Every year, Hilltop fourth graders have participated in designing the logos used for Harvest Hustle 5K that takes place in the fall of each year.  This year was no different, and our fourth graders have submitted their best designs this month.  Fourth graders have also started their weaving project to make a pouch.  It has been fun to work on a functional art.

Next month, fourth graders will begin the art project, “Clay Bottle People.”  This is a project where modeling clay is applied to the surface of a 12 oz. glass bottle to make characters of their choice.   We have seen presidents, movie stars, scientists, athletes and scores of the famous and infamous through the years.  Please have a GLASS(not plastic) bottle for this project, washed, with top, name and class on the bottom of the bottle.  Also have the students send in a picture of the characters of their choice for the project. These pictures can be returned, if requested.

These bottles are due Friday, May 2nd, so even if you do not normally drink from glass 8 to 12 oz bottles, please pick up a drink at a local convenience store, from a neighbor or friend, etc. for this event. Some suggestions:  Perrier, Coke, Clearly Canadian, Snapple, juices, teas, etc.  Please nothing over 12 oz and no beer bottles, and feel free to bring in extras to help others.  Thanks!

Mrs. Na

Kindergarten and First grade students have been learning all about their body parts! Can they tell you which body part hurts using “Me duele”... or sing the song “Mi Cuerpo Hace Musica” for you? Second grade students are learning all about Frutas or Fruits! They are sharing their interests and preferences, as well as using adjectives to describe the fruits. One class favorite was playing “Headbands” in Spanish with their friends to guess the fruit they had!

Third and Fourth grade students are both starting their final unit of the year about something we all love- food! In addition to learning about foods and traditions in Spanish countries, students will learn vocabulary, phrases and conversational language. The goal is that they would feel comfortable being in a Spanish speaking place and talking about the food, asking how much something costs, sharing their interests… and more! At the dinner table, can your child show off some of their Spanish knowledge to you? Challenge them!

4th Graders have been busy conducting biographical research in preparation for hosting the 4th Grade Character Education Wax Museum on May 5th. 4th Graders will be presenting their research to an authentic audience...our 3rd grade learners! All 4th grade presentations will be videotaped and can be viewed on the password protected video portion of our website. 3rd Graders have been busy working on a collaborative “Wonders of the World” research project. All students have been listening to and writing poetry in celebration of National Poetry Month.  Stay on the lookout for the kindergarten “Signs of Spring” poem, 1st grade “Five Senses Poem”, 2nd grade “Simile Poem”, and 3rd and 4th grade “Best Part of Me” poem.

Kindergarteners explored and identified the musical elements of pitch (high, medium, and low) and rhythm (long/short sounds) via movement, singing, listening, and playing instruments.  We played a fun game of “pitch and play” on the SMART Board with yarn balls and xylophones to identify and demonstrate high, medium, and low pitch.  They should be able to tell you which classroom instruments can make long sounds and which can make short sounds.  They should also be able to tell you that, in general, big instruments/xylophone bars produce low pitches and smaller instruments/xylophone bars make higher pitches.  They learned that pitches can go/move higher (from low pitch to high) and lower (from high pitch to low).  They explored going higher and lower on glockenspiels and xylophones (new instruments for them).  We played another fun, listening game on the SMART Board called: Sounds go UP and Sound go DOWN.  Kindergarten students have also played other new instruments: boomwhackers, and jingle sticks.

SPRING TEMPERATURES SHOULD SOON BE APPROACHING.  THAT IS THE BEST TIME TO GO OUT AND DO ACTIVITIES THAT MAKE YOU FIT.  

INDOORs OUR STUDENTS ARE PRACTICING TO BOWL.  THE 3RD GRADERS WILL EXPERIENCE WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BOWL BACK IN THE DISCO ERA AS WE DISCO BOWL WITH LIGHTS AND MUSIC FROM SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER.

AS WE APPROACH MAY, THE STUDENTS OF HILLTOP SCHOOL WILL BE LEARNING HOW TO JUMP SOME HURDLES.   THE BIG FIELD OUT BACK WILL BE TURNED INTO A PLACE FOR THE CHILDREN TO RUN THE BATON RELAYS. IT IS AN EXCITING TIME OF YEAR.  

DON’T FORGET TO WEAR YOUR SNEAKERS OR YOU WILL MISS OUT ON THE FUN.