Kindergarten
Kindergarten is loving all things Spring! We have been able to get out to play without our snow gear and breathe in the fresh air! We are starting an exciting Inquiry unit called "Worms Scouts". We will be investigating all things worms. We will touch the worms, view the worms, and create a worm a compost. We are learning about nonfiction text and exploring how to be a writer of nonfiction. We are reading and using technology to research and record information about a variety of animals . We are also looking forward to some super awesome field trips to connect with our learning. We are heading to the Fire House, the Zoo and we have a visiting musician coming to our courtyard. So many great experiences ahead of us!
Primary
This beautiful April weather has found us with an early case of 'spring fever'! We have taken advantage with outdoor recess (or two) to enjoy the fresh air and socialize with friends. Back in the classroom, we continue to learn and foster a love for reading. Please continue to encourage your child to read at home each night. They should also be noticing print out in the community as well. Encourage this and praise every attempt your child makes to read something new! We are reviewing 'small moment' stories again in writing and the students are using a lot of details in their writing as they recount a moment in time that happened in their lives. As you are out at sporting events or they come in to tell you about the game they were playing outside, remind them that these would make great stories to write about. We are always looking for new story ideas. Soon we will move to our final writing unit of the year, opinion writing. More to come on that topic! In math, younger friends are continuing to reinforce place value with many games and story problems. We will be adding and subtracting with tens to one hundred soon! Older friends are working on adding and subtracting within 100, combinations of 100 and place value of 1s, 10s, 100s, as well as, counting to 1000. We have two planners left for the schoolyear. The first is a Social Studies planner where we will learn all about different communities (urban, suburban, rural) and how they are interdependent. We are looking forward to some upcoming fieldtrips with the first being to the Parma Museum to support this planner and will learn how our hometown has changed over time. In May, we will be visiting the Stone Tolan House and Powder Mill Fish Hatchery and then the Seneca Park Zoo in June. More information will be coming soon!
We hope you all enjoy the Spring Season!
Elementary
Elementary Level classes are completing a science based planner about earth’s process. The central idea is that processes help to shape the earth. During this hands-on unit students made a rock profile to study how sedimentary rocks are created, examined fossils, studied weathering, erosion, and glaciers, along with learning about natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes. The investigations helped students observe and understand how different processes have shaped the area where we live.
Earth’s Processes moved us into our next science unit about ecosystems. The central idea of this planner is that ecosystems interact with the environment. During these studies children will learn about the components of an ecosystem and the adaptations plants/animals possess. Part of the planner is a case study where students discuss whether or not wolves should be reintroduced into the Adirondack Park area of New York State. Students examine perspectives on both sides of the topic and use the knowledge they gain to write an opinion piece.
The Elementary classes are preparing for the New York State tests in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. Students are studying the genre of short reading passages and are learning test taking strategies.
Intermediate
Intermediate level is hard at work on Exhibition! Exhibition represents the culmination of the PYP program, a chance for students to show off their learner attributes, and it’s a tradition that the whole school looks forward to. During Exhibition, Grads are asked to show independence, and this year’s grads are already doing so--they have chosen their topic, central idea, and are focusing on their lines of inquiry and action. They are working with their mentors to clarify their thinking. They will present their learning by May 5th.
