March 31, 2023
Preschool
Preschool blog post:
Happy Spring, everyone! Preschool came back from break well rested and ready for a wonderful last few weeks of school. It’s so hard to believe we’re talking kindergarten and summer break already. I remember when these were the faces that greeted me. Now I’ve got big kids all around! Can you image what a few more weeks will bring?
We’re excited to learn about new things as the weather continues to warm up and we sneak outside for more playtime. Did you know we’re planning to plant a garden? Oh, how we’re growing in all the ways! Go Tigers!
This week our amazing preschoolers completed a fun writing project to accompany their coloring during table work time. I love watching them write their hearts out, making “words” to tell their stories, then reading those stories to each other. We have some talented emerging writers on our hands. Go Tigers!
Kindergarten
We have enjoyed another week with our kindergarten pals! We loved sharing stories with each other from our Spring Break adventures.
Last week the Brown County Rotary Club joined us for reading time. Each kindergarten student received an I LIKE ME book from the Brown County Rotary Club!
We have enjoyed another week with our kindergarten friends!
In OG,
- We are learning about the letter Qq.
- We are learning how to blend and segment words with the letter Qu/qu.
- We are reading, spelling and writing words with the letter Qu/qu.
- We are learning the red words: do, are, good
In Math,
- We are taking apart numbers from 2-5 in more than one way to show all the ways to make the number. We are learning how to write addition sentences and equations.
- We are learning -0 math facts. We are taking math fact timed tests.
In Writing,
- We are writing How-To books.
In Reading,
- We are learning how Avid Readers make a prediction and show evidence for their thinking.
1st grade
In writer’s workshop first graders brought in a collection of 4-5 items from home. They picked their favorite item from the collection, and learned how to write a review about it. They learned that in order to write a review you need to have a topic sentence stating your opinion, several sentences with details supporting your opinion, and a concluding statement.
First graders finished their place value unit about understanding tens and ones. Today, they created their names with paper cutouts of ten rods and ones cubes. Then they calculated the value of their name. They turned out great!!!!
2nd grade
Second grade is working hard this week. We are comparing story structure in fiction and nonfiction texts using “Me… Jane” as our anchor text. In phonics we’re working on the bossy-r skill with a focus on the -ir sound. Math this week is all about measurement and tools used for measurement. We are focusing on centimeters, inches, feet, and yards. We are also converting units of measurement from inches to feet and feet to yards. We are having a ton of fun reading and measuring all around our rooms!
3rd grade
This week students interviewed employees from all over our district to learn about the amazing careers in our school system! We learned about the job of a custodian, Maintenance Director , Technology Director, principal, superintendent, and so many more!!! We are making a slide show presentation to share all this neat information.
4th grade
Last week in Mrs. Middleton’s 4th grade we learned about Conestoga wagons that were used by early pioneers in Indiana. We marked out how big the wagon was using string to help visualize the size. We discussed the different things families had to bring with them on long journeys across the country versus what we bring with us for a road trip today. The students had a great time pretending to pile into the wagon!
Mrs. Joy’s class practiced finding the area of rectangles by playing a whole class game on 99Math. We answered over 1,000 answers correctly as a class in 5 minutes.
5th grade
Last week in fifth grade, we learned about different types of graphs. Students now know how to read and create bar and line graphs, as well as how to plot points on a coordinate plane.
All of the students received their Biztown job placements this week, and we are very excited to watch them rise to the occasion in each of their positions. We go on our trip in just a few short weeks, and preparations are underway! Now that they have their jobs, we have started talking about paychecks, bank accounts, and other financial concepts that will be important at Biztown and in their adult lives.
After building up to it the last few weeks, we have finally reached the battles of the Revolutionary War. Students can confidently explain the causes of the Revolutionary War, and were very excited to learn the differences between a patriot and a lobster back.
In gym class, they competed in the March Madness basketball tournament and showed good sportsmanship and excitement all around. Overall, we enjoyed returning from break and getting back into the swing of things!
Science
Scientist of the Week: Makala Barkdull
Last week in science, second grade students investigated the mystery of the Koa tree, a tree that grows in only two places, on islands thousands of miles apart from each other. Students developed three different seed models and observed how the different structures affect dispersal away from the tree. They used their observations to determine whether the koa seeds were dispersed from wind, water, or animals.
Fifth grade students followed the scientific inquiry process by designing and performing an experiment to test the effectiveness of bar soap when washing their hands. Students used a special lotion that reacted under UV lights. Students then collected and analyzed their data to draw conclusions.
Speech and Language with Mrs. Williams
This week some friends practiced making their speech sounds while making cupcakes!
5th grade Ambassadors
Today was the last day that we collected pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. Thank you to all who donated!! This truly makes a difference!
PE with Mrs. Doss
Last week in PE was so much fun! Kindergarten got to play with the parachute! First grade got to play some body part freeze tag. Second grade got to play Crazy Ball which is a mix of 3 different sports all at once! And our 3-5th grades continued the March Madness basketball tournament! We will crown our winners this week!!
Beable and the World of Work
Last week Brown County Schools was represented at the World of Work conference in San Diego, California. This conference was a convening of trailblazers blurring the lines between K-12 and the World of Work, cultivating career development, accelerating literacy and creating paths to gainful employment. We learned so much and are ready to move forward in teaching about personal growth and how that plays a role in career connected learning!
