No School Tomorrow

During the field trip students learned about the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.

Wow, last week was really busy.  We had a school-wide poetry share-out on Wednesday, the concert on Thursday, and the field trip on Friday.  Pictures from each even are posted in our photo gallery, linked on the right.

No School Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 2nd
There is no school tomorrow to accommodate election day.  We encourage you to vote in the Ann Arbor election which includes a Sinking Fund item for AAPS.  More information can be found on our district website.

Bike to School Day!
Wednesday, May 3rd is Bike to School Day--you can also walk!  All bikers are invited to arrive at the back of school near the MPR patio at the snack table by 7:55 am for a group photo.

Color Fun Run
The PTO is planning the annual Fun Run, but this year with a twist - a “dash” of COLOR! This is their largest fundraiser of the year and the PTO is hoping to surpass the $20,000 goal - which helps to cover the cost of our school field trips, assemblies, grants, etc. The run is scheduled for Friday, May 19th in the afternoon and will include colorful cornstarch raining down on the students.  More information about how you can contribute can be found here and here. 

Field Trip
The field trip really helped cap off our study of the human body.  A big thanks to all of you getting in your permission slips, and a big thanks to our chaperones.  I posted pictures in the photo gallery.

Yearbook
Absolute last chance to buy a yearbook.  Click here for more information.  Click here for a paper order form.  You can also go to SchoolPictures.com, click on 'Order Now', and follow the prompts.

Curriculum Overview
Science - We are beginning a new project to study what living things (plants and animals) need to survive.  More information to come.

Math - This week we will primarily be working on reading analog and digital clocks.

Literacy - We are reading fiction books and carefully watching the feeling of characters and how they change across a text.  Ask you students about Big Bushy Mustache.

Writing - Last week students wrote poems for our poetry share, we will do some more work around poetry this week.

Word Study - This week students are working on different word sorts aligned with their academic next steps.  Students are working on letter sounds, blends, and vowel spelling patterns.

Thanks for coming to the concert.

Performance Thursday, Field Trip Friday

This week we conducted an experiment to see why we have so many bones in our hands.

Field Trip
Our field trip to Saint Joe's Health Exploration Station is set for this Friday, April 28th.  Thank you for getting those permission slips in.  I sent an email to everyone who was interested in chaperoning last Friday.  If you did not get that email, and want to join us, please let me know.

Yearbook
If you are thinking about buying a yearbook, the deadline has been extended.  Click here for more information.  Click here for a paper order form.  You can also go to SchoolPictures.com, click on 'Order Now', and follow the prompts.

Kindergarten Concert
The kindergartners are preparing for their end of the year music performance!  We are excited to share songs that we have been learning throughout the year on stage!  Please join us on April 27, 2017 @ 6pm in the MPR for an evening of beautiful music!  The call time for the students is 5:50pm.  Recommended attire is similar to expo, nice clothes that are comfortable to wear on stage.  Feel free to contact Ms. Huckabone if you have an questions, huckabone@aaps.k12.mi.us

Curriculum Overview
Science - We are in the middle of a Project Lead The Way unit on the structure and function of the human body.  This week students will learn about muscles and, in a separate lesson, will design a cast to help a bone heal.  If you have extra paper towel roles at home send them in.

Math - This week we will primarily be studying fractions, equal parts, halves, thirds, and fourths.

Literacy - We are reading books about the human body to support the learning of our Project Lead The Way unit on the human body.  We are also reading fiction books and carefully watching the feeling of characters and how they change across a text.  Ask you students about The Dot.

Writing - Students are going to be doing some writing around the new Project Lead The Way unit on the Human Body.  Last week students posted writing about the bones in their hands in Seesaw.

Word Study - Students are working on the words from our human body unit: skeleton, muscles, brain, lungs, heart, protection, and communication.

In preparation for our experiment for why we have so many bones in our hands we recorded how many pegs students could put in holes (using all 27 of their hand bones) within one minute.

Field Trip Next Friday

A designer from the Ford Motor Company visited our class last week to discuss the process she uses at Ford to design new vehicles.

