WOODRIDGE SCHOOL NEWSwoodridgeschool.weebly.com/uploads/8/0/7/7/8077499/may_2012.pdf · and Me and Uncle Romie. Comprehension skills include compare/contrast, ... genre. Skills students

Important  Dates    

 •   May  4  grade  3  field  trip  

 •  May  8  –  10          Science  NECAP          •  May  16  grade  2  field  trip  

 •  May  19  PTO  yard  sale  

 •  May  22  PTO  mtg.  6  –  7  pm  

 •  May  28th        Good  Friday        No  school    •  June  15  grade  6  field  trip  

 •  June  18  last  day  of  school  

401 Budlong Road ● Cranston, Rhode Island 02920 ● 401-270-8007 ● Fax (401) 270-8708

Kindergarten  News  from  Ms.  Bowen  

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As the children begin to think about their “flight” into first grade, we as the teacher and parents in their lives must reflect upon the individual growth each child has demonstrated. Education is truly a partnership between parents and teachers.

Day by day, teachers make their gardens grow. I am most proud of my kindergarten children. Not only have they grown physically, but also socially, emotionally and intellectually.

My goal this year was and continues to be to encourage, inspire and challenge all the flowers in my garden to reach their full potential. They truly have bloomed into a spectacular array of flowers. During the summer please be sure to “water” and “feed” your flowers (children) daily,

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using their world as your classroom and using the fun activities you pursue. Science, Math, Social Studies and Literacy Skills can be found everywhere...at the beach, on a picnic, eating ice cream, as you travel, etc.… Question them… challenge them…ask them the why’s, how’s, what do you think? …predict, estimate…etc. SCIENCE: Arriving shortly will be ten live larvae which will assist us to learn about the life cycle of the Painted Lady Butterfly. As enthusiastic scientists, we will be writing and drawing about our scientific observations of the process of metamorphosis. ** Please continue to reinforce good listening and attending skills as well as “prideful work” (especially on homework assignments). SPRING with all it has to offer

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is a wonderfully uplifting, playful and fun time of year (as it should be). However, with warmer temperatures to come, it does become a difficult time for the children to focus on school. We still have many things to learn and many assessments. With this in mind, the PALS – Phonological Assessment Literacy Screening will begin in early May. Please be sure your child arrives to school ON TIME and WELL RESTED. I have sincerely appreciated your cooperation and support with my “Garden of Learners” during this academic year. I look forward to observing their continued growth as they enthusiastically enter first grade!

W OO DRIDG E S CHO OL NEW S

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April  was  certainly  a  very  exciting  month  at  Woodridge.    We  had  a  busy  eventful  Reading  Week  with  many  interesting  readers  visiting  the  school.    I  would  like  to  thank  Miss  Marocco  and  her  helpers,  Mrs.  Moschetti  and  Mrs.  Mancini  for  a  job  well  done!  Also  in  April  we  had  a  fun  filled  PBIS  pep  rally.    Students  who  had  accumulated  100  tickets  or  more  were  recognized.    As  well,  Jump  Rope  for  Heart  winners  and  students  who  participated  in  the  poetry  

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contest  were  recognized.  May  promises  to  be  a  busy  month  as  well.    Our  fourth  graders  will  be  participating  in  the  Science  NECAP  Assessment  on  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  and  Thursday,  May  8  –  10.    PTO  will  hold  its  last  meeting  on  Tuesday,  May  23rd  and  the  sixth  graders  will  be  involved  in  transitioning  to  the  middle  schools.  I  would  like  to  take  this  opportunity  to  once  more  thank  the  Woodridge  PTO  and  all  Woodridge  parents  who  work  so  hard  to  make  

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this  the  best  school  in  Rhode  Island.    ***Our  lost  &  found  boxes      are  full.    If  your  child  is  missing  any  clothing  articles  please  check  in        the  foyer.  ***  

HAPPY  SPRING!!  

