by Tally Lent, Lower School Head
additional articles written by Lower School Teachers

May Days in Lower School
Tally Lent, Lower School Head

This year has flown by!  I am having a hard time believing that we are already in May, but the evidence is all around me: students are taller and more knowledgeable, and they’re wearing shorts. As I reflect upon this year that is almost over, I must say that I thoroughly enjoy each one of your children. Watching them grow, mature, and be active citizens of our Applewild community is a genuine delight and privilege for me. Clearly, each of our children in Kindergarten up through fifth grade is ready to move on to the new adventures that await them.

Your children have grown physically, academically, and socially, and each is deservedly proud of his or her accomplishments. We see their amazing growth in the classrooms, in the art studio and wood shop, in the gym and out on the playing fields, on the risers singing, and on stage acting and playing instruments.  We see their increasing maturity in their poise in speaking publicly, in their generosity in helping others, and in their confident strides all over our campus. As we approach our annual Step-Up Day, we are certain that our students are, indeed, ready to step up to the new challenges that await them next year.

Being ready to move on does not mean it is easy to leave the familiarity of the current grade and well-loved teacher.   Lower School students often feel the frantic flurries of butterflies in the stomach when they think about next year.  And, surprising and often frustrating to the adults around them, Lower School children, after making tremendous growth all year long, often revert to their September selves at the end of the year.  This slipping back before moving ahead is a natural part of the cycle of child growth and development, and one that requires patience and understanding from all the important adults in the children’s lives.

May is likely our busiest month of the school year.  We have lots of events going on and there are several days in May and June when we have a special dress code.

Beginning the month, the fifth graders travel to the Higgins Armory and the Worcester Art Museum for the day on Friday, May 3. On Friday, May 10 we have our annual Grandparents’ Special Persons’ Day.  Lower Schoolers are expected to dress up for this day; it is a half-day with buses running only at noon.  Please let us know by note or email how your child is going home on this day.

We have our Spring Concert on Thursday, May 16 at 2:30 pm in the Alumni Theater. Concert dress is required for all but Kindergarten, who are meant to collared shirts and slacks for boys, dresses or fancy pants outfits for girls. Fifth graders will also play in the Upper School Concert in the evening concert. Before the afternoon concert, fifth grade parents are invited to hear about the transition to sixth grade and the Upper School.  Please join us at 1:00 in the Information Center in Ansin to hear from Upper School Head Erica Hager and the sixth grade teachers.  We will be done in plenty of time for you to get to the Theater for the afternoon concert. We will have our all-school Spring Concert on Friday morning, May 17; Concert Dress is required again.  Our ARC buddies will join the audience for this concert.

The second graders will host the Living Wax Museum on Thursday, May 23 at 8:30 am in the Marshall Library.  I hope parents will join me at 8:00 for coffee in the Multi-Purpose Room before the Museum doors open.

May 24 is Field Day for students in fourth through eighth grades; it’s a noon dismissal for the whole school, with buses running only at noon.  Field Day events will be held at Fitchburg State College, and is a great day of fun for all. There is no Extended Day on Field Day. Please let us know by note or email how your child will go home on this half day.

Second graders head to the Butterfly Place on Tuesday, May 28 for a culminating field trip that relates to our science curriculum. We will be away for the morning, returning to school for lunch.

We have Step-Up Day on Wednesday, May 29.  Our Kindergartners go next door and spend an hour in the first grade to assess what next year might be like, while first graders go upstairs to second grade to do the same.  Our second graders go next door to experience third grade, and our third graders cross the hall to hear about the fourth grade. Fourth graders will go down the hall to learn about the fifth grade, and the fifth graders will go up the hill to the sixth grade wing in Crocker. New students are invited to attend this event. This short period in next year’s classrooms does a lot to alleviate some worries and the children are usually very excited to move up momentarily and then return back to the security of their current rooms and teachers. 

On May 30, third graders will walk down to ARC to have a final activity and lunch with their ARC buddies.

Second graders visit their grandfriends one final time on Tuesday, June 4 and enjoy fun and pizza together. Wednesday, June 5 is our Annual Lower School/Upper School Teddy Bear Picnic.  Students are invited to bring a teddy bear (or other beloved stuffed animal) and a blanket to picnic on.  We find that it works best if the teddy bears and stuffed animals that come to school fit inside a backpack; anything larger is too cumbersome for this day. In keeping with this wonderful Applewild tradition, we will eat lunch with our buddies outdoors, weather permitting.

