Weekly Schedule

Science

Does surface change the way things move? Why do things ever stop moving? We will continue to investigate the foundations of force and motion, and take a closer look at how texture affects an object's ability to move. Students will practice making predictions, sharing observations and drawing conclusions as they discover the force of friction. 

Using their growing knowledge of force and motion students will brainstorm their own need for physics in everyday life and design a helpful invention. This challenge may need some inspiration, and who better to introduce than Rube Goldberg! This week, students will learn that this engineer, artist and inventor, similarly used his knowledge of simple physics to design creative, complex machines to do a simple task.

Math

How do I keep track of my counting? This week the junior kindergarteners are learning and practicing counting strategies while continuing to strengthen their understanding of numbers to twenty and beyond. Students will use mystery counting jars to practice strategies like counting out loud, touching and counting, moving and counting, lining up and counting, counting on, and recounting. Let the counting begin!

Literacy

If you give a moose a muffin, then it will…? In Readers Workshop we have started reading books from Laura Numeroff’s fun series, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.” Through these If...then... books we will begin exploring and discussing cause and effect in stories. In Writers Workshop, students will express creativity and care as they write stories in their journals using illustration and best-guess spelling. Our writers will be challenged to stretch out words using syllables to identify each sound within a word, and also to separate each new word with a finger space.

In literacy groups, small group work will focus on phonemic awareness through word work, snap words, shared reading, and interactive writing. 

Social Studies

This week in Circle of Friends, students will continue to explore what it means to be responsible for taking care of ourselves in our communities. 

But what happens when we forget responsibility? 

This question leads us to a wonderful opportunity for integrated learning. In our science explorations of force and motion, we will discover that force can be carried forward in a chain reaction of motion, a domino effect. Do responsible choices also build momentum and create a chain of positive outcomes?

While working together to build elaborate/creative domino chains, the teachers might forget to be responsible for their own body control and best effort, or forget to be a part of the group plan. Students will reflect and guide the teacher to make a responsible choice, fix mistakes, and change a negative to a positive. All together we will discuss how one person's choices in actions and words can affect others.

PE

This week students will continue exploring the many shapes we create with our bodies. Students may try a frog jump on the mats and transition to a somersault.  Students are developing strength, balance, flexibility, control, and coordination through our gymnastic inspired movements. This week the ‘log roll and pencil roll will be introduced as part of our tumbling unit!

Drama

This week JK will continue bringing the story of Pegasus to life on stage. This will be an original play the students helped to create! We have the characters of Poseidon, Medusa, and her 3-faced dogs, The God Zeus with his lightning bolt, and our four flying horses who embody freedom and magic as they fly through the sky. We will also learn some movements and words to “Riding Free” from the movie “Spirit.” 

Music

Next week JK will continue adding lyrics to the folk song, "Deep Blue Sea." We'll also start learning the hit song from Moana, "How Far I'll Go." Students will have a lot of fun adding a bordun and instruments to the tune “Apple on a Tree.”

Art

In connection with their classroom learning, JK students will be using magnets to create art!  The push and pull of forces can become tools to generate art, and we will be looking at artists who have used these forces in creative and unexpected ways. 

Garden

Last week, we planted seeds and we will wait patiently for them to germinate.  This week, we will move into our unit on Ecosystems. In this unit, students will learn about the web of life and relationships in the garden.  We will read the book, The Lorax by Dr. Suess to introduce some of these concepts. After reading the book, we will harvest and make a garden to enjoy together.  Before we delight in the garden salad, I will share a practice called The Thanksgiving Address, where we will bring our awareness to all the life and elements that helped bring the food to our plate. 

Spanish 

This week junior kindergarten will be learning about clothes. With the use of this vocabulary, students will learn different kinds of clothes and describe what they are wearing. This vocabulary is introduced with a lot of movement games, songs, and art projects. 

Repetition is key so feel free to practice with your child at home! 

Science

What are the layers of the tropical rainforest? What animals inhabit the different layers? This week we will take a look at the four layers of the rainforest: forest floor, understory, canopy, and emergent. Students will begin to explore which animals make their homes in specific layers, and investigate why. We will also be working as a class to create a shoebox rainforest this week, with distinct layers and student drawings of the animals that call it home. 

​Math

If you are visiting your grandparents on the 10th floor of a building and then take the elevator down 4 floors to the candy store, what floor are you on? This week students will be wrapping up our subtraction unit. To close, Students will walk through the process of planning and writing their own subtraction story problems. Then, we will share these word problems and practice solving using the following steps:

​Circle the numbers in the story problem.

1. Underline the question that the problem is asking.
2. Write the number sentence (eg. 10 - 4 = _ )
3. Choose two ways to solve the problem and show your thinking. Here are the subtraction strategies we have introduced in class: tens frame, number line, draw a picture, count up.
4. Check to make sure the answers match and that it makes sense.

Remember, If you are looking for additional math practice at home, please check out our

Math Menu. In addition to the packet of games you received earlier this year, we encourage you to find time to explore these activities as a family.

Literacy

Why do we read nonfiction texts? Why do we write them? This week we will further explore the purpose of nonfiction texts, focusing on the importance of using them as a tool for learning about the world. Then, students will graduate from writers to teachers as they begin writing “How-To” books. Specifically, these books will teach readers how to do something. 

