E-News on the Lane
Highlights from the week at Indian Lane
October 19-23, 2015
Message from our Principal
It has been a busy week here at Indian Lane, and it feels like the
school year is in full swing - many morning and afternoon clubs have
started, fifth grade band rehearsals began, we celebrated October
birthdays and featured artists, and we had a visit from the
Philadelphia Zoo.
Looking ahead to next week, it’s easy to see that the excitement
continues. Each morning next week Mrs. Hilden will appear on our
morning announcements to feature age appropriate healthy living habits
for Red Ribbon Week. Classroom teachers will follow-up with the ideas
during morning meeting. Some examples of healthy living habits that
we will address include healthy eating, getting a good night’s sleep, and
exercising.
We are all looking forward to meeting Mr. John Reid, IL’s new principal.
Staff will meet Mr. Reid at 3:30 on Monday, October 26th, and parents
are invited to a Meet & Greet sponsored by our PTG that evening from
7:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the cafeteria.
Next Thursday, October 29th, IL is supporting Breast Cancer
Awareness Month with “Think Pink” Day. Students and staff are
encouraged to wear pink. It is also Picture Make-up day on Thursday.
Next Friday, October 30th, is our Halloween Parade followed by
classroom parties. The students and teachers are really looking
forward to this wonderful Indian Lane tradition. I ask that parents
read the guidelines posted on our website to ensure the afternoon runs
smoothly. Please pay particular attention to costume choices and
dismissal procedures. Thanks in advance for your help and support.
Conference sign-up sheets
From our Classrooms
Kindergarten
In Reading Workshop we learned how to read the story like the author.
We also learned how to read the character's expressions to determine
how they are feeling. During Writing Workshop the children learned
how to add onto their writing to make it more interesting.
We are preparing the kindergarten for addition. They have been using
red and yellow counters to show all of the different ways to make
numbers one through ten.
The children have been practicing the letter sound for Tt. We made a
very long list of words that begin with the letter Tt. For homework the
children needed to find something that began with the letter Tt. They
were able to share their objects during our phonics time.
First Grade
In Writing Workshop we tried 3 new ways to bring our stories to life.
The first strategy we practiced was to unfreeze the people in our
stories by making them move and talk. The second strategy was to tell
the story in itsy-bitsy steps instead of giant steps. For example, one
student wrote, ​
We got ready then we made smores.​After we told it
bit by bit the story became much more interesting. The story now
includes details like putting a marshmallow on a stick and turning it over
the fire so it wouldn’t burn, adding the mushy marshmallow to the
chocolate and graham cracker to make a smores sandwich! The third
strategy we learned to help bring our stories to life was to tell the
‘inside story.’ Characters have thoughts and feelings and it is the
author’s job to include them in the story. Next week, we will continue
to practice these revision skills.
Second Grade
Reading Workshop mini lessons were dedicated to connecting our new
learning with our previous learning, responding to what we read with
more thoughtful responses and discovering strategies for tackling
tricky words. Small group work focused on interacting appropriately
with our reading partner and reading like an expert.
Writing Workshop has the children continuing to write in powerful
ways based upon the “writing moves” emulated from our mentor
authors. After identifying powerful writing techniques, the children
rush off to find where they can try out some of these moves in their
own writing. Some of these moves include comparisons, using the senses
and using actions to convey feelings. The children were given a
checklist to assist them in revising, editing and evaluating their own
work.
We have completed and assessed Topic 1, ​
Fluently Add And Subtract
Within 20​
. Today was our first ​
Tools for Success ​
testing day. We
send our thanks to the parents who worked with our children this
morning!
In Social Studies, we are comparing and contrasting three types of
communities: urban, suburban and rural. We identified reasons why
some people began to move away from big cities to develop the
suburban and rural areas of our country. We are taking full advantage
of our social studies textbooks, as we are learning all about
informational reading in reading workshop! Don’t you just love when
learning overlaps and blossoms?
