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.

First graders started the winter in music by reading, playing, and conducting the beat in short songs.  Once they could track the beat by reading, playing, and conducting, they moved to doing the same experiences with the rhythms to those short songs.  They began to understand rhythm aurally (“the way the words and syllables go,” “put every word/every part of a word/syllables in your clapping”) and to read song rhythms using iconic/picture notation.  We made the switch from reading iconic notation to traditional rhythmic notation in early March.  

Students have performed the rhythms to songs on various percussion instruments including boomwhackers, lolllipop drums, and resonator/melody bells.  First graders now know how to read and perform rhythms with quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests for the following age-appropriate, developmentally appropriate songs: Hot Cross Buns; Snail, Snail; Naughty Kitty Cat; All Around the Buttercup; We are Playing in the Forest; Cobbler, Cobbler; Rain, Rain Go Away; Bee, Bee Bumblebee.  

The next step is to understand whether beats have one, two, or zero sounds.  We will learn about that in April.  Another challenge for first graders will be to apply what they know about reading/performing quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests to figure out unknown rhythm patterns.  Below is an example of iconic/picture notation for reading rhythms and the same song with traditional rhythmic notation.

Hot Cross Buns -Iconic/Picture notation below Hot Cross Buns -Rhythmic Notation below

Each picture represents a sound to be performed.   1 Picture = quarter note rhythm

The red box = no sound/pause that beat 2 Pictures = eighth note rhythms

0 sound/red box = quarter rest symbol

                                 

WANT TO SEE SOME ANIMALS MOVE AROUND AT HILLTOP SCHOOL?  WE HAVE PLENTY OF THEM IN MRS. MORALES’ GYM CLASS.  OUR UNIT THIS MONTH FOCUSES ON BODY AWARENESS. IN THAT UNIT WE FOCUS ON BODY CONTROL, BODY BALANCE, USING YOUR OWN BODY WEIGHT AND UPPER AND LOWER BODY MUSCLES.  

ANIMAL WALKS COVER ALL OF THESE AREAS, AND THE CHILDREN LOVE IT.  I ADD TAG GAMES AS WELL, WHICH IS ALWAYS A FUN WAY TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN OF HILLTOP SCHOOL IN SHAPE.  ASK YOUR CHILD TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE ANIMAL WALKS.  

   DON’T FORGET TO WEAR YOUR SNEAKERS ON YOUR GYM DAYS.  

From the Hilltop Library Media Center

3rd & 4th Grade Keyboarding: Many students have been practicing and applying their keyboarding skills, and submitting their weekly keyboarding log. When we return from spring break students will submit their final log for the school year.  Students are still strongly encouraged to practice keyboarding skills and apply the correct technique to their ‘real world’ keyboarding tasks.

In celebrate of National Women's History Month, students in all grades learned about various women from our history. We read about Jane Goodall, Waagari Maathai, Isatou Ceesay, Clara Lemlich, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Ester Morris, and many others. Students in 3rd and 4th grade gained a greater understanding of the Women's Rights Movement and our 3rd graders collected data reflecting the years in which many countries and states granted women the right to vote!

February 2016

Kindergarten and First grade students have been learning all about Las Mascotas or Pets! Can your child tell you the names of the some pets the like, and perhaps their colors too? Second graders are having fun with Los Deportes or Sports. They have done surveys, games and other fun activities to practice sharing their interests and talking about what sports they play. Soon they will be presenting to the class as an athlete of their choice!

Third grade students have moved onto La Familia or Family in Spanish class. Since they learned immediate family member vocabulary in Second grade, they are now onto extended family vocabulary! Can your child tell you how many aunts, uncles or cousins they have? We are also having fun interpreting family trees and creating our own. Finally, fourth grade students have begun their unit that starts with La Ropa or Clothing! This is a fun unit because students can also practice body parts, seasons and weather as well. It will end with a fun fashion show project next month… stay tuned :)

This winter, second graders have reviewed rhythm patterns and identified, wrote, and read these rhythms in Meter in 2.  They have learned the following vocabulary: bar line, double bar line, and measure.  Our focus has switched, now, to melody.  Second graders are learning what the music staff is and how to write notes on it to create 2-pitch patterns from songs they know: Rain, Rain, Go Away; Cobbler, Cobbler; Snail, Snail; Here We Sit, etc.  Right now, we are using a 3 line-2 space staff.  We will be moving to full staff (5 Lines-4 Spaces) in the next month.

In the next few weeks, they will teach themselves how to play the melodic patterns that they are writing on the music staff on xylophones, keyboards, and piano.

February, Heart Month  The focus is on keeping your Heart Healthy.  The Third graders just did Jump rope for Heart.  They were excited to jump. All grades learned what the word pulse means, and how to take it. For kindergarten, just understanding that you can feel your heart beat with you hand on your heart when you do lots of exercises fast.  

The grades have enjoyed learning about Volleyball and the 3 key skills you need to know in order to play in a game of volleyball.  Ask your Son or Daughter, I bet they can show you what the skills look like.  

Stay Warm this February by speed walking down your street with your children.

Then hand in a Walked with a parent slip and maybe win a token.  

DON’T FORGET KIDS WEAR YOUR SNEAKERS ON GYM DAYS   

March is Youth Art Month!  As it’s done every year, a sampling of  artworks by Hilltop students will be exhibited at the Mendham Public Library for the month of March.  Come and show your support! Fourth grade classes will be showing their printmaking skills.  Third grade classes will be displaying their dragon works and some other artworks from the fall and winter months.  Second graders’ beautiful pastel works of birds will be exhibited.  First graders grayscale winter landscape will be presented.  And lastly, a selection from kindergarteners’ artworks will be presented.  