We will spend time studying the elements of "How-To" books, reading samples of them, and brainstorm a list of topics for our own "How-To" books.

Throughout the week students will also participate in guided reading groups and learn four new snap words: so, or, they, be.

Social Studies

Who are inspiring women from history? Who are inspiring women in your life? This week we will continue learning about female changemakers throughout history, and we will introduce our March artist spotlight: Sonia DeLaunay. We will also reflect on and share about women who have made a difference in our own lives.

​Art

In learning about the rainforest, students will explore the many diverse organisms of the ecosystem.  In art we will be practising how to draw complicated shapes by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable parts, applying this to create imagery related to the plants and animals of the amazon. 

Garden

Last week, we planted seeds and we will wait patiently for them to germinate.  This week, we will move into our unit on Ecosystems. In this unit, students will learn about the web of life and relationships in the garden.  We will read the book, The Lorax by Dr. Suess to introduce some of these concepts. After reading the book, we will harvest and make a garden to enjoy together.  Before we delight in the garden salad, I will share a practice called The Thanksgiving Address, where we will bring our awareness to all the life and elements that helped bring the food to our plate. 

PE

This week students will continue exploring the many shapes we create with our bodies. Students may try a frog jump on the mats and transition to a somersault. Students are developing strength, balance, flexibility, control and coordination through our gymnastic inspired movements. This week the ‘log roll and pencil roll will be introduced as part of our tumbling unit.

​Music

Next week Kindergarteners will continue adding lyrics to the folk song, "Deep Blue Sea." We

will also start learning the song, "Jungle Layers," all about the rainforest and the many different things that live there. 

​Drama

This week in drama K classes will begin to create an original play for The Spring Drama  Performance, which will be nature-themed, and involving William Shakespeare’s

A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

Spanish 

This week kindergarten will be learning about clothes. With the use of this vocabulary, students will learn different kinds of clothes and describe what they are wearing. This vocabulary is introduced with a lot of movement games, songs, and art projects. 

Repetition is key so feel free to practice with your child at home! 

Science

Last week, the students discussed food chains, specifically learning about decomposers, producers, and consumers. This week the children learn about food webs, learning how food chains in a given habitat can criss-cross and connect with one another.  For example, an owl eats many types of rodents, including rats, voles, shrews and birds. 

Math 

This week, we will celebrate Pi Day! We will make bracelets with beads that mirror the digits of pi. For example, we will start with three of one color, one of another, and so on and so forth. We will also show the digits through graphs and art. We will also read segments of a book entitled Why PI? which looks at how this number is helpful in a wide variety of elements in our world. 

​Literacy

Last week we began our week by celebrating another birthday in our community. The children continue to become more skilled at sharing their appreciation for one another during our birthday circles. We continued to identify new pronouns and applied what we already learned about nouns, adjectives, and verbs to various grammar activities. We are touching on affixes such as <s/-es> and discovering when to use one over the other, and also if any spelling changes happen. We are exploring visual prompts to spur our imagination and synthesize our writing skills. Lastly, we also continued on with word work in small targeted groups and wrote our (Thursday) Letters. Thank you for taking the time to write back to your children and send these letters back to school. We really appreciate your participation!

Next week we will continue on with visual prompts for creative writing, grammar word work, and Friday Letters. 

​Social Studies

Last week we discussed how we could be better community members and neighbors during this heightened flu season. We examined how we can keep ourselves and others healthy by taking the time to wash our hands and refraining from touching our faces. We considered how we are responsible for ourselves and those we love, and we show that by following proper hygiene and giving distance when we are sick. 

Next week we will delve into our society by reading Enough by Emily Easton and taking a closer look at changemakers in history.

We are creating a giant map of our neighborhood, the Portola. We will add streets and symbols to accurately represent our neighborhood. This will be an ongoing project that we are displaying in our hallway, so please come check it out.

PE

This week is the start of our gymnastics unit. Students will have fun making shapes and giving it motion. We will stretch the whole body using basic body positions of straight, pike, straddle, tuck, hollow, superhuman, bridge, butterfly, and turtle. As students move their bodies and create shapes it enhances the ability to move and control their bodies and develop strength, flexibility, and coordination!

Art

Chomp! Last week students learned all about food chains, in art, we will be creating fun animals using folded paper and markers that move to catch their food.  Students will be adding patterns, camouflage, and color to embellish their work.

​Spanish 

First grade will be learning and reviewing the months of the year in Spanish and learning the seasons of the year. We will be talking about different holidays around the world celebrated in the United States and around the world.  With the aid of this vocabulary, students will state the current month and identify the month of their birth. 

This vocabulary is introduced with a lot of movement games, songs, and art projects. 

Repetition is key so feel free to practice with your child at home! 

​Drama 

This past week in drama, first graders held a mock election, where they created campaigns for 4 of the characters from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I am proud to say we had 100% participation, and our elected official was a woman: Queen Titania, who offered fairy parties every Friday and protection of nature. This week we will begin to create an original play for The Spring Drama  Performance, which will be nature-themed, and involving William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

Music

Next week 1st grade will continue to come up with movements to Felix Mendelssohn's "Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream." We were all sad to miss the field trip to the ballet, so we will be sure to watch part of the performance in class as well!

