April '17

Music:

Kindergarteners have been learning about pitch: high, middle, low, going higher, and going lower. They have added glockenspiels and xylophones to their instrument repertoire.

1st Graders have learned how to read traditional rhythmic notation and can read, write, and identify quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests.

2nd Graders have learned how to read, write, and perform 3-pitch songs using solfege (do re mi, etc.) from traditional melodic notation on the treble clef staff.

3rd Graders have been learning recorder basics and reading and performing B A G songs from notation on the treble clef staff.

4th Graders earned green belts in Recorder Karate for reading and performing songs in treble clef notation with low and high D, G A B, and C. Sign-ups for the 4th Grade Talent Show are due Monday, April 24, 2017. For more talent show information, visit this link: 4th Grade Talent Show Information 2017.

Physical Education:

April, what a fun month, especially for those 3rd graders.  It is DISCO bowling time The children will be keeping score and bowling in the gym with the lights down low and many disco balls spinning with color. The 4th graders will be doing a bowling tournament.  The younger grades will learn that it is not always the biggest ball that knocks down the most pins.  It could be rolling a football that does it W H A T????  Ask your first or second grader to tell you what Mrs. Morales Means. They have enjoyed this month’s unit on Bowling. As the warmer weather approaches so does the next unit: Look here for May's Physical Education Blog.

Connecting LITERACY and STEM @ the LIBRARY!

Kindergarteners participated in Story Time From Space,

a program made possible by The Global Space Education Foundation. Students heard astronaut Kate Rubins read Rosie Revere, Engineer while she was in space!  We discussed STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, as well as the power of perseverance and resilience. Check out more stories from space with your children at http://storytimefromspace.com/library/. For additional titles in Andrea Beaty’s wonderful STEM related series, check out these books from the Hilltop Library!

Hilltop Library Media Center Celebrates National Poetry Month!

Students in grades K-4 have been reading, writing, sharing and celebrating poetry @ the Hilltop Library. In addition to hand written poetry and digitally publishing poetry using presentation software, we have modified the publication process by  publishing, sharing and collaborating using PADLET. Padlet is a virtual wall that allows learners to share and express themselves on a common topic easily. Check out The Hilltop Library Cinquain and Haiku Padlet by clicking here, or click on the Padlet link at the upper right corner of the Hilltop Library Website. We have also explored figurative language through poetry and music!  Students used figurative language and tagged (identified) it appropriately with #simile, #metaphor, #alliteration and #onomatopoeia!  Lastly, please continue to add to our DIGITAL POETRY PARTY on Flipgrid this month! Details and instructions were sent via email at the beginning of April. Questions...email lemay@mendhamboroschools.org

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!