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Ms. Handibode: Fun at Flanders

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

 

On Monday, the Kindergarten children spent time at Flanders Nature Center in Woodbury. We began by taking a hike through the woods to the Botany Pond. The children then had the opportunity to catch and identify amphibians, reptiles, and insects. We found tadpoles, beetles, newts, giant water bugs, leeches and salamanders. We observed turtles resting on a rock and fish swimming but this year we searched in vain for those elusive frogs. When we were done, we released any living thing we had collected and climbed aboard for a tractor ride. We were able to get up close to a beaver lodge and get a peek at a hawk flying back and forth to it’s nest.  It was informative and impressive to speak with a Flanders volunteer, who explained how and why the beavers dam up a culvert each night. Walking back, several children shared what a great day it was! Flanders is open to the public, and we encourage you to take advantage of this amazingly beautiful nature center.

Wishing you all a week filled with much peace and love.

Michelle & Maria

Mrs. Lopes: A Look at Our Week

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

On Monday, the Kindergarten children spent time at Flanders Nature Center in Woodbury. We began by taking a hike through the woods to the Botany Pond. The children then had the opportunity to catch and identify amphibians, reptiles, and insects. We found tadpoles, beetles, newts, giant water bugs, leeches and salamanders. We observed turtles resting on a rock, fish swimming, and one person even caught a frog.  When we were done, we released any living thing we had collected and climbed aboard for a tractor ride. We were able to get up close to a beaver lodge and get a peek at a hawk flying back and forth to it’s nest.  It was informative and impressive to speak with a Flanders volunteer, who explained how and why the beavers dam up a culvert each night. Walking back, several children shared what a great day it was! Flanders is open to the public, and we encourage you to take advantage of this amazingly beautiful nature center.

Wishing you all a week filled with much peace and love.

Amanda & Hema

Mrs. Hood: Welcome to the World of Insects!

Posted on by Andrea Hood

This week, we took a closer look at some of the tiniest but most fascinating creatures on Earth—insects! We began by exploring the anatomy of an insect, using large models to help us see all the important parts up close. The children were introduced to the three main body parts of all insects: the head, thorax, and abdomen. We also learned that insects have six legs, antennae to help them smell and feel the world around them, and most have wings as well.

To help reinforce this new vocabulary in a fun and memorable way, we learned a new song set to the familiar tune of “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”:

Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen
Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen
Eyes, antennas, wings, six legs
Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen

The children loved singing and moving along, pretending to be their favorite insect and it helped solidify these big words in a joyful and age-appropriate way!

With a strong foundation in insect anatomy, we zoomed in on a specific insect: the ant. We learned about the ant’s life cycle, discovering the stages of egg, larva, pupa, and adult ant. These were exciting new words for the toddlers, and many repeated them throughout the week as we worked, sang, and played.

We also made exciting real-world connections as  some live insects visited our classroom—what perfect timing! The children were eager to observe them carefully and point out their body parts, matching what we had learned in our lessons.

Although spiders sparked a lot of interest too, we learned that they are not insects because they have eight legs and only two body segments. Still, spiders became a fun part of our exploration, and the children enjoyed watching them closely.

During outdoor time, we continued to observe and discuss other insects such as grasshoppers, ladybugs, dragonflies, flies, and bees. Using models and real sightings, the children are beginning to recognize patterns and characteristics that help them classify what is (and isn’t!) an insect. Next week, we will focus our studies in the majestic butterflies… the children are eager to see the live caterpillars finally arrive (they got lost in the mail) and watch their life cycle right before their very own eyes! We can’t wait!

For food tasting this week, we offered something fresh and juicy: kiwi! The children were curious about the fuzzy brown exterior and the bright green inside with its tiny seeds. Some dove right in, while others took cautious little nibbles.

We also had the joy of celebrating a very special birthday this week as one of our friends turned three years old!  The birthday child beamed with pride, and the whole class joined in singing and sharing in the joy of the moment, as always!