​Garden

Last week, we planted seeds and we will wait patiently for them to germinate.  This week, we will move into our unit on Ecosystems. In this unit, students will learn about the web of life and relationships in the garden.  We will read the book, The Lorax by Dr. Suess to introduce some of these concepts. After reading the book, we will harvest and make a garden to enjoy together.  Before we delight in the garden salad, I will share a practice called The Thanksgiving Address, where we will bring our awareness to all the life and elements that helped bring the food to our plate. 

Science

Mind-blowing moment of the week: The water on our planet today is the same water that has been here for nearly 5 billion years. That means there’s a very high chance that water in your glass is what thirsty dinosaurs were gulping about 65 million years ago! So much water… So little to drink. This week we explore why humans, animals, and plants survive on just less than one percent of the world’s total volume of water. In addition to terms reviewed last week such as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, over the next couple of weeks we will become comfortable in using additional hydrology related vocabulary such as reservoir, aquifer, and potable.

We will also address Earth’s climate patterns and how scientists determine past ice ages, asking the question, “How did the expansion of the polar ice caps significantly affect the living things on Earth during that time?” If inspired, please have conversations with your student regarding how such factors as the Earth’s orbit, changes in the Sun’s energy, gas levels in the atmosphere, ocean currents, and volcanoes could affect climate change.

​Math

Time can be measured in seconds, in minutes, in days or in weeks, months, or years.

By watches or calendars, cellphones, computers,  or clocks that tick-tock with their gears.

Students will continue to work with analog clocks throughout the week, discovering what each number represents and learning to consistently tell time to the nearest 5 minutes. We are focusing on language around telling time such as “quarter till, quarter after, half past, etc…” We encourage students to practice reading analog clocks at home as much as possible. 

Literacy  

Letters added to the beginning of a word is called a prefix. Letters added to the end of a word is a suffix. Did you know both are called affixes? An affix is one or more than one syllable or letter added at the beginning or at the end of a root word, to change its meaning. This week students will continue on their suffix journey, with a focus on rules of verbs ending -ing.  A verb ending in -ing means it’s happening now or in the present.

Second graders will begin brainstorming ideas needed to create personal narratives. Personal narratives are a form of writing in which the writer relates one event, incident, or experience from his/her life. Please engage your child in stories centered on memories and details of their lives- vacations, birthdays, celebrations, family gatherings, traditions, etc.

Social Studies

This week students will continue to learn about using a timeline with BCE and CE. Students will practice creating and reading timelines that explore world history from before the year 0 and after. Another part of our Social Studies curriculum is reading picture books about important women from history. 

Art

Second graders are learning about the Op art movement and the work of English artist Bridget Riley. They will be using ink and paper to create the impression of space, form, and implied line in a worm of art.

Music

Next week second graders will continue adding Orff instrumentation to the song "Tideo." This song proved to be a hit amongst second graders, as it is accompanied by a fun movement game. We'll also take the singing/movement game "A Cup of Tea" to the next level. Giving the motions a try with two hands! 

Drama

This past week in drama, second graders held a mock election where they created campaigns for 5 of the characters from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I am proud to say we had 100% participation, and our elected official was Hipolyta, Queen of the Amazons who offered women’s rights. This week we will begin  to create an original play for The Spring Drama Performance, which will be nature themed, and involving William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

​Spanish

Second grade will be learning and reviewing the months of the year and learning the seasons of the year. We will be talking about the different holidays around the world celebrated in the United States and around the world.  With the aid of this vocabulary, students will state the current month and identify the month of their birth. 

This vocabulary is introduced with a lot of movement games, songs, and art projects. This vocabulary is introduced with a lot of movement games, songs, and art projects. 

Repetition is key so feel free to practice with your child at home

PE

This week is the start of our gymnastics unit. Students will have fun making shapes and giving it motion. We will stretch the whole body using basic body positions of straight, pike, straddle, tuck, hollow, superhuman, bridge, butterfly and turtle. As students move their bodies and create shapes it enhances the ability to move and control their bodies and develop strength, flexibility and coordination!

Science

How can we use the Law of Reflection to extend what we can see? Does light always travel in a straight line? How do lenses work? And what is light, exactly? We will begin by making periscopes and learning the key angle that will allow us to see without being seen. We will then participate in refraction stations where we will see examples of light not traveling in a straight line and learn why and how this happens. Next, we will make our own camera obscuras and reveal tiny details on a penny using drops of water to see how lenses use refraction to magnify images, and sometimes turn them upside down. Finally, we will do four different hands-on activities that will show us what photons are made of.

Math 

What numbers lie between whole numbers? This week we launch into the exciting world of fractions.  We will be constructing a giant-sized number line, with fractions between 0 and 1. We will be looking at the relative values of different fractions including equivalent fractions as we place fractions on our giant number line.  Thursday we will have a special Pi day activity.