Third Grade
Third graders had a big week this week! In Math, we finished Topic 2
and had our second assessment. Way to go, third graders! In Word
Study, students have continued to move through their schedule,
learning new word patterns. In Reading Workshop, third graders have
continued to read their series books with their reading partners. Some
of our students are starting their second book in the series! This week,
we have learned to put ourselves in the characters’ shoes by using
different strategies. In Writing Workshop, we finished our personal
narratives and celebrated our writing. In Social Studies, we finished
our travel brochures for Roseburg, Oregon; Las Cruces, New Mexico;
and Gloucester, Massachusetts. Next week, we will be looking at our
first Science unit! We are looking forward to another great week!
Fourth Grade
Fourth Graders are finishing up reading realistic fiction and using
strong thinking and interpretation skills. Students are making
connections to the text by considering character traits, looking for
turning points or big events in a character’s life, and developing
theories/ideas about life lessons. The BIG IDEA or THEME has been
the focus by looking for what the author really wants us to take away
into our own lives. We are letting books teach us and change us!
Fifth Grade
We will begin to wrap up our first unit in Reader’s Workshop. The big
focus for this unit has been finding just right books, learning classroom
procedures for workshop, developing theories about characters and
stories, and seeing how characters change over time in the story.
Students have also worked on written reflections of their writing by
using sticky notes to spark discussions that can turn into a written
idea.
In Writer’s Workshop, students will soon begin to choose a personal
narrative to publish. This published piece will be revised with teachers
and students partners, and have several focused areas of revision to
make these personal narratives come alive. Students have worked hard
to “show” their stories, and not just “tell” what has happened.
In Envisions math, we will begin to multiply 3-digit by 2-digit numbers,
estimate products, solve word problems with multiplication, learn
various methods and strategies of multiplication, and how to check
multiplication problems using the inverse operations.
From our Specialists:
Art
We celebrated our first Featured Artist Breakfast of the year in Mr.
Barry’s office on Thursday, October 22nd . This project allows
selected students in grades 1 - 5 to showcase their artwork in the
principal’s office. The following artists are represented: Allie Brown,
Matteo DiFranco, Gianna Cacciutti, Riley Signor, Alyssa Swain and
Allison Flam. Congratulations!
Gym
First and second grade started their units on hula-hoops and
throwing/catching skills. Third and fourth grade started their new unit
on frisbee skills/games. Fifth grade started tennis skills/games.
Library
Kindergarteners learned facts about pumpkins in our non-fiction book
Fall Pumpkins. First and second grade students explored fiction and
non-fiction books on BookFlix. To access from home for free with a
Delaware County Library Card, visit the Library webpage. Third,
fourth, and fifth graders learned, reviewed, and applied knowledge of
how books are organized in the Fiction section of the library.
If you would like to volunteer in the library, please visit Mrs. Hatton’s
website or click here to sign up. Thank you!
Music
First graders​
were “surprised” by Haydn’s Symphony #94 as they
learned about piano and forte.
Second graders​
were singing about Columbus, pirates, and Halloween.
Third grade​
danced to a “New England Jig.”
Fourth grade​
has learned a new note on recorder! Hopefully you’re
hearing “Shave and a Haircut” being practiced at home.
Fifth grade​
is working hard toward their first performance of the
year – the Halloween parade dance. It’s starting to come together!
From our Guidance Counselor:
Please read the letters from Mrs. Hilden regarding school-based
“Counseling Group Opportunities” and “Financial Help for Families.”
Feel free to email Mrs. Hilden with any questions.
From our PTG:
To view this week’s PTG Newsletter, ​
click here​
, or visit the website.
Thanks to everyone who made it to the PTG meeting this past Tuesday,
Oct. 6th. The next PTG meeting is November 17th. Hope to see you
there!
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
● Monday, 10/26 - Meet & Greet with Mr. John Reid, Indian Lane’s
new principal, 7:00-8:00 p.m., cafeteria
● Wednesday, 10/28 - Principal’s Advisory Board meeting, 3:30 p.m.
● Thursday, 10/29 - “Think Pink” Day supporting Breast Cancer
Awareness Month
● Thursday, 10/29 - Picture Make-up Day
● Friday, 10/30 - Fourth Grade Pumpkin Day
● Friday, 10/30 - Halloween Parade (1:45 p.m.) & Classroom Parties
(2:30-3:15 p.m.)
● Tuesday, 11/3 - No school for students