What our Students Are Learning
Ms. Newell and Mrs. Gillen
In Puffins/Pre-k we worked on the letter U. It’s our first letter with a curve in it, and it’s fun to slide down and come right back up again! We also worked on identifying the members of our family and cutting out pictures that represent them. In math we counted candies and added them to a graph and saw which tower was the tallest! In our social-emotional work we worked on learning the songs for our concert and how to stand in a line to sing!
Mrs Courtot
This week in Math the Viking Mathematicians continued to work on their addition facts. some to five, some to ten and some to 20. Two groups worked on money and identifying the coins and their value. All three groups learned new games to play with UNO cards. One was a place value game, one was an addition game and one was ways to make ten. Journaling work continued this week with continued emphasis on using inventive spelling, capital letters, spacing between words and proper punctuation at the end of their sentences. There were conversations about being kind to each other. You do not have to be best friends with everyone but you do need to be kind.
Mrs. Ensworth
Morning meeting: K-2
Students had such fun acting out the “Five Little Trees” poem Of course we had to be sure everyone had a turn turning on the lights! A fun activity sheet was enjoyed which required students to fill in missing words and draw and decorate the 5 trees (we got to use glitter glue).
We also enjoy the, “Months of the Year” song.
The story read this week was, “I know a Cold Lady who Swallowed Some Snow.”
A new fun read (sing) aloud was, Pete the Cat’s 12 Groovy Days of Christmas! Thanks Alida!
Reading For All Students: K-2
Each group re-read at their level the “Cold Lady” book and completed a fun activity sheet. They drew the ending of the story.
Each group “cleaned out” their book bags putting back books that were too easy and choosing 2-3 new books to practice at their individual reading levels.
Reading assessments were also completed.
Reading: K
Kindergarten still works on blending sounds together to read words. It is a process that takes time. Short A, long A paper helped students hear the different sound A can make in words. Making words is a daily job.
Reading: 1st grade
This group learned the /ar/ rule in reading as well as /ing/ and /ang/sounds in words. They practiced the two vowels go walking reading words. Book bags were cleaned out and new “harder” books were chosen.
Reading: 2nd grade
In this group, we also learned the /ar/ rule in reading which cleared up some confusion for them. They had much fun reading “The Cold Lady” book and completing the fun activity sheet that went with it. They love time to read individually on their own and to the teacher.
Social Studies/Science: 1st/2nd
The unit of study this week focused on The Wind
Book 1: Soaring, Herring Gulls (East Coast), Golden Eagles (West Coast)
Book 2: Kite Messenger, History of how kites are used to celebrate and/or send messages in other countries.
Book 3: Full Sail Ahead: A Viking Story, (Ireland to Greenland)
Book 4: The Wright Brothers, The Wright Brothers flew the first airplane in 1903. (Kitty Hawk, N. Carolina). We read this as a reader’s theatre piece.
I hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season! Did you know that there are 8 different Holidays celebrated in the month of December?
It has been pure joy working with your children these past few months. I will miss them greatly.
Ms. Mindy
K/1st/2nd- Students discussed safety rules that they use as a family. Students discussed times that they felt “lost” or separated from a parent and what to do when/if these situations occur. Students sorted different people as “strangers” or “not strangers”.
3rd/4th- Students learned about four major groups of muscles (biceps, pectoralis major, rectus abdominis, and quadriceps) and movements that affect each group. We learned how muscles and bones work together to help our body move and glued these four major muscle groups over a skeleton.
5th/6th- We continued looking at sodium and looked at various foods and how much sodium they contain.
7th/8th- Students completed their lesson on eating disorders and completed an assessment.
Mrs. Sproul
3rd grade math
Students continue to work on multi digit addition as well as getting their multiplication facts down. We have been doing coloring sheets, listening to songs and playing games to help them practice their facts.
4th grade math
Students took an assessment on adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers as well as multiplying a whole number by a fraction. After break we will be working with decimals. We also are continuing to work on their multiplication facts.
5th and 6th grade
Students have continued their work with multi digit multiplication. They are working on understanding place value. This has helped them see they need to be strong in their multiplication facts and many need work in this area. They were assessed on their multi digit multiplication.
7th grade
Students prepared for and took an assessment on adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers.
8th grade
Students prepared for and took an assessment on linear relationships including finding slope and graphing lines.
9th grade
Students finished up the unit on graphing linear inequalities. They prepared for and took an assessment.
Ms. Bebell
7/8 Super Studies
This week, students learned about the urinary tract and how our bodies filter waste out of our blood in the kidneys. We also dissected a lamb’s kidney to see the structures that are responsible for sending urine out of the body and cleaned blood back through the body. During boatbuilding, the students shifted their focus from their boat to making holiday presents.
5/6 Super Studies
This week, each student designed and created a small model Egyptian sarcophagus. Then they wrapped their mummified hot dog in cloth, made models of things an Egyptian might want in the afterlife, and placed it in the tomb. For Forest Day, we read “The Night Tree” by Eve Bunting and then made bird feeders with the pine cones we collected last week. The students placed these ornaments on a spruce tree near the field for all the animals to enjoy.
3/4 Super Studies
This week, the students discussed what things make up a culture, like traditions, music, food, values, etc. Then they learned about the core areas of Wabanaki culture – lifeways, homelands, and sovereignty – and how they are reflected in the Wabanaki tribes’ flags. For Forest Day, we read “The Night Tree” by Eve Bunting and then made bird feeders with the pine cones we collected last week. The students placed these ornaments on a spruce tree near the field for all the animals to enjoy.
Mrs. Thoner
3/4 ELA-
Students have been working on the mechanics of writing when writing by hand and when using Google Docs. The focus has been on formatting, capitalization, ending punctuation, commas, possessive nouns (singular and plural), and quotation marks.
They have also continued reading various fables and fairy tales and have been creating their own using Google Docs. The goal is for them to become more familiar with not only the mechanics of writing, but with the most efficient ways to use word processing apps.
5/6 ELA –
Students have been continuing their culminating project for the book Chains by working in small groups of 2 or 3 and developing their own play for a favorite scene in the book. Students are learning the formatting of a play, including dialogue, narrator, and stage directions. The goal is to write a play that anyone can pick up and perform.
Students have also been working on their own narrative pieces.7/8 ELA –
Students completed their reading and discussion of To Kill A Mockingbird. Their final project is an informational essay, which will be due after the holidays. Students are encouraged to use both peer and adult editing prior to submitting their final piece for assessment. The purpose of this is to help them understand that when they go into high school and college, that it is okay for them to consult with others as long as the work is their own and not that of someone else.
Ms. Wilson
K-2 students filled the good behavior jar last Friday, and celebrated on Monday by wearing pajamas and bringing stuffies and blankets to school. Students enjoyed hot cocoa, cookies and a fruit platter while watching Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. A favorite writing prompt this week invited K-2 students to consider what their elf name would be, and what their speciality would be in Santa’s workshop.
PK/K students spent extra time this week practicing together for the school concert, and working together as a classroom community to help keep our classroom peaceful. Students took turns role-playing how to give word messages, and how to be a helper when friends are in conflict. Students brainstormed ways to be peacekeepers including: telling the truth, saying kind things, using hands for helping, and getting a teacher to help.