On Thursday, June 6 the fifth graders go north to the Mariposa Museum in Peterborough, NH for their last field trip of the year. Also, Thursday, June 6 is the last day of Extended Day.

We will have our final Common Time and an informal send-off for our fifth graders on Friday, June 7.  This day is a noon dismissal for the whole school; buses will run at noon only. This is the last day of school for Kindergartners, first and second graders.

Third through fifth graders will attend Recognition Day and Eighth Grade Graduation on Tuesday, June 11 and Wednesday June 12.  Tuesday is a noon dismissal and on Wednesday the students are dismissed at 11:00.  These three last days are dress up days, please.

In a blinding flash of projects, activities, culminations, and events the year will be over!  I hope you enjoy these lovely spring days and treasure the delightful moments with your children.

End of the Year Kindergarten News
Ginger Sauer
Bailey Shea

This is an exciting few weeks for Kindergarten as we top off our year’s studies, prepare for our Spring Concert, and discover and reflect on how far we have come together.  In class we will continue to work on phonic skills, sight word reading, writing skills, addition, and subtraction.  Throughout May we will complete final assessments on each student, a report of which gets sent home after the end of the school year.  The children have worked and explored diligently, and have much to be proud of.

By the time you read this, our annual Fairy Hike will be a thing of the past.  It is always one of the highlights in a Kindergartner’s memory.  (And ours!)

Among May’s highlights is Grandparent / Special Person Day.  This celebratory event will be the morning of Friday, May 10. What a great time for your Kindergartner to share his/her school with someone important in his/her life!   Please let us know if your child will not have a visitor, that way we can plan ahead and make sure that everyone’s day is enjoyable.   This is only the first in a series of dress-up days during this end-game period.

We hope that your Kindergartner will help you enjoy Mother’s Day a couple of days later.  It is so important that children view themselves as givers as well as receivers! 

The next week, our Spring Concert takes place on Thursday, May 16 at 2:30.   Kindergarten children will stay in school beyond the normal 2:00 PM dismissal to perform.  They will also perform for the whole school on the morning of the 17th.  Both of these events require concert dress, which for Kindergartners means slacks and collared shirts for boys, and a nice dress or pantsuit for girls. Dress shoes are also called for, and girls are encouraged to wear flats rather than shoes with much heel, since we will be using stairs to get on and off the stage.  Of course, shoes must have backs to them; no slips-ons, please.   

Monday, May 27 there is no school due to Memorial Day. 

Wednesday, May 29 is Step Up Day. All the children moving up a grade will make a group visit to the next grade that morning.  Next year’s Kindergartners are invited to visit Kindergarten during that time, and children spending their second year in K are encouraged to help meet and greet the incoming class.  We rely on them to be good role models as they take on the function of ‘senior citizens!’  No special dress is required for that day. 

Wednesday, June 5 is our Teddy Bear Picnic at lunchtime.  This will be our last Buddy Day activity.  Children are encouraged to bring in one stuffed animal that will fit in their backpacks.  They may also bring in a small blanket to use on the lawn during the picnic with their Fifth Grade Buddies.  Sometimes children want to give presents to their Buddies on this last day, but we would prefer that children make cards.  That way, there will be no hurt feelings.  (“I didn’t get anything from MY buddy,” or “Wow, she got more that I did.”)  Issues of fairness touch so deeply at this age!

The following day, Thursday, June 6 is the last day of Extended Day, since June 7, Friday, is the last day of school and the whole school has a noon dismissal.  Again, please let us know of any changes in normal departure details. 

Any children whose birthdays fall during the summer are invited to schedule their school birthday celebration during May.  Please contact us to make arrangements.

It seems scarcely possible that our year is drawing to an end so quickly.  These last few weeks are a blur of activity, planning, and recollection.  We have enjoyed watching the growth that each child has experienced this year.   It has been a pleasure getting to know the children individually and as part of the Kindergarten class.

We will be sending home summer work so that the skills your child worked so hard to acquire this year do not evanesce during the summer months.  Mrs. Cafarella will be looking for this work in September.  It does not require so much in the way of time as it does constancy; doing some of the work each week is more effective – and less harrowing! – than saving it all for a couple of weeks in August, and most of it should feel rather pleasurable!  Thank you all for a terrific year; we hope you have a wonderful summer!

First Grade News
Milissa Cafarella

May has arrived and the school year is nearing the end.  However, we still have so much to do in first grade.

