Lil' Indians
Cambridge Elementary School
February 28, 2020
In This Issue:
- Elementary Band News
- 4th Grade Birds of Prey Assembly
- Parents Are Reading Partners
- The Big Bad Musical
- Mrs. Bell's Class Cares!
- Book Review: I Survived the Japanese Tsunami of 2011
- Charlotte's Web Field Trip
- 100 What?
- Happy Birthday, Mrs. Smith!
- Youth Art and Music in Our Schools Month
- 6th Grade Narrative Writing Excerpts
- 3rd Grade Name Poems
- Book Review: The Junkyard Wonders
Please click on smaller pictures in Lil' Indians to enlarge them!
Elementary Band News
by Natalie Donders, 6th Grade
On December 10th, all of our Cambridge Band students from grades 5 and up played their annual winter concert in our auditorium. Many people showed up to show Cambridge pride! New players and senior classmen alike set up their instruments to play some beautiful harmonies that night.
Five students who played in the Hubbard Hall Christmas breakfast were asked to perform their pieces. One of them was called “Sininari” and was performed by high school students Emma Townsend, and Jack Donders, music teacher Mrs. Smith and 6th grader Natalie Donders. Everyone did the absolute best they could!
Lego Club Mania! The 2019-2020 3rd Grade Lego Club shows off their creations. Pictured: Odette Berisha, Wesley Galusha, Fritz Weber, Paxton Griffith, Ravi Bell, and Julia Nichols.
4th Grade Birds of Prey Assembly
Emma Bates-Harrington with her turtle tangram in Math Club!
Parents Are Reading Partners
On the afternoon of Monday, March 2, Brian Chevalier will be performing his Rock Out For Reading show to conclude the PARP program. On Monday morning, March 2, the elementary school will celebrate the late Dr. Seuss birthday with the Read Across America Breakfast. Parents/Guardians were invited to come to school to read with their child. Thank you to all the parents and students who participate in these activities! CCS Loves to Read!
The Big Bad Musical
The CCS Drama Club has been practicing hard for the upcoming production of the Big Bad Musical. The musical will be presented at CCS on Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14 at 7 PM in the CCS Auditorium. Cost: $5 adults, $3 children 4 and older. Is the Big Bad Wolf guilty? The audience decides! See you there!
Pictured below: CCS Drama Club members Molly Reynolds, Tessa Couch, Josie Rivera, and Gabby Hackman researching their dance moves with Drama Club leader Mrs. Discepolo
Mrs. Bell's Class Cares!
Caring is good for the world! My big sister was on her hoverboard. She fell off her hoverboard. She hit my little sister. I said are you okay? You can ask are you okay if someone falls even if you don't know them. ~ David Verge, 2nd Grade
There are many ways to care about people. I care about my dad because he does all of the work. He does all of the wood. I care about others too. My dad works very hard when he comes in. I like to help him. ~ Isaac Zimmerman, 2nd Grade
Book Review: I Survived the Japanese Tsunami of 2011
Have you ever read I Survived? Well now I'm telling you drop everything you're doing and read I Survived the Japanese Tsunami of 2011. I'm telling you this because Lauren Tarshis is my favorite author because she writes stories about people like Ben. He is the main character. Lauren Tarshis travels to some of the places that she writes about. It's cool.
Ben is a boy who was traveling to see his Dad when suddenly, boom! Windows burst open and water comes flooding in. You should read this book to see if Ben and his family are OK. When Ben gets to his Dad's house a couple of days later, the sky turns from blue to gray and black. I want you to read this because you want to find out if weather is starting to get rough.
Ben is a kind boy who is very adventurous. I recommend this book to people who love to learn new information every day.
Charlotte's Web Field Trip
On February 12, 2020 the whole 3rd grade went to see the play Charlotte's Web in Albany, NY at the Palace Theater. My favorite part was when they all went to the fair because I like going to the fair every year. The characters were Wilbur, Fern, Avery, Charlotte Mrs. Arabel, Mr. Arabel, Templeton, Lurvey, Mrs. Zuckerman, and Mr. Zuckerman. My favorite character was Wilbur because he was funny in the play.
We ate lunch at the Empire State Plaza. Some of us saw the Observation Deck at the Corning Tower. We saw all of Albany and the Hudson River. We had a good time and we saw a building that looked like the castle at Disneyland.