​Literacy and Social Studies

Why do poets write poems? What are literary devices and how do poets use them in poetry? Last week we started our poetry unit, where students had an opportunity to read and learn about the elements of poems. We read and analyzed poems such as April Rain Song by Langston Hughes, Autumn by Emily Dickinson, and even the well-known nursery song Humpty Dumpty. We discussed the rhyming pattern in Humpty Dumpty and identified the use of personification in the poems April Rain Song and Autumn. This week, we will continue to explore the author’s purpose in poems, define the figurative language, and learn more about the different types of literary devices. Students will be exposed to similes, metaphors, onomatopoeias, alliterations, and more. This week we will also start another round of book clubs. 

​What led to the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Renaissance? We will further explore the key events that contributed to the decline of Feudalism. In class this week we will focus on three causes of the breakdown of the feudal system: political changes in England, the bubonic plague, and the Hundred Year Wars. As a class, we will explore the “rebirth” or the emergence of the Renaissance including the people and ideas who changed the world. 

​Art

In conjunction with their classroom studies of the Middle Ages, students are examining medieval architecture and art.  We discussed the popular format of the triptychs, three-paneled art works, and are creating our own using a special tissue paper transfer technique and silhouettes.  

​Music

Next week, third grade will keep listening to more music from The Renaissance. They had much fun listening to composer William Byrd's "Sing Joyfully." We also practiced singing the melody of this song and adding our own original harmony to it.  Students will be challenged next week to transcribe "Old Aunt Dinah" into the key of G.  

Drama 

This past week in drama, third graders held a mock election where they created campaigns for 6 of the characters from As You Like It and Commedia dell’arte.  I am proud to say we had 100% voter participation, and one of our elected officials was Colombina, a smart sassy woman who offered equal rights. This week we will begin to create an original play for The Spring Drama Performance.  

​Garden

Last week, we planted seeds and we will wait patiently for them to germinate.  This week, we will move into our unit on Ecosystems. In this unit, students will learn about the web of life and relationships in the garden.  We will build our own ecosystem web by having each student be a role, such as a fungus, blue jay, ladybug, or worm, in the garden ecosystem. Students will toss a ball of yarn to each other explaining the direct or indirect relationship between the roles.  Once the web is created, we will take away roles and see what happens to the web. Students will explore the question: What role do humans have on the web? How can we help fix the broken web?

Spanish

Third grade will be learning about the weather. They will be writing full sentences describing the weather in each month/season with the aid of the vocabulary previously learned. Repetition is key so feel free to practice with your child at home.

PE

This unit in P.E. we will be playing more unconventional sports like ultimate frisbee, wall-ball, and a mixture of the two. There will be an opportunity for the students to create rules and regulations for the games to help better the experience. 

Science

How can I distinguish between fact and speculation? Last week students tested their reflexes in an experiment that helped them discover the connection between sensory nerves and movement nerves. We will be using this experiment as the foundation for lessons about the scientific process in preparation for the science fair. Students were also introduced to the Google Classroom platform. Using Google Classroom, students can access and submit assignments and stay up-to-date on deadlines with the integrated Google Calendar function. They have been instructed to currently only complete assignments posted on Google Classroom at school, and not work ahead at home.

Students shared they were excited to use this platform as it helps them become more independent and organized learners. 

This week students will research background information for their science fair projects. We will discuss the importance of verifying sources and asking questions that can be investigated. As a reminder, the fourth-grade science fair will take place on Wednesday, April 15, 9-10am. We look forward to seeing families in attendance!

​Math

If four students share three sandwiches equally and five students share four sandwiches equally, do all nine students get the same amount of sandwich? Why or why not? What happens if eight children need to equally share six sandwiches or five students need to share six sandwiches? How do these answers compare to the amount of sandwiches the students in the previous problem received? This week, students will continue to explore real-life contexts in which fractions are relevant. They will also begin to learn some strategies for adding fractions, while also making connections to decimals. Students will be given the opportunity to make their own set of fraction tiles and/or fraction circles. When given an object that represents a whole, how can you figure out how to divide the object exactly into halves, thirds, fourths, and fifths? Can you calculate how to divide the object into twelfths or sixteenths? A focus will be on the importance of keeping the parts of a whole equal. We look forward to another great week!

​Literacy and Social Studies

How do presidential candidates ascend to the White House? Last week, students explored the processes of both the primaries and the general election, while also developing opinions on whether they prefer primaries or caucuses. They also chose a candidate to support in the 2020 election based not on name, but rather on their positions on issues ranging from climate change to higher education to healthcare. After learning which candidate most aligned with their ideals, they created campaign slogans and posters to hang in the school, giving them a taste of how exciting voting will be for them in eight years! This week we’ll transition back to American history by focusing on the 1930s. Through primary source documents, video, and experiential learning opportunities, students will develop a multifaceted understanding of the time period and how it impacted society. 

How do people write poems well? Where does punctuation go in a poem? Can someone write a poem about anything? These are common questions for young writers when they experiment with writing poetry. This week students will review foundational poetry terms, such as line break, personification, simile, and imagery. They will then have an opportunity to creatively design two different pieces of found poetry art, one with words from magazines and the other with newspaper articles. 

Garden

Last week, we planted seeds and we will wait patiently for them to germinate.  This week, we will move into our unit on Ecosystems. In this unit, students will learn about the web of life and relationships in the garden.  We will build our own ecosystem web by having each student be a role, such as fungus, blue jay, ladybug, or worm, in the garden ecosystem. Students will toss a ball of yarn to each other explaining the direct or indirect relationship between the roles.  Once the web is created, we will take away roles and see what happens to the web. Students will explore the question: What role do humans have in the web? How can we help fix the broken web?

