February '17

First Graders are Flipping over FLIP GRID!

First graders researched an animal using print and online sources. After researching and note-taking, students constructed a book about their animal including: table of contents, four sections (body, food, habitat, fun facts), all about the author, and lastly they cited their source(s). Students used nonfiction books and/or PebbleGo database. Finally, students presented their research to their classmates and recorded their presentation in Flip Grid for easy access from home and across their grade. Flip Grid is a safe way to share information, practice fluency, create short presentations for an authentic audience, and encourage learning, conversation, collaboration and feedback. Stay on the lookout for our next Flip Grid….4th Grade Book Review Vodcasts!

Keyboarding …3rd and 4th graders participated in a mini keyboard unit over the past few weeks during their technology class.  Students are now ready to continue their keyboarding practice at home, in school, and whenever they are using a keyboard. Keyboarding is a skill that will improve greatly with consistent practice when using the CORRECT TECHNIQUE. If possible, try to keep an eye on your child's keyboard experiences at home.  Encourage your child to type with ALL fingers and ALWAYS use the technique we learned in class. Students began their practice in school using www.Typing.com  and www.dancemattyping.com. These websites can be found on the keyboarding section of the Hilltop Library Media Center website, along with more free sites. Your child has worked very hard to develop the correct technique in the classroom, now it is time for them to continue using the correct keyboarding technique at home and in their daily school/home computer activities.

Virtual Valentines Project

During the month of February some classes participated in a Virtual Valentine Project during their library and technology classes. Students created digital valentines for a 5th grade class in Andover, Kansas and a Kindergarten class in Durham, CT.. We shared our creations and then participated in a virtual meeting with our partners.  Students introduced themselves, read poems, shared digital valentines, and then listened to our new friends share. This project was made possible by the Global Virtual Valentines Project

3rd and 4th graders got CREATIVE with CANVA - one of Mrs. LeMay’s favorite design tools! Students designed some fun valentine documents and discovered a new, dynamic platform they can use to present or share information. Students would need to create their own free account in order to use this free website from home.

February is Heart Month The Third Graders will be jumping on February 14th.  It will be done in school at the end of the day.   Lets Get ready to work our bodies out.  Our Hilltopers will be using their own bodies to build strength by doing Animal walks in the gym.  I will be focusing on Body Awareness:

• Keeping your body in control
• Body Balance
• Body Control
• Using your own weight to get Strong   Upper and Lower body

Its time to get your parents Walking.   Take your parents for a Walk is back and the Tokens will begin.   How this works is your son or daughter will bring home a form (Mrs. Morales has them in her gym) and when your child takes you for a walk, you sign the paper, bring it to the folder in the gym and your name is put in a bucket where if it gets pulled out you will receive a Token. ( the token can be worn on your sneaker or backpack.   The winner is announced in the Morning with the Morning announcements.  

Music:

Kindergarteners are developing their ability to use and switch fast/slow tempo while singing/playing instruments with visual cues to known poems/songs. They are creating, in an age-appropriate way, new text to short songs. They have played one new instruments: jingle sticks. They continue to develop the proper technique on instruments that they have played so far this year.

First Graders are reading and performing rhythms to known songs and poems with picture notation (not traditional notation yet).

Second Graders have been writing and reading 2-pitch songs on a 3-line/2-space staff to understand pitch in notation. They have used xylophones and metallophones to play 2-pitch songs from their written notation.

Third Graders continue to use Google Classroom to listen to excerpts from “Autumn” and “Winter” from The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi and use music vocabulary (dynamics, melody, rhythm, tempo, and timbre) to describe Vivaldi’s music. The recorders have been ordered.  It takes about 2 weeks for the recorders arrive.

Fourth Graders will earn their orange belts this month when they play either Good King Wenceslas or Seashell from traditional music notation.