Finally, a heartfelt thank you:

  • To all the parents who took time to meet with Patty and me during Parent-Teacher Conferences—we loved connecting with you.
  • To the wonderful grandparents and special friends who joined us for Grandparents’ Day—your presence meant so much to the children.
  • To all of you for the love and appreciation shown during Teacher Appreciation Week—your kind words and thoughtful gestures truly touched our hearts.
  • And to all the amazing mothers in our classroom community—Happy Mother’s Day! Thank you for your endless love, strength, and the beautiful energy you bring into your children’s lives. We hope you feel celebrated and appreciated this weekend and always.

Warmly,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Patty

Reminder: Please make sure your child bring rain boots and rain jacket/suit on rainy days! We will take advantage of outdoors adventures in all type of weather as much is possible.

Middle School: Week in Review

Posted on by Michelle Lamb

The first full week of May has passed in a flash. Next week is an exciting week for the Middle School as 8th grade students present their Expert Presentations, which concludes several months of research, writing, and developing their presentation. All Middle School students and families are welcome at this event. Additionally, we will wrap up next week with the Middle School Garden Party! See below for a link to the evite if you haven’t RSVPd for your student(s).

Announcements & Upcoming Events:

  • MEDICAL FORMS FOR THE MS TRIP ARE NOW PAST DUE. Please turn in your forms ASAP. ALL students traveling must submit!
  • Wed., 5/14 @ 6 pm: 8th Grade Expert Presentations Culmination of 8th Grade Research Projects. MS students are encouraged to attend.
  • Fri., 5/16 @ 6:30-8:30pm: Middle School Spring Dance CLICK HERE to RSVP
  • Fri., 5/23 @ 5pm: Spring Concert & Picnic
  • Tues., 5/27-Fri., 5/30: MS Trip (Packing List and more info coming SOON)
  • Week of 6/2: Spirit Week 
  • Wed., 6/4 @ 5pm: Farewell to the Class of 2025 An event hosted by 6th and 7th grade students to honor their graduating classmates. Please plan on attending with your student(s)
  • Thurs., 6/5 @ 5pm: 8th Grade Graduation For 8th grade families and friends at the Newtown Meetinghouse
  • Fri., 6/6: Last Day of School/Dismissal @ 11:30 am

Humanities

6th grade Humanities classes are wrapping up one novel with a final writing piece and are already onto the next!  Students are in different stages of the writing process with their final essay about <em>The Egypt Game</em>. Their writing discusses the change throughout the plot of one of the protagonists, April. As they have been composing, they are now reading <em>Shooting Kabul</em> by N.H. Senzai. This novel begins in Afghanistan and follows an Afghani family fleeing the Taliban and seeking asylum in the United States in 2001.

7th grade Humanities classes spent the week learning about the Weimar Republic. During this time of history in Germany, we investigated the aftermath of the Treaty of Versailles, their attempt at Democracy, education, women’s rights, the economy (including hyperinflation and the Great Depression), and the antisemitic views of the region. This knowledge paves the way for learning about Hitler’s rise to power and its effects on the world. Next week, students will learn about this in addition to beginning the memoir, <em>Four Perfect Pebbles</em> by Marion Blumenthal Lazan. On Poetry Tuesday, the 7th grade lightened the mood after some heavy content by discussing the elements of children’s literature (particularly poetry) and composed their own poems targeted for a young audience. They had a great time composing and sharing!

The 8th grade is in the final stretch of their Expert Presentations! Students were making revisions, running through presentations with each other, and receiving additional feedback from Mrs. Lamb. Next week, they will be spending the beginning of the week with Mrs. Lamb rehearsing on stage in the gym, revising their essays, and setting up their Expert Tables.

