woodridge school news - Woodridge Elementary School

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WOODRIDGE SCHOOL
NEWS
Important Dates • May 4 grade 3 field trip • May 8 – 10 Science NECAP • May 16 grade 2 field trip • May 19 PTO yard sale • May 22 PTO mtg. 6 – 7 pm • May 28th Good Friday No school • June 15 grade 6 field trip • June 18 last day of school 401 Budlong Road ● Cranston, Rhode Island 02920 ● 401-270-8007 ● Fax (401) 270-8708
April was certainly a very exciting month at Woodridge. We had a busy eventful Reading Week with many interesting readers visiting the school. I would like to thank Miss Marocco and her helpers, Mrs. Moschetti and Mrs. Mancini for a job well done! Also in April we had a fun filled PBIS pep rally. Students who had accumulated 100 tickets or more were recognized. As well, Jump Rope for Heart winners and students who participated in the poetry contest were recognized. May promises to be a busy month as well. Our fourth graders will be participating in the Science NECAP Assessment on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, May 8 – 10. PTO will hold its last meeting on Tuesday, May 23rd and the sixth graders will be involved in transitioning to the middle schools. I would like to take this opportunity to once more thank the Woodridge PTO and all Woodridge parents who work so hard to make this the best school in Rhode Island. ***Our lost & found boxes are full. If your child is missing any clothing articles please check in the foyer. *** HAPPY SPRING!! Kindergarten News from Ms. Bowen As the children begin to think
about their “flight” into first
grade, we as the teacher and
parents in their lives must
reflect upon the individual
growth each child has
demonstrated. Education is
truly a partnership between
parents and teachers.
Day by day, teachers make
their gardens grow. I am most
proud of my kindergarten
children. Not only have they
grown physically, but also
socially, emotionally and
intellectually.
My goal this year was and
continues to be to encourage,
inspire and challenge all the
flowers in my garden to reach
their full potential. They truly
have bloomed into a
spectacular array of flowers.
During the summer please be
sure to “water” and “feed”
your flowers (children) daily,
using their world as your
classroom and using the fun
activities you pursue.
Science, Math, Social Studies
and Literacy Skills can be
found everywhere...at the
beach, on a picnic, eating ice
cream, as you travel, etc.…
Question them… challenge
them…ask them the why’s,
how’s, what do you think?
…predict, estimate…etc.
SCIENCE: Arriving shortly
will be ten live larvae which
will assist us to learn about
the life cycle of the Painted
Lady Butterfly. As enthusiastic
scientists, we will be writing
and drawing about our
scientific observations of the
process of metamorphosis.
** Please continue to reinforce
good listening and attending
skills as well as “prideful
work” (especially on
homework assignments).
SPRING with all it has to offer
is a wonderfully uplifting,
playful and fun time of year
(as it should be). However,
with warmer temperatures to
come, it does become a
difficult time for the children
to focus on school. We still
have many things to learn and
many assessments.
With this in mind, the PALS –
Phonological Assessment
Literacy Screening will begin
in early May. Please be sure
your child arrives to school
ON TIME and WELL RESTED.
I have sincerely appreciated
your cooperation and support
with my “Garden of Learners”
during this academic year.
I look forward to observing
their continued growth as they
enthusiastically enter first
grade!
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Woodridge School News
Page 2 of 5
Grade 1 News from Mrs. Ferranti and Mrs. Amper Language Arts: We will
continue our final unit in
reading called Great
Ideas. Children are learning
about famous people and
continue to enjoy nonfiction stories. We will be
working on vowel
combinations and writing
different kinds of sentences
(commands, questions,
exclamatory, and
statements). Please
continue to read nightly
with your child.
Math: We will be
completing Unit 8 and
beginning Unit 9 which is a
geometry unit called Blocks
and Boxes. We will
continue with problem
solving and introduce
fractions and place value.
Social Studies: We will be
working on a unit on
Patriotism. The children
will be learning different
symbols of the United
States.