It is amazing to think back to the beginning of the school year when most of these first graders were just learning to read and write.  Now they are confident readers and writers and enjoy sharing their talents with others.  Our literacy centers will continue to provide reinforcement activities to help develop these skills.

Throughout the month, I will be assessing the students on their mastery in spelling, reading, writing, and math.  At the same time, we will pursue new concepts in all of these areas.

In math, we will be completing our unit on measurement and probability.  We will be introduced to perimeter, estimating, measuring, comparing capacity, and weighing using pounds, grams, and kilograms.  We end the month learning addition and subtraction of double- digit numbers.  This concept will be taught using digi-blocks and activities.

We will complete our map skills centers during social studies.  Our Time for Kids magazines will focus our attention on types of land around the world, the different oceans, community workers and summer safety.

At the beginning of the year, we went on a field trip to the Fitchburg Public Library.  I hope that you will take advantage of visiting the library regularly throughout the summer in order to help your child continue to strengthen his/her reading skills and love of learning.

Second Grade
Kathie Grzewinski

I am very proud of the second graders’ achievements this year.  I can't believe how quickly the year has gone by.  The end is near!

In Reading, both groups will be working on their Biography project this month.  The children have gathered their resources and are now writing their "rough" drafts of their reports.  Then they will write their final, corrected report and work at home to prepare for their oral presentation and poster for the project.  Our culmination will be our Living Wax Museum on May 23rd.  Please save the date!  After our projects are completed, each group will be finishing up reading their books and then completing activities to go along with their book.  At the end of the month, the children will be assessed in various areas of reading skills.

In Math, the children will work on Chapter 9-Measurement and Probability.  In this chapter, the children will learn ways to measure length, weight and volume.  They will also learn how to predict how likely or unlikely it is that certain things will happen.  This is always a fun chapter to complete during the last month of school, with lots of hands-on activities.  We will then work on numbers to 1,000, addition and subtraction of three-digit numbers and have a sneak preview of multiplication in the final chapters of Math.  We will also continue to work with our digi-blocks, as well as our "Rocket Math" program.  The students will then be assessed using the benchmarks established for second grade in Math.  Please continue to have your child practice their addition/subtraction facts, as well as telling time with an analog clock, and counting money, over the summer. This will help your child to retain skills needed for third grade.

We are very busy as usual in Language Arts.  In Fundations, the children will be working on Units 9-12. They will learn about r-controlled syllable types, combining syllables with other syllable types, "D" syllable (double vowel), sounds of ai and ay, and three new vowel teams-ee, ea and ey, as well as oi and oy.

In G.U.M. we'll finish Unit 1 with a unit assessment and end-of-the-year test.  In writing, the children are finishing up their "Budding Author" booklets of writing for the month of April.  After copying our Fable stories into a hard-covered book, the children will be reading their original stories to their Grandparents/Special Persons.  Plan to look for our Fables in our yearly Apple Blossom publication this month.  We will then finish the year in writing, working on our second grade remembrances and our final class book "Peace Is...”, modeled after Todd Parr's book Peace.

In Social Studies, we will be learning about these continents in our Junior Atlas program: South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and Antarctica.  The children will also read from our Scholastic News, which discusses current events around the world and nationally. We are preparing to present the Core Competency of Perseverance at a Common Time this month and will be preparing as well for our Grandparents’/Special Persons' Day and Mother's Day this month.

This month, we will be going to The Butterfly Place in Westford for a class trip.  This ties in nicely with our Insect study from the beginning of the year.

We will also say goodbye to our "Grandfriends" at the Highlands. During our last visit in June, we'll celebrate with a sing-a-long of old-time favorite songs, as well as perform our "Jug Band".  We will also have a trip to the "horse races" and a pizza party.  We've enjoyed establishing intergenerational friendships this year, and both the children and their "Grandfriends" will miss our monthly visits, I'm sure.  Thanks to all of the parents who have helped me out this year at the Highlands. I really appreciate your help with all of the crafts, games, trivia, snacks and other projects!

What a wonderful year it has been!  Thank you for sharing your children with me.  I look forward to seeing them continue to grow and develop next door in third grade! 

Third Grade News
Michelle Janoschek
Sharon McGowan

We can hardly believe that it is almost the end of the year! We have enjoyed every minute of the time we have spent with this wonderful group of third graders. Each of them has grown so much and we are incredibly proud of all their accomplishments.

The month of May will bring many special events including Grandparents’/Special Persons’ Day, Spring Concert, Step-up Day, and our last visit with our ARC buddies for some spring planting and picnicking.