Field Trip
Our field trip to Saint Joe's Health Exploration Station is set for next Friday, April 28th.  Thank you for getting those permission slips in.

Yearbook
If you want to purchase a school yearbook for the end of the year the time to do it is now.  Click here for a little more information.  Click here for a paper order form.  You can also go to SchoolPictures.com, click on 'Order Now', and follow the prompts.


Kindergarten Concert
The kindergartners are preparing for their end of the year music performance!  We are excited to share songs that we have been learning throughout the year on stage!  Please join us on April 27, 2017 @ 6pm in the MPR for an evening of beautiful music!  The call time for the students is 5:50pm.  Recommended attire is similar to expo, nice clothes that are comfortable to wear on stage.  Feel free to contact Ms. Huckabone if you have an questions, huckabone@aaps.k12.mi.us

Needed Items
I updated the classroom wish list.  If you are at the store and see hand sanitizer we will put it to good use.

Curriculum Interview
Science - We are in the middle of a Project Lead The Way unit on the structure and function of the human body.  Students began assembling a miniature (and simplified) human body on paper last week.  Pictures are on Seasaw.

Math - In class this week we will study U.S. coins, their names and values, and how to add and subtract with them.

Literacy - We are reading books about the human body to support the learning of our Project Lead The Way unit on the human body.  We will also read a few fiction books and carefully watch the feeling of characters and how they change across a text.  Ask you students about Shelia Rae The Brave.

Writing - Students are going to be doing some writing around the new Project Lead The Way unit on the Human Body.  Before that begins I will be teaching the students to stretch out their stories into multiple sections and pages.

Word Study - This week students are working on the words from our human body unit: skeleton, muscles, brain, lungs, heart, protection, and communication.

Many of you sent me pictures from EXPO, thank you.  I am posting them in the Room K-3 Photo Gallery, the password was emailed out this week.

Welcome back!

Students were excited to see that the tree outside our classroom was blooming for spring.

New Project Lead the Way Unit
This week we are beginning a new Project Lead The Way unit on the structure and function of the human body.  Students will learn about the shape and structure of our major organs along with the function and purpose of each.  To culminate this unit we will be taking a field trip to visit the St. Joseph Mercy Health Exploration Station (http://www.healthexplorationstation.com/tour.html) the morning of Friday, April 28th.  A field trip permission slip will go home in students' red folders tomorrow.  Please sign it and return it as soon as possible.  Students are riding the bus, if you are interested in joining us at the location as a chaperone there is a section on the permission slip where you can indicate your interest.

Save the Date
Ms. Huckabone is planning a kindergarten performance on Thursday, April 27th, at 6PM.  More information to follow next Monday.

STEAM Expo
Thank you so much for coming to our STEAM Expo.  I really appreciate the effort you made to get here on time in spite of the traffic, parking, and inclement weather.  The students were really excited to host you and show you their learning.  If you took any good photos, please email them to me, I was not able to take any.

School Climate Survey
The 2017 School Climate Survey Is Here! Make Your Voice Count! All parents/guardians with a current email address on file received a personal invitation and survey link but parents may also take the survey at http://tiny.cc/AAPS2017ParentSurvey. We are pleased to offer the survey in English, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.

Curriculum Overview
Science - We are beginning a Project Lead The Way unit on the structure and function of the human body!  Students will begin assembling a miniature (and simplified) human body on paper this week.

Math - In class this week we will study place value.  Later in the week we will be learning about the value of U.S. coins.

Literacy - We are reading books about the human body to support the learning of our Project Lead The Way unit on the human body.  We will also read a few fiction books to carefully track the feeling of characters and how they change across a text.

Writing - Students are going to be doing some writing around the new Project Lead The Way unit on the Human Body.  Before that begins I will be teaching the students to stretch out their stories into multiple sections and pages.

Word Study - This week students are working on different word sorts aligned with their academic next steps.  Students are working on letter sounds, blends, and complex spelling patterns.