Art News

Pre-K/ K artists created their most favorite reindeer of all.

Grades 1/2 and 3/4

Grades 5-8

Curriculum Updates

Performing Arts

PK/K – We were happy to be back in class together! With the holiday break, it had been a while since we had a performing arts class! This week we started preparing for the virtual Holiday performance! We learned a body percussion routine to the song Santa Auditions! We learned about how to read musical rhythms! We also did a fun holiday-themed action song!

1/2 – We were happy to be back in class together! With the holiday break, it had been a while since we had a performing arts class! This week we started preparing for the virtual Holiday performance! We learned a bucket drumming routine to the song Russian Dance Trepak from the Nutcracker! We also did a fun holiday-themed action song!

3/4 – We were happy to be back in class together! With the holiday break, it had been a while since we had a performing arts class! This week we started preparing for the virtual Holiday performance! We learned a bucket drumming routine to the song Jingle Bell Rock!

5/6 – We were happy to be back in class together! With the holiday break, it had been a while since we had a performing arts class! This week we started preparing for the virtual Holiday performance! We learned a body percussion routine to the song Sleigh Ride!

7/8 – We were happy to be back in class together! With the holiday break, it had been a while since we had a performing arts class! This week we started preparing for the virtual Holiday performance! We learned a bucket drumming routine to the song Carol of the Bells! We talked about how to read rhythms and looked at the way the music is written.

Pre-K-K

Pre-K and K students were excited to be back and were hoping for lots of snow to mark the beginning of December. We had some students switch to remote learning, so we have had the chance to practice using google classroom and google meet to see friends who are at home, and how to be good “online” learners. We will begin to explore the works of Jan Brett, an author/illustrator who has been known to spend up to a full year to create the “just right” illustrations for one book

First and Second Grade

This week in math the second grade reviewed their math facts and continued to work on measuring and place value. They also started a new  online math game called Happy Numbers. The second graders began work on written responses to read alouds “like a third grader.” This means, when a question is asked about a story we read, they write their answer by first restating the question. If the question is, “Why did the gingerbread man run away?” Instead of the answer being “so he didn’t get eaten,” they would write, “Then gingerbread man ran away because he didn’t want to get eaten.” The Kindergarten and First Grade practiced counting by 5’s and 10’s using a hundreds chart. They also started a new online math game called Happy Numbers. They continued working on reading skills and strengthening their sight word lists, letter-sound correspondence, and reading as many books as possible!

ELA 3-8

3/4 ELA:

This past week we had our regular ELA class only 2 days, during which time we worked together to create a paragraph about Waiting for the Biblioburro.  We agreed on a topic sentence, and two details with examples.

5/6 ELA:

This past week students read articles about international organizations that help survivors of natural disasters.  We also visited the American Red Cross website to see what they have done to help others.

7/8 ELA:

Students continued their study of The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass along with analyzing poetry.

3-8 Super Studies

3/4

Last week, students started learning about memorials and monuments in the US. They are researching these landmarks and will be creating maps and imaginary road trips to visit them. On Forest Friday, we continued identifying pine, spruce, and fir trees and started building forts in the woods.

5/6

Last week, students researched different types of severe weather. They each selected the type of weather that they thought was most hazardous and began creating a presentation that they will use next week to try to convince their classmates to agree with their choice. On Forest Friday, we continued practicing our identification skills with pine, spruce, and fir trees. We also hiked the nature trail, where the class particularly enjoys exploring Freethy Brook near the far end of the trail.

7/8

Last week, students began learning about the endocrine system and how glands secrete hormones that control different functions of the human body.

**Please notice calendar changes

December

12/11               12:00                                       Dismissal

12/18               12:00                                       Dismissal

**12/21                            Teacher Workshop Day

**12/22-1/3                     Holiday—No School

**1/4-1/8                         Remote Learning

**1/11                              Return to in-person learning