Week 36: Science Test

We really appreciate the volunteers who came in this Friday morning to work on costumes with us. Mrs. Soans, Mrs. Hudgins, Mrs. Broika, Mrs. Wattenbarger, Mrs. Shaunessy, and Mr . Levy were instrumental in helping our children glue, paint, spell, and execute their designs for their Shakespeare characters. The costumes turned out so well and our children have not been able to take their eyes off them the whole day! Please be aware that the fabric we used is water soluble so it can be washed out if your child has it on his/ her clothing. The paints have to be heat set (placed in a dryer  or ironed) before it will be permanent.

We want to remind you that the play will be on June 13th. There was a invitation that went home on Thursday. In the past we have done this play in the MMr where we have a fully packed room. This year, we are anticipating an even larger crowd so we've added on a third performance. We anticipate many people will attend the early morning performance so we encourage anyone with a flexible schedule to try to attend the later performances. Class parents have sent out emails just to survey who might attend at which time so that we can prepare for this. We will make a DVD of the performance for each child to keep.

Here's what to expect for next week:

• We will have the Written Science test on Monday. This test will include multiple choice  and short answers based on the science work they had been doing in Ms. Gamboi's class. 
• There will be a half day on Tuesday. Dismissal will be at 12 noon. 
• School will be closed on Brooklyn Queens day this Thursday. Students will not attend. 

Have a marvelous weekend!

Week 35: More Shakespeare!

We are about two weeks away from the dress rehearsal and performance of our play on June 13! Students had been studying their lines and coming off book. The next goal is to slow down and act out the meaning of the words. Please encourage your child to rehearse daily.

We want to thank Mr. Weeks (Sasha S's dad) for coming in to share his expertise on acting! It gave our students a new perspective on what the acting process is like.

Here's what is happening next week:

• The Science Performance Test will continue next week up to Friday. 
• We have Shakespeare rehearsals on Tuesday and Thursday. Please remind your child to bring in their script (even if they have their lines memorized).
• We will work with Katy Dement, The Paper Lady who is coming to help our students make set decoration for our play on Thursday and Friday. This can be messy work so please have your child dress accordingly. 
• On Friday, we will work on decorating our costumes. Large t-shirts have been purchased for each child and sewn into garments that resemble the tunics of Ancient Athens. We are planning to decorate with fabric markers, paint, and appliqués at 8:50- 9:55. There are four parent volunteers and if you can come in to help, it would be great! 

Have a wonderful, long Memorial Day weekend!

Week 34: Science Performance Test

We had a great time releasing the trout upstate thanks to the lovely weather and the support of the parent chaperones. We'd like to thank Mr. Margolis, Mr. Wattenbarger, Mrs. Hudgins, Mrs. Fitzroy, and Mrs. Dekel for taking the long ride up with us.

A letter went out regarding the Shakespeare performance and how parents can help with the the production. If you have not seen it, please ask your child for it. We are requesting $10 per child to cover the cost of costumes, props and dvds. Your child will get to keep their costume after the production and will receive a dvd of the performance. The tentative performance times are listed on the letter also. My thanks to the parents who have already responded and sent in the fee. Extra thanks to families who generously sent extra money to help other children!

Here's what to expect next week:

• We have music rehearsal on Monday. A letter went home on Thursday regarding the music performance at PS 10. 
• The Science Performance tests will start next week on Wednesday. Ms. Gamboi will provide us with a schedule as to when each child will be tested.
• Sasha S's dad will come in on Friday morning to share his Shakespeare expertise. We look forward to hearing about his experiences as a Shakespearean actor!

Please check back this weekend for our new math short film featuring Jaya and Emily!
Have a great weekend!

Week 33: Happy Mother's Day!

We have a busy week ahead for us:

• Jacqueline Woodson will be in on Monday.
• We will have Shakespeare workshops on Tuesday and Thursday. Because of a conflict with the scheduling, we will not attend the Armory as previously planned.
• We will be headed upstate to release trout on Wednesday. The chaperones for the trip are: Mr. Wattenbarger, Mr. Margolis, Mrs. Hudgins, Mrs. Dekel and Mrs. Fitzroy. Thank you to all our volunteers!
• On Friday we will have our post ELA and Math test celebration. Please make sure your child is dressed for an afternoon at the park. 

Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Mothers Day to all the wonderful ladies in our lives!

Week 32: Pre-Fifth Grade Prep

Two tests down, one more to go! The Math test was given this week and the class demonstrated that they had learned a lot of strategies to help them solve the questions on the more concept driven assessments New York state will now be giving. Overall, our students did fine on the test. As we move forward, we will use these assessments as they were intended for: to help us better address the needs of our students. For the remainder of the year, we will introduce new topics and sharpen our calculation skills. Our goal is to be well prepared for the fifth grade!

We will be very busy in the upcoming weeks:

•  We will meet with our Buddies to prepare for the Earth Day Parade coming on Friday!
• Our Shakespeare workshops will now take place every Tuesdays and Thursdays. The culminating performance is scheduled for June 13th so please save the date! 
• We are participating in the STEMs Job Fair on Wednesday. Our students will meet professionals from the science, technology, engineering, and math fields to learn about how to prepare for a job in those fields.
• Family Friday will be a continuation of the work we started on Monday with our Buddies for Earth Day. 
• We will also visit the Mothers Day Plant Sale at 11:10. Please provide your child with money ($3-$15 is the usual price range) if you would like him or her to pick up a plant for mom!
• Friday is also when we have our Earth Day parade. Students will march around the block. This is usually a crowded event and it leads right into dismissal. If you are picking up your child, please make sure I know you have your child before you leave. Thanks!

Have a great sunny weekend!