Science: We will continue
our Unit on Living Things
with a concentration on
plants. Our final Unit will
be Energy. The children
will learn how the sun
affects the land and water as
well as objects.
Please help to prepare your
children for second grade
by emphasizing the
following skills and rules:
* Being a good listener
* Following directions
* Raising hand and waiting
to be called on
* Working neatly
* Using the mechanics of
writing - using capitals
and punctuation
* Writing first and last
name on papers
We are thrilled with the
progress the children have
made this year! Please
continue working with
them throughout the
summer so they will be
prepared for next year.
Thank you for all of your
support this year!
Grade 2 News from Mrs. Kelly and Miss Rossi Reading: We have finished
Unit 4 in our Reading
Street series and begun
Unit 5, “Responsibility”.
We are also working on a
unit on Fairytales as well.
Math:
We continue to
work on math problem
solving, regrouping, as
well as preparing for
NECAP Testing.
Social Studies: We have
learned
all
about
landforms and map and
globe skills.
Science: We have been
working on a unit on
Plants and Living Things.
Writing:
We will soon
begin to convert all of our
writing
to
cursive
handwriting as we prepare
for third grade.
Language: We are
finishing up on our unit on
adverbs and will be
working with the four types
of sentences: statements,
questions, commands and
exclamations.
It has been very rewarding
for us to see the children
grow and progress to this
point. Thank you for
sharing your children with
us.
Grade 1/2/3 News from Miss Ng, Mrs. Fermin & Ms. Tessier I hope everyone had a
relaxing April vacation and
spent some quality time
with your families. I cannot
believe that we are in our
last quarter of school! Phonics: The students now
know their long and short
vowel sounds! As you can
see, their spelling words
are getting more
challenging. The students
are now working on base
words and word endings ( ed, -s, -ing). We continue
to blend and segment
words that contain the
constant blends each day.
Science: Thank you to Mrs.
DiChairo for letting us visit
the chicks this month! The
students really enjoyed
petting the chicks and
“babysitting” them one
afternoon. We finished
learning about the chicken
and frog life cycle. We will
wrap up the unit of life
cycles by learning about
plants. A life cycle corner
has been made in the
classroom where the
students can visit to look at
different books and further
their knowledge on life
cycles.
Math: The 1st grade
students are learning to
add up to 10 using
manipulatives, drawings
and the number line. They
have done a nice job
creating number sentences
and understanding this
concept. Subtraction will
be introduced this month
using stories and hands-on
activities. The 2nd and 3rd
graders are learning more
strategies to add longer
number sentences. The
whole class will continue
to problem solve.
Reading: Reading groups
are still being conducted 34x per week. As we move
towards the end of the
year, the stories become
more challenging. Please
be sure to practice spelling
and sight words each night
to get that extra practice.
Thank you for returning
the borrowed books from
the classroom library. The
students have really
enjoyed taking books
home each week to record
for their reading logs. Be
sure to study sight words,
spelling words and
complete homework
nightly.
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Page 3 of 5
Woodridge School News
Grade 3 News from Mrs. DiChiaro and Miss Jackson Reading: We have
completed Unit 4 in
Reading Street and have
begun Unit 5. Stories we
will cover are Suki’s
Kimono, How My Family
Lives in America, Goodbye, 382 Shin Dang
Dong, Jalapeno Bagels
and Me and Uncle
Romie. Comprehension
skills include
compare/contrast,
generalize, fact and
opinion, sequence of
events, drawing
conclusions, and author’s
purpose. Vocabulary
includes context clues
and word structure. In
grammar, the following
are included: adjectives
and articles, adjectives
that compare, adverbs,
adverbs that compare
and conjunctions.
Social Studies: Chapters
8 & 9. Chapter 8 looks at
how communities work
together. Chapter 9
discusses expansion of
the US from the Oregon
Trail to current
immigration.
Science: Living Things,
Animals and Plants.
Math: We have
completed fractions and
will work with decimals,
geometry and probability.
We will continue to
practice problem solving
skills, multiplication and
division.
