Dear Parents,
Welcome back from spring break. Everyone returned refreshed and excited with stories to share about their break. This last trimester is always filled with events and activities as we begin new units of study. This week, we are putting the finishing touches on our projects in preparation for our Culminating Event next Tuesday in the Commons at 8:30. Thank you all for your flexibility concerning our change in date. CURRICULUM Reading This week in reading, we have started two new books- Helen Keller and Child of The Silent Night (the story of Laura Bridgman). Both women were blind and deaf from a very young age and were educated at the Perkins School. Their lives parallel each other in many ways. In the process, we will be learning the manual alphabet, braille, and some sign language. Math This week we begin a new chapter on fractions. Students worked with fraction tiles and number lines to find equivalent fractions. As with every math unit, vocabulary plays an important part in understanding math concepts. Words like equivalent, numerator, and demominator are key words in understranding fractions. Language Arts In our new unit spelling, students are using words containing two and three letter blends and digraphs. When using a digraph such as ch or th , the two letters work together to make one new sound. Blends such as br, spl, and fr, blend together to make more than one sound. Some concepts they did were analogies, context clues, compound words, and word building. We also worked on when to use quotation marks when writing conversations. To make writing more interesting, the class glanced through books to look for words to use instead of "said", such as replied, mentioned, and added. We also found question words like asked, questioned and wondered. Cultural Culmination This week, students worked in groups to organize specific "table talk" topics that they are presenting at the culmination on Tuesday. Students wrote short passages that will help them during the oral presentation. Band of Friends Mr. Bean and Mr. Murdock sent out an e-mail announcing two out of school performances involving the BOF. One is at Buttonwood Park Zoo on April 27 at 12:30. The other is on AHA! Night in New Bedford on May 9th at 6 p.m. at the Pilgrim United Church at 6:35. Please read their e-mail for more details. Arts Works Just a reminder that the Art Works orders are due on Monday, April 1st (no fooling). I hope everyone enjoys the warmer temps this weekend. Sincerely, Gayle UPCOMING DATES Tuesday April 2- 8:30 in the Commons-Cultural Culmination Monday April 15- no school (Patriot's Day) Friday April 19- no school (Good Friday) Monday April 22- no school (Professional Day) Thursday April 25- Arts and Poetry Night in the evening A special message from the art department: The Art Department is seeking volunteers to help prepare for the upcoming Arts and Poetry Night. The job entails displaying student art, in all shapes, sizes and forms, throughout the halls of Friends Academy. There is an encredible amount of work to exhibit, but with enough hands, we hope to accomplish this undertaking in one day. If you are willing and able to donate time on Thursday, April 18th, between 8 and 5, please contact Susan Cogliano or Wendy Goldsmith. Any amount of time is appreciated. No experience necessary! [email protected] [email protected]
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |