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News from our Principal
March 2015 Volume 9, Issue 7
Center School Times
April Fool’s Day
Thursday, April 9
STEM Enrichment
Kind. And First Grade
Mobile Museum
Monday, April 13
Red Sox Spirit Day
Wear Red Sox colors.
Friday, April 17
Marathon Spirit Day
Wear sport clothes.
Friday, April 17
Early Release Day
12:55 pm dismissal
Monday-Friday
April 20-24th
Spring Vacation
Thursday, April 30
Kindergarten
Bedtime Story Hour
K students/parents are
invited.
6:30-7:30 pm
Friday, May 1
Busing applications due
Budding Authors
Written language is a powerful tool. Reading and writing is a complemen-
tary relationship, growing tremendously at our level. Writing can be a
challenge for many children who perceive it as an arduous task. There are
so many things to remember including grammatical structure, spelling,
spacing, word choice, and of course the ideas your child wants to put into
print.
Center School students have become quite the writers over the course of
the year. Many have changed their views of writing including now think-
ing of himself or herself as a writer.
Parents often ask how to support written language development at home.
Spring brings marvelous changes-take writing outside and free write. Chil-
dren are often inhibited by the aim of perfection. Free write lifts the pres-
sure of perfection. Ideas, once flowing, flow freely. All that one needs is a
writing utensil and paper. Simple things to infuse fun: use pen (colored ink
perhaps a click pen without a cover to drop) colored paper, a notebook for
a journal, a field log (very scientific). Add a magnifying glass - - draw ob-
servations, note what you see where and when. This time of year is great
as the seasonal changes are evident. Others might prefer sitting in a com-
fortable spot and doodling. Before you know it, doodles turn into words,
perhaps even poetry.
Free writing, the open choice, may be uncomfortable for some children;
especially those that like to know what to do, what it should look like, and
when to do it. Sometimes we, the adults, need to foster independent think-
ers. This is often a challenge for us to let go of the pressure of perfection.
Have fun and enjoy time with your budding authors.
Lauren Dubeau
Kindergarten The students had a month long celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday. It all began
with a Cat in the Hat visit to all classrooms on March 2nd. A special thank you
goes out to Mr. Dow. In the library, students listened to Dr. Seuss’s ABC book.
The students then created a new page for the book using the first letter of his/hers
name. Many students channeled Dr Seuss himself by imagining some wacky crea-
tures for the project.
While we are sad to see Dr. Seuss month come to an end, April will bring more
than flowers at Center School Library. April is national Poetry month. The stu-
dents will have fun rhyming with some very colorful Dust Bunnies. The students
will hear poetry from acclaimed poets: Shel Silverstein, Maryann Hoberman, and
Jack Prelutsky. We will finish the month off with the students creating some po-
etry to share with friends and family.
First Grade
The first graders just finished a unit on Folktales and Fairytales. Emphasis was
placed on the fact that the tales are hundreds of years old and were passed down
by word of mouth.
First graders will also concentrate on Poetry during the month of April. The stu-
dents will hear poetry from Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky and various other po-
ets. The month should conclude with the students demonstrating a strong knowl-
edge of the concept of poetry: that words provoke feelings in any format.
Don’t forget to ask your child what is happening in the library!
Lastly, I would like to congratulate all Center School students for reading over
1200 books during “Bonding with Books” in February. This program was con-
ceived by some Hopkinton Middle School students through Destination Imagina-
tion. I was extremely impressed at the level of participation (with all the snow
days it was difficult to promote the program to all classes). We even had one kin-
dergarten class that had 100% participation and return of the forms (Congrats to
Mrs. Fernandez’s class).
Susan Mello, MLIS
Center School Library
LIBRARY HAPPENINGS
March has been a busy time for Center School musicians. We continue to learn new songs, listen to
music of famous composers, and enjoy creative movement activities and singing games. We also
celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday and the music of Ireland in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.
Kindergarten music students are listening to a variety of famous works – in various musical styles:
The Flight of the Bumblebee (Rimsky-Korsakov), The Four Seasons (Vivaldi), An American in Paris
(Gershwin) and the Comic Duet for Two Cats (Rossini). We discussed this music while looking at
paintings of famous artists depicting the musical scenes, using a book: Can You Hear It? Grade One
musicians are enjoying the story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791) and the interesting
childhood of this well-known child prodigy. They’ve learned to dance the minuet, a popular dance
during this time period. They also carefully formed and created a human ‘statue’ while listening to a
piano concerto. Your students are learning to listen for a variety of musical concepts contained in Mo-
zart’s music: Is it a concerto, symphony or a sonata? Is it legato or staccato? Is the meter in 3 beats
or in 4 beats?
