 100 (by 10s, 5s, 20s or ones). Activities were meant to reinforce the students’ knowledge of the meaning of 100. Students created a self-portrait of “Me at 100 years old” and monsters with 100 body parts. They located 100 Hershey kisses strategically hidden around the classroom and used a number sticker underneath each wrapper to match a number board. Finally, they wrote about what they would love to have, and would not want, 100 of. All this learning actually began on the first day of school with the children counting the days of school, using a clap and a tap to accompany the numbers in the fives column and tens column. As they got closer to the 100th day, children figured out math problems that focused on how many more days were coming before the 100th day. Children also learned the place value of the numbers as they put numbers into a 10s bundle and ones. All agreed that it was another fun filled day in kindergarten that represented the 100 days of learning that brought the school to this special moment.

First grade celebrated 100 days by competing in a 100 cups tower building contest. Students strung 100 froot loops to make a necklace. Some students used different patterns to keep track of their counting. The class also read a great story about a student preparing for her own 100th day at school, called “100 Day Worries.” First grade ended their celebrations with some math puzzles and a special chocolate treat after counting and sorting 100 chocolate kisses.

Second grade toasted “Cheers!” to the 100th day of school with hot cocoa and marshmallows, chocolate chip cookies and a read-aloud of the book Jake’s “100th Day of School” by Lester L. Laminack. Students engaged in many writing and math projects that focused on 100. Students practiced their writing skills, with the prompt “When I am 100 years old…” stories. They read about the history behind the 100th day of school celebrations, answered comprehension questions and completed thought provoking questions about what they want to give, buy and eat 100 of! Everyone agreed that 100 days of exploring and learning at WDS was cause for celebration!