Ms.
Golle’s
World History students studied
European society during the Middle Ages. They learned about
the socio-economic influence of feudalism and used a diagram
to differentiate between nobility and the poor. They charted
the metamorphosis from the self-sufficient medieval manor to
the re-emergence of trade, and finally, the chartering of towns. In
addition, students learned about the lasting cultural influence
of the Middle Ages, including a comparison of gothic and Romanesque
architecture and the switch to literature written in vernacular. Next,
the students will take a few days to focus on pending international
current affairs before review session for the upcoming midterms
begin.
Mrs.
Stinziano’s
U.S. History I students have
been learning about Nationalism and Sectionalism in the 1800’s. They
have examined the Industrial Revolution as well as, Andrew Jackson’s
Presidency. The students have also been working on a comprehensive
study guide for the midterm exam.
Ms.
Cassidy’s
U.S. History I students have
completed study of the early Nation, where they discussed the
various problems faced by the young country. We will begin review
for the midterm exams.
Ms.
Cassidy’s
A.P. History students will
be completing study of sectionalism, the events leading up to
the Civil War and will finish with a discussion on the Civil
War. The students’ midterm exam will resemble an
actual A.P. exam.
Mrs.
Lewites’ U.S.
History POR students are
finishing up a unit on how our new nation developed following
the formation of a new government and our Constitution. Following
an extensive midterm review and the midterm, we will begin a
new chapter about how our country continued to grow and the students
will learn why settlers were moving farther west. At the
conclusion of this section, the class will discover the nation
becoming divided on a number of issues including economics, slavery,
Native American lands, and women's rights.
Mrs.
McGinty’s
U.S. History II students have
completed their study of FDR’s New Deal legislations and
the impact these policies had on the American nation. Several
days were devoted to reviewing the first two units—comprised
of 7 chapters—to prepare for the mid-term examination.
By month’s end, students will begin studying unit 3: WWII
and Its Aftermath.
Mrs.
McGinty’s
Honors students continue
to sharpen their skills with DBQ assessment. Presentations of
the unit II projects were completed.
Mrs.
Marzi’s
Psychology class completed
the study of learning and is finishing up with testing, including
sample questions from IQ tests, Personality Inventories, Leisure
Inventories, and theories as to the usefulness and disadvantages
of each type of inventory. The students also studied intelligence
and its role in our choices for life. The exam will be a project
based on various psychological disorders or diseases of the mind,
their treatments, and prognoses for the future, which each student
will present to the class.
Mrs.
Marzi’s
Sociology class completed
the study of the family and briefly talked about other institutions,
including political systems, religions, and economic systems.
Our exam is a sociological study of a decade, from 1900 to 2000.
In this project, American culture will be examined, including
local, national, and international news events that changed culture.
The projects will be multimedia in format, including visuals,
music, as well as written materials, and will be presented to
the class.
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT -
Mr.
Ketcho’s
Business classes improved
their ideas for the FDU Business Ideas Competition by focusing
on the judging criteria. The Business
Idea consists of the following company name, Brief Business
Concept, Complete Idea – Business Plan, Customers – Target
Market, Competitors, Usefulness to Society Overall, Business & Personnel
Goals. All entries will be submitted in January 2007.
Mr.
Ketcho’s
Computer Programming class – Programming
concepts - Making Your Computer Do Something: Writing Your
First Procedure & Making Your Program Repeat Actions:
Looping with the For…Next Loop. Lesson 6: Object Oriented
Programming Fundamentals and Lesson 7: Getting to Know .NET
Framework.
Mr.
Ketcho’s
Accounting I class – Finished
Chapter 4 – Journalizing Transactions – Analyzing
Transactions into Debit & Credit Parts. Tests, study
guide quiz, work together problems, on your own problems,
and homework assignments. In addition, the eight steps to
the interviewing process were covered. Began Chapter 5 – Posting
To A General Ledger.
Mr.
Ketcho’s
Automated Accounting II class – Finished
Chapter 4 – Purchases and Cash Payments. Began Chapter
5 – Sales & Cash Receipts.
Mr.
Ketcho’s
Life Management class – Finished
Chapter 6 – Planning for Work. Reasons and why one
works along with steps to finding a job were discussed. The
eight steps to the interviewing process were reviewed. Began
Chapter 7 – Making A Financial Plan – Budgeting
Project will begin
Mr.
Ketcho’s
Word Processing I and II classes – Continued
101 Word Processing Exercises – Exercises #1 to #65
were completed.
Mr.
Ketcho’s
Computer Applications 9 Cycle class - Encore – A Keyboarding Simulation
Jobs #13 - #15. Goals Report. 101 Spreadsheet Exercises –Exercises
#53-#76 completed.
The
Fall 2006 Stock Market Game & PNC InvestWrite
Essay Contest– Hasbrouck Heights High School
and Middle School students have won the Fall’06 competition.
Our schools have excelled against sixteen hundred other
schools through out the state of New Jersey. The following
ranking are final: High School Division – #1 Team
- D B, E B, J B, Z K, C C. #2 Team - C O, D D, M S, M D,
Y L. #3 Team - J P, J M, M D, G R, M C.
Middle
School Division – #1 Team - G D, F A, S R,
B K, S P. #3 Team - B R, B P, A P, C C, J N. T K ( High School
Division) and S P (Middle School Division) have placed first
in the PNC InvestWrite Essay Contest.
Congratulations to all our champions! Everyone was invited
to an awards/luncheon ceremony onTuesday, January 23rd to accept
their awards and eat a healthy lunch!
LIBRARY/MEDIA CENTER –
Mrs. Mikulka -- Among
the teachers who brought their classes into the Library
for research this month were: Mrs. Meyer-Public Speaking, Mrs. Cafferty-Spanish,
Mr. Smith-HSPA English, Mrs. Czekaj-Shakespeare classes
and English 10, Mr. Binazeski-Earth Science, Mr. Schimel-9th
Grade Cycle Career and College search, Mr. Pankiewicz-Humanities,
Ms. Kos-English 9, Mrs. Hicswa-Biology Honors, Ms. Golle-World
History, and Mrs. Marzi-Psychology and Sociology. Ms.
Kelter brought students in to take a test. Ms. Watson
and Ms. Kelter brought students in to select books for a
reading project.
Our
display space currently has Mr. Warren’s/Mrs.
Stinziano’s U.S. History I students’ Revolutionary
War Battle Models, Mrs. Hicswa’s students’ Cell
projects, Mrs. Kritzer’s students’ Self Portraits,
Mr. Masucci’s students Lamps, Mrs. Brinker’s
6th Grade art students’ pizza boxes decorated with
planets in the solar system, and her 6th Graders’ Aliens.
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT -
Mr.
