Paw Print
March 2020
Art Studio News
We are finishing up our February Art projects. Kindergarten through Second grade are completing their Tot Trot Design for the River Festival T-shirt Contest. Best of Luck to All! Third graders finished their abstract art and Fourth and Fifth graders completed their Yearbook design project. Next we will shift our focus to creating art that will collaborate with this year’s Fun Night Theme, which will be the 80’s. Be ready to see lots of neon artwork!
Thanks to all who stopped by the Art Studio during STEM night. I enjoyed watching everyone explore the Quiver App by connecting art, science and technology.
Science News
March finds us concluding our physical science rotation in the lab and transitioning into Earth science. Kindergarten will begin a unit on weather. First grade will be investigating magnetic forces and then studying light. Second grade has been learning about inclined planes and levers. Next they will experiment with air and air pressure. Third grade will make crystals and Oobleck, then learn about severe weather and natural disasters. The third grade cow eye dissection will be on Wednesday, March 11. Fourth grade is learning about sources of energy including fossil fuels and renewable energy. Fifth grade will be reviewing energy from the sun and how that affects life on earth as they prepare for a state science assessment right after spring break. It is a privilege and joy to watch our McLean students engaging with science this year!
P.E. Shorts
We are getting ready to finish a golf unit and we will be moving into a bowling unit. Just a reminder the kids need to wear proper shoes to run in during class.If you have any questions about PE, please feel free to contact me. My office number is 973-8263 and my e-mail is jdoornbos1@usd259.net.
Music Notes
March begins with Kindergarten and First grade performing their Spring Music Program “Too Much Noise!” on Tuesday, March 3rd. I am extremely very proud of them. I hope you enjoy their performance! It is a fun show.
Grades 2 and 3 are preparing their Earth Day program called “It’s Easy Being Green!”. These students and these songs are a lot of fun to work with. We are also doing a lot of fun work with rhythm sticks and boom whackers, just to keep things interesting.
Grades 4 and 5 are working hard on notes and rests on the music staff. The USD 259 piano lab arrives in March and we are prepared to build upon our gains from the past two years of lab time. I’ve seen many students get excited as they make connections to prior learning.
Watching them work through hard things and succeed continues to be very rewarding for me. We are making time for fun learning complex rhythm stick routines and reading notes by playing various instruments.
Talent Show auditions are gearing up and the selected acts will start working with me soon. It will be held in early April. More information will come to you in a Thursday note.
Have a Musical March!
Mrs. Johnson
Check it Out at The Library
In the library, the 5th graders were learning how to use the Kansas Online Library to do some research for Black History Month. Some of the students researched Serena Williams, Louis Armstrong, Misty Copeland, Malcolm X, and Michael Jordan. The 4th graders learned how to look up information on the Kansas Online Almanac. The 2nd and 3rd graders have been working on how to use the table of contents and the index in a book as well as focusing on story elements. February is National Dental month, so the kindergartners and 1st graders listened to stories about caring for their teeth as well as reading about George Washington for Presidents’ Day.
Keep on reading!
Mindy Daniels