Woodridge School News Page 2 of 5

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Language Arts: We will continue our final unit in reading called Great Ideas. Children are learning about famous people and continue to enjoy non-fiction stories. We will be working on vowel combinations and writing different kinds of sentences (commands, questions, exclamatory, and statements). Please continue to read nightly with your child. Math: We will be

Grade  1  News  from  Mrs.  Ferranti  and  Mrs.  Amper  

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Reading: We have finished Unit 4 in our Reading Street series and begun Unit 5, “Responsibility”. We are also working on a unit on Fairytales as well. Math: We continue to work on math problem solving, regrouping, as well as preparing for NECAP Testing. Social Studies: We have learned all about

Grade  2  News  from  Mrs.  Kelly  and  Miss  Rossi  

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I hope everyone had a relaxing April vacation and spent some quality time with your families. I cannot believe that we are in our last quarter of school!  Phonics: The students now know their long and short vowel sounds! As you can see, their spelling words are getting more challenging. The students are now working on base words and word endings ( -ed, -s, -ing). We continue to blend and segment words that contain the constant blends each day. Science: Thank you to Mrs. DiChairo for letting us visit

Grade  1/2/3  News  from  Miss  Ng,  Mrs.  Fermin  &  Ms.  Tessier  

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completing Unit 8 and beginning Unit 9 which is a geometry unit called Blocks and Boxes. We will continue with problem solving and introduce fractions and place value. Social Studies: We will be working on a unit on Patriotism. The children will be learning different symbols of the United States. Science: We will continue our Unit on Living Things

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with a concentration on plants. Our final Unit will be Energy. The children will learn how the sun affects the land and water as well as objects.

Please help to prepare your children for second grade by emphasizing the following skills and rules: * Being a good listener * Following directions * Raising hand and waiting to be called on * Working neatly

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landforms and map and globe skills. Science: We have been working on a unit on Plants and Living Things. Writing: We will soon begin to convert all of our writing to cursive handwriting as we prepare for third grade. Language: We are finishing up on our unit on adverbs and will be

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working with the four types of sentences: statements, questions, commands and exclamations. It has been very rewarding for us to see the children grow and progress to this point. Thank you for sharing your children with us.  

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the chicks this month! The students really enjoyed petting the chicks and “babysitting” them one afternoon. We finished learning about the chicken and frog life cycle. We will wrap up the unit of life cycles by learning about plants. A life cycle corner has been made in the classroom where the students can visit to look at different books and further their knowledge on life cycles. Math: The 1st grade students are learning to add up to 10 using manipulatives, drawings

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and the number line. They have done a nice job creating number sentences and understanding this concept. Subtraction will be introduced this month using stories and hands-on activities. The 2nd and 3rd graders are learning more strategies to add longer number sentences. The whole class will continue to problem solve. Reading: Reading groups are still being conducted 3-4x per week. As we move towards the end of the year, the stories become more challenging. Please be sure to practice spelling

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and sight words each night to get that extra practice. Thank you for returning the borrowed books from the classroom library. The students have really enjoyed taking books home each week to record for their reading logs. Be sure to study sight words, spelling words and complete homework nightly.

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* Using the mechanics of writing - using capitals and punctuation

* Writing first and last name on papers We are thrilled with the progress the children have made this year! Please continue working with them throughout the summer so they will be prepared for next year. Thank you for all of your support this year!