Smith’s
English 9 classes are
concluding the semester by finishing their in-depth study
of Steinbeck’s The Pearl. Time and attention
has been given to characterization, plot, and symbolism throughout
the novel. As the midterm approaches, we will be reviewing
key concepts taught throughout the year. We are excited to
start Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with
the start of the 2nd semester.
Mr.
Smith’s
HSPA English 10 class continues
to actively attempt to remediate the students’ deficiencies
in reading and writing. Recently, time and attention has
been given to understanding literary devices, tone, and mood
in reading selections.
Mr. Smith reports that the yearbook production
continues to be going smoothly. We have sold roughly 160
books and have completed layout, design, and proofing of
over half of the book.
Mrs.
Schneeweiss’ Communications classes are
currently taping realistic radio broadcasts and creative
television spoofs. They are also busy working on their projects
for midterms which include writing alternate endings to movies
and comparing and contrasting directors and their unique
styles.
Mrs.
Schneeweiss’ Drama class is
hard at work rehearsing and memorizing scenes from film that
will be presented during mid term exams.
Miss
Venneman’s HSPA 9 classes are
currently working on identifying key elements of persuasive
text. Students will also be working on enriching student
writing through varied sentence structure.
Mrs.
Geftic’s Journalism students
have completed the second edition of the Pilot’s
Log. This issue featured in-depth articles on
the impact of advertisements and how marketers target teenagers. Other
articles of note focus on two recent immigrants in our school,
the refurbishing of Depken Field, and important facts about
how to get help for depression and suicidal thoughts. Students
are currently working on a hands-on midterm exam. Each
student was required to design a front page of a newspaper
that included a feature story, news story, banner, teasers,
headlines, captions and bylines.
The
Editorial Board was honored by Congressman Steve Rothman
(D-NJ) in Washinton, D.C. His remarks have been documented
in the Congressional Record of the 109th Congress. He officially
congratulated Hasbrouck Heights High School and the Pilot’s
Log stating, “Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate
the dedicated students and faculty at Hasbrouck Heights High
School who have made The Pilot’s Log an award-winning
and exemplary newspaper year after year. I am extremely proud
of the 2006 Pilot’s Log editorial staff: Matthew
Connors, Wade Friedel, Harvir Kaur, Brielle Marino, Joseph
Marino, Kaitlin Olcott, Russell Piazza, Prachi Prachi, Nishit
Raval, Robert Spindler, Caitlyn J. Walsh, and Nicole Weingartner.
I also applaud their teachers and families, who encouraged
and helped them along the way. Pilot’s Log advisers
Lora Geftic and Gary Pankiewicz deserve special recognition
for the quality of their teaching.”
Mrs.
Geftic’s English 12 students
have completed the reading of Oedipus Rex. Currently,
they are studying the lyric poems of China’s Tang dynasty. To
determine their understanding of how these poets used literary
devises and craftsmanship, students wrote original poems
based on a picture prompt that included these devises. In
addition, students are preparing for their mid-term exams
reviewing pertinent material and completing study guide questions.
Mr.
Pankiewicz’s
English 10 and 10H classes
completed their study of Romanticism by creating original
poetry that incorporated the Romantic trends and various
literary and sound devices. All poems were presented
to the class.
Ms.
Monetti’s
Genre and Critical Issues class
is currently in the middle of the comedy genre. We
finished watching Raising Arizona, a
movie by the Coen brothers. In the process of interpreting
this dark comedy we defined the different types of comedy
and analyzed the film-making style of the Coen brothers. The
class will take a break to work on our midterm project
and then finish the comedy genre with Groundhogs Day,
Young Frankenstein, and the earliest
comedy, Animal Crackers.
Ms.
Monetti’s
English 10 classes are
currently finishing up The Crucible. Theywill
have their final test this week, start reviewing for midterms,
and then watch the movie The Crucible to
compare it to Arthur Miller’s version and review
the general plot of the play.
Ms.
Monetti’s
English 11 classes are
finishing up The Arthurian Legend unit. They
have compared the movie First Knight to
the classic story and are presently reading Morte d’ Arthur in
the text book. They will also be reviewing for midterms.
Mrs.
Czekaj’s English 10 classes have
learned to add power to their persuasive writing by studying
the speeches of Martin Luther King, Benjamin Franklin, and
John F. Kennedy for techniques such as parallel structure
and rhetorical question. They will use these techniques
to strengthen their essays on the midterm.
Mrs.
Czekaj’s AP English 12 class continues
its study of Hamlet, Shakespeare’s longest
and most complex play. They have been reading selected
short stories as homework, and observing how and why each
skillful writer employs the resources of language to create
nuances of character and plot.
Mrs.
Czekaj’s Shakespeare Honors class is
reading a rarely performed work, Cymbeline. Much
like a classic fairy tale, it features a wicked stepmother,
a runaway princess, the kindly help of strangers, and a happily
ever after ending.
Mr.
Van Dam’s English 11/British Literature classes
have concluded their study of the Arthurian legend, which
included a HSPA modeled persuasive reading task for the final
assessment. The classes are beginning to study Chaucer’s The
Canterbury Tales and will focus on the art
of characterizations.
Mr.
Van Dam’s English 12/World Literature class
has completed their study of the Greek epic of The Odyssey and
has started reading and discussing Sophocles’ Oedipus
Rex. A focus is being placed on evaluating
the tragedy as it develops the classic tragic concepts. The
use of irony is also being analyzed and discussed while the
class is reading this classic.
Mr.
Van Dam’s English 12-Honors/World Literature class
has also completed their outside reading of Homer’s The
Odyssey and has started to read excerpts from Greek,
Asian, and modern philosophers. Essays attributed to
Plato, Confucius, and Camus will be read and analyzed.
Mr.
Van Dam’s English 11-Honors/World Literature is
completing their study of Chaucer’s Prologue to the Canterbury
Tales and four of the characters’ tales. Students
have focused on the author’s use of characterizations
and foils as tools to encourage social change.
Mr.
Van Dam’s English 12 SRA class
continues to work on their individual PAT’s.
Mrs.
Meyer’s English 9 and 9H classes are
finishing up their study of John Steinbeck’s novel The
Pearl. After mid-term exams,
both classes will begin a study of William Shakespeare and
the Globe Theatre. English 9 will read Romeo and
Juliet while English 9H will read Julius Caesar.
Ms.
Kos’ English
9 class is reviewing
for midterms and beginning its introduction to Shakespeare.
Students will begin to read Romeo and Juliet aloud
in parts at the completion of midterms. At present, they
are doing background research and projects on the Globe Theater.
Ms.
Kos’ English
10 class recently
finished its work on The Crucible. Students completed
that unit with a viewing of the recent film version, which
they seemed to enjoy a great deal. After midterms, they will
continue their work in American literature and pay homage
to Black History Month by reading Maya Angelou’s autobiographical
book, I know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
Ms.
