Pre-K: For the second quarter we investigated balls. We investigated which ones can roll, bounce, and be thrown. We measured the size of different balls with string and lined them up by size. We sorted balls based on color, size, which ones bounced and those that did not. Our favorite balls where the ones with lights and sounds. We made our own ball catapults with tongue depressors and rubber bands. We measured how far we could make each ball fly forward. We explored balls in tubes and even made our own paper mâché balls with newspaper. This unit has been everyone's favorite so far.

Kindergarten: We are rocking and rolling in kindergarten! The 2nd Quarter was full of building on all the foundational skills we began last quarter. In Math, we continued to build our number sense by counting to 50 and recognizing/matching sets of objects up to 20. We counted to answer questions such as “How many?” and “Which has more/less?” We learned how to describe the attributes of 2D and 3D shapes and how to compare different shapes by their attributes (# of sides, vertices, edges, etc.). In ELA, we have continued to read fiction and non-fiction books, retelling events, and key details from stories, describing connections between two people, events or pieces of information from the books we are reading and noticed how words and pictures go together. We have also been practicing segmenting and blending sounds to read simple CVC (Consonant/Vowel/Consonant) words. In Writing, we have been focusing on writing conventions such as writing sentences with capitalization, punctuation, and spaces between words. In Social Studies, our focus has been on understanding various cultural practices in local communities around the world. Our ELA Book Study, Fry Bread tied in perfectly with this! In Science, students learned how objects and substances have properties such what materials they are made of (e.g., clay, cloth, paper) and their physical properties (e.g., color, size, shape, weight, texture, flexibility, magnetic attraction, floating or sinking in water). In ELA, we have continued to read fiction and non-fiction books, retelling events, and key details from stories, describing connections between two people, events or pieces of information from the books we are reading and noticed how words and pictures go together. We have also been practicing segmenting and blending sounds to read simple CVC (Consonant/Vowel/Consonant) words. In Writing, we have been focusing on writing conventions such as writing sentences with capitalization, punctuation, and spaces between words. In Social Studies, our focus has been on understanding various cultural practices in local communities around the world. Our ELA Book Study, Fry Bread tied in perfectly with this! In Science, students learned how objects and substances have properties such what materials they are made of (e.g., clay, cloth, paper) and their physical properties (e.g., color, size, shape, weight, texture, flexibility, magnetic attraction, floating or sinking in water).

First Grade: First graders learned all about the sun, moon, and stars during Quarter 2. Students experienced fiction and nonfiction texts about the pattern of day and night and the phases of the moon. In math, Quarter 2 introduced students to measurement and ordering and comparing numbers and objects. Students measured objects using nonstandard tools such as paperclips, erasers, pop cubes, and more. Writing in Quarter 2 was all about Opinion and How To. Students wrote to share their opinions about a variety of topics and they wrote to teach how to complete different tasks.

Second Grade: Our 2nd grade smarties have been busy this quarter of school. We have been spending our days learning about fossils and famous paleontologists in our EL reading lessons. A favorite of ours is Mary Anning, she was one of the first and most famous female paleontologists from Lyme Regis, England. She is the namesake of the old children's rhyme "She sells seashells by the seashore." In math we are continuing to learn math strategies for addition and subtraction with double digit numbers. Students have also been practicing their problem solving as we've tackled some tricky word problems putting these strategies to use. In science we've learned about the 3 main types of matter and how adding and removing heat can change them. The winter season brought the perfect time to learn about the wonderful cultures and celebrations we have around the world. During Letterland, we've been reviewing our vowel patterns as well as other spelling skills like the "Boot Brothers" and "Robot Brothers."

