Here is a much belated newsletter! There is a lot of news to catch up on. We were treated to a surprise visit from Ms. Holladay on Friday. She arrived just before lunch and the children nearly tackled her with hugs! It was definitely a highlight of our day and hers.
BLOGS/FAMILY LETTERS
Last week, we took a break from writing on our blogs because we wanted the children to focus on writing poems. We will resume our weekly updates this week. Remember that the children are welcome to blog at home and please be patient for us to moderate/approve comments. We will check them once a day. Thanks!
POEM IN YOUR POCKET DAY
This Thursday is National Poem in Your Pocket Day. Each child will choose a favorite, short poem written by a favorite poet or perhaps one they've written themselves. If it’s a poem from home, please send in a copy of it by Wednesday. We have also be searching for favorite poems in our many poetry books here at school. On Thursday, make sure your child wears clothing with pockets. The children will carry their poems with them throughout the day and read them to anyone who will listen. We invite you to join in too and share a poem with your child.
POETRY STUDY
All month long we will study poetry. Last week, we talked about how to see the world with a poet's eyes. Poets see the world in new, unique, surprising and interesting ways. The most ordinary object, like a pencil sharpener, can become magical and the imagery leaves a lasting impression or feeling for the reader.
Words are the poet's tools and because poems are often short, they must choose carefully. As we have read poems, we have learned about verbs, adjectives and synonyms. We have also used the reading comprehension strategies of visualization and inferring to help us make sense of a poem and to create a "picture in our heads."
We have learned how poets make line breaks to give their poem a rhythm or music. Poems are meant to be read out loud. Children may volunteer to be our Poet of the Day. They may read or recite a poem for us. We hope your child will choose to participate! Reading poetry also helps with children's fluency skills.
The children have started writing their own poems and we can't wait to share them with you! Be sure to ask your child about acrostic poems and haiku. We will learn more styles this week.
BLOGS/FAMILY LETTERS
Last week, we took a break from writing on our blogs because we wanted the children to focus on writing poems. We will resume our weekly updates this week. Remember that the children are welcome to blog at home and please be patient for us to moderate/approve comments. We will check them once a day. Thanks!
POEM IN YOUR POCKET DAY
This Thursday is National Poem in Your Pocket Day. Each child will choose a favorite, short poem written by a favorite poet or perhaps one they've written themselves. If it’s a poem from home, please send in a copy of it by Wednesday. We have also be searching for favorite poems in our many poetry books here at school. On Thursday, make sure your child wears clothing with pockets. The children will carry their poems with them throughout the day and read them to anyone who will listen. We invite you to join in too and share a poem with your child.
POETRY STUDY
All month long we will study poetry. Last week, we talked about how to see the world with a poet's eyes. Poets see the world in new, unique, surprising and interesting ways. The most ordinary object, like a pencil sharpener, can become magical and the imagery leaves a lasting impression or feeling for the reader.
Words are the poet's tools and because poems are often short, they must choose carefully. As we have read poems, we have learned about verbs, adjectives and synonyms. We have also used the reading comprehension strategies of visualization and inferring to help us make sense of a poem and to create a "picture in our heads."
We have learned how poets make line breaks to give their poem a rhythm or music. Poems are meant to be read out loud. Children may volunteer to be our Poet of the Day. They may read or recite a poem for us. We hope your child will choose to participate! Reading poetry also helps with children's fluency skills.
The children have started writing their own poems and we can't wait to share them with you! Be sure to ask your child about acrostic poems and haiku. We will learn more styles this week.
WHOOPING CRANE NEWS
On Saturday, six cranes from the group we studies and followed last fall, arrived at their summer home in Wisconsin! All the hard work and concern for this endangered species has paid off! They successfully migrated back north without the help of the ultralights. Sadly, one of the cranes was killed (mostly likely by a power line) and one other is unaccounted for. There are many dangers these now wild cranes will face and it is simply a part of nature. The cranes are approaching the first birthdays and will spend the summer as subadults. The young cranes are like teenagers. For them, it is too soon to find mates, stake out territories, or raise babies. Spring wandering is normal for young cranes. They may stay in Wisconsin or visit nearby states until they again make their migration south in the fall. We will continue to check in on our crane-kids through the Journey North and Operation Migration websites.
