Monday, January 17th NO SCHOOL Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Friday, January 28th and Monday, January 31st: NO SCHOOL for students
Grading & Staff Development- End of Semester 1
Winter is here!
It's imperative that students come to school with warm layers of clothing, warm socks and rain gear (shoes/coats). We strongly recommend that students keep a change of clothes in their backpacks. Gloves, hats and rain gear will continue to be needed in the new year!
2021-22 School Year Calendar
A message from Art Teacher Stephanie:
Yearbook is on sale now for $20. To purchase a yearbook please go to www.treering.com/validate Then enter the number 1016052158063632. Students are now creating the cover of the yearbook. A yearbook is a great way to remember their time this year. If you have any questions please email Stephanie at [email protected]. Thanks for all your support!
What’s happening in the Puffin Nest?
Once upon a time…
we continue our work with our fairytale writing unit!
In December, we prepared for this work by reading lots of different fairy tales, as well as their modern adaptations. By reading and listening to these stories, students deeply connect with story arcs, archetypes and lessons. As we begin our writing unit, we need to know how to go about writing fairytale adaptations.
This week, we learned that when writers plan how an adaptation of a story will go, they must do three things:
- Know the classic story and tell it often
- Decide on a change to improve the story
- Make the change lead to other changes so the whole story fits together
Ask your kiddo about their plans for adapting the Three Billy Goats Gruff!
Science Out & About to the Backyard Garden
This week we spent time focusing on sound and sound waves during our O&A in the garden. We learned how sound waves can vary in size and shape based on their volume and pitch. Students then used slinkies, dominoes, and their bodies to create models of these waves! We also experimented with tuning forks to see how sound can create vibrations, and transfer their energy to objects like water and a ping pong ball.
Mystery Science:
This week we’re learning how sound is a vibration! Your child made a paper cup telephone to experiment with how sound vibrations travel.
Something that your child might have found surprising is how well sound can travel through string, as long as the string is taut. You can support your child’s curiosity by inviting them to consider whether sound can travel through any material. For example, here’s a fun, easy experiment you can do at home: Will sound travel through the wall? Have them try holding a cup to their ear, just like with a paper cup telephone, but with the bottom of the cup pressed against a wall. Then go to the other side of the wall and talk. See if it works!
Level 2 "Inclusive Community" Read-Aloud Series
We will continue to engage a weekly "Inclusive Community" read-aloud series. Through these read-alouds, we will learn about and celebrate diversity in our community.
January: LGBTQ+ History and Awareness
- I am Jazz
- Be Amazing
- Love Makes a Family
- 10,000 Dresses
- Pink is For Boys
- Grandad's Camper