​Art

Fourth grade students are training their artist eyes in view and recreate still-lifes with a spin.  Each student will be creating a ‘soft’ still life out of cut fabric and paper, studying the items, determining light source, as well as shadows, and reflected light before translating into a composition.

​P.E.

This unit  in P.E. we will be playing more unconventional sports like ultimate frisbee, wall-ball, and a mixture of the two. There will be an opportunity for the students to create rules and regulations for the games to help better the experience. 

​Drama

This past week in drama, fourth graders held a mock election where they created campaigns for 6 of the characters from As You Like It and Commedia dell’arte.  I am proud to say we had 100% voter participation, and two of our elected officials were women. Colombina, a smart strong woman who offered equal rights, and Rosalind who promised gender equality and protection of nature. This week we will not have drama, due to the C4 day, but will begin  to create an original play for The Spring Drama Performance the following week. 

Music

Next week 4th grade students will learn the full C major scale on the recorder. While this is jumping ahead in our packet, it will give students a head start for the next couple of tunes  to come. We'll also continue singing the song "I've Been Working On The Railroad.”

Spanish 

Fourth grade will be learning about the weather. They will be writing full sentences describing the weather in each month/season with the aid of the vocabulary previously learned. Repetition is key so feel free to practice with your child at home!

Science

Despite best-laid plans--we actually worked together with Michael, our tech director, the day before our presentation to try to ensure there were no wrinkles--we were unable to share during their presentation the stop-motion animation that our presenters worked so hard on. We shared it with the other teachers after the presentation though and have asked teachers to share it with their students. We are proud of how gracefully the presenters handled this unfortunate and unexpected complication.

Although this week in fifth grade will be dominated by taking the ERBs, we will plan to make at least some time for students to begin their work on the next marine science topic: sea-level rise. Students who are not preparing for the next presentation (which will happen on March 23) will be working on a Sea Level Rise Infographic. 

Math

Last week, students completed a challenging assignment where they interpreted a graph and then created a sketch of a graph from limited information. They will have a chance to compare which strategies helped them sketch the graph. They will also continue taking review mini-quizzes (no studying required) to help them prepare for the ERB. We talk about the solutions afterward to clear up any confusion. 

​Literacy

Thanks to a room newly adorned with streamers featuring their favorite poems, the underwater, “kelp-forest-feel” mirrors the ocean settings of the new books that reading groups began this week. Students first defined their characters’ essential attributes according to evidence found in the things that they do, say, feel, and think and/or believe. Students continue to work on aligning salient evidence in support of arguments about who their protagonists are, at heart, the challenges they confront, and the hopes and dreams that motivate their actions. Next week, in addition to finding evidence supporting character development and tracing their characters’ growth and change, groups will explore the thematic ideas they identify in the ocean settings and imagery their novels share in common.

​Social Studies

During this busy week back from break, the students have been following the primary elections in California and other states that voted this week.  The class had the opportunity to take a guided tour of a polling place next door to AVS. Lead Volunteer Tom took time to show the students sample ballots and a variety of machines used by voters with different abilities and desired modes of voting. This coming week, we will continue to follow the primary results in other states as more votes are cast.  

​The class will explore the history of voting rights as they pertain to women and other marginalized groups of people. Do women have an equal voice in politics and voting today? What has changed since women gained the right to vote, and what still needs to be done? The class will discuss and research these questions and more as we recognize Women’s History Month and the primary election season.

​Emotionally Intelligent Leadership

Last week, we took a pause from our emotional climate projects. Instead, we took the opportunity for a meta-moment to plan and prepare a growth mindset for the ERBs this coming week. Students watched a teen newscast on testing-anxiety, reflected on their own feelings about testing, and made a plan to show up as their "best self. "During our class this week, students will return to their reflections and consider how their plan worked and where they might like to make adjustments to experience themself as calm and ready to take on challenges.

Art Elective: Design & Development

5th-grade designers are creating soft sculptures inspired by the Artist Claes Oldenburg. Each student is designing an iconic food out of cloth and fibers and sewing multiple components together.

​Music Elective: Chorus

Next week 5th chorus will look at Bob Marley's famous "Redemption Song." We'll also keep singing the canon "Dona Nobis Pacem" and take our singing/hand game "A Cup of Tea" to the next level. Finally, we’ll wrap up chorus by reviewing all we have learned, singing through our entire repertoire. 

​Drama Elective: Broadway Bound

This week in Broadway Bound elective, 5th graders will put finishing touches on their revue of show tunes. They will learn the importance of becoming performance-ready in order to shine on stage for an audience.  Stay tuned for an upcoming show date! 

​Garden Elective: Food Lab

On Tuesday, we will make art out of food.  We will discuss food presentation and plating.  I will show some examples and then we will make edible insects on a leaf.  Students will learn to cut a variety of fruits and vegetables in different shapes to make butterflies, snails, and beatles.  We will take photos of our creations and eat them with our home-made salad dressings. 

On Thursday, students will learn how to multiply a recipe by increasing their salad dressing recipes. We will make new batches of dressing.  Students will write their final recipes out with some artwork and it will be turned into a zine that they can take home at the end of the trimester.

