Skip to main content

Lunedi, 14 Marzo


Even though the weatherman called for showers today, the rain was kept at bay by the gods until 6 PM.  The broken clouds and periodic sunshine made for a perfect Florentine day.  The highlight for the boys would have to have been their shopping extravaganza in the San Lorenzo Leather Market.  In the video clip attached, some of the boys report on their hard-bargained purchases.

An earlier breakfast than yesterday was followed this morning by a brisk walk to Piazza della Repubblica with a historical overview by our informative guide Ignazio.  It was then on to Santa Maria Del Fiore to examine the architecture of the Basilica’s façade, Brunelleschi’s dome and the Tuscan Gothic interior. The boys also paid a visit to Opera di Santa Maria Del Fiore to view Donatello’s wooden Magdalen, Michelangelo’s Florentine Pieta, Brunelleschi’s and Della Robbia’s incredible choir stalls (Le Cantorie), and his, Pisano’s, and Giotto’s Campanile carved panels.  The boys also sketched interior details of Brunelleschi’s San Lorenzo. Busy, busy!

This obviously heavy morning was followed in the afternoon by a more relaxed shopping adventure in the market.  Shoes, surprisingly, turned out to be the most desired item of fashion, along with folex’s, ties, scarves, leather jackets and a variety of other “needed accessories.”


For class tonight, John W., following the lead of JC last night, presented 10 questions to test the knowledge acquired and attention paid by his classmates today.  Outstanding, it was, and very humorous!  John’s final question which was for extra credit “Today a bought a blazer.  To quote Mrs. Iannicelli it was affare (bargain), and it was not cianfrusaglia  (junk).  How much did I pay for my blazer?”  Unbelievably, more boys got this question right then any other question on the quiz.  The correct answer was 40 euro. I suppose you had to be there to appreciate just how funny it was.  Anyway, so went the day.

All is well.

Ciao for now.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NE Patriot Tom Brady at Saint David’s

Last night, Saint David’s was honored to have one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, four time Superbowl champion and three-time MVP winner Tom Brady, as the guest speaker for our Alumni Parents Council Lecture Series. Tom, who is the father of one of our Saint David's boys, addressed a standing-room-only audience in Hyman Hall comprised of our eighth graders, alumni, alumni parents and faculty. Friendly, introspective, witty, and wise, he directed his talk to the delighted eighth graders in the front of the room, and focused on the topic of leadership. “You are the young men and leaders of Saint David’s,” he noted. Tom debunked the perception that leaders are born not made, and credited his leadership abilities to “standing up to and facing fears” and to “cultivating a mental strength,” which he cited as “more important than being physically strong.” He also stressed the importance of working hard, honoring teamwork, believing in oneself and being a good lis...
Post a Comment
Read more

"Lord of the Flies" Survival Game

Seventh graders are immersed in an "island survival" adventure related to their study of William Golding's 1954 classic Lord of the Flies . The novel tells the story of a group of school-age boys marooned on an uninhabited island, where they struggle to survive without a government or rules. In this creative, unique activity that spans 10 class sessions, our boys are assigned to belong to one of two "tribes." Using knowledge gained from history classes in the fall, they first determine what type of government system to adopt. During the simulations, they strategize methods to overcome obstacles and acquire resources such as wood, food, shelter, and water. The simulation requires the boys to negotiate, debate, and reflect critically on their decisions as they face challenges to their survival. In journals, they regularly write about their thinking, their decisions and consequences. Writing skills are further developed and honed. In addition to analy...
Post a Comment
Read more

Digital Universe Unit With AMNH-Hayden Planetarium Kicks Off

The second year of our unique partnership with the American Museum of Natural History-Hayden Planetarium kicked off on Friday when the sixth grade had their first session of the Digital Universe unit. The session included a private viewing at the planetarium in which boys were able to explore the entire universe. They and their teachers were invited to view the show from the vantage point of the floor in the center of the round theater, staring up into the apex of the dome. What an amazing perspective! Museum educator and astro-visualization expert Nathan Belomy took the boys on a tour of the observable universe, allowing them to get a feel for the scale of distance and size in the universe. In a fun activity related to scale, the boys set down  a volleyball (representing the sun) at 79th Street, and walked for blocks down Columbus avenue with the planets in our solar system represented by a variety of smaller objects – a cupcake sprinkle, a marble – predicting and then m...
Post a Comment
Read more