Kos’ English
11 class recently
finished its work on Lord of the Flies and is
currently reviewing for midterms. After midterms, students
will spend time on an intensive HSPA workshop.
Ms.
Kos’ English
12 class continues
to work on the World Literature course of study. At present,
they are examining the literary experience as seen through
the lens of the American Indian. They are enjoying Ken Kesey’s
novel, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Mrs.
Fernandes’s Genres & Critical Issues class has completed the war genre early
this month with Black Hawk Down. They
discussed the differences that were seen within each war
genre film. For this month, students are viewing An
Inconvenient Truth to explore their
feelings about the state of the environment. They
will also begin the action genre with Raiders of the
Lost Ark.
Mrs.
Fernandes’s HSPA English 10 class
is reviewing the contents of their midterm exam. Students
are working on picture prompts and reading comprehension. They
continue to work on persuasive techniques with presentations
and writings.
Mrs.
Fernandes’s HSPA English 11 class
is reviewing the contents of their midterm exam. Students
are working on picture prompts and reading comprehension. They
continue to work on persuasive techniques with presentations
and writings.
WORLD
LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT –
Mrs.
Carr’s Spanish IV class
will be working on subjunctive forms and practicing vocabulary
related to the weather while Spanish II continues to
make progress with comparatives and superlatives and
commands with direct and indirect pronouns.
Mrs.
Carr’s Spanish V class
is doing research on nuclear weapons.
Mrs.
Cafferty’s Spanish III
class is learning how to talk about going to a particular
place in the world and how to travel there.
Mrs.
Squillace’s Spanish I classes
are learning to discuss plans and sequence of events
and to talk about places and people they know.
Ms.
Perdomo’s Spanish I class
have been learning how to tell time, talk about the weather,
and say what they do in and after school.
Mrs.
Washburn’s Italian students
are actively researching and discussing articles written
in Italian about Italian families as well as different
activities done during the holidays.
MUSIC
DEPARTMENT –
Mr. Ascolese reports
that the concert and jazz bands are preparing for the “Pops Concert” to be
held March
1ST.
Mr. Taylor is
looking at two possible medleys for the “Pops Concert” like “Newsies” and “An
Andrew Lloyd Weber Concert.”
ART DEPARTMENT -
Mrs.
Reed’s drawing classes
have completed their half and half magazine drawings
and have created contrast drawings and images using a
contact form of paper. Students designed, planned
and cut out their images to create a contrast project. Presently
students are working on their midterm project .The midterm
project is to create a dual portrait where students draw
one as they are seen by others and a second that expresses
something about themselves. Students are using
a black and white medium for one portrait and a color
medium for the second portrait.
Mrs.
Reed’s graphic design class
has completed their 3D functional menu design and also
a collage that completed a statement. Presently
students are working on their midterm project. The
midterm project is to create a book cover layout that
depicts a story about a certain number, ( ex. Lucky #7). Students
are incorporating what they have learned about the three
design elements.
Mrs.
Kritzer’s Advanced Art
class is continuing their self portrait unit; the students
have put themselves in the comics. They had to
create a super hero character that represented them.
They were encouraged to create their character with super
powers which illustrated their strong points.
Mrs.
Kritzer’s drawing classes
stared a pastel unit when they returned from the holiday
break. The students were taught about the artistic
side of graffiti. They had to do their names or “tags’ in
graffiti form using pastels. After becoming comfortable
with the medium, they used pastels to do a still life
of eggplants and squash.
Mrs.
Brinker’s Leadership class
just completed the production and direction of a very
successful Senior Luncheon held at the Landmark on Wednesday
December 20th. These students have been working
on creating a scrap book bulletin board using pictures
of the Class of 2007 over the years.
Mrs.
Brinker’s Digital Photography Classes are
working on completing their portfolios of digital projects
and three-tiered mid-term exams. All students in
these classes have been working to create interesting
and original images for the year-end art show.
PHYSICAL
EDUCATION / HEALTH EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS –
Grades
9 – 12 All classes are
finishing up the volleyball unit with tournaments. The
students are also using the fitness center learning about
cardiovascular exercise and weight training. All classes
are preparing for the mid term exam.
Ms.
Gaccione’s 9th
grade health class has begun the family life material. Students
will be working on in-class packets and group discussions
until the end of the marking period.
Mr. Delcalzo and Mr.Tessaro’s driver
education classes are preparing for the state drivers
education state test.
INDUSTRIAL ART DEPARTMENT -
Mr.
Masucci’s.
classes are making bird houses.
USE OF LAPTOP -
Mrs.
Healey: The
laptop was used to develop midterm examinations. It is also
being used to communicate with students, parents, and teachers
via email. Excel and Word is used to create necessary
periodic reports and testing materials for the department.
Mr. Monks: Grades and reports
were calculated on Excel. Lesson plans have been generated
in Word. Tests, quizzes and extra help worksheets
have been generated in Word. Email has been used
to communicate with parents and department teachers.
Mrs.
Stoehs: In biology we found
a website about genetics. It describes the DNA structure
and processes of cell reproduction. The textbook website
also gave students a review of our study of protein synthesis.
Mrs. McGinty has been utilizing the
LCD projector and The Americans software;
students participated in a PowerPoint review for chapter
23. Additionally, students were able to view a slideshow
of photographic essays from New Jersey’s own Dorothea
Lange, who, in the 1930s, was influential in obtaining
government housing for migrant farmers through her work
as a photojournalist.
Mr.
Ketcho’s
use of the Laptop Computer –.
Once again I am using my laptop for pretty much everything
I do. Word, Excel, PowerPoint files help me manage all
of my day to day tasks. Coupled with a document camera
and LCD projector I lead my instruction with my laptop
everyday.
Mrs.
Schneeweiss’ laptop has
been used during the past month for students to work
on their college applications and essays. In addition
the laptop has been used to begin work on the high school
spring musical High School Musical including
audition forms, letters to the cast, choreography and
for Rehearscore a program that will allow students
to rehearse the score of the play on the computer and
it will slow or speed up the tempo as well as select
one or all of the instruments to accompany the song.
Mrs.
Geftic used the laptop computer to view images
of China and to listen to Chinese music. Journalism
students used the laptop to locate information for news
and feature stories.
Mr.
Pankiewicz used the laptop computer to model
layout and design techniques for students completing
layout midterm projects. In
addition, the laptop was used to display various “Jazz
Age” sites to introduce The Great Gatsby. Lastly,
the laptop was used to construct numerous college recommendations.