​PE

This unit in P.E. we will be playing more unconventional sports like ultimate frisbee, wall-ball, and a mixture of the two. There will be an opportunity for the students to create rules and regulations for the games to help better the experience. 

Spanish

This week 5th grade will continue reviewing regular verbs ending in ER. Students spent the last two classes writing a song with the verbs in ER and this week they will be performing in Spanish class. Fifth grade will also be learning about possessive adjectives. Repetition is key so feel free to practice with your child at home! 

6th Grade Class Notes Week 1: August 19-23, 2024
Subject/Teacher	What 6th graders will learn and do		Questions to ask your 6th grader…
English Mr. Levin	In our first week together, we will begin investigating why we tell stories, write expressive poetry, and read. We will also discuss how to work in groups, schedule reading time, and plan out a project using a calendar.		How do you read? How do you remember what you read?
Math Ms. Diana	This week, our students will dive into the course syllabus, where we'll outline the key topics and expectations for the term. We'll also establish classroom norms to ensure a respectful and productive environment. To engage everyone right from the start, we have planned a series of interactive and mathematically-focused activities that will help students connect with each other and get excited about the learning journey ahead. These tasks are designed to inspire problem-solving and collaboration, setting a positive tone for the rest of the year.		What kind of problem-solving tasks did you do in class? Was there anything that challenged you?
Science Mr. RK	In our first week together, we will start learning about the science classroom, both the norms that are expected and the people we will be working with. We will also begin to learn vocabulary for the classroom and write stories to describe observations and inferences		What makes you feel like a scientist? What is the difference between an inference and an observation?
Social Studies Dr. R.	I’m so excited to welcome a new group of sixth graders to Creative History! This week we will be getting to know each other and thinking about the term ‘social studies,’ and the many different ways of being a historian. We will also be setting classroom expectations, and perhaps having a little fun as well.		Ask your sixth grader what they think ‘creative history’ means
Spanish 1 Profe Madison	In our first week, we will be introduced to the structure of the class, class norms, and how to access class resources to practice Spanish outside of class. We will get to know each other in Spanish with some basic phrases to describe our name, age, and one thing we really like. These phrases may be familiar to some students, but new for others and that’s ok.		Where can you find the class notes on Otus? Can you say two things you like in Spanish?
Bridges Andrew + Mr. RK	In our first week, we will review expectations with students for how to use their classroom resources and help them build confidence in making new connections. We will introduce computer science and mindfulness practices that we will revisit throughout the year		What is the AUP and how does it affect your work? How will you be using mindfulness in Bridges?
Art Mr. Stillman	During our first days working together in the Art room, our class time will be spent orienting ourselves to the space, establishing agreed-upon class expectations, labeling, and familiarizing ourselves with sketchbooks and their use in our work together. We will also do some overview of the projects/skills/techniques that will be covered over the course of the trimester.		What are some examples of the expectations you all came up with for class? Which projects are you looking forward to? Why?
Drama Mr. Watson	The first week of school will include building trust by playing group drama games. Next, students will build class norms that will allow them to feel supported by each other. Lastly, students will discuss and implement through activities what qualities make a strong actor. By the end of the week, students will be able to understand what acting is and what makes an actor effective on the stage.		What is acting? What makes a strong actor?
Music Mr. Bozich	Happy first week of AVS MS Music! We will begin by learning names, musical backgrounds, and basic classroom expectations. We will begin learning ensemble skills and basic norms through some singing, music games, and learning some songs on the ukulele. We will also look ahead to long-term goals and we will discuss week four of school, when students will eventually learn guitar, bass, piano, or drum set.		What is an ensemble? If you had to choose what to play for an end-of-trimester performance, would you rather learn to play guitar, bass, piano, or drum set?
PE Coach Aguayo	Welcome to Physical Education! This week, we'll dive into class procedures and expectations while focusing on fitness and the cardiovascular system. We'll explore how your heart works, and engage in a range of aerobic activities designed to boost your cardiovascular health. We'll also learn how to locate your carotid and radial arteries, which will help you monitor your pulse both at rest and during exercise. As part of our fitness routine, you'll practice 12 different jump rope techniques that will not only keep you fit but also strengthen your heart and other muscles. Toward the end of the week, you'll have the opportunity to create and present your own jump rope routine to the class. Get ready for a fun and active week!		What is heart rate? What is cardiovascular? What type of activities are cardiovascular?