Writing: Our writing for
this unit is Persuasive
Letters. Students will
develop an
understanding of a
persuasive letter, use
persuasive words such as
must or best, put reasons
in logical order, use
correct letter format, use
facts and opinions to
make a point, and
organize facts in their
order of importance.
Grade 4 News from Mrs. Sisti and Miss Vecchio Reading: Students have
begun Unit 5, Adventures
by Land, Air, and Water.
They will continue to
read stories of various
genre. Skills students will
continue to review are author’s
purpose, compare and
contrast, main idea, and
drawing conclusions.
Math: Students are
concluding the unit on
fractions and are ready to
move on to decimals.
They will continue to
work on two and three
digit multiplication along
with division and
problem solving.
Science: Students have
moved on to the next
unit, Characteristics of
Plants and Animals,
where they will be
studying the different
ways plants reproduce
and the structures and
functions they have to
survive. Science NECAP
will begin the second
week of May.
Social Studies: We will
be moving to the
Southwest and West
regions of our country.
Students will continue to
learn about the people,
culture, climate, and
geography of these
regions.
Writing: Persuasive
writing is the focus of our
lessons this quarter.
The object of teaching a child is to enable him to get along without a teacher. Elbert Hubbard (1856-­‐1915) American author, editor and printer. Grade 5 News from Mrs. Almonte and Mrs. Kiley Another busy month
has flown by in fifth
grade! We completed a
Math unit on Fractions
and have moved on to
Geometry. Please
continue to drill those
multiplication facts at
home! In Grammar, we
completed a unit on
pronouns and are now
working on adjectives
and adverbs. Students
have been working in
Literature Circles
reading and discussing
The Fighting Ground.
In Social Studies, we
are studying the
Revolutionary War and
in Science we have
begun a unit on
Weather. Students
should be reviewing
notes frequently, not
just before a quiz or a
test. It’s hard to believe
we are now into the
fourth quarter. We are
looking forward to a fun
and productive end of
the year!
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Woodridge School News
Page 4 of 5
Grade 6 News from Mrs. Colapietro & Mrs. Viveiros Math: We have been
checking our chances with
probability. Following this
chapter, students will be
finding the area and volume
of various shapes and
objects. Students are urged
to continue practicing
previously taught skills as
they will reappear frequently
in future chapters. Students
will get a comprehensive
view of Chapters 1 – 14
during the last weeks of
school.
Reading: We are
completing Unit 5 themed
Resources. During this unit
students were exposed to
nonfiction and expository
text. In unit 6, students will
explore culture, and use
visualizing to compare and
contrast information, draw
conclusions, and make
generalizations. Students
should continue to read
independently and are
advised to do so at home
every night.
Science: During the fourth
quarter, students will be
learning about Earth in
space and the positional
relationships between the
Earth, sun and moon.
Students will also learn
about the characteristic
properties of matter and the
relationship between
energy, motion, temperature
and states of matter.
Social Studies: We
continue to learn about the
ancient world and its
history. We completed our
unit on Mesopotamia and
are currently learning
about Ancient Egypt.
*As a reminder, students are
not allowed to enter the
portables following dismissal.
They must take all necessary
materials home with them at
the end of each day. Also, any
parents/guardians needing to
speak with Mrs. Colapietro
and/or Mrs. Viveiros must
report to the office beforehand.
Parents/guardians and students
will not be allowed into the
portables until teachers have
been notified by the main
office. Thank you.
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!
Grade 4/5/6 News from Miss Palmieri, Mrs. Desiderato & Ms. Tessier Science: The topic we will
be focusing on during this
quarter is: Process within
an Ecosystem. Look for
study guides to go along
with these topics.
Social Studies: In Social
Studies we have been
learning about the
Southeast region. This
quarter, students will be
doing a small project on
the southeast states. Most
of this project will be done
in school, however,
students will be asked to
complete parts of this
project at home. Students
will be asked to do
research on one of the
southeast states and
present it to the class. This
project will be graded and
go towards their 4th
quarter report card grade.
