We’re starting to think about wrapping things up here in first grade. Still full-on for all academics, of course, but there will be no more spelling tests, or math homework. I try to be mindful of baseball, etc. this time of year. Please keep doing the reading choice board for May.

In science, we wrapped up our lab reports for our bean experiments. It was fun to see what variables worked and which ones didn’t. Some of the controls didn’t work either, so we did some brainstorming about why that might be. We also finished observations of our beans that we “planted” in baggies and hung on the windows. They have gotten quite tall.

During outdoor ed we each chose a bud to observe on one of the trees in our outdoor classroom. Each week we have been checking on them and they are finally changing enough to be impressive. We have also seen fiddleheads, trillium, and trout lilies there.

In reading we did book talks about our favorite books and why we think our friends should read them. Then we each chose a book to read and wrote our opinion about them in our Reader’s Notebooks.

In math this month we have been focused on the number grid for our calendar markers. Specifically moving forward and back (+1 and -1), and up and down (+10 and -10). We have also gone back to the penguins and are doing addition and subtraction word problems. We are also counting by quarters!

This week in math we created quilt blocks and came together to create a class quilt! We discussed how to divide shapes using

their lines of symmetry as well as ways to fit our individual blocks into one large quilt.

We read a few biographies this week and

shared how they told a person’s life story in the order it happened. In phonics we

played a game of "I Have" who has to determine the plural form of a noun. We

continued working hard on our informational writing pieces and used our knowledge and research to help us!

Did you know that 4 x 14 is the same thing as (4 x10 ) + ( 4 x 4) ? Students have been working hard on the different properties of multiplication. This last unit of math has also had them practicing more fractions and getting better at identifying fractions on a number line. In science, students have been solidifying their knowledge of plate tectonics. They have written their introduction with a thesis and their yellow proof paragraph so far. They are also practicing typing on a Google Doc.

The month of May brings sunshine and warmth along with end of the year assessments. There is a mixture of work and play that has to be balanced out during these warm days. Please send your child in with a water bottle, sunscreen, shoes for PE and their afternoon snack. Also, please remember to check for ticks. Thank you. 

5-6 Science, 5th Grade Math

Ms. Tremblay

Fifth and 6th grade Science students had an opportunity to learn about the limited supply of clean drinking water on Earth. They entered a poster contest, and traveled to Norwich University for the Drinking Water Week Fair. Students learned how a well is drilled, how to keep a watershed less polluted, and got to design filters to clean some dirty water!

Congratulations to Ommy who was an honorable mention in the poster contest and was invited to move on to the national competition!

5-8 Humanities

Mr. Breen

In Humanities, 7th and 8th grade is currently wrapping up their unit on slavery, westward expansion, and industrialization in the United States. They'll start prepping soon for their big end-of-year research paper. They're also in the process of putting together a collection of their writing and art into a magazine that will go home at year's end.

In 6th grade, we've just started reading The Pushcart War, and are starting work on Storycorps interview projects. Meanwhile, 5th grade is in the process of doing those same interviews!

Music

Ms. Brooke

Mark your calendars for the evening of Thursday, June 2, for a Newton School Arts Night. Student artwork will be on display and each Elementary grade level will be performing a song they chose as a class. We're hoping the middle schoolers will want to participate in a Talent Show! Please encourage your middle schooler to come up with an act and let me know by next Wednesday, May 18 in order to be put on the schedule!