Middle School-
MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT
Miss
Keller’s 6th grade mainstream Geometry
classes will begin exploring rotation, translation,
and reflections of different figures. With the
help of manipulatives and other hands-on activities
the students will learn how to create reflections,
rotations and translations of different shapes. Once
the students have gained an understanding of these
types of transformations, they will move on to estimating
area. In this section the students will use grid
paper to estimate the area of different figures. Next,
the students will learn how to find the perimeter and
area of rectangles and squares using equations. Using
connecting blocks the students will be able to identify
the difference between
area and perimeter and be able to find both. The class will begin to review
for their midterm exam that encompasses material learned
during the first and second marking periods. The
third marking period will begin with the students learning
to find the area of parallelograms and triangles. Next
the students will begin to gather data and explore
pi so they can begin to learn how to find the circumference
of circles.
Miss
Keller’s 6th grade accelerated Geometry
class will begin the month of January by exploring
congruent triangles. The students will learn
how to identify congruent figures and be able to determine
corresponding parts. Then the students will begin
to explore polygons and quadrilaterals. The students
will investigate the different characteristics of polygons
and quadrilaterals and compare them to gain a better
understanding. Next they will begin to investigate
circles and learn to identify the center, radius, diameter
and chord. Before midterms the class will use
diagrams to solve word problems. The students
will tackle intricate word problems using diagrams
to organize information. Review for the midterm
will include concepts studied during the first and
second marking periods. After midterms, the students
will begin to estimate side length and area of different
figures. The students will begin to learn how
to find the area of parallelograms, triangles and trapezoids.
Miss Keller will
prepare the students as best as possible for their
upcoming midterm. Through
in-class review and some at home study suggestions,
it is hoped that the students will be prepared and
feel confident.
Miss
DiPiano’s 6th grade
Algebra classes have been busy using fractions.
They have learned to estimate the sums and differences
of fractions as well as modeling fractions with like
and unlike denominators. They have learned to
add and subtract mixed numbers using different strategies. Currently,
the students are working with the multiplication of
fractions and mixed numbers using models and other
techniques. The students are looking forward
to the division of fractions and using diagrams to
solve word problems before preparing for midterm exams. The
classes used their knowledge of fractions to complete
an internet activity project that they worked on over
the holiday break.
Miss
DiPiano’s6th grade
accelerated Algebra is busy with fractions
and number theory. They have learned how to find
the prime factorization of a number as well as using
the same methods to find greatest common factor, least
common multiple, and fractions in lowest terms. The
are making the connection that strategies that were
used earlier in the school year can be used again in
other topics. The students are looking forward
to working with fractions and decimals before preparing
for midterm exams.
Mrs.
Caputo’s 7th grade
mainstream algebra classes are currently finishing
and being tested on Mid-chapter 4 entitled fractions. The
students will continue and complete this chapter before
midterm review which will be at the end of next week.
Mrs.
Caputo’s 7th grade
accelerated algebra class finished and were
tested on mid chapter 5 today. We will complete
chapter 5 by the midterm and start reviewing by the
end of next week.
Mrs. Caputo- The
math-a-thon for St Jude’s will be collected at the end of the marking
period which counts as a quiz grade for all. Students
will also collect money for the St. Jude’s hospital
and research for children with cancer and other diseases. The
total will be announced in the near future.
Mr.
Sickels’ 7th grade
geometry mainstream students are currently
finishing chapter 7, Investigating Geometry. We
will be working towards chapter 8 entitled, Geometry
and Measurements.
Mr.
Sickels’ 7th grade
geometry accelerated class finished chapter
8, Patterns in Geometry and went back to Lessons 4-8,
4-9, and 4-10 on Transformations. We will moving
onto Chapter 6 Application of Proportions next week.
Mr.
Sickels Review
for midterms one week before exams. Students were encouraged
to start studying at home utilizing the outline and
their Math folders. I am available to answer all questions
the students might have in class or after school in room
405. NJASK and GEPA review packets are being
completed in a timely fashion by both honors and mainstream
classes.
Mr.
Mastropietro’s 8th grade geometry
classes are working on chapter 6 with Application
of Proportions. We are currently beginning Chapter
9 entitled Geometry and Measurement. The midterm
review will begin at the end of next week.
Mr.
Mastropietro’s 8th grade honors topics
class is working on Chapter 14, Surface Area
and Volume. Our midterm review will start at
the end of next week. The students are working
hard and studying for the upcoming exams.
Mr. Mastropietro All 8th grade
math classes are working on gepa cluster packets in a
timely fashion. After midterms, the classes
will take the Cluster III Test.
Mrs.
Dunne’s 8th grade Algebra I class is
graphing equations of lines. They have completed
the equations of horizontal and vertical lines. The
class is learning different methods of graphing lines
involving 2 variables. They have constructed
table of values, found the x and y intercepts and are
presently using the slope-intercept form of the equation.
Mrs.
Dunne’s Math 8 classes have
begun Chapter 7 – Percents. They are presently
finding equivalent forms of fractions, decimals, and
percents. The class will begin solving percent
problems by equations.
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT-
Mr.
Rispoli’s 6th grade science
students had a successful trip to the Buehler Challenger
and Science Center back in December. The students
accomplished their simulated mission by building a probe
and launching it to meet with Comet Halley. Gas
samples were collected and identified by the students. After
returning home, the “astronauts” were involved
in a press conference. The “astronauts” took
the stage as their classmates acted as the press and
asked questions about their mission. In January,
the students will be learning about the sun, Earth and
moon. They will learn about tides, the seasons,
rotation and revolutions. Early space travel to
current day travel will also be learned in class.
Mrs.
Toy’s 7th grade science classes were
given science midterm study guides before they left
for winter break. This will allow the students to study
in their free time. During class we are continuing
to study DNA and moving to the topics of cancer and cloning.
Mr.
Cassiere’s 8th grade science students
will be learning how to classify matter and preparing
for the midterm. A brief lab will illustrate how
matter can be classified into elements, compounds, and
mixtures. Preparation for midterms will begin
next week and cover all work from September.
ART DEPARTMENT-
Mrs.
Reed’s Cycle 6 Tech class
has just begun. Students have learned about the
steps used in the technology process and have create
solutions to two challenges, ( ex. Create a box using
a origami method and to create a new desk design). They
have learned what Technology Learning Activities are
and are learning to problem solve.
Mrs.
Kritzer’s Cycle art classes
are studying the cubist master Pablo Picasso. They
have to do a self portrait and separate it into six sections. All
sections must show patterning, texture and different
views.
Mrs.
Kritzer’s The cycle
8 art class will be illustrating their names in a circle
as if it were a name plate. The students will
learn design, pattern and color in these whimsical
illustrations.
Mrs.
Brinker’s Cycle 6 Art Class
began the New Year by learning about color, space,
shape, line and texture as they created abstract name
designs. All
students in this cycle have been showing success in
their artistic growth and ability.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION-
6th, 7th and 8th grade classes - are
finishing up the volleyball unit and are to begin the
basketball unit. The classes will participate in
drills for passing, dribbling, and shooting. They
will play lead-up games which will lead to the 3-on-3
tournaments.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT-
Ms.
