Glenwood Elementary School
eNews: December 2, 2015
FROM THE PRINCIPAL:
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. The winter season is upon us and it is
a busy time for Glenwood. Our students are gearing up for various service projects, and our
musical groups will be performing in school and around the community. We wish the best of
luck to all of the students and their staff sponsors! Please check out our website / calendar for
up-to-date times and details about upcoming Glenwood activities.
Mark your calendars for the Glenwood Elementary 2015 Holiday Sing-Along on Wednesday,
December 23, 2015 at 1:45pm. This is a fantastic opportunity for the Glenwood Community to
gather one last time before we part for winter break. Please stay tuned for more information
about the Holiday Sing-Along. We hope to see you here!
Thanks for your continued support! Feel free to contact me at 610-627-6901 or
ebucci@rtmsd.org if you have questions or concerns with which I may be able to assist.
Eric F. Bucci
KINDERGARTEN
Glenwood Kindergarteners are experiencing different ways to count numbers 0-10. Recently,
they have begun learning how to compare numbers 0-10. In Reading Workshop,
Kindergarteners are getting really good at using what they know (letters/popcorn words) to help
them read books that are “just right” for them.
FIRST GRADE
The first graders will be learning to use subtraction strategies to 20. They will be using a number
line, tens frames and part-part mats to help them subtract larger equations. They will be
continuing to learn and review "math vocabulary": related facts, fact family, open number line,
doubles facts, near doubles facts, sum, difference, addends, and equations.
SECOND GRADE
Our Second Grade Team would like to thank everyone for coming to conferences about your
child. We are sending home (or have sent home) a new list of vocabulary words for your child's
Monday night homework assignment. They may also use new vocabulary words from our math
curriculum or from their daily reading for Monday's assignment. We will begin our physical
science unit on the properties of matter this week. The students will have hands-on experiences
observing and describing the properties of solids and liquids. Please continue to sign your
child's reading log daily and practice basic math facts for a minute or two each night.
THIRD GRADE
This week in Reading Workshop, the third grade is working hard to compare and contrast
characters and themes in our character books clubs! In Math, we are continuing to use known
facts and number patterns to help us multiply and divide! Keep up that Tool for Success
practice! We are working on drafting our expert writing and beginning to practice researching for
more information about our topics! We hope everyone had a great break and is refreshed for a
new month!
FOURTH GRADE
Our 4th grade readers continue to learn reading strategies for nonfiction texts. We are learning
to use the text features of nonfiction texts, such as labels, charts, titles, and subtitles, to glean
information about our topic, and to make inferences. We are also learning how to compare
narrative and informational texts, and the advantages of using each one. Please make sure that
your child continues to read nonfiction every night so that he or she may practice these skills.
4th Grade needs clear 2 liter soda bottles for our Ecosystems unit. If you have any, please send
them to one of the fourth grade teachers.
FIFTH GRADE
As we move into December, the 5th grade continues its work on the writing of informational
essays in Writer’s Workshop. In Reader’s Workshop, Glenwood’s 5th graders continue to
expand on their knowledge of how best to read expository non-fiction. In particular, 5th grade
students will be paying careful attention to the reading of text dealing with science and social
studies. With that in mind, in social studies, the 5th grade continues to look at the first
Europeans in North America and how their arrival in North America impacted the Native
American population. In Science, the 5th grade continues to use the scientific method in our
study of weather. In grammar, students are focusing attention on best practices in the art of
writing a good sentence, in particular how to best use semicolons, commas and compound
sentences.
ART WITH MR. SHARP
First graders are continuing their study of traditional subject matter by learning about a still life.
Students were asked to look at a Willem Claesz Heda’s Still Life with a Ham and a Roemer.
They were asked what they see, what they think about it, and what does it make them wonder
about? We painted various fruits for our still life that we cut out and arranged to create a collage.
We learned about space and composition in arranging our still life.
Second graders are continuing their trip around the world looking at art from various cultures.
After looking at various Japanese kimonos, students created their own kimono by creating a
pattern and doing a crayon watercolor resist on it. We then learned how to fold them and added
the head and hands for a figure.
Third graders are continuing their journey along the art history time line by learning about the
Middle Ages. We looked at knights and talked about what it would be like to live in the Middle
Ages time period. We drew our own knight and transferred it to a sheet of metal foil. We then
popped out the knight to create a relief with lots of textures. We used India ink and burnished it
to look old.
Fourth graders are learning about the art of Jamie Wyeth by creating pictures with ravens. After
looking at various images of ravens, students were asked to draw their own that we then turned
into a printing plate. We then made a background by creating a rubbing plate by building up
layers of papers and texture. An example would be a close up of a branch on a tree or the side
of a roof – a place to put their raven. We then took a sheet of paper and placed it on top of the
rubbing plate to create a rubbing using a crayon and then inked and printed the image of the
raven in place on top of the rubbing.