100 What?
I would like 100 unicorn plushies. I want them because they are cuddle and cute. I like to put them in a pile and jump in them. I play with them on the porch. 100 unicorn plushies are super duper fun! ~Alayna Harrington
I would like 100 cats. I would like to have a 100 cats because I like cats. I would snuggle them. I would get them from a pet store. Would you like to have 100 cats? ~Fiona Keith
I would like 100 oranges. I want this because I love to eat them. I eat them for snack. I eat them at school and home. 100 oranges would make me happy. ~Martin Beagle
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Smith!
Mrs. Smith just turned 89! She is a hard working lady. She never gives up. She helps kids with their work. She is amazing for what she does. She can be strong. She is always willing to help even teachers. We do not know what we would do without her. She is the best!
Mrs. Smith has volunteered in Mrs. Jeffords' classroom for many years,
She is also a Cambridge Valley Reader.
Kindergartner Wally Fedler’s 100 day project from Mrs. Anuszewski’s class!
Youth Art and Music in Our Schools Month
The kick-off for Youth Art Month and Music in Our Schools Month will begin on Tuesday, March 3rd here in the elementary school. Ms. Liu-Gorman and Mrs. Chadwick will host weekly themes that take students around the globe in both art and music classes. This months' classes will feature art and music activities that focus on a different place each week. Students, faculty and staff are invited and encouraged to show their enthusiasm and dress the part as we visit these parts of the world.
Week #1: USA, the Wild West
Think WESTERN
Week #2: Europe
Think DOTS (as in polka dots)
Week #3: Asia
Think Silk scarves and textured fabrics
Week #4: Stars. Stripes and Patterns from the Around the World
Think STRIPES, STARS, RAINBOWS PATTERNS
We look forward to celebrating with you.
See Ms. Liu-Gorman or Mrs. Chadwick for more information.
6th Grade Narrative Writing Excerpts
by Mrs. Kirk's Class
from "Leapfrog" by Myles Mattson
"Let's pound him, " Matt said as he ran in. I looked for the quickest way out of the situation, but there was no way out. They were slowly making their way down to the stall kicking in each door. I started to panic. What will they do to me? I'm done. I'm done. When the kicking stopped, I knew that they were right next to me and it wasn't going to be pretty. I looked to my left and right, trying to find a way out, but knew there was only one thing possible. Bam! I slammed the door in their faces and made a clean getaway, my arms flying way above my head, making my legs move as fast as they could, like a bird's wings when it takes flight.
from "Beach Day" by Norman White
After about four jumps into the water, I climbed out and reluctantly followed Jake to the diving board. Why am I doing this? I had been scared of that diving board since we first started coming here, which was when I was about four. Shivering, I climbed the 20-foot high diving board with Jake, my stomach feeling like a boulder was in it. The imaginary boulder felt like it was weighing me down, making me have a hard time climbing the hard metal ladder. When I was at the top, I looked down, and that's when my stomach lurched. The people down there looked like ants. Jake, seeing the look on my face, sneered. "Ha! he said, glowering. "I told you you couldn't jump off it." I couldn't say a thing. It felt like a huge rock had suddenly gotten stuck in my throat. Finally I managed to say something. "No," I said, shivering like a wet dog. "I'm going off it."
from "The Town Pool" by Isaak Koopman
Flipping and looking at my paper on my math test. Trying to figure out how to do the math problem. My arms feel like they're going to fall right off, like I have frostbite on my fingers. My pencil running across my paper like it is coming alive. All of a sudden I hear my teacher's loud voice saying, "Two minutes left 'til it's time to go."
from The Bad Sport by Brigid Toleman
The school day always goes by quickly, but nobody tell me a certain thing I was hoping to hear today (well, besides Jack): happy birthday. Since baseball season is over for us, my baseball friends won't even acknowledge me. It's funny how that works: everybody is high-fiving me and fist-bumping me during baseball, and then poof, they can't even stand to look at me.
from "The Dress" by Lexie Pedersen
There's a beautiful hound dog sitting there, whining and scared. I try to usher it inside, but it is very reluctant. I try to bribe it with some bread from the counter. She uneasily stands up, her body weak. She looks thin and hungry. You can see her bones, but her stomach seems to bulge and wobble. She crawls over to the shoe mat and curls up. Her heavy eyelids fall closed and she starts gently snoring like a motor boat, but ten times quieter.
from "Puppy Pandemonium" by Ewan Lederer-Barnes
As if the world is in slow motion, I watched my hands slowly turn into fists. I felt the anger boiling inside of me like an active volcano. I thought to myself, Please don't punch Makenzie Webber! But it was too late: I couldn't stop myself. As soon as my fist hit her warm face, a rainbow of colors started to form on her left cheek.