Gaccione’s Health class
has begun the DARE program with Lt. Mullins. Beginning
next week, the students will begin CPR certifications.
Mrs.
Kolich’s 6th Grade Health
cycle is conducting interviews with classmates to learn
new things about each other. The interview questions
come from the Lions-Quest workbooks. They also
created posters called “All About Me”.
Mr.
Delcalzo’s Health class
are cutting out doing alcohol and smoking ads and how
they influence kids to buying there products.
INDUSTRIAL ARTS-
Mr. Masucci’s classes
started a new cycle by reviewing all the hand tools.
SOCIAL STUDIES-
Mr. Warren's 6th grade Social Studies classes have
begun their in-depth review of the Mid-Term Exam which
covers the Introduction to World History and the tools
historians use to examine past events; the earliest human
civilizations that include Mesopotamia; and the study
of the world's first empires that include the Babylonians,
Persians, and the Egyptians. The students are participating in
a variety of classroom review computer activities that
emphasize key terms and concepts that they will see on
the exam. This is reinforced by Chapter review
worksheet packets that are completed at home and reviewed
in the classroom. Later this month, the students
will begin to analyze Ancient India, including its geography,
culture, and government.
Mrs. Gay's Social Studies 7 Political Science
classes are culminating the study of the actual Constitution
itself. The Middle School halls are ringing with
the sound of the Preamble from School House Rock being
sung by the students. They are combing the document
searching for evidence of the concepts of separation
of powers, checks and balances, the three-fifths compromise,
and the fugitive slave clause. They are developing
an appreciation for the difficulty of the task that
the Framers undertook when they wrote the Constitution
at the Philadelphia Convention. Also, some students
who participated in an extra credit assignment were
delighted to receive a letter from President Bush,
explaining his position on the situation in Iraq, and
a picture of him and First Lady Laura Bush.
Mrs.
Rucci’s Eighth Grade Social Studies
Classes covered the inventions and economic
changes of the Industrial Revolution, the developing
sectionalism in the U.S., and the usefulness of canals
such as the Erie Canal. Then we went into depth
about Andrew Jackson’s administration. In
January so far, students learned about the unique history
of Texas and they analyzed the reasons for immigration
during the 1800s. We are also reviewing for the
Midterm Exam together using the Study Guide, notes,
and index cards. Using the Junior Scholastic magazines
we read about and discussed the genocide that is taking
place in the Darfur region of Sudan and the students
performed an historical play called “The Trail
of Tears” (about the plight of the Cherokee). As
2006 came to a close, we reflected on some of the most
poignant current events and students put together a
colorful bulletin board in the back of room 322. News
stories include: the execution of Saddam Hussein,
E-Coli outbreaks involving fresh spinach and Taco Bell,
the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict of last summer, and
the loss of some famous people like Corey Lidle, Steve
Irwin, and Gerald Ford. The wall is full of incidents
that we remember. We’re off to a great
start in 2007!
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT-
Students
in Miss Venneman’s Literature
7 classes are completing their unit on survival
with a viewing ofCast Away. Students
are comparing various literary elements of the movie
to those in the book The River. Students
are comparing and contrasting plot elements as well
as characteristics of Brian in The River,
to Chuck in Cast Away. Students
will be preparing for the midterm exams with a thorough
review of topics and material covered in class.
Over the past month, Ms.
Wolf’s sixth
grade English classes have been getting more
involved with grammar and rules for creating successful
pieces of writing. The students have been studying
sentence structure, prepositional phrases, adjective
phrases, and adverb phrases all of which can be used
to add more creativity and structure to the students’ writing.
In addition to grammar, the students have continued
enhancing their writing skills with bi-weekly writing
assignments. All of the writing assignments follow
the format of the NJ standardized tests. The writing
is based on pictures or scenarios for writing tasks. Many
of the writing tasks ask the students to create “persuasive
writing” pieces. In addition, the students
have also continued to broaden their vocabulary with
daily words and bi-weekly spelling units.
Mr.
Colangelo’s sixth grade Study Skills
class has just begun its cycle. They
will be working out of the Study Skills workbook, You
Can Take Charge. There will be a heavy
emphasis on note taking as the students complete
each lesson.
Mr.
Colangelo’s seventh grade Creative
Writing class has just begun its cycle. They
will write in a variety of writing styles that include:
journals, autobiographies, stories without endings,
and news paper writing. There will also be a
heavy emphasis on literary terms.
Mr.
Colangelo’s seventh grade Literature
classes are completing their unit on survival
with a viewing of Cast Away. Students
are comparing various literary elements of the movie
to those of the book The River. The
students will also be preparing for their midterm examination. Study
guides and study material will be reviewed in class.
Mr.
Colangelo’s eighth grade Literature
class has just completed its unit on Edgar
Allen Poe. The students were responsible for
the comprehension of three short stories as well as
the vocabulary found in these stories. They also
received important information about the man behind
the pen. The students are currently preparing
for the midterm examination. Study guides and
study material will be reviewed in class.
Mr.
Sicilian’s eighth grade English classes have
spent the last month focusing on vocabulary work and
sentence structure. They have a big vocabulary
test coming up and a picture prompt writing exercise
as well. The students were given a midterm exam
review sheet before the break and are currently reviewing
for the exam.
Mr.
Sicilian’s eight grade Honors English
class has been working on sentence structure,
vocabulary, and analogies in preparation for the midterm
as well as the G.E.P.A. They also read “Outcasts
of Poker Flat” and are currently writing an essay
in regards to the story. Before the break, the
students completed a P.S.A. which discussed the negative
effects of drugs, alcohol or smoking. The honors
class is also currently reviewing for the midterm.
Mr.
Stillman’s Literature 8 & Literature
8 Honors classes have just finished an extensive
unit on Edgar Allan Poe. They are currently preparing
for mid-terms and gearing up for an intensive period
of GEPA prep. Members of Mr. Stillman’s
Community cycle class recently
presented an idea for a traffic safety awareness campaign
to Lt. Archer of the Hasbrouck Heights Police Department.
Lt. Archer was so impressed with their ideas that he
may use their slogan on the department’s portable
message board.
Mrs.
Rowland’s 7th grade English class has
sharpened their senses through the use of the literary
term imagery. Using a black and white picture prompt,
students explored writing possibilities directly related
to the five senses.
Ms.
Dolan’s literature classes have
been busy reading A Christmas Carol, by Charles
Dickens. This was read in a play form, and all
of the students had a part. The students enjoyed
reading the play, and will watch the movie starring Patrick
Stewart. Additionally, the students in Ms.
