Monthly Specialty Class Newsletter
Final Specialty Newsletter
Chinese with Mrs. Ma
We have only two weeks left in our AMA Chinese class, and I am so proud of the progress made by all of our students! This month, at all levels, we have been focusing on reviewing the pinyin chart and using different scenarios to practice all the vocabulary and sentence patterns we’ve learned in the past few months. For example, students have been applying their knowledge to create more complex self-introductions that are practiced in front of their classmates.
This newsletter has some helpful information and tips for our parents to check out as the course draws to a close. Please click the link to the reference materials and let me know if you have questions.
For parents/students who would like to review the study materials, attached is the link to our main textbook, workbook, and audio files. You can download the materials for your child to review over the summer break.
I also attached informative youtube videos for students to review pinyin, which I mentioned in our previous newsletter. It is the basic phonic system that teaches beginners to pronounce Chinese words.
Lastly, if you are interested in downloading Chinese apps for your child, I am listing a few free apps that may be helpful.
For our students graduating AMA, I wish you the best of luck in your future academic endeavors! Each student should feel a sense of accomplishment in improving their foreign language skills, especially with a challenging language such as Mandarin. Just remember, it is possible to learn Chinese. It just takes effort, and a willingness to enjoy the learning process.
Spanish with Mrs. Thompson and Miss Kelley
Hola Familias de Amerimont!
It has been a joy to have been apart of your student's Spanish language journey this school year! Miss Kelley and I, Mrs. Thompson, have loved teaching your students each week and have loved watching them blossom in their foreign language acquisition! We hope that this year has prompted a lifelong enjoyment of learning new languages, and not being afraid to try something new!
Each student, from TK to Multi-Age, has been a part of a wonderful foreign language program, and we can't believe the end of the year is already upon us! As we close out the 2018-2019 school year, we will be culminating our Spanish language instruction with review activities, vocabulary games, and enriching activities that help make learning a new language fun and exciting.
- Our TK and K classes are busy learning animal vocabulary through the use of song and hand motions. The use of body movements through kinesthetic learning helps our younger students to remember the vocabulary terms and relate it to the movements of their body.
- Our 1st, 2nd, and Multi-Age classes have been especially enjoying using Kahoot!- an engaging quiz app- that allows them to practice their Spanish vocabulary in an engaging and fun way.
Music with Ms. Zhang
Students have been busily preparing for their final performances with Ms. Zhang! We look forward to share with you a summary of their year and what they've learned through song this afternoon.
STEM With Miss M
TK and K are continuing their Animal Adventure unit and are currently studying the behaviors and feeding patterns of different birds like Jays, Woodpeckers, and Hummingbirds! Students were put into groups and assigned one particular bird to study. They watched live bird cams from all over the world to help understand the unique needs of all different species of birds. Their challenge for this unit was to brainstorm and create the perfect bird feeder! Through creativity and collaboration, they have come up with some cool creations. Our final step is to add some seeds and test their creations.
First grade recently started a unit about sound, waves, and communication! Last week, students constructed telephones out of cups, string, and paperclips that they used to play a secret code game. They tested different types of string, changed their positions, and tested many other variables to see whether or not these changes made a difference in the production of sound. They did find that using different string or standing a particular distance from one another did have an impact on the volume, and the rate at which their voices traveled. They had a blast sending and decoding one another’s secret messages!
Landslides, oh my! Our second grade students have tapped into learning about all different types of natural disasters like wildfires, earthquakes, and much more. The topic of landslides really seemed to interest them so we expanded and created our own mini versions of what they would look like. First, we discussed the types, causes, and dangers of landslides and shared ideas about what types of barriers we could create to help keep our homes safe. Our little engineers were given the task of building tiny model homes and designing a sturdy structure they believe could prevent landslides and protect their property. We tested these contraptions with three different types of sediment: sand, gravel, and volcanic potting rock. The students were extremely engaged and had some fun getting their hands dirty!
Multi-Age is currently exploring the subject of heat and how it is another form of energy that can make things go! Students were challenged to create their own heat engines with some simple supplies and used them to turn the blades of a paper fan using one heat source. It was a neat experience to see that one simple source of heat could make their fans rotate! They were encouraged to discuss some other machines they believe could be powered from only heat.
Art with Miss Jordan
Our last month of Art class has been spent daydreaming about summer nights on the beach! We have been working on "Summer Silhouettes," a mixed media art project involving fiery sunsets and cool, calm waters in acrylic! We discussed the "color palette" of the Summer months, and utilized contrasting colors, like oranges and blues, to demonstrate their vibrancy! While the paint dried, our students imagined a beach scene they would like to spend a day living. Then, they chose from an array of "silhouettes" - a pier, horseback-riders, surfers, birds, islands off-shore, beach-loungers, volleyball players and much more! They traced their favorites onto black paper. cut, and collaged them onto their bright backgrounds! Those summer beach days are well within reach, and from the looks of their artwork, it seems as if they can see it from here!
Picasso said, "Every child is an artist." Each of these students truly has in them, a passion for learning, a thirst for knowledge, and a vision of innovation that will carry them to the heights of the universe. Through their brilliant, creative artworks and the colors that I can now see dance through their beautiful minds. It has been my absolute pleasure to work with your students as their Art Teacher this year and I am so beyond thrilled for their exceptionally vibrant futures!
Extended Care with Miss Jordan and Miss Chelsea
Our Extended Care team is always coming up with unique and engaging activities for our students to participate in after school. One of their favorite things to do is to get together and play an outdoor game before they head inside for some more fun. Recently, they have really enjoyed playing ShuffleBuns and A Cold Wind Blows. When it comes to indoor activities, they participate in everything from lip sync battles to wacky science experiments! One of the most recent experiments they have participated in is making invisible ink to create secret messages! May has been full of exciting activities and we can’t wait to see what our Extended Care teachers have come up with for the last couple weeks of school!