Important Dates & Reminders

• No school Tuesday, March 5th

Language Arts

What are we learning?

• identify a word that rhymes with a spoken word 
• produce rhyming words and recognize rhyming pairs of rhyming words presented orally
• participate in choral and echo speaking and recitation of short poems, rhymes, songs, and stories with repeated patterns and refrains. 
• use drama to retell familiar stories, rhymes, and poems
• print capital and lowercase letters of the alphabet legibly and independently 
• Write a variety of short poems with illustrations
• locate and read words in and out of continuous text
• continue to orally produce words with similar beginning and ending sounds 
• recognize a rhyming word when given a word or picture
• blend, segment, add, and substitute onset and rimes

Home/School Connection

Questions to ask your student:

• What rhymes with cat?
• Name two words that rhyme
• “Say ‘boat.’ Now take away the /b/ and add /g/.” (goat)

Math

What are we learning?

• Composing and Decomposing

• students learn to make combinations to ten. 
• Students are learning about the parts and wholes of numbers 
• Students are learning through story problems.

Home/School Connection

Questions to ask your student:

• How can you make 6? Can you show me a different way?
• How can you make 10? Can you show me a different way?

Science

What are we learning?

• Push & Pull, Caring for the Earth
• pushing or pulling on an object can change the speed direction of its motion and can start or stop it. 
• Students evaluate if objects are reusable or not.
• Students decide if objects in a story should be reused, recycled, or trashed. Students design a way to recycle a water bottle.

Home/School Connection

Questions to ask your student:

• What can we do as a family to take care of the Earth?

Social Studies

What are we learning?

• Wants and Needs, Map Skills
• People earn money in different ways to satisfy their wants and needs.
• There are specific words that help us describe where things are located.
• Where people live affects how they live.

Home/School Connection

Specials

What are we learning? &  Home/School Connections:

• Library: 
  • Kindergarten students are exploring both fiction-imagination stories and nonfiction-information books. They are developing their identities as readers, learning what they like best! Ask your child what types of fiction and nonfiction books they enjoy!
• PE: 
  • Hello Forestdale Families! Your PE Team has completed the Winter round of fitness testing. We are now beginning our “Striking with Hands Unit” and will master these concepts through the sport of volleyball. Students will complete skill repetitions, play team games, net games, and practice their athletic communication habits during this unit. We’ve also discussed safety factors for this unit and how EMOTIONS always factor into our playing.
  • Perhaps discuss with your student: “How do you act when you’re playing a game that you feel GOOD at?” “How do you act when you’re playing a game that feels DIFFICULT for you?” “What is it like when a friend shows anger or disappointment while you’re playing with them?” “What does it feel like when a teammate encourages you?”
  • Thank you and talk soon! ❤ Mr. Bergin and Ms. Brod
• Music: 
  • Ms. Shaw’s kinder classes are dancing to the Irish Fiddle tune, The Rakes of Mallow. We are also learning the Orff xylophone arrangement Oliver Twist.
  • In Mr. Sawasky’s class, all grades will be working on our frame drumming composition.  All students will know how to create their own rhythms.
    • We will practice singing our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” All students will have the opportunity to 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 rhythm.
• 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 March,  all students will be creating planning drawings for the upcoming Clay units! 
  • Kindergarten students will create clay plaques with their names spelled out in clay letters.
  • 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 

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

What are we learning?

This month we are practicing questioning. I always tell students that questions can be more powerful than answers. We learned about questioning words and read the story, Grandfather Twilight. I only allowed students to ask questions about the story.

Additionally, in poetry all teachers are incorporating lessons from the AAP curriculum into their unit. Ms. Spengler will be co-teaching with each class. 

Home/School Connection

Questions to ask your student:

• Ask them what they wonder about! Questioning is a skill to practice. :)