Science
6th Grade:
This week in Science, students continued working within the Environmental Science unit. They focused on the divide between developed and developing countries, discussing criteria to define each.  The class then split into groups and looked at their own clothing in order to see where most of their garments are made.  Not surprisingly, over 95% of our classroom’s clothing was made in developing countries.  Students then spent time brainstorming why that might be and what the environmental impacts of that truth might be.
7th Grade:
This week 7th grade wrapped up their unit on Ionic Compounds.  They spent time learning about polyatomic ions and acids at the start of the week and ended the week reviewing the topic as a whole.  Students were even able to watch an episode of Mythbusters in which the scientists conducted chemical experiments to investigate whether what is seen on TV is accurate.  Students did an excellent job on this unit!  This subject is not easy and students persevered while challenging themselves.  As a group, their willingness to push themselves is impressive.  Next week, the class will begin their final unit on Covalent Compounds.
8th grade:
This week was spent wrapping up their unit on Genetics, both Mendelian and Non-Mendelian, in addition to the study of pedigree charts.  Students welcomed the challenge of pedigrees, learning the different patterns of different types of inheritance.  Their sticktoitiveness and wanting to succeed is worth mention.  The class, as a whole, did a wonderful job putting all of their recently gained vocabulary and knowledge together in attacking complex pedigrees. Next week will begin their final unit on Evolution.
Math

Pre-Transition: The Pre-Transition class wrapped up their learning of Chapter 7 this week. The week began with learning the difference between repeating and terminating decimals and how to determine if a simple fraction will be one or the other. The class then learned how to find quotients of decimals, divide negative and positive numbers, and solve multiplication and division equations using fact triangles. They will take the Chapter 7 Test on Thursday, May 15.

Transition: This week, the Transition class completed Chapter 8. They can now solve and check equations in the form ax + b = c using the Multiplication Property of Equality. They then learned how to solve equations in the form of y = ax + b. They will take the Chapter 8 test on Thursday, May 15.
Algebra: It was a week full of radicals in Algebra as we closed out on Chapter 8. The week began with learning to simplify square roots and cube roots. They then moved on to multiplying and dividing square roots, and using the Pythagorean Theorem to calculate distances on the x-y coordinate plane. They will take the Chapter 8 Test on Thursday, May 15.
 
Geometry: The Geometry class finalized their learning of Chapter 7 this week. They can now identify properties of parallelograms and determine whether conditions are sufficient for parallelograms and other quadrilaterals. This class has also mastered representing relationships between quadrilaterals using the hierarchy based on diagonals. They will take the Chapter 7 Test on Thursday, May 15.

This Week in Upper El

Posted on by Karen Sankey

“A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dates all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” -Agatha Christie

Our week started with a cast party for Finding Nemo, Jr. We enjoyed watching a recording of the play and eating the delicious Finding Nemo themed cake Leah (our MS math teacher) made.

We had a multitude of math lessons this week. We have a range of work going on in Upper El, from adding and subtracting fractions to multiplying decimals to working with cubing and cube roots. When possible, students work together with classmates on their lessons, but many times, students work independently since everyone truly moves at their own pace in their math work. This allows each student to spend just the right amount of time on each concept before moving on to a new lesson. Assessment happens continuously through observations, assignments, and meetings with me. Many math concepts that seem complex become simple through the use of materials. As soon as students are ready, we look for patterns in the answers to their written work and discover the algorithm together. They move to work without materials when they are ready and then move onto the next lesson.

Our class meeting this week focused on lunch preparations when a student noticed that people are taking too long at the microwave and sometimes walking away from their food while it is heating. Each student took turns brainstorming solutions, and after a quick discussion, the class made a collective decision about some solutions to the problem. Putting decision making in the hands of the students creates an environment where they feel in control and respected. It also creates a classroom that runs smoothly.

We enjoyed getting back to Book Buddies this week after missing the last two weeks. This is a highlight of the week for Upper El students. They have become excellent teachers to their kindergarten friends.

Wishing a very Happy Mother’s Day to all our moms. You are all amazing!