Center School musicians were delighted with two
songs honoring Dr. Seuss’ birthday on March 2.
‘The Super Supper March’ is a song that Dr. Seuss
composed! How the children loved his humorous
and imaginative words, listing numerous made-up
types of foods. They also sang about Dr. Seuss and
how much fun it is to read his books with all those
clever, rhyming words! All the children had the op-
portunity to dance for each other in honor of St. Pat-
rick’s Day. They gave performances of the Jig, ac-
companied by my playing ‘The Irish Washer-
woman’ on the high-pitched sopranino recorder.
They sang songs about shamrocks, playing the fid-
dle, dancing the Jig, and the many other joyful ways that many celebrate the March 17th holiday.
We continue to work hard throughout the year to learn patriotic songs. Your children are becoming
experts at singing ‘America the Beautiful’, ‘You’re a Grand Old Flag’, the ’Star-Spangled Banner’,
‘God Bless America’ ‘There Are Many Flags in Many Lands’ and ‘This Land is Your Land’. Grade
One classes look forward to hearing their own class sing over the loud speaker in the morning. In ad-
dition to lots of singing, fun music games and dances, and listening activities, many classes are learn-
ing to play Orff instruments. Kindergarten classes are learning to play ‘Up the Ladder we must go’
and Grade One students are learning how to play ’Fuzzy Wuzzy Was a Bear’ on the Glockenspiels.
You might have heard your children try out these songs on keyboards at home. Happy Spring!
Musically Yours,
Mrs. Moran
MUSICAL NOTES
Hello and Happy Spring!
It's hard to believe that more than half of the school
year has past and Spring is here! During this time I
have been truly amazed at the amount of growth our
young artists have shown. Since September, I have
watched your beautiful first graders produce complex
stories with their artwork. I have seen them learning
how to think. I've seen them ponder. I've seen them
learn how to make their own decisions. They have
been figuring things out. No one has told them the
answers. They are learning that they are persons who
can produce answers both meaningful and expres-
sive. I've seen them feel pride. I've seen them becom-
ing aware of their own bodies and their minds - all
through creating art!
I have personally seen children grow in multiple ar-
eas. Attention spans have increased, and students are
spending longer periods of time pondering and work-
ing on their personal art tasks. Students are invested
in their art. I have seen the impulsive become more deliberate and the thoughtful become more expressive.
Children who draw frequently when they are small become very smart adults. Their minds have the ability to
deal with conceptualizations. Having grown up learning to attend to a mental task, they can surpass others who
have been mainly been taught to follow directions.
Art Fun Fact: Nobel laureates in the sciences are seventeen times likelier than the average scientist to also be a painter, twelve times as likely to be a poet, and four times as likely to be a musician? It's amazing what the arts can do for you!
Scientific American Blog 8/22/12 "From STEM to STEAM: Sci-ence and Art Go Hand-in-Hand" written by Steven Ross Pomeroy blogs.scientificamerican.com
Don't forget to check us out
on Twitter
@CenterArtStudio!
Fondly,
Mrs. Rodriguez
ART STUDIO NEWS
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Happy Spring! We are getting excited to have the snow melt and get some classes outside!
We just wrapped up our basketball unit. Students practiced dribbling with the finger pads, passing and shoot-
ing. With March Madness in full swing, ask your children some fun facts about the history of basketball. What
differences do we have between the old game and now? Where was it invented? Why was it invented?
We are currently in our gymnastics unit. Students are reminded to use equipment and practice our tumbling
skills in a safe, controlled way. We will practice balance, rocking, and rolling. Dan Norton
HEF STEM GRANT
Left:
Room 11
first graders
experiment
with their
flashlights.
Right:
Room 19
students
setting up
their light
experiment.
Below : Mrs. Kane demonstrating various filters and
paper properties to see if light will shine through.
Scientific Observations from Mr.
Boisvert’s students -if you do not get the
three sheets of paper lined up exactly, the light
will not project out to the end of the red book
set up.
Below: Mrs. Farquharson models how to record experiment ob-
servations in students’ scientific journals.
HEF STEM GRANT
First Graders working with
light—will lead to designing a
lighting system.
Clockwise left to right:
"Best day of Kindergarten"
according to these students
in Ms. Barry/Mrs. Fioren-
tino’s class who celebrate
teamwork. They worked col-
laboratively to build this
puzzle and illustrated life
cycle of a butterfly.
Kindergarten teacher
Rebecca Leary celebrating
“crazy” hair day in room 14.
Ms. Leary’s students build a
beam bridge encompassing
the entire width of the room.