In Math, the students will explore division with the digiblocks. They will develop an intuitive understanding of division by exploring a physical model with single blocks. They will then work with larger numbers and connect their work to paper and pencil recordings. Students will continue to make predictions about the answer before modeling the problem with the digiblocks. The children will learn and practice their facts from 0-12, find remainders for simple division problems, relate multiplication and division, and write number expressions for phrases. We will complete the year with an introduction to Fractions and Measurement. Our goal is to show the children that they are surrounded by fractions every day. Whether they are looking at pizza slices, fractioning an apple for snack, eating half a sandwich, or sharing a cake with their friends, fractions abound. Our study of Measurement will align with prior work in Shop, in addition to measuring objects in the classroom, and around the school. Decimals will be introduced in the context of fractions; it will surely be a hit as it is something new and different. The students have been curious about “the dot” for a long time and now they will discover the meaning of “the dot” through their own inquiry.

In Language Arts, we will complete Wordly Wise – only three more lessons! The children will have learned 300 new words and will have acquired 300 more ways to proudly display their three-fingered Wordly Wise hand gesture. What an accomplishment! Additionally, we will complete G.U.M. Unit Five, which will focus on mechanics, also one of our Six Traits of Writing. The third graders will increasingly use cursive in their everyday work in preparation for their fourth grade year. In Fundations we will cover the concepts of double vowels, double vowel syllable, letter combinations eigh, ei, ea, ie, igh, oo, ui, adding suffixes to double vowel words, double vowel exception, and continue adding to our list of homophones.

In Reading groups, we will begin reading Sarah, Plain and Tall. Students will explore the setting of the story by comparing and contrasting life on the prairie and life on the seacoast of Maine, complete character maps as they conduct an in depth study of the characters and their interactions with each other, discuss the plot and various themes throughout the story. We are so pleased with the growth in reading this year. All the children have worked very hard learning new comprehension strategies and utilizing them in their everyday reading. We have especially enjoyed their reading diaries and hope they continue to challenge themselves with their independent reading choices.

In Writing, the children have been working on writing poetry and their poems will be proudly displayed in the classroom and in their writing journals. The Mayflower journals are ready to be bound and shared with their classmates and Grandparents/Special Friends. The children will be creating a Lewis and Clark nature journal and will be capturing their thoughts and ideas in pictures and prose.

In Social Studies, the children will continue to learn about Lewis and Clark's journey west in search of a new waterway, Lewis’ discovery of new plant and animal species, the impact of the Louisiana Purchase on the Native People, Sacagawea’s role in the Corps of Discovery, and learn about the daily life of the members of the Corps of Discovery and the hardships they dealt with along the way.  Students will conduct animal and plant research, discuss the Louisiana Purchase, and take nature walks in the Flat Rock Audubon sanctuary as they add their observations and drawings to their nature journals.

As we near the end of May, we will take our annual trip down to visit our ARC buddies. We will plant flowers with them and have a picnic lunch to celebrate another successful, wonderful year together. We welcome you to join us for this special end of the year event on May 30.

Fourth Grade News
Kevin Brodeur
Jenn Buck

It is hard to believe we are in the final stretch of our fourth grade year together.  It has been a year of growth, challenge, and adventure.  Thank you for your support at home for all we’ve done.  We should all be proud of our rising fifth graders!

The remainder of the year in Math will be spent on fractions and measurement (customary and metric).  In terms of fractions, we will focus on equivalent fractions, simplifying fractions, and comparing and ordering fractions.  For measurement, we will cover measuring to fractions of an inch, capacity, weight, mass, changing units, comparing measures, and temperature.  We will finish the year with both an end-of-the-year assessment covering the topics from the fourth grade curriculum, as well as a fourth grade benchmark assessment.  Also, please keep an eye out for your summer math packet, to be completed over the summer and returned in the fall.

Our final reading selection is So Far From Home, which is from the Dear America series and is about Mary Driscoll, an Irish Mill girl, living and working in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1847.  This book is a wonderful follow-up to our visit to the Lowell Mills last month, as well as a tie-in to our Social Studies unit on Immigration.

In Social Studies we will complete an Immigration unit.  We will also work in school and at home on the Heritage Project.  More information regarding this project will come home soon.  At school, the children will be introduced to the IIM research method (the Independent Investigation Method) to help with research and note taking.  At home, children will be asked to prepare a food to share from their country of focus.