Because of the limited space, not every student’s artwork can be exhibited.  However, we will try to include all of the fourth grader’s artworks.  And some of the artworks will be switched during the month to include more students’ works.  

February has been a busy month! Students have been researching and learning about presidents, honoring African Americans in celebration of Black History Month, as well as discussing our character education pillar this month... COURAGE.

3rd and 4th Graders conducted mini presidential research using an assigned source. Students accessed information from non-fiction texts, www.whitehouse.gov, or our online subscription to Encyclopedia Brittanica. We then went on to explore various narrative nonfiction and historical fiction texts, including Henry’s Freedom Box, Dave the Potter:Artist, Poet, Slave, and Separate but Equal.  4th Graders interpreted many of Dave’s couplets, and then went on to write their own character-ed based couplet. In the technology lab students have continued to learn about the importance of being a great digital citizen, and have each created a page for our class book.

In 2nd Grade we have been honoring African Americans in celebration of Black History Month, as well as discussing our character education pillar this month... COURAGE. We have been reading various nonfiction and historical fiction books and discussing the meaning of equality. Students also spent time time reading nonfiction text passages in groups, recalling details and providing evidence from texts they have read to ensure understanding and further develop their reading and comprehension skills. In the technology lab students are extremely close to completing their very comprehensive State Research Project, and will soon be participating in a “Tech-Time Walk About” in order to celebrate their work.

In 1st Grade we have been learning about courage and equality, and what better individual to illustrate courage than RUBY BRIDGES!  Students learned about Ruby Bridges, discussed the meaning of equality, and then went on to write about and illustrate what equality looks like to them. Students have spent time reading nonfiction text passages, recalling details and providing evidence from texts they have read to ensure understanding and further develop their reading and comprehension skills. In the technology lab students completed their biographical research. Students accessed our online subscription to PebbleGo, located an online article about a famous individual, and located and printed a photo and citation for their project. Students also participated in a “Tech-Time Walk About” giving them the opportunity to celebrate their learning, and practice reading and speaking for an authentic audience.

January 2016

From the Gym at Hilltop School:  Happy New Year!!  I have lots in store for all of your children this month.  We are focusing on Setting a fitness goal in the gym.  Can you Jog without walking for 3 minutes in your first 4 gym classes this year? We will see  We will begin our fitness stations.  Sit ups, Jump roping, Shuttling, zoom ball, and even balance boards.  Our January unit focuses on the Sport of Volleyball.  In about two weeks, ask your child how to Set a Volleyball, I bet they can show you

JUST A REMINDER:

DON’T FORGET TO WEAR OR BRING YOUR SNEAKERS ON GYM DAYS

DON’T FORGET TO WALK WITH A PARENT AND BRING IN YOUR SLIPS TO WIN A TOKEN.  A WALK ON A BRISK DAY IS HEALTHY   

Art: Winter is here in the art room!  We have the fourth graders painting the winter wonderland reviewing many of the concepts that deal with creating 3-D forms. Third graders have just finished their winter birch tree scenes, through which they have learned to create visual rhythm. Second graders are delving into learning about the next element of art -- space.  Their pine tree paintings utilize several space techniques to show distance and a vast area.  First graders are busy with trying out different folk art around the world, but will be painting their winter landscape soon enough.  Kindergarteners are endlessly creating winter scenes using lines, shapes and texture.  Look out for these artworks to come home at the end of the month, as the second marking period ends!

Music: Third graders have learned about the composer Antonio Vivaldi and have listened to excerpts from “Autumn” and “Winter” from Vivaldi’s well-known composition The Four Seasons.  They are working on describing music in writing and using appropriate musical terms: pitch, melody, rhythm, beat, timbre, and dynamics.  They will listen to and describe excerepts from “Spring” and “Summer” from Vivaldi’sThe Four Seasons before the school year ends.  For a great site on classical music for children, visit: http://www.classicsforkids.com/. For the radio show about Vivaldi’s life that third graders listened to, visit this site:  Audio of Vivaldi Biography.  Third graders have now turned their attention to learning how to group known rhythmic values into groups of 4 (Meter in 4 or 4/4 time) by adding bar lines and double bar lines to make measures.  In the next few weeks, they will add the whole note and dotted half note to their vocabulary of rhythmic values in 4/4 time.  Lastly, third graders received a form letter to give to their parents/guardians about our upcoming recorder unit.  This form is due on Friday, January 22, 2016.  If you need a copy of that recorder form letter, you can visit this link: Third Grade 2016 Recorder Form Letter.

LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER/TECHNOLOGY

In the Library Media Center…

3rd and 4th Graders have been learning about and identifying primary and secondary sources. Through our exploration of various narrative nonfiction texts students have been referring to details and examples from our texts to help them write about our reading and support their thoughts and ideas with textual evidence. Here are a few of the nonfiction texts we have enjoyed this month.

** Mr. Ferris and His Wheel **

**Winne: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie the Pooh **

**Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum **

**Gingerbread for Liberty!**

**Earmuffs for Everyone!**

 ​

1st Graders have been busy reading and listening to informational text through various print and online articles.  Students recently completed a biographical research project and understand the importance of citing their sources! Ask them to share Mrs. LeMay’s “Lollipop Story” which highlights an important reason for including a citation in our research.

2nd Graders continue to work on their state research projects and have learned how to add digital recordings, slide transitions and custom animations to their presentation.  We spent a great deal of time discussing the importance of warming up our mouths, practicing our fluency and reading prior to recording our voices, as well as the importance of articulating our words.  Students will be presenting their work to their peers through a “Tech-Time Walk About” in which all students rotate around the computer lab to view and listen to their classmates’ state presentations.