Reading: Continue looking
for weekly vocabulary
words/definitions in your
child’s take home binders
to study nightly at home.
Encourage your child to
read for 15 minutes a night
and to practice their
multiplication facts nightly.
News from Mrs. Basso, Librarian Lessons in the library are based on meeting the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards for 21 -Century
from grade to grade, help them achieve these standards. Lessons over
Learners. Scaffolding of lessons as students progress
the past months demonstrate the basis of the standards as follows:
rs. Basso, Librarian st
Learners use skills, resources, and tools to:
Standard 1. Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge.
Grade 1: Asking Questions, Finding Answers to research insects
Grade 2: Beginning note taking skills to research Freaky Frogs
Standard 2. Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new
situations, and create new knowledge.
Grade 3: Learning How to Use a variety of traditional Reference Sources
Grade 4: Finding information using Online Reference Sources
Standard 3. Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members
of our democratic society.
Grade 5: Writing from Informational Text without plagiarizing
Grade 6: Using Critical Thinking to research online safely and effectively
Standard 4. Pursue personal and aesthetic growth.
All Grades: Self-selection of reading materials
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Page 5 of 5
Woodridge School News
Nurse’s Notes from Mrs. Colman We have made it through
a “not so cold” winter,
but because of that,
expect the tick infestation
to be much worse this
spring. Simple family
outings in the woods,
park, or even your own
backyard may leave you
vulnerable to picking up
ticks. Some carry bacteria
that can cause diseases
such as Lyme. The best
protection is prevention.
If going outside, use a
repellent that contains
20% or more DEET on
exposed skin, but avoid
hands, eyes and mouth.
You can also use a
product that contains
permethrin on clothing
such as boots, pants, or
socks. Wear light colored
socks and pants to help
spot ticks. You can also
tuck your pant legs into
your socks to reduce the
risk of ticks getting under
clothes. A daily ritual of
examining everyone in
the family, as well as
pets, should happen
especially if they are
spending time in tickinfested areas. You
should check for ticks
under your child’s arms,
in and around the ears,
inside the belly button,
behind the knees, around
the waist, and especially
in their hair. Tiny ticks
can be dangerous, but a
little common sense can
keep them from causing
illness.
I have made it my goal
this year to increase
communication to
parents, regarding
current health
information, by
contributing to the
school’s newsletter. At
the end of May, I will be
sending home a short
survey requesting
feedback. This will let me
know if you thought the
“Nurse’s Notes” were
informative. Thank you!
PTO News Dear Friends,
How is it that we are in
the final stretch of this
school year? Yet there is
so much more to do and
accomplish before the
end. While we have
obtained certain goals of
bringing more
technology and support
to the school, we want
to do more. I would like
to take this moment to
thank everyone who has
helped us with our
efforts.
of the school on
Saturday, May 19th from
8 am to noon. If you are
interested in being part
of this event, please
contact me or Heather
Kendra, co-chair. We
have signs available to
post in yards to promote
the yard sale. We will be
putting an ad in the
Cranston Herald and
Craig's List as well.
Word of mouth works
well to sell everyone's
wares.
Flyers have gone home
with regard to the
Community Yard Sale to
be held on the blacktop
From the Fundraising
team, the tiles will be
applied to the wall soon.
It is truly a great way to
beautify the inside of our
school with the
children’s artwork. This
yearly tradition is an
exciting addition to the
hallways of our beloved
school.
PTO Nominations for
the Executive Board
were read at the last
meeting. The next
meeting on May 22nd
will be elections of the
Executive Board. Please
make a concerted effort
to attend all meetings.
We discuss new and
exciting things and it is
always nice to have new
input or ideas. Our last
meeting was well
attended as we all
shared different ideas
and viewpoints. The
collaboration of
everyone involved
proves to make
Woodridge a
powerhouse in parental
support of our
children's school!
As always, thank you
for your support.
Lisa Mancini
PTO President
464-6371
lisamancini615@cox.ne
t