November 2017

Library & Technology:

Global Read Aloud 2017 …. 1^st and 2^nd Graders participated in the 2017 Global Read Aloud. We explored books by Mem Fox and connected with Redwood Elementary School in West Orange, NJ and WR Odell Primary School in Concord, North Carolina. We used Google Earth to explore the geographic location of these two schools in relationship to Hilltop School. 2^nd graders read Koala Lou by Mem Fox, and identified and shared the main character’s internal character traits. 1^st graders read Whoever You Are?  by Mem Fox, and identified and shared ways in which all humans are alike, as well as some of their favorite things. All communication and collaboration took place on Mrs. LeMay’s Flipgrid video pages where students from both schools recorded and shared their introductions, thoughts, reflections and ideas. For more information about The Global Read Aloud go to https://theglobalreadaloud.com/

3^rd & 4^th Graders explore Digital Citizenship @ the Hilltop Library!  We have been discussing ONLINE SAFETY, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY. Students completed a Digital Citizenship HYPERDOC in their Google Classroom, and used online sources, technology tools, creativity and  Google Drawing to create a Digital Citizen Superhero. Click Digital Citizenship for students and click Cyber-Safety for links and information for parents and caregivers.

Great Graphing 2^nd Graders have been collecting and analyzing data, inputting data into cells and spreadsheets, highlighting columns and rows, and creating digital graphs. Students surveyed their classmates’ eye color and created a corresponding graph, as well as their thoughts on bats.

2^nd Graders have also learned all about Tall Tales and the 398.2 section of the library – ask them to sing you our 398.2 song!  We discussed the use of exaggeration in various TALL TALES, including Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill and John Henry.

1^st Graders have been busy in the Technology Lab! In just seven weeks they have explored and learned how to use Microsoft Paint, Sticky Notes, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Powerpoint, and Kidspiration. We have now turned our focus on learning about the Internet, URLs, websites, browsers, and of course the importance of always asking permission before using technology.  Students understand the importance of only navigating to sites and sources provided by a trusted grownup. On our next journey we will be exploring online information sources starting with an online database called Pebble Go.

Music: All grade levels started preparing for the upcoming holiday concerts on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 in Hilltop’s Gym.  (Snow date is Thursday, December 21, 2017 - concert times are the same).

The theme is Ready, Set, GLOW! Concert times are:

9:00 a.m. - Grades 1 and 2 (approximately 30 minutes)

10:15 a.m. - Grades 3 and 4 (approximately 30 minutes)

2:30 p.m. - Kindergarten (approximately 20 minutes)

Fourth graders are working on recorder songs with G A B and E in preparation for earning their next Recorder Karate belt, demonstrating understanding of 4/4 time signature, and learning how to play hand chimes, hand bells, and melody/resonator bells to accompany a song in the holiday concert.

Third graders created a melody on the xylophone from a rhythmic ostinato with half notes and have been honing their skills on reading and performing rhythm patterns with half notes, tied quarter notes, and half rests.

Second graders are developing the ability to use ostinati on xylophones to accompany short songs and are learning how to describe A and B phrases/sections of songs.

First Graders are demonstrating how pitches can go higher and lower on xylophones, maintaining steady beat to varying tempi through body percussion and instruments, and learning to follow a conductor’s (teacher’s) beat cues while playing classroom percussion instruments.

Kindergarten students continue to experience new classroom instruments like finger cymbals, flute woodblock, and claves.  They also re-visited “old favorites” like shakers, drums, wooblock, triangles, and jingle bells in fall and Thanksgiving songs.  

Physical Education:  LET’S GET DANCING….

Two main events take place  In November, the children finish up the presidential Fitness testing.  (The Fitness test are:  Sit ups for 1 min, Shuttle Run, Jog in the gym for laps depending on the grade, and also perform a sit and reach test to see how flexible they are.  These tests are repeated in the spring.) and Their  

Dance moves get underway.  For the 4th grade, they learn how to square dance, the 3rd graders perfect the Cotton eye joe, 2nd graders enjoy the YMCA, and the 1st graders do the Chicken dance.  These are just a few of the dances the students of Hilltop school are taught. The Kindergarteners will be enjoying some fun activities on scooters.    Enjoy your THANKSGIVING.

I am thankful for Having your children be a part of my Physical Education Program

Art:  Fall is all around us, and Hilltop artists have been responding to the beautiful nature. Kindergarteners have been practicing lots of cutting and gluing for the fall art projects, as well as exploring painting.  First graders are finishing up a barn landscape painting, a traditional first grade project where aerial perspective and proportion is learned.  Second graders have finished the learning experiences of colors and have started to delve into texture that is next element of art in line to learn. Third graders have finished the fall still lifes, made of unity and balance.  Rhythm and movement are the next principles of art to start for the third graders.  Fourth graders have finished their symbolic portraits, inspired by the artist Arcimboldo.  They have started to learn about facial proportions and are working on drawing foreshortened selfies.

All of these artworks will be sent home this month.  Please keep and enjoy the artworks at home but return the art folder for more works to come.  Don’t forget to sign and date the front of the folder!  