Dolan’s literature classes have been
busy studying for their first midterm exams ever! Exam
outlines were given to all of the students on December
22, 2006, so that the students could begin studying over
the holiday break. They will have a three day review
beginning January 15, 2007. Finally, students
in Ms.
Dolan’s literature classes were given
the opportunity to receive extra credit over the holiday
break and many of the students took this opportunity. The
students wrote Haikus which told of their hopes and dreams
for the New Year. These Haikus will be entered
into a Scholastic contest, the winner of which will
receive a book a day for a year (365 books).
FOREIGN LANGUAGES-
Mrs.
Cafferty’s eighth grade
cycle students are learning the names of various classroom
objects, animals, and food and how to describe them through
simple dialogs.
Ms.
Perdomo’s sixth grade cycle
students are starting to become familiar with the Spanish
language. They are learning about differences between
Spanish and English alphabets, the use of cognate words
to understand general ideas, and commands they will hear
and say in the classroom.
Ms.
Perdomo’s seventh grade
cycle students have been learning about important reasons
to study Spanish, the use of cognates to understand dialogs,
and school supplies.
MUSIC DEPARTMENT-
Ms. Moroney indicates
that a new instrumental cycle has started with school
instruments being distributed to students who have
never played before. Tone production is the first thing
to be learned. Preparations are under way with the
sixth and seventh grade bands for the “Pops Concert” in
March with sight reading new selections.
Mr. McCarthy reports on the start
of the third cycle for seventh grade on the baroque
period and for the eighth grade on early American music. Mr.
McCarthy reports the seventh grade vocal cycle
class is working on breathing, voice placement, and
songs.
Mr. Taylor reports
that he is looking into possible medleys for the “Pops Concert” like “Lion
King” and “Oliver.” In addition, Mr.
Taylor will audition eighth graders to sing
for the high school and middle school choirs.
6th Grade Technology Pilot
ProgramSixth Grade Team
In December the Sixth Grade Team created
a PowerPoint presentation which was shown at the annual
Buehler Press Conference on December 22, 2006. Using
the teachers’ personal digital cameras, pictures
were taken of all of the students while they partook
in the Buehler activities at the Buehler Challenger Center. These
pictures were then uploaded to the new laptops and presented
using PowerPoint. This presentation was set to
music from Star Wars. Parents were given a visual presentation using the overhead
projector provided by the district, and were able t o
see exactly what the students did on this fun and educational
class trip.
Michelle
DiPiano – Math Currently,
the students are working with the multiplication of
fractions and mixed numbers using models and other strategies. The
students are looking forward to the division of fractions and
using diagrams to solve word problems before preparing for
midterm exams. We
have used some great sites to enhance the understanding
of the multiplication of fractions. The classes also
used their knowledge of fractions to complete an internet
activity project that they worked on over the holiday
break.Miss
DiPiano’s webpage at teacherweb.com is a
great tool for the students. They use the site
daily to check homework, update notes, and to complete
extra practice on the topics they are learning in
class.
Karen
Dolan – Literature Ms.
Dolan will use the newly installed
GradeQuick program to calculate all of her semester grades. Additionally, Ms.
Dolan sent
home another round of progress reports with the
students’ final
2nd marking period grades for the parents’ signature. Once
Edline is up and running, these progress reports will
be available at anytime for the parents to see their
child’s grades. The
computer has also allowed Ms. Dolan to
keep in touch with many of the parents. Specifically,
there are some parents who frequently keep in contact
via e-mail. This allows the parents and
Ms. Dolan to communicate at any time, avoiding
the missed calls, and call backs that are common
with teachers due to their lack of accessibility
to a telephone. Finally, Ms.
Dolan continues
to use the computer for all administrative
activities associated with her position as
a teacher. This
includes, but is not limited to grading,
creation of test and quizzes, internet research
to assist with her lessons, and, most importantly,
communication with the parents.
Michele
Keller - MathDuring
the month of January, Miss Keller will
use her laptop in a number of ways. First, each
week when creating her lesson plans, Miss Keller uses
Microsoft Excel to help keep her lesson plans neat and
organized. Miss
Keller also uses Microsoft Excel as a grade book, keeping
a spreadsheet of each class’s test and quiz grades. By
using Excel, Miss Keller can calculate the students’ averages
quickly, making it easy for her to complete marking period
grades. Microsoft Word also plays a big role in Miss
Keller’s daily routine. Through the use of
word Miss Keller is able to type of notes and worksheets
to present the students during her lessons. Having
internet access on her laptop helps Miss
Keller stay in close contact with parents,
allowing her to e-mail them with any questions
or concerns she has about individual students. Miss
Keller also uses her internet access to help locate
lesson plan ideas and activities from online educational
websites. Occasionally
Miss Keller finds worksheets from educational
websites that help to enhance the students
understanding of the material.
David Rispoli – ScienceThe
laptop in Mr. Rispoli’s possession has been
used daily for recording grades, homework and preparing
worksheets. It was used to create the midterm exam
and study outline for the students. Short videos,
found on the Internet, of the sun were shown using the
projector. Also, short videos of the moon were
shown to the class. The videos showed phases
of the moon, eclipses and tides. The laptop has also
been setup as a reference in class where the students
come up read a webpage that has already been selected
for them. It is also used as
a reference for the students to research
and enrich information on their own
in class.
Michael
Warren – Social
StudiesMr.
Warren's 6th grade Social Studies
classes are beginning their in-depth
review of the Mid-Term exam. The
Mid-Term exam was created using the McDougal
Littel Test Generator CD. The students are
participating in a series of flash card review activities
using the software that is a supplement of
teacher resources. The projector is utilized as
a visual enhancement to the review activities when engaged
in the flash card review and several visits to the McDougal
Littel ClassZone website for enrichment resources. Grades
and homework assignments are
entered daily using MyGradebook.com.
Allison
Wolf – EnglishMs.
Wolf has made great use of
technology in the past month
with her school provided
laptop. The laptop
has been used as an instruction,
communication, grading, and
preparation for class. As
an instructional tool,
Ms. Wolf has used the laptop
to help students in her “Pull our Support” class. They
use the programs and games
as a review of material learned
in class.The
laptop continues to be
a great source of communication
with the parents. Ms. Wolf is able to communicate
quickly with parents about their child. This
is a great tool for a
specific response to
a question, an update
on a grade, or a behavioral
issue. Over
the past two months,
Ms. Wolf has started
to use the “Grade Quick” program on her computer. This
program allows Ms. Wolf to keep record of all of the
grades for tests, quizzes, and homework. The program
also allows Ms. Wolf to send home computer-generated
progress reports to parents to update them throughout
the marking period. In addition, the laptop
continues to be used to create all tests, quizzes, and
assessments for Ms. Wolf’s classes. This
is a very quick and
convenient tool.
