News & Updates
10/1/20 Newsletter
Thank You:
• To Molly Blake for running Magic Food Bus all summer.
Pre-K Class is Looking For
Gently used Legos to make individual Lego sets for 9 students for free choice times.
Curriculum Updates
Ms. Wilson
This week Pre-K and K students learned about what parts of a plant & identifying what part of the plant we eat when we eat vegetables. We discovered that carrots are roots & had the opportunity to harvest 138 carrots in the community garden with Mrs. D’s kind leadership.
Pre-K mathematicians are showing their abilities to classify and sort items by color, size and shape as well as creating groups of up to 5 items, while using 1:1 correspondence.
K & Pre-K author /illustrators are working to add details to their pictures, filling the page, and beginning to add words to tell stories. We are working to master letter sounds, and becoming proficient rhymer detectives!
Mrs. Baird
Kindergarten, first, and second grade did some great work this week! We took the NWEA reading and math tests on Thursday and Friday, and the students were focused and determined to do their best! The kindergarteners worked on things that go together for example a basketball and a hoop. They also practiced making their numbers 1-5 with play dough and writing them. In literacy, first grade worked on mastering their letter sounds and on isolating the first sound in a given word. The first graders continued to work on number bonds in math using unifix cubes to help with understanding the part, part whole concept. They also worked on one more than a number. In literacy, second graders have been reading independently and to a teacher, working on sight words, and have continued manipulating sounds in words to make new words! The second graders worked on breaking a number into parts to make it easier to add, for example 23 is 20 + 3. They will continue to work on that this week using unifix cubes to help with understanding. The whole class learned a new game called High- Low using a deck of cards.
Ms. Phillips
PK/K – To start the school year students have been learning the sign language for the song “You’re A Grand Old Flag!” We have also been reading and listening to musical books!
1/2 – To start the school year students have been learning the sign language for the song “You’re A Grand Old Flag!” We have also been reading and listening to musical books!
3/4 – To start the year students have been learning the sign language to “God Bless America!” We talked about Veteran’s Day and why we celebrate it. We have also been reading books about music.
5/6 – To start the school year students have been learning the sign language to “America The Beautiful” We talked about Veteran’s Day and why we celebrate it. We are also preparing our first composer study about George Frideric Handel!
Math – Mrs. Sproul
Seventh grade students are looking at proportional and non-proportional relationships in graphs and tables. The eighth grade students are looking at the laws of exponents, understanding them and solving problems using the laws.
Art – Mr. Kennerk
Last week we examined shadow contours on the face of Frederick Douglass in honor of their ELA focus with Ms. Thoner. Using a gridded out photograph of Douglass, we drew the lines that define light and shadow. This week we water colored the contoured spaces with shades of brown and completed the piece. Next week, per student request, we will have a watercolor study of Maine landscapes.
ELA – Mrs. Thoner
This week we have continued our study of slavery, of the abolition movement, the Missouri Compromise (allowing Maine to become a state) and of the life of Frederick Douglass. This set of lessons allowed for students to work at their own pace and still get to the end at the same time. Students took the NWEA reading test, which will guide me as I design lessons for the next several weeks.
From this week on, on Wednesdays during the first ELA block, students will work with Ellen Booream and me in creative writing through a group zoom meeting. For students not allowed on Zoom, we will work out a way for them to still be part of this class.
Super Studies – Mrs. Bebell
To start the week, we honored the life of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg by reading the biographical picture book, “I Dissent,” by Debbie Levy. The students spent the rest of the week identifying problems in our everyday lives that they could imagine inventing a solution for. They split up into two groups, drew plans for their inventions, and created radio and visual advertisements for their imagined products.
Performing Arts – Ms. Phillips
To start the school year students have been learning the sign language to “America The Beautiful.” We talked about Veteran’s Day and why we celebrate it. We are also preparing our first composer study about George Frideric Handel!
“Awesome Man” Author Michael Chabon Comes to Brooklin School
On October 8 Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon will visit with students at the Brooklin School to share his latest picture book in the Awesome Man series. “Awesome Man: The Mystery Intruder” just released on September 29.
The event will be held outside at 10 am, with students, staff and parents wearing masks and social distancing. Chabon will be giving each child in pre-Kindergarten through second grade a signed copy of his book and engage their curious questions.
Brooklin School chooses a different author to visit every year. “Returning to school this fall has been anything but normal,” says Principal Jil Blake. “We could really use a Superhero! The school is so excited for Michael Chabon’s visit.”
“ It is important for authors to come because it teaches kids about the steps that go into a story and kids of all ages have fun”
– Amelia Watters -Grade 6
“It is fun to meet somebody that has chosen to write books as their career and children get a lot out of it.”
-Addisyn Tripp -Grade 6
Because of Covid-19, Chabon’s appearance is not open to the public.
Michael Chabon is the bestselling author of Moonglow and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, among many others. He lives part of each year in Brooklin, Maine.
The Awesome Man picture books are illustrated by Jake Parker.
What publisher Harper Collins says about “Awesome Man: The Mystery Intruder”-
“Awesome Man”, our favorite superhero, is back, and in this fantastic sequel from New York Times bestselling author Michael Chabon, he must prepare for his greatest threat yet!
Awesome Man’s secret identity has stayed safe, and he’s still the coolest superhero around. He loves protecting the people of Awesome City from evildoers, like the giant Plutonian octolizard, with his trusty sidekick, Moskowitz. But there have been reports that a new hero is coming to town soon. What if the people of Awesome City no longer need Awesome Man?”
PTF News:
• We have some exciting new Brooklin School long-sleeved shirts coming your way. They should be here soon and we are hoping that kids will wear them on Fridays for school spirit! We will also be putting up an online order form ASAP so that parents and friends can order gear as well.
• Brooklin School PTF is considering a children’s warm clothing swap. This event would be held outside. We are hoping the kids can be outside as much as possible this year but that can be cold and outdoor gear is $$$$. Hang on to your children’s outdoor gear that they have outgrown and in preparation, you could get it washed and ready to go. We will choose a date soon and send out the details.
• The next PTF meeting is outdoors, October 27th @ 3:15. We already have so many new members this year and we are hoping even more of you will join us!
Calendar
October
10/2 12:00 Dismissal
10/8 Author Michael Chabon
10/9 Workshop Day—No School
10/12 Holiday—No School
10/12-10/16 Parent/Teacher Conference Week
10/14 12:00 Flu Immunization Clinic
10/16 12:00 Dismissal
10/23 12:00 Dismissal
10/27 3:15 pm PTF Meeting
10/30 12:00 Dismissal
November
11/1 Daylight Savings Time Ends
11/6 12:00 Dismissal
11/11 Holiday—No School