Español con Señora Hall

I’m so excited to be part of the FWM family and share my passion for language with the children here! In World Language, the children have been diving into stories each class. Storytelling helps students acquire language in a compelling manner and allows them to see words used in context rather than simply learning them in isolation. The children learn actions to correspond with new vocabulary words. 

In alignment with their author study for September, primary classes heard Oso Pardo, Oso Pardo, ¿Qué ves ahí? (Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? By Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle). With the story, they were presented with names of different animals along with their colors. Next, we will work on categorizing living and non-living things, just as they are doing for science this month.

Lower Elementary has been acquiring the skills to discuss which foods we like and do not like. They have been using the story, ¡No me gusta! from the No Me Digas elementary Spanish curriculum. We have been singing and sharing about our favorite and least favorite foods. 

Upper Elementary has practiced retelling stories and sequencing with the stories Isabel va a la escuela and Los Peces, and Los Tiburones, all from The Storyteller’s Corner. They have learned to talk about leaving or staying, how they are feeling, and they have practiced counting 0-10 and backward. 

Middle School just started our Free Voluntary Reading, which is at the beginning of each class. All middle schoolers choose a book to read and spend the first five to ten minutes of class reading in Spanish. Aside from this, they have been singing and hearing stories to say who people are, what they say, and what they like and do not like to do. Then they applied these skills to begin writing their own stories about themselves. 


100 Mile Club

The 100 Mile Club is off to a great start!

Students are running during morning fitness, recess and PE class.  The philosophy of 100 Mile Club is to engage and empower children and families to achieve a healthy lifestyle through physical activity nationwide; preventing childhood inactivity and obesity, one child, one school, and one community at a time.

The 100 Mile Club met for the first time on Wednesday, September 11th! It was a great turnout with over 30 students in attendance! First, we spoke about the 100 Mile Club program and goal setting for the year. We then headed out to the field to start our running/walking. Students independently tracked their laps around the field by collecting a popsicle stick every time they ran or walked one time around the soccer field. We ended the club five minutes early so that they could count their popsicle sticks. Many students were so motivated to run, they asked if they could run even more laps!

I encourage parents to sign their child up for the after school 100 Mile Club on Wednesdays from 3:15 to 4:00. Parents are also welcome to join us to walk and run on the soccer field during the club. Pick up for the club is at the front lobby at 4:00. Please note: the club does not meet on some Wednesdays so please refer to the calendar for those dates. The age group for this club is from grades 1 through 8. When your child receives their t-shirt after completing 25 miles, please have them wear the shirt on Wednesdays. I hope to see you on the field!


Things Are Cookin’ in Upper Elementary

Although our first few days of school did not constitute a full week, we fit in many lessons and community building activities to kick off what we anticipate will be a great year! During our first full school week we classified the human animal, studied endangered animals, and made delicious bruschetta using some hand picked basil from our class garden. It has inspired the students to come up with ideas for other recipes they want to make in school. The fifth years were excited to run their first official student council where they lead a group discussion about topics that their classmates recorded in the agenda. Some other fun, new, and exciting programs are on the horizon in the Upper Elementary. If you were not able to attend Curriculum Night, I will send a brief summary of important topics that were discussed. Looking ahead on our calendar, we have our first field trip planned to the White Memorial Conservation Center on Tuesday, September 24.


Upper Elementary: Moving Up Visits

This week the fifth year students visited the Middle School while the fourth year students hosted the third years in our classroom. The fifth years returned midday to share their enthusiasm about the possibilities that lie ahead in Middle School. The fourth years were excellent hosts, showing the third years the ropes and welcoming them to our environment. We will miss the fifth years, but look forward to the incoming students for 2019-2020!


Elementary Students Performed ” Seussical Junior”

 

All elementary students were in the school play, Seussical Junior, the musical based on the works of Dr. Seuss. Most people are familiar with the books of Dr. Seuss and enjoy not only the rhyming style of his works but the creativity of his stories. Among the many benefits to be in school play, one of them is that the students get to become part of a larger system working toward a common goal. It has been the culmination of weeks of practice, so the performance itself became a huge reward for all the hard work. Every single participating student did an amazing job!!

This musical weaves together many of his stories and brings a variety of his characters to life. “The themes in ‘Seussical’ are the importance of honesty, loyalty and friendship. But ‘Seussical’ brings additional messages that are so important to people of all ages.

In the play, the colorful bird Gertrude McFuzz is a friend to Horton the Elephant. However, she is unhappy with her one-feather tail. The story-line surrounding Gertrude touches on the difficulties people have with self-image and outward appearance. Horton, meanwhile, has to withstand peer pressure and being laughed at as he tries to save the Whos. While he is being chided as “the biggest blame fool in the Jungle of Nool,” Horton stands firm on principal and does what he knows is right, profoundly singing, “A person’s a person no matter how small.”

Underscoring the story is the relationship between Horton and the smallest Who in Whoville, Jojo. Jojo is a “thinker of great thinks” which unfortunately gets her into trouble. As she is sent off to learn discipline, she feels all alone. Similarly, because Horton is the only one who can hear the Whos, he laments the fact that no one is able to understand him. The result is a bond between Horton and Jojo and the duet “Alone in the Universe.”

Through much mayhem, Horton retains the ability to believe in himself. Even facing the possibility of jail, Horton states, “I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant is faithful one hundred per cent.” Mayzie LaBird and Sour Kangaroo provide examples of the issues of right and wrong, and the Cat in the Hat reminds the characters facing difficulty to consider “How Lucky You Are.”

BRAVO to all our performers!!


Upper Elementary: Nature’s Classroom

We had an outstanding time on our two night overnight to Nature’s Classroom in Charlton, MA!  The students worked in class today to help create a Top 10 List of their favorite things about the trip. Enjoy and have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Top 10 Best Things About Nature’s Classroom

  1. Food
  2. Night Experience (campfire and s’mores)
  3. Quiet Sing
  4. Field Group (atl-atl, camo)
  5. Science Fair
  6. Transition time (soccer, cards, kickball)
  7. Special Interest Classes (Thor, Pond Probe, Roller Coaster, Remember Me)
  8. NC Teachers
  9. Group games (bat vs moth)
  10. Cabins

Upper Elementary: Welcome, Guests!

 

After our successful play and immersion week we returned to our regular routine and work cycle on Monday. Some of the choices students made included literature study, botany, reading responses, and geometry activities using the tan grams and pattern blocks. We welcomed a student visitor to our class on Wednesday and hope she joins our school for the coming school year! On Thursday we enjoyed an all sports celebration after school with Mrs. Pascarella. Thanks to the volunteers that offered their time to help, or donate snacks and supplies for the celebration. We concluded the week welcoming special friends and grandparents to our classroom. They made acrostic poems to give to one another before the visits ended. It was wonderful to see the children interact with their guests!


Lower and Upper Elementary: “Oh the Thinks You Can Think!”

Over the past week of immersion into the art of musical theater, we have watched in admiration as the children have become completely focused on one common goal. There is something very special about children who are ages six through nine all working together. Older children helping younger, younger looking up to older. Together they persevered and focused and throughout all of the practices stayed enthusiastic about reaching their goal. The result was a performance that they can all be very proud of. What an amazing group of children!

A special thank you to the Farinella family for recording the play. I will be sending an email with a link to the recording for you to watch at home. The children enjoyed watching it during our cast party today. Thank you to everyone who sent in food! Also, thank you very much to the parents who volunteered to help with costumes, props, and set!

A reminder:
The deadline for this year’s FWM sweatshirt is the end of the day on Monday. Order yours now! FWM Sweatshirt Order