In Language Arts we will finish our final spelling lessons and complete a spelling inventory to track our progress from the beginning of the year.  In G.U.M., we will cover one final unit on mechanics.  We will focus on writing sentences correctly, proper nouns and titles of respect, abbreviations and initials, titles, apostrophes, commas, and quotations.  We will also keep plugging away with weekly Wordly Wise lessons.  Writing time will be used to work on our country reports for the Heritage Project, as well as write letters to the rising fourth graders for Step Up Day.  Needless to say, we will be busy!

Lastly, Fourth Graders will have the opportunity to run for Green and White Team Captain before the end of the year.  Winners will be announced at Recognition Day.  Information will be sent home about this exciting event at a later date.  Also, please don’t forget to complete and turn in your child’s Book Log, which was sent home last summer.  The fourth grader who read the most books this year will be awarded the Holloway Book Award at Recognition Day.  Don’t forget to include books read for GARP!

Again, thank you for a wonderful year with your children.  We have thoroughly enjoyed spending the year with them!

Fifth Grade News
Mike Mullins

The fifth graders have been working to complete a variety of projects and assignments this spring.  We plan to forge ahead now so that we’ll have an opportunity to pause and reflect on our successes as the warmer weather approaches.  In math, we will finish up our unit on geometry and move into a study of percents, and a review of topics from earlier in the year.  In history, we will become immersed in the study of ancient Greek and Roman culture.  We will visit the Worcester Art Museum early in the month to enjoy their exhibits on the ancient world.  We will begin our last book, Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbit.  It is an interesting book, and our discussions usually yield great ideas and insight about the best times of our lives.  Our writing classes will be devoted to student-selected submissions for the Apple Blossom anthology.

Our end of the year field trip will be to the Mariposa Museum and World Culture Center to explore ancient civilizations, and we will travel to the Andres Institute of Art to experience a unique outdoor sculpture park.

Physical Education News
Diane Toolin

Badminton with fluff birdies and proper shuttlecocks has been a hit! In this unit, the children progress from slow flying fluff balls to bouncy shuttlecocks. They practice underhand serves, forehand, backhand, and the smash according to ability levels on an individual basis and eventually progress to net games. This was a fun challenge!  I have spotted badminton equipment at many stores with prices starting at $1.00 at the dollar store.  Badminton at home is a great activity to start spring off with.

We are learning tennis techniques, moving from a light badminton racquet to a bit heavier tennis racquet and with a ball instead of a birdie. The Simond's gym is the best place to practice with three nets set up.

With the correct size racquet, your child is ready to take the game to the court. 

Outside is where we would love to be and, weather permitting, we will finally get there next week.  Our next unit will be Lacrosse. Practice balls just arrived today, so we are all set to learn and work on our skills!

La Classe de français,
mai 2013
Mme. Katy Niose

<< Bonne Fête du Muguet!>>   (Happy May Day! {a.k.a. Lily-of-the-valley Day in France})

Kindergarten will be playing games, reading stories, and singing songs, as they learn about spring and summer vocabulary.

First grade will begin reading and writing simple words and ideas in French, as we read from <<Les aventures de Nicolas>>, a beginning chapter book for early French readers.  They will also play games, read stories, and sing songs, as they learn about spring and summer vocabulary.

Second grade will study <<la métamorphose>> (metamorphosis), as they read about and illustrate the life cycle of the caterpillar.  They will also play games and sing songs relating to the spring and summer seasons.

Third grade will read a fairy tale called <<Méchant méchant>>, for which they will be creating their own imaginative endings, using the verbs and vocabulary they have been studying.

Fourth grade will learn about the French food pyramid, they will practice counting money (euros and Canadian dollars), and they will create dialogues revolving around food and restaurants.  They will be writing scripts, which they will perform during in-class presentations.

Fifth grade continues to practice their navigating and map-making skills.  They will also be researching and presenting biographies of their favorite French celebrities.

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns or suggestions at kniose@applewild.org (978-342-6053 x 312). 

Music and Drama Notes
Erin Schlesinger

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
Lower School Spring Concert
May 16^th, 2:30 p.m.
All School Spring Concert
May 17^th, 9:40 a.m.

Whew!  It has been a very busy year in Performing Arts so far, and we are now heading into one last concert.  The Appleseed Chorus is busily polishing up three songs from our show RATS!, and they will also be adding two new Orff pieces.  Third grade is just about set on their instruments for our Orffestra, and they might have a secret performance coming your way during the concert.  We are heading towards another spectacular performance!

In fourth grade we are returning to the Orff instruments (which are Idiophones) to rehearse and play music by some Great Composers.  First up will be Pachelbel followed by Mozart, Hayden, and Beethoven.