From "Revenge" by Jenna Babushkin
I jogged over to the high-dive with my feet burning on the smooth cement but like always, the lifeguard yelled, "Hey, no running!" Once I had reached the stairs, I slowly went up one step at a time. I felt like I was moving like a sloth up the stairs...I peeked over the edge of the rough wooden board. I had just realized how high up I was. I have seen a couple other kids jump so I thought it would be easy but right now I feel like I'm stuck in a puddle of glue.
From "The Leap of Faith" by Luke MacDougall
3rd Grade Name Poems
by Mrs. Lathrop's Class
Lilli
Smart, brave, happy strong
Sibling of Gracie, Jack, and Tyler
Who likes drawing and sewing
Who feels happy and nervous
Who needs bravery and respect
Who gives kindness and love
Who fears scorpions and spiders
Who would like to see a dragon
Resident of Cambridge, NY
Dearstyne
Diego
Nice, kind, funny, merry
Sibling of Mia, Elana, and Angel
Who likes Fortnite and police
Who feels happy when he wins a game
Who needs a $1000 and love
Who gives love and care
Who fears lions and sharks
Who would like to see dinosaurs
Resident of Eagle Bridge, NY
Arellano
Book Review: The Junkyard Wonders
This is the story about Tricia. Tricia is in the sixth grade. In all her lower grades Tricia had some trouble. She wasn't a very good reader or writer. Tricia’s mom and dad agreed that Tricia could spend a year at her gramma’s house in Michigan. At her new school Tricia had already made a friend! Her friend's name was Kay. Tricia saw Kay and waved to her, but Kay didn't wave back. This made Tricia very sad. When Tricia arrived at her new classroom some boy yelled out “Hey! The name’s Thom, not spelled T-O-M but T-H-O-M. Sit here next to me.” Soon Tricia and Thom became great friends! Tricia soon found out that she was in the junkyard class. At first Tricia wasn't very happy about that, but then her teacher made her feel special.
One day Tricia’s teacher had them put something on their hand and then smell it. She said that the smell would determine what tribe they were in. Tricia, Thom, Gibbie, and Jody were in the Vanilla Tribe. They soon became best friends! One day at school the teacher for the junkyard gave everyone junkyard pins. That day the students got bullied by Barton Poole. He was the bully in that school. The teacher suspected that they were sad so she took them on a trip to the Melvin Beach Junkyard. She wanted them to find some “junk” and make something new out of it. Towards the end of their trip, Gibbie found a cool, old plane! That's what The Vanilla Tribe were going to use! Tricia’s tribe had a plan. They were going to fix up the plane and make it fly, and then fly it off the school roof for the science fair. And that is exactly what they did!
Character Traits and Theme by Sadie McMillan, 5th Grade, Mrs. McKeighan
I liked Ravanne because she was quiet, but kind. She was so quiet that Thom had not heard her speak as long as he had known her. Ravanne also started to hang out with Tricia after school. Ravanne and Tricia were best friends after that. Ravanne said they should call the plane The Junkyard Wonder because that's what Jody wanted to call it before he died.
I thought the theme was to persevere and be brave. I thought that was the theme because they all ran into setbacks like getting bullied by Barton. Or when Jody died a day before the science fair. Even the principal would not let them launch the plane off the roof. The Junkyard Wonders had to persevere through all of the hurdles and hardships to make that plane fly!
About us
Email: minette.cummings@cambridgecsd.org
Website: www.cambridgecsd.org
Location: 24 South Park Street, Cambridge, NY, USA
Phone: 518-677-8527 (1432)
Facebook: facebook.com/CambridgeCentralSchool/