Mrs. Wilson: Splashing, Smashing Fun Week!

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

This week began with a forecast full of rain, but we’re happy to report that the weather shifted and gave us a few bright moments! Even on the rainy days, we made the most of it—splashing in puddles, getting fresh air, and exploring the land around us. Rain or shine, the children always find a way to enjoy the outdoors, and so do we!

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, this week’s food tasting featured avocado! The children were excited to try something new—many enjoyed the flavor, although a few weren’t too sure about the texture. With our extra avocados, we took the fun a step further and made guacamole together!

Each child had a turn using a child-sized potato masher to smash the avocado. After all the hard work, we mixed in tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lime juice. The final touch? Enjoying our delicious guacamole with tortilla chips! The children were so proud of their creation, they even walked together to share a plate with Mr. Newman.

Miss Sara and I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the parents and grandparents who showered us with love and appreciation this week. Your kind gestures made us feel truly blessed and spoiled. We are so grateful to be part of such a thoughtful and supportive community!

Rain, Rain, Go away!

Posted on by Mollie Smith

Rain, Rain, Go Away! This week has been filled with many rain showers, making the week a little different. We literally went with the weather, if it was sunny we ran with it, raining we stopped to admire or sigh! On Tuesday we went out and it was sunny blue skies, which quickly turned to misty rain, we simply embraced it. We played in the misty rain, jumped in puddles and enjoyed being outside!

With our limited time outside we enjoyed making guacamole with Mrs. Lizette and tasting each ingredient! The limes were the star of the show. I was quite surprised at the children’s eagerness to try cilantro! We also made a delicious carrot cake with extra carrots, dried cherries and pumpkin seeds! The children devoured the carrot cake, with so many healthy new ingredients, I was really surprised!

The outpouring of love and appreciation this week has been so deeply appreciated. I admit I am not a overly emotional person, but your cards…..they touched my heart, and left me teary. Thank you for sharing your children with us each day, its a honor and a joy to be with them.

With Full Hearts,

Ms. Mollie, Ms. Lizette and Ms. Anabelle

Mrs. Sargeant: A Peek at the Week

Posted on by Christine Sargeant

It’s always a little startling to realize that the end of the school year is quickly approaching. May is an amazing month because we look back to see all we have accomplished and take stock of what we have left to do. Each child’s learning at this point is very much cumulative and continues to build upon all of the skills that have been mastered since August. A perfect example of this is the kindergarten animal research project the children have been working on for several weeks. We start this project in late spring because we need a foundation of reading, writing, geography, science, and even math to be successful. I was ‘interviewing’ the kindergartners for the About The Author section of their books, and, as typically happens, several other children quickly wanted to be interviewed and share their future career aspirations. Their answers are sure to brighten everyone’s day.

When I am older, I want to be…….

  • Anaya–       I just want to drive a car.
  • Arsalan–    a police officer
  • Ava–            a spy ninja
  • Cameron– a superhero with Matteo, or work at a school and make sure people are being good
  • Eliot–          an artist
  • Ethan–       a worker at a construction site
  • Luke—        working with my Mom and helping her to make her recipes
  • Katie–        an animal trainer
  • Matteo–     a scientist
  • Olive–         I don’t know; maybe a dancer.
  • Olson–       a chef at home
  • Hayes—      I don’t know yet–doing work
  • Rayna–      I want to go outside.
  • Emma—     a vet
  • Divya–        a princess
  • William–   I want to read.
  • Ivy–            a builder of castles and houses, and a Mommy
  • Oscar–       a dentist doctor
  • Eliana–      a ballerina
  • Otto–          a kidney doctor
  • Lucia-          a Mom

“Thank you” seems so little to say for the outpouring of love and kindness during Teacher Appreciation Week. We felt the love all week long and count ourselves truly blessed to have the relationships we do with each of you.

Wishing you all a week filled with peace and love!

Christine & Hailey