In fifth grade we are putting together all the building blocks we’ve worked on all year.  We are learning to play Blues in C from scratch, with all the proper chords and improvisation that a normal blues piece would have.  We are also working on our composition skills by writing several ostinati for one of our Apple Chorus songs.  It is impressive to watch!

Our students have worked very hard all year, and I am always proud to stand back and watch them perform at this time of year.  I hope you enjoy every note!

Fourth Recorder Ensemble & Fifth Grade Band
Frank Bonanno

In the Fourth Grade Recorder Ensemble and the Fifth Grade Beginner Band, we are now focusing on the compositions for the Spring Concerts.  These compositions are more difficult than past compositions.  They are much more demanding on the student’s range and technical abilities.

I have been showing students rehearsal and practice techniques to prepare for the concert.  The compositions are more difficult than they have been in the past.  These compositions are 2-7 part arrangements.  Students need to trust their own reading abilities and not rely on what is being played around them.  They have been playing the compositions with more musicality, by using different articulation and dynamics.  We are also reviewing how to follow a conductor for clean beginnings and endings, and to help keep the tempos steady.  Both ensembles are reviewing proper concert etiquette.  The fourth Grade Recorder Ensemble and the fifth Grade Beginner Band and I are looking forward to our Spring Concerts.  

Shop News
Sharon McGowan
Jack Bowen

The kindergarten has painted their ring toss games beautiful, vibrant colors!  In our final shop class we will apply felt to the bottom of the game.  We will hand out the rubber rings to be tossed and played with their families. 

Wow! The first grade has been tenacious in the assembly of the basketball toss game.  For so few pieces, it has been a surprisingly finicky project.  We have recut a couple of pieces and re-stained.  The students then added individual stencils to the backboards.  They are definitely ready to assemble the game and begin to shoot hoops!

The second graders have been choosing their second project.  They were given the choice of the basketball toss, a picture frame, or a tabletop bookshelf.  All have begun to measure and think about designs for the edges and just how many colors they can use!

The glockenspiels are completed and we have enjoyed several versions of the very same song!  The third graders have chosen their second project of either a picture frame or a tabletop bookshelf.  We are working with protractors for rounded corners and rulers for a more angled look.  A few students have chosen to cut their projects on the scroll saw.  It is fun to work on a project new to the Lower School.

The fourth grade students are making amazing progress on their “pump” lamps.  They come into class very motivated to complete the project as our school year is quickly coming to a close.  We are using different drill bits for countersinking screws and the forstner bit to accommodate the electrical wiring.  We have also used the scroll saw to round some of the pump handles.

Thanks so much for all the projects that were returned to the school for Applewild About Arts!  We had quite a showing in the Laverack Room to complement Mr. Bowen’s wonderful pieces of furniture from the upper school.

The fifth graders are very busy working on individual projects of their choice.  It is wonderful to watch as they sketch and plan their projects.  They are cutting out bubble letters to make signs, small boxes, elephant and giraffe marionettes, paper airplane hangers and spring flowers. They are a very hard working, talented group of young artisans.  It has been my pleasure working with them this year.

Lower School Art
Sara Sanford

Our studio time is winding down in the studio, with each class having four or five more meeting times at the most.  Our Applewild About Arts show was a big success!  We are planning to take the show down next week.  Fragile work could go home on Grandparent’s /Special Person’s day for the safest delivery.

Kindergartners will finish up their work on cave paintings.  We will create little cave areas to draw in, and experience the difficulty of drawing upside down and in poor light.  In first grade, we are studying Mary Cassette and her seascape, “The Boating Party”.  We will try various techniques including salt painting and crayon resist.  Our study will include weather, time of day and time of year.  Second graders are finishing up their pointillism painting in the style of George Suerat’s “Sunday Afternoon On The Island Of The Grand Jatte”.  Third graders are finishing up their Pictogram drawings.  They are using the poetry in the regular classroom to create a piece of work made up of words in the shape of the object of the poem.  In grade four, we are studying “Pop” art and the dessert paintings of Wayne Thiebaud.  These paintings sure can make you hungry!  Cakes, pies, and cookies…you name it!  In fifth grade, we are working on some color theory lessons, making sure we have a strong grasp of mixing colors as well as a solid understanding of the relationship colors have on each other in a painting.

Lots of lovely work will come home in the next few weeks!  The young artists have had a very productive year and we have had a wonderful time making ART!

