Bruno Upper EL Classroom

Week of January 23rd-27th

This was the last full week of January! In Foreign Language, Ms. Carmen wrapped up the unit on the Chinese language and culture, and students will return to their normal German and Italian cycle. In Geography, students have been studying Martin Luther King Jr., and the impact he had on African American rights on a national level. Students are in full mode in regard to our work cycle, keeping active in all areas, such as math, reading, grammar, and writing. In writing, students drafted a How-To list, and some students were quite creative with their lists (for example, how to put your parrot to bed, and how to get rid of monsters under the bed). We love encouraging their creative, and humorous, spirits!

Reminders:

  • Vocabulary unit 10 is due Monday, January 20th, and the assessment will be on Friday, February 3rd.
  • Vocabulary unit 11 will be due on Monday, February 6th.
  • There will be no school on Monday, February 20th, in observance of Presidents Day.
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Week of January 17th

Monday was a day to observe Martin Luter King, Jr., therefore it was a short school week. The rainy weather at the beginning of the week brought us beautiful weather by the end of the week. Students were able to spend some time in our outdoor theatre for a Geography lesson. There are some great pictures of upper elementary students posted on Facebook and Instagram, on our school page. If you are not following our school on one of these social media platforms, it’s another great way to stay updated and see other pictures of our daily school life.

In foreign language, Ms. Carmen has been exploring the Chinese culture and language, to align with the Chinese New Year. The Chinese New Year is January 22, and it is the year of the rabbit. We are fortunate to have Ms. Carmen with us, as she spent several years living in China and therefore had an authentic experience with the Chinese culture and language. Ms. Carmen also fluently speaks German and Italian. Her native country is Italy, where she still has family, and she has also lived in Germany, which is her husband’s native country. Her worldly experiences bring so much to our foreign language program.

Reminders:

  • The vocabulary review unit 7-9 test will be on Friday, January 27th.
  • The unit 10 vocabulary work will be due on Monday, January 30th.
  • No school Monday, February 20th, in observance of President’s Day
  • There will be an upper elementary science fair on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 19th. Parents will be invited to attend. More information to follow for project guidelines.

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First Full Week of 2023

Things around Bruno didn’t miss a beat as we returned from our break. Students are back to their daily routines, work cycles, and extracurriculars. We’ve helped students to prioritize their work plans and to manage time so they can make the most of their work cycle and progression.

In the pictures below, you will see a few examples of voting during our morning meeting time, and this is an example of how we use Positive Discipline in our class. Positive Discipline is a Montessori approach that teaches students self-discipline and problem-solving skills. In our classroom, we have the “Grievance Goblet,” effectively named by our students. Students write down concerns, problems, or areas that need improvement and place it in the goblet. We discuss a concern during our meeting, students share how they’ve been affected by it, offer solutions, then vote on how we as a whole can use that solution to make our school culture improve. This positive guidance has helped students to be more aware of their responsibilities as a citizen and has had a major impact on building positive relationships in our classroom this year.

Reminders:

  • No school on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • The vocabulary review unit, 7-9, is due on Tuesday, January 17th.
    • The vocabulary review unit test will be on Friday, January 27th.
  • Progress reports for the 2nd quarter will be sent on Tuesday, January 17th.
  • Extracurriculars are in full swing! In the morning, please remind your child if they have an activity after school that day.
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Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2023 and the second half of our school year! Our short week became unexpectedly shorter, but it gave students enough time to catch up with their friends. During our Tuesday morning meeting, each student shared how they spent their winter break, and it was interesting to hear what each individual thought was the best part of their break. Students were straight back to work in each subject area and fell back into their routine during our morning work cycle.

Things are also getting back into full swing with extra-curricular activities. Ms. Melanie has sent emails regarding several clubs, the Peter Pan play, and spring soccer. It’s not too late to join any club. If your child auditioned for Peter Pan, be sure to check your email for casting and the practice schedule.

Reminders:

  • Vocabulary unit 9 is due Monday, 1/9, and the test is on Friday, 1/13
  • Vocabulary review units 7-9 will be due on Tuesday, 1/17.
  • If your child is in an extracurricular activity, please double-check dates and times and be sure to communicate to your child where they should go at dismissal each day.
  • No school on Monday, January 16th, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • January 17th- Second quarter progress reports are released.
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