Woodridge School News Page 3 of 5

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Reading: We have completed Unit 4 in Reading Street and have begun Unit 5. Stories we will cover are Suki’s Kimono, How My Family Lives in America, Good-bye, 382 Shin Dang Dong, Jalapeno Bagels and Me and Uncle Romie. Comprehension skills include compare/contrast, generalize, fact and opinion, sequence of

Grade  3  News  from  Mrs.  DiChiaro  and  Miss  Jackson  

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Reading: Students have begun Unit 5, Adventures by Land, Air, and Water. They will continue to read stories of various genre. Skills students will continue to review are - author’s purpose, compare and contrast, main idea, and drawing conclusions. Math: Students are

Grade  4  News  from  Mrs.  Sisti  and  Miss  Vecchio  

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events, drawing conclusions, and author’s purpose. Vocabulary includes context clues and word structure. In grammar, the following are included: adjectives and articles, adjectives that compare, adverbs, adverbs that compare and conjunctions. Social Studies: Chapters 8 & 9. Chapter 8 looks at how communities work together. Chapter 9

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discusses expansion of the US from the Oregon Trail to current immigration. Science: Living Things, Animals and Plants. Math: We have completed fractions and will work with decimals, geometry and probability. We will continue to practice problem solving skills, multiplication and division. Writing: Our writing for

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concluding the unit on fractions and are ready to move on to decimals. They will continue to work on two and three digit multiplication along with division and problem solving. Science: Students have moved on to the next unit, Characteristics of Plants and Animals,

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where they will be studying the different ways plants reproduce and the structures and functions they have to survive. Science NECAP will begin the second week of May. Social Studies: We will be moving to the Southwest and West regions of our country.

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Another busy month has flown by in fifth grade! We completed a Math unit on Fractions and have moved on to Geometry. Please continue to drill those multiplication facts at home! In Grammar, we

Grade  5  News  from  Mrs.  Almonte  and  Mrs.  Kiley  

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completed a unit on pronouns and are now working on adjectives and adverbs. Students have been working in Literature Circles reading and discussing The Fighting Ground. In Social Studies, we

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are studying the Revolutionary War and in Science we have begun a unit on Weather. Students should be reviewing notes frequently, not just before a quiz or a test. It’s hard to believe

The  ob jec t  o f   t each ing  a   ch i ld   i s   to   enab le  h im   to  ge t  a long  w i thout  a   t eacher .                   Elbert  Hubbard  (1856-­‐1915)  American  author,  editor  and  printer.  

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we are now into the fourth quarter. We are looking forward to a fun and productive end of the year!

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Students will continue to learn about the people, culture, climate, and geography of these regions. Writing: Persuasive writing is the focus of our lessons this quarter.

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this unit is Persuasive Letters. Students will develop an understanding of a persuasive letter, use persuasive words such as must or best, put reasons in logical order, use correct letter format, use facts and opinions to make a point, and organize facts in their order of importance.

Woodridge School News Page 4 of 5

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Math: We have been checking our chances with probability. Following this chapter, students will be finding the area and volume of various shapes and objects. Students are urged to continue practicing previously taught skills as they will reappear frequently in future chapters. Students will get a comprehensive view of Chapters 1 – 14 during the last weeks of school. Reading: We are completing Unit 5 themed Resources. During this unit

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Science: The topic we will be focusing on during this quarter is: Process within an Ecosystem. Look for study guides to go along with these topics. Social Studies: In Social Studies we have been learning about the Southeast region. This quarter, students will be doing a small project on

Grade  6  News  from  Mrs.  Colapietro  &  Mrs.  Viveiros  

Grade  4/5/6  News  from  Miss  Palmieri,  Mrs.  Desiderato  &  Ms.  Tessier    

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students were exposed to nonfiction and expository text. In unit 6, students will explore culture, and use visualizing to compare and contrast information, draw conclusions, and make generalizations. Students should continue to read independently and are advised to do so at home every night. Science: During the fourth quarter, students will be learning about Earth in space and the positional relationships between the Earth, sun and moon.

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Students will also learn about the characteristic properties of matter and the relationship between energy, motion, temperature and states of matter. Social Studies: We continue to learn about the ancient world and its history. We completed our unit on Mesopotamia and are currently learning about Ancient Egypt. HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!