Library News
Amelia Herring

Happy spring, everyone!  May in the library means a crazy mix-up of last-minute lessons, review, and fun.  Students will be finishing up their study of the Commonsense Media curriculum, but we will also be trying to fit in some good old-fashioned reading aloud.  A reminder as the year begins winding down: take a look around your home and car for any library books that may have been misplaced.  The next round of overdue slips will go out at the end of May, but you can save some paper by finding those books now!

Before every storytime with the kindergartners, we will be reviewing the parts of a book, plus the concepts of author/illustrator and fiction/nonfiction.  They are getting really good at identifying title, author, and illustrator now that they are such good readers!

The first grade had lots of fun on our digital field trip to the art museum, and now we know all about the wonderful places the Internet can take us!  We’ve also been talking about what information we need to keep private, and why.  Next, we’re going to start learning about the Website Traffic Light, which will help students understand what types of websites are safe and fun for them.

Second grade had a great (virtual) trip to the zoo, and learned all about private information, too.  They, too, will be learning how to know if a website is the right fit for them.

The third graders learned the difference between private (meaning identifying) information and personal information (the stuff about you that is OK to share).  Up next, it’s all about passwords! We’ll also make sure to spend some time reading wonderful books, and finding great things to read over the summer.

In fourth grade, we’ve been learning all about protecting our private information, and will finish that module by creating secure passwords.  We will hopefully get back on the computers to play Share Jumpers, which will help remind students that it’s important to think critically before they share information about themselves and their friends online.  If we have time, we’ll do some book sharing and book tasting, so each student has a great list of books to read over the summer.

Please note that students are allowed to check out one book over the summer, provided that they have no other books outstanding.

Happy Reading!           

First and Second Grade Science
Tally Lent

First graders have begun the New Plants Module.  This unit provides experiences that heighten students' awareness of the diversity of life in the plant kingdom. Students care for plants to learn what they need to grow and develop. They observe the structures of flowering plants and discover ways to propagate new plants from mature plants (from seeds, bulbs, roots, and stem cuttings). They observe and describe changes that occur as plants grow, and organize their observations on a calendar and in a journal. We will be planting our own squash, gourd, and pumpkin seedlings in our raised beds behind Marshall and will harvest the fruits of our labors next fall.

Second graders are working in the Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Module, which consists of four sequential investigations, each designed to introduce concepts in earth science. The investigations provide experiences that heighten students' awareness of rocks as earth materials and natural resources. They will come to know rocks by many names and in a variety of sizes. Pebbles and sand are the same material—just different sizes. During the weeks ahead students will separate earth materials by size, using different techniques, and will observe the similarities and differences in the materials in a river rock mixture: silt, sand, gravel, and small and large pebbles They will organize and communicate observations through drawing and writing and will acquire the vocabulary associated with earth materials.  Second graders are rock hounds and our class collection is growing rapidly!          

Third, Fourth, Fifth Grade Science
Maura Lyons

Third graders have begun their final unit of study, EARTH MATERIALS.  This module introduces students to fundamental concepts in Earth Science, and takes advantage of their intrinsic interest in rocks.  Students will be “rocking” as they gain experience with rocks and minerals.  Metric measuring tools are used to help students gather data about their rocks.  Students work like true geologists with their “picks” and goggles as they carefully take apart their own mock rock.  They observe, describe, record, and organize their data in their Earth Materials Notebooks.  Students will learn that rocks are composed of minerals and that minerals cannot be physically separated into other materials.  They will compare their mock rocks to Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, and then invite Mrs. Lent to help us whip up a batch of these delicious treats!  After organizing minerals on the basis of the property hardness, we will investigate the effect of acid (vinegar) on a specific mineral, calcite.  Many scientific thinking processes will be used as students conduct investigations of these fascinating materials.  Keep exploring this summer!

The fourth grade classroom has become a hub of innovation buzzing with creative energy and inventiveness.  Mr. Franco’s Patent and Trademark presentation on April 8 and 10, fueled the creative fire as students applied much of what they learned to the process of creating their own inventions.  It truly is remarkable to witness the application of this information in unique ways!  All students have submitted their Patent Applications including a labeled sketch of their idea, an abstract describing the function of the invention, and a list of materials.  The inventors, and their support team at home, are now perhaps discovering that, “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”.  We look forward to the unveiling of these ingenious inventions.  Inventions and display boards are due on May 6.  Students will have the opportunity to share their creations with peers and practice presentations before the INVENTION CONVENTION, which is held during Grandparents/Special Persons’ Day on May 10^th.