ESL: We have seen so much progress in our Kinder ESL class this quarter. We completed a "Just Around the Corner" Unit talking about all the different people and places that are in our neighborhoods. We had a good time playing Red Light/Green Light! We also completed "Hello, Sunshine" talking about the season, weather, clothing and all the action verbs. Now, we are learning about "Wild, Woolly and Wonderful Animals." Recently, we welcomed 2 new kinder students from Venezuela to our group! As always, Kinder ESL class is a place of a lot of smiles and giggles. In 1st grade ESL class we completed a "Families on the Go" Unit. We read "Dim Sum for Everyone," "Families," "Tortillas and Lullabies" and "Family Counts." We learned that there are families that live all over the world. And although we may have some differences (types of homes, foods and clothing) we have more in common that we realize! In 2nd grade ESL we performed "Clever Ana and the Greedy Giant," a reader's theater, for some Kinder students. We finished the unit "Seed to Sandwich and talked about asking and answering questions, giving information and action verbs.

Art

During this quarter we finished up our fundraiser projects and were able to display them for the school. What a great job everyone did! Kindergarten has been busy creating their color wheel snow people and practicing their cutting skills. First grade finished their self-portraits, “Catching A Snowflake”. They did a great job creating snow, cutting and making hair that looked like their own. Second grade studied the artist Claude Monet and created beautiful water lily collages. Third grade students completed their three-dimensional fish. They did a paper weaving and then added many details to it. Fourth grade students have been studying the artist Dean Russo. He created portraits of animals and people in a pop art style. They did an awesome job drawing their own animals and using oil pastels to color them in. Fifth grade students studied radial symmetry and created beautiful artwork using napkins and markers.

Media

Students in grades K-2 have been usings books, digital resources, and manipulatives to explore autumn weather, computer coding, and winter holidays.

Students in grades 3-5 have been practicing their research skills to investigate a variety of subjects. Third grade has been learning about the systems of the human body, 4th grade has been learning about nutrition, and 5th grade has been learning about the indigenous peoples of the United States.

Guidance

3rd, 4th and 5th grades have been learning about what to do when they have strong emotions. Third graders learned why we have emotions, and that each emotion has various intensities. Fourth graders learned what happens in our brains when we have strong emotions, and that they can use rethinking to help manage their emotions. Fifth grade students learned how to deal with stress as it’s happening, and plan for stressful situations to lessen their impact.

K-2 Students worked on cooperation and teamwork in a game called Battleship. This game works on not only throwing and blocking but also on the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship. We also worked on fitness by using gym scooters. Students were presented with a variety of challenging ways to drive the scooters that incorporate a wide range of muscle groups to be successful. Students are now learning how to shoot a basketball and continue to work on games that involve throwing at targets.

3-5 Students have primarily been participating in the WCPSS fitness assessment. Cardiovascular endurance, strength, agility, speed, and muscular endurance are all being assessed. They have done an outstanding job thus far and the top scores from each grade level will be representing our school at the First in Fitness event in March.

K-2: In quarter 2, students have been working on their dodging and fleeing skills. We played various games focusing on team and individual strategies to be implemented into the games. Before each game students have been working on properly warming up before our main activity. They have been utilizing the track to work on cardiovascular endurance. With some of our games, there can be some emotions accompanied by winning/losing. We talk a lot about those feelings and how to be a gracious winner and accept losing as a possible outcome. They have done a great job being flexible with the weather and look forward to building upon this great foundation.

3-5: Students in grades 3-5 have been working on setting personal fitness goals that align with our fitness testing. In Kinesthetics, we have mainly assessed cardiovascular endurance. We assessed their mile run as well as the 100-yard dash. Students were encouraged to focus on their personal best rather than compare scores across the class. I have been very impressed with their hard work and continued efforts.

Meet Rodrigo Molina Cosme! He is in fifth grade and moved to Holly Springs from Peru before 2020.

Rodrigo says moving here before the pandemic allowed him to get adjusted and figure out how school and life works here!

He says school here is very different than in Peru. In his town, there are no playgrounds at school! They wear uniforms and eat lunch in the classrooms....no cafeteria either! Rodrigo says school is similar because you study both math and science in both countries!

Rodrigo says here in Holly Springs and North Carolina, there are more places to go shopping and places to eat! He does miss the mall in Peru and his grandparents, who still live there!

Rodrigo says something that reminds him about Peru and Holly Springs is drinking soda, specifically Mountain Dew!

Rodrigo enjoys going to school at Holly Ridge and being part of our community!