Euclid
School –
MATH-
Kindergarten is
working on their
numbers 1-30. They are practicing the recognition of
the numbers, as well as, counting out a specific number
of objects. They
are identifying geometry
solids and working
with symmetry.
Grade 1 is
working on place
value. They
are utilizing ten frames to create groups of “tens” and “ones.” Through
the use of manipulatives
they are identifying
the place value of
given numbers.
Grade 2 is
working on regrouping
when they subtract. They have created tens and ones
charts and are utilizing base ten cubes to kinesthetically
reinforce this concept. They
are identifying too
much information
in a word problem
and reviewing estimation.
Grade 3 is
practicing their
mad minute drills. They are beginning their study of geometry
and identifying triangles and planes. They
are identifying quadrilaterals
and working symmetry.
Grade 4 is
reading and writing “time” to
the nearest minute or second. They are calculating
elapsed time using clocks, schedules and calendars. They
are using schedules to find information. They
are focusing on the mean, median and made of a set
of date. They
are learning to read
and write fractions
and decimal parts.
Grade 5 is
working with fractions. They
are finding factors for given numbers and identifying
the greatest common factor between two given numbers. They
are creating multiples of numbers and determining the
least common multiple. They
are reducing fractions
to their simplest
from and renaming
mixed and improper
fractions.
SCIENCE-
Kindergarten is
identifying the
characteristics of
a solid, liquid and
gas. They are performing “hands
on” activities to observe a solid changing to a
liquid and then to a gas. They are studying the
earth’s landforms
and animals within
their habitats.
Grade 1 is
beginning a unit
on how plants
and animals live. They
will discuss
how animals keep
warm, get their
food and protect
themselves.
Grade 2 is
creating food
webs for various
biomes. They are identifying how animals
and plants get food to survive by viewing food chains. They
are incorporating
cause and effect
into these cycles.
Grade 3 is
learning the
characteristics
of a water ecosystem. They
participated in
a habitat hunt,
took notes and
completed drawings.
Grade 4 is
focusing on air
fronts and clouds. They are working on weather forecasting. They
are describing air masses. They
are describing
the steps of the
water cycle and
explaining how
it is influenced
by temperature,
pressure and the
topography of land.
Grade 5 is
working with
the water cycle. They are completing drawings of the process. They
are studying cloud
formations and
observed the
clouds outside
then later identified
them.
SOCIAL
STUDIES-
Kindergarten is
studying the
earth’s
landforms. They are learning about natural resources. They
are also learning about different shelters such as
igloos and how they protect us. They
are listening to
a special story
about Martin Luther
King and celebrations
on his birthday.
Grade 1 is
reviewing the
parts of a map
and completing
map skill packets. Directions
are being focused upon for traveling on a map. Students
are creating, “I Have a Dream” paragraphs.
Grade 2 is
learning about
the purpose of
taxes. They are learning about the accomplishments
of Martin Luther King. Students
participated
in literature
circles after
reading The Fight for Freedom,
African Americans of Character, and Portraits
of African American Heroes. Students
also completed
a fact and
opinion
worksheet.
Grade 4 completed
an Internet search on Martin Luther King to create fact charts.
Grade 5 has
written acrostic poems to honor Martin Luther King.
LANGUAGE ARTS-
Kindergarten is
reading and
writing various
word families. They are working on phonograms
and reading their little readers. They are reviewing
initial and ending sounds. They are hunting for
letters in magazines and newspapers. They are working
with sight words and reinforcing color words. They
are writing
steps in
sequence,
writing their
alphabet
and full
names.
Grade 1 is
working with “r” controlled
words. They created Bingo boards to reinforce vocabulary
words. They are retelling stories by using the beginning,
middle and end format. They created crossword puzzles
and are practicing the use of plurals by adding an “s” to
mean more than one. Students are focusing on think and
respond questions to build their critical thinking skills.
Grade 2 is
working on the recognition of letter patterns (gr, kr, wr). They are summarizing
stories by identifying the details within the beginning,
middle and end. They are making inferences when they
read. They are learning the abbreviations for the months
of the year. In addition, they are working on writing
an informational paragraph and fairy tale book reports. They
are practicing their letters ion script.
Grade 3 is
focusing on abbreviations. They
are using four square writing to write descriptive paragraphs.
Grade
4 is working with pronouns. They are integrating
quotes into their writing their writing pieces. They
are reading poetry and beginning a novel study “George
Washington’s Socks.”
Grade 5 is
working on persuasive pieces. They
are brainstorming, creating outlines, brainstorming and their
publishing. Students are working on various types of
nouns and created acrostic for Martin Luther King. They
are reading Island of the Blue Dolphins and focusing on comprehension. They
are working on power point book reports.
ART –
Kindergarten is working on their Jack in
the Box projects.
Grade 1 is working on their clown projects.
Grade 2 is working on their fire prevention
posters.
Grade 3 is working on their paper wearing.
Grade 4 is working on their stained glass.
Grade 5 is working on their string art.
MUSIC –
Kindergarten through Grade 5 are
learning and practicing their song for Drug Awareness Week
to be performed at the Drug Rally. In addition, students learned “Let
Peace Begin with Me” in honor of Martin Luther King. Also,
grade 5 has been preparing for their DARE Graduation.
PHYSICAL
EDUCATION –
Kindergarten through Grade 5 participated
in the Jump Rope for Heart program. In addition, they
are working on developing their skills for volleyball. They
are working on serving and returning in volleyball.
WORLD LANGUAGE-
Students
in grades 1-5 are learning their numbers with Kindergarten
learning colors, family and house vocabulary while grade
1 worked with familiar house vocabulary and colors and created
sentences.
Grade 2 is learning the vocabulary of community
workers and creating a story about them to present to the class.
Grade 3 is creating pictures of sentences
in Spanish to teach their classmates their new words.
Grade 4 is writing and memorizing short
skits in Spanish to present to the class.
Grade 5 is learning about the different
eco systems and what animals inhabit them in Spanish.
LIBRARY/COMPUTERS –
Kindergarten and Grade 1 are learning to
create graphics, using backgrounds and stamps.
Grade 2 is learning to open, operate and
close a computer program.
Grade 3 is practicing their keyboarding
skills.
Grade 4 is learning to use the options in
the edit toolbar.
Grade 5 is learning to discuss “intellectual
property” copyright and plagiarism.
Lincoln School -
MATHEMATICS:
The
Kindergarten students have
been practicing the numbers 11 - 30. We have been writing,
naming, and identifying these numbers. We have just begun our
chapter on measurement and are learning how to measure
length with standard and non-standard units. Our
first graders have been introduced to the concept
of Tens and Ones. We are continually timing our addition
and subtraction facts.