On Saturday, six cranes from the group we studies and followed last fall, arrived at their summer home in Wisconsin! All the hard work and concern for this endangered species has paid off! They successfully migrated back north without the help of the ultralights. Sadly, one of the cranes was killed (mostly likely by a power line) and one other is unaccounted for. There are many dangers these now wild cranes will face and it is simply a part of nature. The cranes are approaching the first birthdays and will spend the summer as subadults. The young cranes are like teenagers. For them, it is too soon to find mates, stake out territories, or raise babies. Spring wandering is normal for young cranes. They may stay in Wisconsin or visit nearby states until they again make their migration south in the fall. We will continue to check in on our crane-kids through the Journey North and Operation Migration websites.
KINDERGARTEN BUDDIES
We have been lucky enough to see our K-Buddies twice in the last few weeks. We completed our latest kindness mission with our Kindergarten Buddies last Tuesday. This time, we decorated door hangers and will put them on classroom and office doors around the school. We hope to spread the kindness and brighten people's days. A larger kindness mission is in the works with The Ronald McDonald House near the University of Chicago Hospitals. Stay tuned for details....
MATH
During math, we have continued to work on pencil and paper strategies for solving double and triple- digit subtraction and addition problems. Recently, we introduced the strategy called partial sums for adding. In this strategy, you separate the addition problem into "parts" such as the tens and the ones. You add those parts together first before finding the sum to the whole problem. Below is an example. This method really gets kids thinking about place value. For children who are still working on a concrete level, we used base-ten blocks to build the numbers. These blocks are illustrated by the lines and dots in the example below. The children have also learned the importance of making a "ballpark estimate" before beginning work on a problem. We do this by rounding to the nearest ten. Ballpark estimates allow us to check the accuracy of our answers.
We have been lucky enough to see our K-Buddies twice in the last few weeks. We completed our latest kindness mission with our Kindergarten Buddies last Tuesday. This time, we decorated door hangers and will put them on classroom and office doors around the school. We hope to spread the kindness and brighten people's days. A larger kindness mission is in the works with The Ronald McDonald House near the University of Chicago Hospitals. Stay tuned for details....
MATH
During math, we have continued to work on pencil and paper strategies for solving double and triple- digit subtraction and addition problems. Recently, we introduced the strategy called partial sums for adding. In this strategy, you separate the addition problem into "parts" such as the tens and the ones. You add those parts together first before finding the sum to the whole problem. Below is an example. This method really gets kids thinking about place value. For children who are still working on a concrete level, we used base-ten blocks to build the numbers. These blocks are illustrated by the lines and dots in the example below. The children have also learned the importance of making a "ballpark estimate" before beginning work on a problem. We do this by rounding to the nearest ten. Ballpark estimates allow us to check the accuracy of our answers.
YEAR-END POTLUCK
We are planning for our final potluck of the year. Please join us on Thursday, June 5th from 5:30-7:00 p.m. We are hoping the weather will cooperate and we will be able to enjoy our potluck on the rooftop playground. More details will be shared as we get closer to the date.
SECOND TO THIRD GRADE TRANSITIONS MEETING
Please plan to attend to second to third grade transitions meeting to be held on May 1st from 6:30-7:30 in Cafe Lab on the Historic Campus. This meeting serves to introduce parents to the new administration, faculty, schedules and program changes that students and families will experience with the transition from one school to another. A third grade teacher and Ms. Sylvie Anglin, Lower School Principal, will present information about what to expect in third grade and there will be time to have your questions answered.
Be sure to ask your favorite second grade about onomatopoeia (on-oh-ma-toe-pee-ah) and see if you can come up with any of these fun words!
Have a great week!
We are planning for our final potluck of the year. Please join us on Thursday, June 5th from 5:30-7:00 p.m. We are hoping the weather will cooperate and we will be able to enjoy our potluck on the rooftop playground. More details will be shared as we get closer to the date.
SECOND TO THIRD GRADE TRANSITIONS MEETING
Please plan to attend to second to third grade transitions meeting to be held on May 1st from 6:30-7:30 in Cafe Lab on the Historic Campus. This meeting serves to introduce parents to the new administration, faculty, schedules and program changes that students and families will experience with the transition from one school to another. A third grade teacher and Ms. Sylvie Anglin, Lower School Principal, will present information about what to expect in third grade and there will be time to have your questions answered.
Be sure to ask your favorite second grade about onomatopoeia (on-oh-ma-toe-pee-ah) and see if you can come up with any of these fun words!
Have a great week!