September/October 2017

September - October 2017

Hilltop artists are quickly back into the swing of things in the artroom!  They spent the first month of school not only (re)acquainting themselves with the art room but also actively working on a couple of big projects.

Display My Art -- This is the annual HSA fundraiser project that the students get involved in as their first art learning experience of the year.  Kindergarteners overlap; first graders share their favorite scenes; second graders practice line design in their traced hands; third graders emphasize; and fourth graders share what they enjoy -- dessert!  Look out for more information to come from the HSA regarding this fundraiser!

Rock Painting -- As a part of character education and Hilltop Rocks Day, every student came to the art room and painted a rock that will make up a beautiful rock garden in front of the school. All of the students unleashed their creativity and uniqueness evidenced by these colorful rocks.  A huge thanks to volunteers and teachers who made this day possible!  

Technology: 3rd graders have been learning about their new Google Drive, how it can enhance their learning experiences, and how a great digital citizen uses their drive in respectful, constructive and productive ways to enhance their learning. Each student was given a Google License, and now has full permission to use their drive at home and in school.  Both 3rd and 4th graders have been working on a collaborative Google Drive project. Both 3rd and 4th graders are now active OPAC users. Ask your child what the acronym OPAC stands for, and how it can help learners locate and explore literary resources.  

Hilltop Library 2017-18 Reading Initiative …. RECOMMEND A BOOK IN SIXTY SECONDS! Throughout the school year 2^nd-4^th graders are encouraged to share book a recommendation on Mrs. LeMay’s FLIPGRID page.  Using Flipgrid for this initiative will allow students to engage in conversations about books, promote literacy, and amplify student voice!  3^rd and 4^th grade students can access this password protected grid in their Google Drive by going to Mrs. LeMay’s Google Classroom. 2^nd graders will be given a copy of the code in order to access the grid. Students can post these book reviews during a specified time in library/technology class using the Video Production station in the technology lab, or they can post from home.

Library book circulation has begun!  Students will be given the opportunity to check out books during their regularly scheduled library class as follows:

Class	Day
K Pirozzi	1
K Rogers	1
1 Gertler	1
1 Del Grande	2
1 Abreu/Freitag	2
2 Cohen	2
2 Epitropakis	2
2 Young	1
3 Crist	3
3 Eagan	2
3 Tucker	1
4 Lau	1
4 McGoldrick	1
4 Stolten	3

Click HERE for the link to the Hilltop School calendar reflecting the assigned days of our 4 day related arts rotation. SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE TO VIEW THE CALENDAR.

Online Resources are at your child’s fingertips! Brain Pop, Encyclopedia Brittanica, PebbleGO, and more, are available to you through the Mendham Borough School subscriptions.  These resources are funded through our district, and are available to your children in school and at home!  For quick hyperlink access to all of our online subscriptions, go to the Hilltop Library Media Center webpage and click on the “Subscription Online Resources” link on the left side of your screen. Username and password information was distributed to all families at back to school night, and 3^rd and 4^th graders have access to a GOOGLE SITE within their Google Drive. Questions?? eMail Mrs. LeMay at lemay@mendhamboroschools.org.

Library Information Literacy: Our K-4th grade students have begun exploring and checking out literature.  In addition to our focus on our school-wide character pillar, RESPECT, we are diving into literature. In Kindergarten we are reading and singing along with Pete the Cat. 1st Graders are exploring the Clyde the Bunny books, and reflecting on the beginning, middle, and end of a story, as well as character, setting, genre, problem and solution.  Our 2nd Graders are learning about Tall Tales, the 398.2 Dewey section, and of course, the use of exaggeration in many Tall Tales.

We look forward to exploring and experiencing wonderful literature throughout the 2017-2018 year!

Physical Education:   The start to a new Fitness year.  Your children will be setting Goals for themselves.  How many more sit - ups can they do in December than they did in September?, learn more about soccer this year than last year, and many more personal goals.  

We begin the year reviewing  the rules of the gym, and then off we go!  The Hilltoppers will be focusing on the basic skills of soccer, using their eyes and foot to get the ball where it needs to go.   They will see what shape their body is in by doing a Sit up test for 1 min, a shuttle run, a ¼ mile,½ mile and the 1 mile jog and using a sit and stretch machine that measures flexibility.  

Ask them about some of the fun games they played at the beginning of the year.  Most of them were games they enjoyed from last year.   Looking forward to a fun filled year with lots of great fitness activities.      

Music:

Kindergarteners: Ask a kindergarten about “Ralph, the Mouse” who sings with us every lesson, and “Bananas” who moves with us in every lesson. We sing familiar songs together with the “Secret Song Bag” (many thanks to another music colleague for this idea). K students learn new songs for future skills development and the correct names and age-appropriate techniques on classroom instruments -- ask them about “Jingle Bear” (again, thanks to another music colleague for this idea!). We end each lesson with a musical story. Some musical stories K students have heard are If You’re Happy and You Know It by Jane Cabrera and Over in the Meadow by Jane Cabrera.