The second grade classes
are completing the unit on regrouping in subtraction and beginning
the unit on money.
The third grade students
have grasped the concept of division and are continuing to master
the 0-12 division facts. They are also learning to collect and
organize data into tables and graphs. Customary and metric units
of measurement are also being explored.
Fourth graders have
been working on the Geometry Unit. On Monday, January 8, 2007
the learners completed a Chapter 17 test on lines and angles.
On Tuesday, January 9, 2007 the learners will begin working
with Chapter 18-Polygons (classifying triangles, quadrilaterals,
circles, etc.).Upon completion of Chapter 18, the learners
will be able to complete hands-on activities that come
from the Rutgers NJASK workshop to review congruent & similar
figures, transformations, tessellations, and geometric patterns.
All of these lessons are aligned with the NJ CCCS and
include "Measuring Up" pages/problem solving to prepare
the students for the upcoming NJASK test in March.
The
fifth graders are continuing a unit on fractions. They
are working on equivalent fractions, lowest terms, mixed numbers,
improper fractions, and relating factions to decimals.
SCIENCE:
Kindergarten students have been learning about plants
and animals that live on land and in water. We have been learning
how to identify different types of habitats and recognize the plants and
animals that live in each type.
Our first graders are
continuing to introduce and discuss our unit on Life Cycles (How
Animals Grow and Change).
The second grade classes
are studying about plants and animals and how their habitats
effect the earth's ecosystem.
The third
grade students will observe, describe, and measure
the properties of matter. They will also describe the motion
of various objects (forward, circular, wave, etc.), how force
affects motion, and how simple machines affect work.
The fourth graders are
working with Chapter 7 in Science "Hurricanes
and Tornadoes." The learners began the chapter on Tuesday, January 2,
2007 with a hands-on activity using water and food coloring to see the effect
of the wind in a hurricane. The learners have been continuing to learn about
hurricanes by listening to the lesson hurricanes on tape, through class discussion,
workbook pages, and note taking. The learners will follow the same criteria
to work with Tornadoes. A vocabulary quiz will be given on Wed., January 10,
2007 and a Chapter 7 test will be given on Tuesday, January 16, 2007. Upon
completion of Chapter 7, the learners will continue to work with natural
disasters by moving onto chapter 9 and begin working with "Earthquakes".
Our fifth graders have
completed a unit on the water cycle, nitrogen cycle and the
process of photosynthesis. They have learned about predators
and prey and how energy moves throughout the food
chain and the food web. They are beginning a new unit
on the Periodic Table of Elements, the properties of matter,
as well as mixtures and solutions.
SOCIAL STUDIES:
Our kindergarten students
have been learning about our country's symbols, the first Americans,
and famous scientists and inventors. We have just begun
learning about the dreams and accomplishments of Martin Luther
King, Jr. and how he brought about change to our nation. We
have also been discussing our own dreams.
The first
graders are working on the Unit on
Needs and Wants. We are working with our book and workbook
materials. Bonus for January: We have read and discussed a
First Grade book on Dr. Martin Luther King. The classes completed
an art and writing project.
The second grade classes
are beginning a unit on the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. Emphasis will be placed on the concepts of
equality, fairness, and acceptance. They will also write a
story about their own dreams for our world.
The third
graders will discuss and explore different cultural
celebrations. They will also investigate community environments
and the importance if conserving our natural resources. Map
skills include reading a line graph and using intermediate
directions in a compass rose.
LANGUAGE ARTS:
The kindergarteners have
been learning about the letter Ii and short i word families
including -it, -ig, -in, -ip, and -id. We have been putting
a great deal of effort into our writing skills including appropriate letter
formation, inventive spelling, capitalization and punctuation.
Our first graders completed
the story "Tomas
Rivera". We completed our Practice book skill pages reviewing
our sight words and comprehension strategies. We are currently
working on "On Our Way To The Pond.”We have been
working on the r-controlled vowel sounds. They are reviewed
several times in our Practice books and Phonics books. We have
completed our units using the digraphs qu, wh, ch. Our Spelling
words are including r-controlled vowels: ur-ir-er.
The second
graders are reading the story; "Watermelon Day" The
focus skill for this story is making inferences and grammar
abbreviations for the months of the year. In spelling, the
second grade classes have almost completed their third theme. This
unit focused on the consonant digraphs kn, wr, and gn. The
second grade classes have begun to learn how to write in script. The
students have learned about 9 letters so far with focus on
under curve, slant, and check stroke.
In English, the second grade classes have reinforced the concepts
of synonyms, regular and irregular plurals, contractions, and
alphabetizing skills. In phonics, the second grade classes
reviewed the long vowel sounds of a, e, i, o, and u and how
to write sentences using these sounds.
The third grade students
will continue to identify narrative elements in realistic nonfiction
selections, as well as make and confirm predictions of how
a plot might progress. Third graders will also make inferences,
analyze point of view and purpose, and distinguish fact from
opinion in the Essential Skills for Reading Success NJASK
Practice workbook. Third graders continue to work on writing
persuasively, as well as writing paragraphs that compare and
contrast. They will also continue to write narratives based
on picture and poetry prompts. Students are using sentence
variety, pronouns, and different types of adjectives (what
kind, how many) in their writing.
The fourth graders are
currently learning about verbs. This includes action,
linking, and main verbs and helping verbs. Students will
be completing a unit test on January 24th. Students are writing
cause and effect paragraphs and essays. They are also
reviewing narratives. This month the 4th grade reading class
will be starting a new novel titled MANIAC MAGEE by Jerry Spinelli. We
will also continue working on our strategies for reading and
test taking to prepare for the NJASK. For this we will
be using ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR READING SUCCESS. Next week we
will start the Holistic Assessment for theme 2.
The fifth
graders recently completed the unit on verbs,
and are starting a new unit in grammar on pronouns. The
students will be working on persuasive speeches in the upcoming
weeks. In reading the students are reading the Mixed Up Files
of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. The students are practicing
their comprehension skills in preparation for the NJ ASK test
in March.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION:
K-2nd Grades..... Students worked on scooter
activities, basket ball dribbling and passing skills. Students
were also involved with jump rope activities in preparation for
JUMP ROPE FOR HEART.
3rd- 5th Grades.... Students were involved
with basket ball skills as well as the Elk's Hoop Shoot Contest
in which 4 participants from Lincoln School went on to compete
in the next round of shooting at the High school. Students are
also working hard at there jumping abilities as we get ready
for JUMP ROPE FOR HEART.
MUSIC: (All Elementary Schools)
4th Grade:
The 4th Grade instrumental students are learning about ties,
fermatas and repeat signs and incorporating them into simple
eight measure melodies.
5th Grade:
The 5th Grade instrumental students had two successful performances
in the Winter Concerts on December