Fourth graders will also be guided through sequential investigations that provide valuable science content while introducing a conventional technique for revealing the unseen. We will explore the techniques of rubbing, carbon printing, chromatography, and mirror imagery to see details about the world that would otherwise be difficult to observe.  With each investigation, students will have the opportunity to invent applications to extend the use of specific techniques.

Fifth graders have returned from their exploration of the Solar System and begun their final unit, VARIABLES.  In this module, students realize that some of the most important scientific concepts they learn about involve relationships between objects and events.  Relationships always involve interactions, dependencies, and cause and effect.  As students float, fly, flip, plant, and garden they will discover these relationships through the carefully controlled experiments they design and conduct.  In each experiment, students will gain experience with the concept of a system, and within the system, the concept of a variable.  Each investigation provides students the opportunity to construct materials that they will use in the experiment.  Students observe and record data concretely, pictorially, and symbolically to discover relationships.  They will use their data to make predictions and apply math in the context of science.  Lab report writing, an integral part of this unit, will help develop and sharpen skills needed in subsequent grades.

All of our students participated in Earth Day activities on April 19th and 22^nd.  What was planted on those days will be nurtured and transplanted into our school gardens for the benefit of the school community.  More information to come, as we will need summertime caretakers of our school garden!  We thank you in advance for this most important endeavor, as it truly takes the community to keep the garden growing. Happy summer!

Summer Work Packets
Please look for Summer Math Packets and Summer Reading Information and assignments to come home before the last day of school.  These are required elements, due back to next year’s teachers in September.  This work has been carefully prepared to give your child appropriate practice over the summer so that re-entry into school next fall is smooth.  If students continue to keep the skills sharp that they worked so hard to fine-tune this year, then we will spend less time for review in September and we can make more progress right away.

Important Dates to Remember: 

Friday, May 3:
Fifth graders go to the Worcester Art Museum

Friday, May 10:
Grandparents’/Special Persons’ Day.  Noon Dismissal; buses run only at noon. Notes are needed for dismissal arrangements that are different than usual Friday dismissal.

Thursday, May 16:
1:00 Rising Sixth Grade Parent Meeting in the Ansin Info Center.
2:30 Lower School Spring Concert in the Alumni Theater. Concert Dress required.
7:00 Upper School Spring Concert, with Fifth Grade Band.  Concert Dress required.

Friday, May 17
9:40 School Spring Concert. Concert Dress required.

Thursday, May 23
8:00: Second Grade Parent Coffee with Tally Lent in the Multi-Purpose Room.
8:30 Second graders’ Living Wax Museum opens in the Marshall Library.

Friday, March 24:
Field Day for Grades Four through Eight.  Noon Dismissal for everyone; buses run only at noon. Notes are needed for dismissal arrangements that are different than usual Friday dismissal. 

Monday, May 27:
No School. Memorial Day. 

Tuesday, May 28:
Second graders travel to the Butterfly Place, return by noon. 

Wednesday, May 29
8:30 – 9:30: Step Up Day for Lower School and sixth grade.           

Thursday, May 30
10:00 Third Graders walk down to ARC for a final activity with their buddies. 

Tuesday, June 4
10:15: Grade Two to Highlands for fun and pizza. 

Wednesday, June 5
Teddy Bear Picnic with Buddies! 

Thursday, June 6
Full Day of School for Lower School; half day for Upper School.
Fifth Grade to Mariposa Museum.
Last day of Extended Day. 

Friday, June 7:
Last day of school, K – 2.
10:45 Moving Up Ceremony for Fifth Graders
Noon Dismissal for everyone.  Buses run only at noon. No Extended Day. Notes are needed for dismissal arrangements that are different than usual Friday dismissal. 

Monday, June 10
No School for Students.  Professional Day for teachers. 

Tuesday, June 11
Recognition Day. Noon Dismissal. Buses run only at noon. Notes are needed for dismissal arrangements that are different than usual Friday dismissal.

Wednesday, June 12:
Eighth Grade Graduation.  11:00 Dismissal. Buses run only at 11:00. Notes needed for dismissal arrangements that are different.  

Concert Dress
Students in grades one through eight are required to wear the following to performances of the Spring Concerts:

Girls: White blouse and black dress pants or black skirt with black or flesh-colored stockings or black dress with black or flesh-colored tights.  Black dress shoes.

Boys: White dress shirt, dark tie (grades 4 and up), black dress pants, dark socks and black dress shoes.

Concert attire must adhere to dress code standards, please.