First graders have been demonstrating their understanding of tempo through Italian terms - allegro, moderato, adagio) and dynamics through Italian terms - forte, mezzo forte, piano.

Second graders have reviewed rhythm symbols and 4-beat rhythm patterns from last year. They have learned new songs with games for future skill development: Tinker, Tailor and Here We Sit.

Third graders have played “Use Your (Pool) Noodle” to review rhythms and music symbols from last year and “Poison Pattern” to review melodic patterns from last year.

Fourth graders have reviewed their B A G recorder skills and begun Recorder Karate to develop their staff reading/notation skills. Next, they will study common time signatures.

May

Kindergarten has been working on reading patterns long lines and short dots as a start to reading rhythm patterns and are performing locomotor movement to match the mood/meter/feeling of various music selections.  They continue to play a variety of small percussion instruments.

First Grade is identifying aesthetic qualities and musical elements to selections from Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saens.

Second Grade is identifying aesthetic qualities and musical elements as they listen to each character’s theme in Peter and The Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev.

Third Grade is playing songs with E and G and BAG E on their recorders.  They will hear a mini-concert by the fourth graders pm Tuesday, May 23, 107,to help them decide whether they would like to study a band or orchestra instrument next year.  A letter will go home to explain the Fourth Grade Instrumental Program after the mini-concert, and parents/guardians can fill out an on-line sign-up form that will be sent out from Mrs. Kanefke via e-mail between May 24 and May 26.

Fourth Grade is reading and playing songs on the recorder with the pitches low D, E, F#, G, A, B, and high C.  They will earn their purple belts this month in Recorder Karate.  They are preparing a song called Music in Our School to share at the Fourth Grade Talent Show on Thursday, June 8, 2017 at 8:45 a.m. in the gym.

In May, the children of Hilltop school were working to increase their scores.  In October they did their Presidential Physical Fitness testing.  Sit ups, Shuttle run, Mile run, and sit and reach. The 3rd graders did Disco Bowling.  The lights were turned down. The disco music was being played. For the other classes, they learned what it was like to bowl with different types of bowling balls.  Small, medium and large. The smiles on their face were priceless.

Hundreds of Hilltop Readers are READING WITHOUT WALLS  @ the Hilltop Library!. This challenge is led by National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Gene Luen Yang and was designed to expand the range of books that children read.

In addition to reading without walls, students in grades 2-4 have been sharing what they have read on our new Reading Without Walls Padlet. Have you recently read without walls? If so, please feel free to post your book and comments on our Padlet by clicking HERE. For more information about the program and our National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Gene Luen Yang, go to Reading Without Walls @ Hilltop Library. Questions?? email lemay@mendhamboroschools.org

The Reading Without Walls Challenge

4th Graders are App-Smashing @ the Hilltop Library Media Center!

The term App Smash was coined by Tech Teacher,  Greg Kulowiec.  An App Smash is when content created in one application is transferred to and enhanced by a second application (or more).

Why are we App Smashing?

• It demands creative thinking
• It demands more from the technology - let’s use applications to their maximum potential!
• It often results in more engaging learning products
• It is a fun challenge for digital learners!

So, what did 4th graders App Smash? 4th graders learned about and wrote Haiku and Cinquain poetry. Students published their poetry using the PADLET application.  From there they recorded their poetry using the VOCAROO application. Lastly they searched and identified a creative commons and copyright friendly image from BING images.

Padlet + Vocaroo + Bing Images = App Smashing Poetry Products!

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OUR POETRY PADLET

Some dates to remember….

May 19th - last day to check out books (exceptions will be made for research, classroom projects, etc.)

May 26th - All library books due back to the Hilltop Library Media Center

June 12, 13, 14 - Annual School Wide Summertime Book Swap.  Details regarding participation coming soon!

This spring has been sprinkled with flowers, famous artists and Mother’s Day in art.

Kindergarten has been making collages, painting spring flowers and making a pot of flowers.  All of these learning experiences not only explore different media but also help the young students to open their eyes to nature and appreciate their surroundings.  

I hope that the first grade moms have appreciated the mother’s portraits.  Inspired by Modigliani and his simple yet elegant style, the first graders have reflected on their own mothers when they painted these paintings.  Their thoughtful hearts and efforts have surely shined through their artworks!

Second grade have finished learning about all the different elements of art. Now they are learning to make creative, beautiful artworks combining those art elements.  We started out with exploring one of the most beautiful(and famous) artworks in the world, Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night.  They’ve also delved into different media this spring:  manipulating tissue paper to make a giant flower for moms, and making a treasure pot using pinching and coiling method.

Third grade are applying several elements and principles of art to their artmaking.  The weaving in the round project of using the round loom exhibits patterns, repetition and texture.   They have also been learning to draw using lines and shapes to show shading and texture, giving the illusion of three dimensionality.  

Fourth grade have been finishing up the last part of Hilltop art with sculpture unit.  They have learned that sculpture, as in any work of art, can communicate ideas and feelings.  That is what they’ve been trying to do with their “foil man” and clay bottle people.