7th Grade Class Notes Week 1: August 19-23, 2024
Class/Teacher	What 7th graders will learn and do…		Questions to ask your 7th grader…
English Yarn Mr. E-L	We’ll be talking about the class, and what we’re doing, and why anyone does anything, and students will be assigned their first book to read: Witches Abroad.		Ask what a story is.
English The Line/Determino Res Mr. E-L	We’ll be talking about the class, and what we’re doing, and why anyone does anything, and students will be assigned their first book to read: Amoralman.		Ask about what happens when someone draws a line.
Math Zitel Anyeneh	Welcome to Math 7! I am thrilled to see you all, and we will kick off this year with some inspiring and open-ended activities. As always, we will start with establishing norms and getting to know each other. I encourage all my students to reflect deeply on their learning process and the kind of support they may require this year, and then follow up with an email to me.		What are your feelings about math? Do you see any upcoming math challenges this year? Have you sent an email to Zitel to let her know?
Science Mr. Stricklin	This week, we’ll work through classroom norms and expectations. We’ll ask BIG course-defining questions and personalize our lab notebooks.		What does a productive and engaging classroom look like? What is life, exactly?
Social Studies Ms. Eleazer	This week, we'll explore how films can be a valuable tool for studying history, starting with the early days of American cinema. We'll also review classroom norms and engage in a few movie-related activities to prepare for an exciting year ahead.		What’s your favorite movie? How are movies and history related?
Spanish 2 Profe Madison/Maestro Ross	Some of the students may feel they do not remember any Spanish vocabulary, but they will! This week, we will do a general review, do activities about Spanish 1 grammar, and participate in short conversations and presentations about personal information. Also we will review the standards we will grade during the year and the class expectations.		Did you learn new vocabulary in Spanish? Tell me three words. What information did you present in front of the class?
Edges Ms. Eleazer	This week, we'll begin by discussing how to engage in difficult conversations while being respectful of diverse perspectives. We'll also review some of the topics we'll cover this year as we explore social justice issues together.		What is one way you can respond to someone who has a different perspective than you?
Edges Dr. R	I’m excited to welcome you to a new year of Edges! This week will be about setting us up for success in the course. We will discuss how to prepare for sometimes difficult conversations, and also have fun playing around with some of the terms we will be seeing a lot this year.		Ask your 7th grader what social justice means to them
PE Coach Aguayo	Welcome to Physical Education! This week, we'll dive into class procedures and expectations while focusing on fitness and the cardiovascular system. We'll explore how your heart works, and engage in a range of aerobic activities designed to boost your cardiovascular health. We'll also learn how to locate your carotid and radial arteries, which will help you monitor your pulse both at rest and during exercise. As part of our fitness routine, you'll practice 12 different jump rope techniques that will not only keep you fit but also strengthen your heart and other muscles. Towards the end of the week, you'll have the opportunity to create and present your own jump rope routine to the class. Get ready for a fun and active week!		What is heart rate? What does cardiovascular mean? What type of activities are cardiovascular?
Comp-Sci Andrew	This week in Computer Science, students will write their first function		What is a function
Drama & Media Mr. Watson	The first week of school will include building trust by playing group drama games. Next, students will build class norms that will allow them to feel supported by each other. Lastly, students will learn, discuss, and practice activities that guide their thinking in Sound Design. The majority of their bonding games will have musical elements so that they can begin thinking like Sound Designers!		How does music impact the audience? In which ways can Sound Design in a live performance help tell a story?
Music Mr. Bozich	Welcome back to AVS! This week will be a return to the classroom via norms and expectations for both in-school and out-of-school musical participation. This first week we will be solidifying with students and parents our instrument choices and ensuring access to those instruments at home. We will also distribute binders and walk through a new method of creating community by using Otus to share at-home practice. While we do these things, we will play a bit of ukulele to get ourselves in the musical mindset.		What instruments are you playing this year? Where and when will you be doing your three hours of weekly at-home-practice?
Art Mr. Stillman	Hooray for ceramics! During our first few classes together we will cover some general practices and expectations for our time together. Additionally, understanding some things of the history and properties of clay, ceramics, glazing and the firing process. We will also preview a number of the projects planned for the trimester.		Tell me something you learned about the qualities of clay? Can you explain that a bit more? Is there a project that you are planning looking forward to? Why?