Fifth graders are creating expressive portraits. We looked at Henri Matisse’s painting Woman
with a Hat, which showed his interest in Fauvism and using color more expressively. We
learned about the five major reasons why artists create – functional, religious/ceremonial,
realistic, self-expressive, and ornamental. Students learned to draw a self-portrait in which we
used color in an expressive and unrealistic manner.
Art Club finished creating four new murals for the school’s library. The murals depict four
different story book characters. Art club is also working on creating faux stained glass windows
using plexiglass, acrylic paint, and glue.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Glenwood students will soon be exploring our Winter Wonderland Circuit. They will participate in
modified versions of winter sports such as skating, skiing, and ice hockey. They will assess their
throwing and tossing accuracy with challenges such as "Jingle Bells", "Light the Menorah",
"Trim the Tree", and "Snowball Machine". The students will get the chance to design and build
igloos and will demonstrate their dexterity with activities such as "Toy Inspector" and "Ice
Fishing". In all, we find it's a fun way to practice skills, enjoy one another's company and get into
the holiday spirit!
MUSIC
I hope everyone had a chance to relax over their Thanksgiving holiday! With the new month, all
grades at Glenwood will be practicing and preparing for our Holiday Sing Along on December
23rd!
Grades 1, 2, and 3: Classes will be learning all about the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah- reading
books, singing and playing instruments in the traditional minor mode, and playing the holiday
favorite "Dreydl".
Grade 4: All 4th graders will be expected to perform "Jingle Bells" memorized on their recorder
for the Sing Along this year! Ask your child what they have memorized! Can you sing along to
the melody? CHALLENGE: If your 4th grader is up to the challenge of a "feature" at this year's
Sing Along, they must also memorize "Dreydl". Letters may be written in for extra help, but the
performance must be from memory. Good luck!
Grade 5: The 5th Grade Winter Concert will be held next Thursday December 10 @ 7:00 PM.
Information has been sent home. It can also be found on my website (homepage):
www.rtmsd.org > Glenwood > staff > Ms. Hong. An email with a final reminder will be sent home
this week!
Select Chorus: The 5th Grade Select Chorus will be singing at the Media Courthouse facing
Front Street on Wednesday December 9 @ 7:00 PM. Please join us and the other elementary
schools of Rose Tree Media School District as we get together to bring in the holiday season!
YOGA CLUB:
Mrs. Yepremian, Miss Mazzella and Mrs. Falzone are so impressed by the yogi's attendance!
The members always come with a smile on their faces ready to practice their yoga sequence.
This week the yoga members learned a new pose called "triangle". Ask your yogi to teach you
some poses!
STUDENT AMBASSADORS
The Glenwood Student Ambassadors are very excited about our next project. We will be
running the annual Penny Competition. Remember to bring pennies in for your grade level for
positive points and silver coins for other grade levels. Of course good sportsmanship is the
expectation for all our students. We look forward to this wonderful event and being able to
provide lots of support to Glenwood helping Glenwood. Please email Amy Fizzano at
afizzano@rtmsd.org for any questions!
JUNIOR OPTIMIST CLUB:
The Junior Optimist Club is teaming up with the Student Ambassadors to help our local food
bank. The donations that you all contributed to the Food Drive for Media Food Bank will be
organized by the Junior Optimists on December 12th at the Food Bank. If you are a Junior
Optimist member, and have not signed up yet, please consider coming to this event in our
community! If you have any questions please contact Miss Kortne Mazzella at
kmazzella@rtmsd.org or Mrs. Erika Yepremian at eyepremian@rtmsd.org.
UNICEF
Thank you to all students who participated in Trick or Treat for UNICEF, Glenwood students
collected $1,032.26 for UNICEF!
GLENWOOD PTG
Keep up to date with Glenwood Events & Happenings. For more information about the
following or to find out how you can help, visit www.rtmsd.org/glenwoodPTG
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Book Fair Special Orders are due to arrive soon and will be delivered to your child's
classroom.
Many thanks to Mrs. Colleen Keinath, Mrs. Barbara DiSipio, Mr. Grisillo and parent
volunteers for making Glenwood's Book Fair a huge success. Students purchased over
$8000 in books. This was not a fundraiser as the full 25% discount was directly passed
along to students and families. One of the PTG's goals is to encourage and promote the
love of reading among all students.
Thank you to Maria Anderson and parent volunteers for providing delicious meals and
snacks for the Glenwood Staff during Parent Teachers Conferences.
Thank you to Susan Foster and Ms. Fizzano's Student Ambassadors for organizing the
recent food collection for the Media Food Bank.
Stocking Stuffer Ideas: Tasty and convenient, $5 Wawa Hoagie Coupons are available
for sale. To purchase coupons, please contact Colleen Keinath at
colleenkeinath@gmail.com
More Gift Ideas: A limited number of $25 KidStuff Coupon Books are still available for
sale. For more information, please contact MaryAnne Troy at
maryannetroy@comcast.net.
Happy Holidays!
www.rtmsd.org/glenwoodptg: Follow us @GlenwoodPTG