Happy Spring! We are moving into warmer weather and the students are so excited! We have been noticing so many seasonal changes and discussing them in class. Ask your child what they are excited for this Spring! Please make sure your child wears closed-toed shoes to school everyday so that they can stay safe at recess and during the school day. 

Important Dates & Reminders

• April 1-2: Student Holidays NO SCHOOL
• April 10: Eid al Fitr NO SCHOOL
• April 22: Ms. Malik and Ms. Peterson’s Class Field Trip
• April 23: Ms. Green and Ms. Nguyen ‘s Class Field Trip

Language Arts

What are we learning?

• We have been learning about vowel teams in phonics! Words such as rain, bee, and glue have vowel teams in them. See if your child can identify any when reading at home. 
• We have also been diving deep into nonfiction books and using research websites such as PebbleGo. Students have loved exploring new ideas and learning about different animals, countries, people, etc. 

Home/School Connection

Questions to ask your student:

• Before reading new books at home, ask your child what they think will happen in the book. Then, read to see if your prediction was correct!

Math

What are we learning?

• At the beginning of April, we will be focusing on data and data collection. We will be learning about how to conduct surveys and how to interpret data on a graph.
• We will conclude the month of April by developing fluency with addition and subtraction to 10. We will also be developing reasons (onon-count-by-ones) strategies for solving addition and subtraction story/picture problems to 20.

Home/School Connection

Questions to ask your student:

• Ask your student to survey family members about an area of interest. Ask your student what option was popular? By how many?
• Practice math facts to 10 or to 20.

Science

What are we learning?

•  Q4 builds upon the lessons from Q1 - Q3. To start the unit, students consider spring seasonal changes, how plants and animals respond to these changes, and changes to their park designs they expect to observe in spring. Students explore the sun as the main source of energy on Earth by investigating if sunlight warms both land and water. They record and analyze temperature data to conclude that the sun’s energy can change the temperature of various surfaces. Students then observe and identify the pattern of the sun’s position in the sky over time. They use this information about the sun’s apparent position and its ability to warm surfaces to design a structure to reduce the temperature of an area where birds might build a nest, or another animal may make a home, in their park.

Home/School Connection

Questions to ask your student:

• How can we describe changes in weather?
• How can we describe seasonal changes and the effects on plants and animals, including humans?

Social Studies

What are we learning?

• Citizenship is an ongoing part of the first grade curriculum. All year students have been working hard to show good citizenship and responsibility within the school community. We are continuously working towards making good choices, and being respectful to all members within the school community.

Home/School Connection

Questions to ask your student:

• What is the same and different about rules in our homes, our classroom, our school, online, and in our community?
• What makes a rule a “good rule”?
• How do our choices affect others?
• In what ways might people contribute to their home, their school, their community, to the world?

Specials (note: specialists will fill the following out)

What are we learning? &  Home/School Connections:

• Library: 
  • In April, we will have our Spring book fair! It will be from April 11-April 22. There will be evening hours during most days for families who would like to come after school.
  • 1st grade students will learn about open and closed questions, and create questions about things they are curious about. We will continue developing questions and vocabulary with nonfiction read-alouds that invite questions, and do our own research to answer our questions.

• PE: 
  • Falcon Families, We hope your Spring Break was full of smiles and activity. As always, we are grateful to call you our co-teachers and appreciate the work you do with your student(s).
  • Upon returning from break, we always revisit routines and expectations until students are back in “school mode.” The next actual unit will be SOCCER! Students have been looking forward to this unit because it’s many peoples’ favorite and we can finally play more outside. Falcons are lucky because Mr. Bergin is a working Varsity Soccer Coach in the county; what a valuable resource! Students will learn basic skills, rules for the sport, and practice in small games. At the end of the month, we will transition to a two-week biking unit! Families can stay alert because we will be asking for volunteers to assist with this unit. Volunteer sign-up information will likely be shared in Thursday Folders and/or Talking Points. Until then, Happy Spring!
  • ❤ Mr. Bergin and Ms. Brod

• Music: 
  • Shaw: Ms Shaw’s class is working on composing our own rhythms and building on our xylophone ensemble pieces.
  • Sawasky: 
    • All grades will continue our work on the frame drumming composition.  All students will know how to create their own rhythms and work on creating melodies.
    • We will practice singing the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” All students will express themselves through playing xylophones, frame drums and percussion instruments.
    • K – 2^nd grade will be exploring rhythms through frame drumming and creating their own rhythms.

• Art: 
  • In the Forestdale art program, the primary goal is to create an environment in which every student feels confident, safe, and supported by Ms. Barrett and by the other students. The goal is that each student will reach a level of technical mastery and self-confidence that allows them to take risks with their own artwork and create work that they value.
  • In April,  all students will be creating clay art projects! 
  • 1st graders will create clay "Evergreen Plates" by pressing plastic evergreen branches into moist earthenware clay. After the clay pieces have dried for 2 weeks, Ms. Barrett will load them into the Kiln and fire them. A kiln firing lasts all day! After the pieces have been fired, students will glaze them with shiny green ceramic glaze. 
  • All students’ ceramic pieces are delightful.
  • Thank you to all families for returning the Parent Interview Forms for each art unit! Students in grades 1st - 6th continue to use their Art Planning and Reflection Books, increasing their literacy skill practice during art classes!
  • As always, Ms. Barrett ([email protected]) is here for any questions or concerns regarding the art program.

AAP Corner 

What are we learning?

We are practicing our fluency, flexibility, original thinking, and elaboration, or FOFE. We will read the book, Things That Are the Most  by Judi Barrett. This book is a fun, and sometimes silly, way to practice our original thinking and elaboration skills. Students come up with what could be the “fastest” or “slowest” thing in the world. One example from the story is “the wiggliest thing in the world is a snake ice-skating”. Students always have fun brainstorming their own ideas. 

Home/School Connection

Hello! Each year we screen all students for new AAP services for the following school year. Information on referrals are in the Spring Newsletter. Please read and email Katelyn Spengler at @email with any questions.  Translations are included below:

Spring AAP Newsletter ES (PDF)
Arabic | Chinese | English | Korean | Spanish | Urdu | Vietnamese