Kindergarten students are
learning about bridges as
part of the Foundations in
Engineering HEF Grant.
HPTA NEWS HPTA Board
We are currently filling positions for the HPTA’s Center School 2015-2016 Board. If you are interested in getting involved, contact Mary Krattenmaker with the Nominating Committee for a com-plete list of opportunities. There are roles for everyone, people who want to get into the classroom and those that would like to help from home.
Contact: Mary Krattenmaker—[email protected]
Spring Book Fair
The date for the Spring Book Fair has been set for Monday, June 1, 5:00-7:00 p.m. If you are interested in helping out the night of the event, please contact Shelly or Sarah.
Contact: Shelly Click—[email protected] or
Sarah Butkus—[email protected]
Literacy Closet
The literacy closet is looking for volunteers to check-in books and keep the book bins organized. Volunteer hours are on Thursdays from 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Contact: Andrea Krammes—[email protected]
Library Volunteers The library is always looking for volunteers! This is a great way to see your child in action during the school day.
Contact: Gretchen King—[email protected]
During library class, first grade stu-
dents moved from one classmate
to another asking questions about
non-fiction facts they had read in
magazines. This activity got every-
one up and moving.
This cooperative-learning tech-
nique has students review informa-
tion with other students by asking
and answering questions.
Quiz, Quiz, Trade
In First Grade Health classes, we have been learning about the importance of good nutrition
and regular physical activity. Students have been exploring the five food groups using My-
Plate. MyPlate is the United States Department of Agriculture’s newest illustration of the five
food groups (Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, Protein, Dairy), which are set up on a place setting for
a meal. MyPlate encourages us to think about what goes on our plate, and in our cup or bowl,
before we eat. The recommendation is that half our plate should be fruits and vegetables.
In these health lessons, the children were able to identify the food groups and give examples of
foods in each group. We talked about healthy and unhealthy food choices. Students assembled
their own MyPlate guides on a paper plate. Mrs. Lewinsky shared a fun and educational web-
site with the students, www.choosemyplate.gov. With the help of their parents, many students
went on this website and played a fun and educational nutrition game called “Blast Off.”
Recently, first grade classes read, D.W. The Picky Eater, by Mark Brown. This book sparked a
lively discussion about picky eaters, taste buds, and how taste buds change over time. Students
were given their own “Tasting Passports,” and were invited to participate in a contest titled,
“We’re Not Picky Eaters!” This contest challenged students to try as many new, healthy foods
and drinks as they could in four weeks. Many students found some new, healthy foods that
they liked! Here are some examples of foods and drinks that First Graders tried: craisins,
pomegranate, asparagus, cauliflower, chia seeds, salmon, almond milk, avocado, spaghetti
squash, tofu wrap, star fruit, California Roll, pesto pasta, beets, turnips, chicken quesadillas,
broccoli, turkey tacos, and Greek yogurt.
As a part of this unit, we have also been learning about the importance of regular physical ac-
tivity. First graders know that the recommendation is for kids to get 60 minutes of physical ac-
tivity every day. It is also recommended that television and computer time is limited to less
than two hours a day. In these lessons, students worked together to identify some of the rea-
sons why we should be physically active every day:
Physical activity strengthens the muscles that help us move, learn, work, and play.
Physical activity strengthens the heart muscle, so it pumps blood better.
Physical activity helps us to relax when we have strong emotions, such as excitement or
anger.
Physical activity helps us sleep better.
Physical activity is fun!
HEALTH CLASS PICKY EATERS CONTEST
These are the “We’re Not Picky Eaters!” winners from each First Grade class:
Mrs. Allen’s class: Jack Desrochers
Mrs. Anderson/Mrs. Denault’s class: Callie Arthur
Mr. Boisvert’s class: Kaylee Kennedy
Mrs. Cullen’s class: Quinn McHugh
Mrs. Davis’s class: Andrew Cooper
Mrs. Farquharson/Mrs. Kane’s class: Thomas Fitzgerald
Mrs. Farrell’s class: Allison Pagliocca
Mrs. Jacob’s class: Ellie Power
Mrs. Kahn’s class: Emerson Keller
Mr. Sanford’s class: Summer MacFarland
Miss. Williamson’s class: Alli Pearson-Woodruff
Among all first grade students, Jack Desrochers and Allison Pagliocca tried the most new and
healthy foods…they both tried a total of 37 foods in four weeks!
A great job to the winners and to all students who participated in the contest! Mrs. Lewinsky
Celebrate Teamwork!
Kindergarten students will rotate classes this Friday as they explore bridge structures.
Ask your kindergarten student what type of bridge is in this photo.