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the southeast states. Most of this project will be done in school, however, students will be asked to complete parts of this project at home. Students will be asked to do research on one of the southeast states and present it to the class. This project will be graded and go towards their 4th

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quarter report card grade. Reading: Continue looking for weekly vocabulary words/definitions in your child’s take home binders to study nightly at home. Encourage your child to read for 15 minutes a night and to practice their multiplication facts nightly.

Learners use skills, resources, and tools to:

Standard 1. Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge. Grade 1: Asking Questions, Finding Answers to research insects Grade 2: Beginning note taking skills to research Freaky Frogs Standard 2. Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge. Grade 3: Learning How to Use a variety of traditional Reference Sources Grade 4: Finding information using Online Reference Sources Standard 3. Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society. Grade 5: Writing from Informational Text without plagiarizing

Grade 6: Using Critical Thinking to research online safely and effectively Standard 4. Pursue personal and aesthetic growth. All Grades: Self-selection of reading materials

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*As a reminder, students are not allowed to enter the portables following dismissal. They must take all necessary materials home with them at the end of each day. Also, any parents/guardians needing to speak with Mrs. Colapietro and/or Mrs. Viveiros must report to the office beforehand. Parents/guardians and students will not be allowed into the portables until teachers have been notified by the main office. Thank you.

                                         News  from  Mrs.  Basso,  Librarian    

rs.  Basso,  Librarian  

Lessons in the library are based on meeting the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards for 21st-Century Learners. Scaffolding of lessons as students progress from grade to grade, help them achieve these standards. Lessons over the past months demonstrate the basis of the standards as follows:  

Woodridge School News Page 5 of 5

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We have made it through a “not so cold” winter, but because of that, expect the tick infestation to be much worse this spring. Simple family outings in the woods, park, or even your own backyard may leave you vulnerable to picking up ticks. Some carry bacteria that can cause diseases such as Lyme. The best protection is prevention. If going outside, use a repellent that contains 20% or more DEET on exposed skin, but avoid hands, eyes and mouth. You can also use a product that contains

Nurse’s  Notes  from  Mrs.  Colman  

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permethrin on clothing such as boots, pants, or socks. Wear light colored socks and pants to help spot ticks. You can also tuck your pant legs into your socks to reduce the risk of ticks getting under clothes. A daily ritual of examining everyone in the family, as well as pets, should happen especially if they are spending time in tick-infested areas. You should check for ticks under your child’s arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, around the waist, and especially

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in their hair. Tiny ticks can be dangerous, but a little common sense can keep them from causing illness. I have made it my goal this year to increase communication to parents, regarding current health information, by contributing to the school’s newsletter. At the end of May, I will be sending home a short survey requesting feedback. This will let me know if you thought the “Nurse’s Notes” were informative. Thank you!

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Dear Friends, How is it that we are in the final stretch of this school year? Yet there is so much more to do and accomplish before the end. While we have obtained certain goals of bringing more technology and support to the school, we want to do more. I would like to take this moment to thank everyone who has helped us with our efforts. Flyers have gone home with regard to the Community Yard Sale to be held on the blacktop

   PTO  News    

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of the school on Saturday, May 19th from 8 am to noon. If you are interested in being part of this event, please contact me or Heather Kendra, co-chair. We have signs available to post in yards to promote the yard sale. We will be putting an ad in the Cranston Herald and Craig's List as well. Word of mouth works well to sell everyone's wares. From the Fundraising team, the tiles will be applied to the wall soon. It is truly a great way to

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beautify the inside of our school with the children’s artwork. This yearly tradition is an exciting addition to the hallways of our beloved school. PTO Nominations for the Executive Board were read at the last meeting. The next meeting on May 22nd will be elections of the Executive Board. Please make a concerted effort to attend all meetings. We discuss new and exciting things and it is always nice to have new input or ideas. Our last

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meeting was well attended as we all shared different ideas and viewpoints. The collaboration of everyone involved proves to make Woodridge a powerhouse in parental support of our children's school! As always, thank you for your support. Lisa Mancini PTO President 464-6371 [email protected]