8th Grade Class Notes Week 1: August 19-23, 2024
Class/Teacher	What 8th graders will learn and do…		Questions to ask your 8th grader…
English American Tale Ms. Klein	Welcome back! This week we will talk about summer reading and do some introductory activities to review some of the unconscious strategies we use when we read.		Tell me about your reading this summer. What went well? What do you want to work on as a reader this year?
English The Energy of Timely Ideas Mr. Levin	This week we will talk about what a timely idea is and how it influences the books, movies, plays, and musicals we love to read and watch. We will also begin thinking about how to tell a story and write expressively.		What is your favorite book, play, musical, or movie? What is your favorite type of story to read and why?
Math Algebra 1 Ms. Diana/Mr. True	This week, our students will dive into the course syllabus, where we'll outline the key topics and expectations for the term. We'll also establish classroom norms to ensure a respectful and productive environment. To engage everyone right from the start, we have planned a series of interactive and mathematically-focused activities that will help students connect with each other and get excited about the learning journey ahead. These tasks are designed to inspire problem-solving and collaboration, setting a positive tone for the rest of the year.		What kind of problem-solving tasks did you do in class? Was there anything that challenged you?
Science Engineering Every Day Mr. True	Welcome Back! This week we are going to jump right in! Students will have a number of introductory engineering and building challenges to introduce them to The Engineering Design Process. We will focus on identifying our design goals, constraints on solutions, and iterative design.		What are you building in Engineering class? What were the design goals? How well did you meet the goals? How did you improve your designs?
Science Life Matters: Science	This week students will review and reflect on the results of the previous year's waste reduction program. Students will also reflect on their personal goals for this year as we develop an activist mindset.		What did they like/dislike about last year's waste reduction initiatives? Who is responsible for needed change? What is our responsibility to the environment?
Social Studies Life Matters: Social Studies Dr. R	Welcome to Life Matters! This week we will form ourselves into a service collective, with a name, tagline, and image. We will also begin to address the question ‘What is a city’?		Ask your 8th grader what they are excited about in choosing this course for this year
Social Studies Exploring The Cave Mr. E-L	During these first few days of Trimester 1 we will preview the scope of the larger course as well as some of the projects and assignments that will be undertaken during our year together. In addition to this, we will get to know the members of our cohort that much better as well as establish norms and expectations relating to both of the working spaces we will commonly be using during our times together throughout the coming weeks. This will also be a time for clarification, gauging of specific student areas of interest, and the setting up of our note and sketchbooks.		Ask about the cave.
Social Studies This is Fine: A Study in Catastrophe Mr. E-L	We will be starting the year by talking about why, and The Deal, and sitting rather than rushing off, and limits, and breaking our hearts.		Ask about any of those topics, and then, also perhaps, where life comes from.
Spanish 3 Maestro Ross	Some of the students may feel they do not remember any Spanish phrases, but they will! This week, we will do a general review, do activities about Spanish 2 grammar, and participate in short conversations and presentations about personal information. Students will start learning about past conjugation. Also, we will review the standards we will grade during the year and the class expectations.		Did you learn new vocabulary in Spanish? Tell me three words. What information did you present in front of the class?
Spanish Advanced Maestro Ross	This week, we will do a brief review of past tense because the students will do a presentation in front of the class about their summer. We will do a general review, do activities about Spanish conjugation, and participate in conversations and presentations about personal information. Also, we will review the standards we will grade during the year and the class expectations.		Did you learn new vocabulary in Spanish? Tell me three words. What information did you present in front of the class?
Destinations Ms. Klein	This week is all about reflection. We will talk a little bit about the expectations and goals of Destinations (more of that next week), and about student goals. By the end of the week, all students will need to have completed the HS Admissions survey (sent out by email in early August), and written their letters to their future selves on FutureMe.org, which will be delivered on the day before graduation!		How are you feeling about the start of your final year of middle school? What do you want to accomplish by the end of the year, and how do you want to feel by the end of the year?
Art Exploring The Cave Mr. Stillman	During these first few days of Trimester 1, in collaboration with Mr. E-L and our shared working time, we will preview the scope of the larger course as well as some of the projects and assignments that will be undertaken during our year together. In addition to this, we will get to know the members of our cohort that much better as well as establish norms and expectations relating to both of the working spaces we will commonly be using during our times together throughout the coming weeks. This will also be a time for clarification, gauging of specific student areas of interest, and the setting up of our note and sketchbooks.		What about ETC are you already excited for/about? Is there a particular aspect of the course that you are still curious or have questions about? When will you be emailing/speaking with Mr. Stillman and Mr. E-L to address these?
Art Studio Art Mr. Stillman	During our first few classes together we will be establishing class norms for the year, familiarizing ourselves with the studio, as well as previewing our rough project sequence including artists examined, materials to be used and techniques to be learned/built upon.		Is there a medium of art you are most looking forward to this year? What are you technique/media are you already eager to learn (more) about?
Computer Science Everyday Programming Andrew	This week in Computer Science, students will write their first function.		What is a function?
Drama/Media Actor’s Toolbox Mr. Watson	The first week of school will include building trust by playing group drama games. Next, students will build class norms that will allow them to feel supported by each other. Lastly, students will discuss and implement through activities what qualities make a strong actor. By the end of the week, students will be able to understand what acting is and what makes an actor effective on the stage.		What is acting? What makes a strong actor?
Drama/Media Stagecraft Mr. Watson	The first week of school will include building trust by playing group drama games. Next, students will build class norms that will allow them to feel supported by each other. Lastly, students will learn, discuss, and practice activities that guide their thinking in Sound Design. The majority of their bonding games will have musical elements so that they can begin thinking like Sound Designers!		How does music impact the audience? In which ways can Sound Design in a live performance help tell a story?
PE Coach Aguayo	Welcome to Physical Education! This week, we'll dive into class procedures and expectations while focusing on fitness and the cardiovascular system. We'll explore how your heart works, and engage in a range of aerobic activities designed to boost your cardiovascular health. We'll also learn how to locate your carotid and radial arteries, which will help you monitor your pulse both at rest and during exercise. As part of our fitness routine, you'll practice 12 different jump rope techniques that will not only keep you fit but also strengthen your heart and other muscles. Toward the end of the week, you'll have the opportunity to create and present your own jump rope routine to the class. Get ready for a fun and active week!		What is heart rate? What is cardiovascular? What types of activities are cardiovascular?
Music 8th Gr Instrumental - A days Mr. Bozich	Welcome back to AVS! This week will be a return to the classroom via norms and expectations for both in-school and out-of-school musical participation. This first week we will be solidifying with students and parents our instrument choices and ensuring access to those instruments at home. We will also distribute binders and walk through a new method of creating community by using Otus to share at-home practice. While we do these things, we will play a bit of ukulele to get ourselves in the musical mindset.		What instruments are you playing this year? Where and when will you be doing your three hours of weekly at-home practice?