Monday, October 31, 2016

Week in Review: October 24th- 28th - Picture Edition!

We had a very exciting week in Lower Elementary! Students from classroom 1 and 2 had a presentation on Egypt from Mrs. Citlalli. All classes also carved pumpkins as part of an expository writing experience and had a special Diwali celebration on Friday! It was a wonderful week!
























Monday, October 24, 2016

October 17th-21st

Hello! We are going to have a wonderful week in Lower Elementary!

For language arts jobs, first graders will have further practice with syllables, prefixes, and articles. Second graders will have further practice with syllables, prefixes, and prepositions. Third graders will have further practice with syllables, prefixes, and pronouns. All students will have practice writing an expository writing piece detailing the steps to carving a pumpkin.

For math jobs, first grade students will be introduced to multiplication, compare fractions, be introduced to polygons, explore tally charts, and write number words. Second grade students will have further work with multiplication, add fractions, find the symmetry of polygons, and explore information found in tally charts and pictographs. Third grade students will have further practice with subtraction, solve fraction word problems, identify and measure angles, and explore information found in tally charts, bar graphs, circle graphs, and pictographs.

For cultural lessons, students began an engineering design project in response to their learning of how the great pyramids were built using simple machines. In history, students heard the Fifth Great Lesson : The History of Numbers. Students continued their study of Ancient Egypt as well.

It will be a great week!

Reminders 

Halloween Parade - The JBMA Halloween Parade is one of our annual traditions where students have an opportunity to dress up as a character and learn from one another. This year, Lower Elementary students are looking forward to the Halloween Parade on Monday, October 31st. 

Students are invited to dress up ONLY as a character from a book, a historical figure, or cultural representative. We aim to keep Halloween light-hearted and fun for everyone, and therefore will not allow weapons, blood, or anything scary. Our costume parade brings all ages together and we need to respect the needs of the younger children.

Halloween Party -  We are still in need of items and volunteers for our Halloween Party on October 31st. Please go to the following link to see how you can help!  http://signup.com/go/U1Tv


Sunday, October 9, 2016

Week in Review: October 3rd-7th

We had another wonderful week in Lower Elementary! Students enjoyed the cooler weather and were busy with many activities in the classroom as well.

For language arts jobs, first graders were introduced to articles, edited text for capitalization, and alphabetized words by their first letters. Second graders edited text for capitalization and punctuation, wrote their own compound words, alphabetized words by their second letters, and wrote sentences which contained an article, adjective, noun, and verb. Third graders reviewed adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions, alphabetized words by their third letters, and edited text for capitalization, commas, and punctuation.

For math jobs, first graders compared numbers, practiced addition, reviewed even and odd numbers, counted quarters, compared fractions, and combined triangles to create quadrilaterals. Second graders were introduced to column addition, reviewed expanded notation, discovered equivalent fractions, wrote number words as numbers, and found the perimeter of polygons. Third graders solved word problems, identified types of fractions, discovered equivalent fractions, reviewed perimeter of various shapes, and identified the types of triangles.

For cultural jobs, students took a trip to the Middle School science lab where they learned about the parts of a microscope and then were able to look through some microscopes to observe pond water, dog hair, and a butterfly wing (to name a few). In history, students explore the culture of Ancient Egypt. In geography, students identified the parts of a river and had the opportunity to label the major rivers in Africa.

Next week, students will have a short but busy week! Students will be introduced to prefixes, review grammar, and find missing variables in addition and multiplication sentences. It will be great!

DATES TO REMEMBER 

Monday, October 10th - Professional Development Day - NO SCHOOL for students

Wednesday, October 12th - Progress Reports will go home 

Thursday, October 13th and Friday, October 14th - School will dismiss at 1:00 both days for Parent Conferences.

Parent Conferences are quickly approaching! Please sign up for a conference via the link sent in a email. If you have questions about the sign up, please contact your child's teacher as soon as possible in order to schedule your conference.

Sunday, October 23rd- Fall Festival 

Halloween Parade - The JBMA Halloween Parade is one of our annual traditions where students have an opportunity to dress up as a character and learn from one another. This year, Lower Elementary students are looking forward to the Halloween Parade on Monday, October 31st. 

Students are invited to dress up ONLY as a character from a book, a historical figure, or cultural representative. We aim to keep Halloween light-hearted and fun for everyone, and therefore will not allow weapons, blood, or anything scary. Our costume parade brings all ages together and we need to respect the needs of the younger children.

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Week in Review : September 26-30

Students had a great week! The highlight of our week was our trip to the Birmingham Children's Theater to see a performance of two folk tales told in the traditional African style. Students enjoyed moving, dancing, singing, and interacting with the actors. Students also enjoyed a trip to Veteran's Park for lunch and some playtime.

For language and math jobs this week, students completed quarterly reviews which covered concepts addressed this quarter in presentations and independent work. Students were able to review concepts in the cultural subjects of history, geography, and science as well.

This week, students will be identify equivalent fractions, write numbers in expanded notation, review perimeter, edit text for capitalization and punctuation, put words in ABC order, and review grammar symbols. In Science, students will take a trip to the Middle School science lab in order to have a lesson on microscopes. In History, students will explore the fundamental needs of people and look at the Ancient Egyptian culture. In Geography, students will study the parts of a river.

REMINDERS 

Thursday, October 6th - OPEN HOUSE
Drop by the classrooms to see what exciting learning has been taking place this first quarter of school!

Monday, October 10th - Professional Development Day - NO SCHOOL for students

Wednesday, October 12th - Progress Reports will go home 

Thursday, October 13th and Friday, October 14th - School will dismiss at 1:00 both days for Parent Conferences.

Parent Conferences are quickly approaching! Please sign up for a conference via the link sent in a email. If you have questions about the sign up, please contact your child's teacher as soon as possible in order to schedule your conference.

Sunday, October 23rd- Fall Festival 


Halloween Parade - The JBMA Halloween Parade is one of our annual traditions where students have an opportunity to dress up as a character and learn from one another. This year, Lower Elementary students are looking forward to the Halloween Parade on Monday, October 31st. 

Students are invited to dress up ONLY as a character from a book, a historical figure, or cultural representative. We aim to keep Halloween light-hearted and fun for everyone, and therefore will not allow weapons, blood, or anything scary. Our costume parade brings all ages together and we need to respect the needs of the younger children.