LS News

Dear AFS Families,

We have some news to note in terms of next year and a few items regarding the next two weeks!  As some of you know, we had several visiting music teachers apply for the music position here in Lower School.  In addition to Jason moving into a new chapter in his career, Aedín will be moving to a new school in New York City next year.  This is a wonderful opportunity for Aedín, and we wish her the very best! We are delighted to announce that Keisha Hirlinger will be teaching Lower School music for students in EC through 4th grades.  Keisha joins us from The KIPP School in New York City.

We also conducted a search for the fourth grade teaching position and found Karolye to be the clear candidate of choice.  We are thrilled she will be continuing her role in fourth grade.  Even as we conclude what has been an incredible year of growth and learning, we are looking forward to the possibilities that the next school year will bring.

Regarding the next two weeks, we look forward to conference day, which is this Friday, so that we can share your children's many accomplishments this year.  If you need assistance with the electronic re-enrollment form, it will be available in Lower School on conference day. We also want to note that next week, on June 5 at 1:30 pm, we will celebrate with our incredible spring program, Pure Imagination.  Home and School will host a special celebration following the program.  

***IMPORTANT
There is no school on conference day, although childcare is available for the time of your conferences, or if you've signed your child up to stay for the day.  Also, on June 5 there is no Extended Day care following the program.

The next two weeks are certain to fly by.  As always, please let us know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Andrea

Storytelling in Second Grade

"Storytelling is the oldest form of education. People from around the world have always told tales as a way of passing down their cultural beliefs, traditions, and history to future generations. Why? Stories are at the core of all that makes us human." This quote is from Children Tell Stories by professional storytellers, Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss. Their book guides some of our most recent work with the second grade students as they learn to become storytellers! Over the past few weeks, to introduce this project, the students have heard wonderful stories told by Betsy and Alicia.

They then began to read from a wide assortment of short tales from around the world, and chose three favorites, because loving a story is the first step to telling it well. Now, each second grader has their own story that they are practicing at home and at school. Telling a story is not the same as reading it, and creating a story map enables them to remember the big ideas of their story, rather than trying to memorize it word for word.

Each time a story is told, it should vary according to the teller in that moment and the audience that is listening to it. Over these last few weeks, the students will add gestures and voices to their story to make it come to life. The second grade storytellers will share their tales with their families at our Pioneer Picnic on Tuesday, June 9th.

Girl Scouts Conclude a Wonderful Year

On Wednesday evening, the Girl Scouts hosted family and friends for their year end celebration and Bridging Ceremony.  The girls demonstrated numerous experiments, explorations and accomplishments undertaken over the course of the year.  The troops also honored Renee Tucker for her work in creating and sustaining Girl Scouts at Abington Friends School.  

Congratulations to the Daisies, Brownies, Juniors and Cadettes for all their work!

The Fourth Grade Fair Was Quite A Success!

The fourth grade creates and runs the annual fair in the Lower School. The money raised helps fund field trips and historic re-enactors that are brought to campus to support the 4th grades social studies curriculum.  It is an outstanding opportunity for fourth graders to put their leadership skills to work!


The students created a list of possible booths that they would like to see at the fair. They went through the list as a class discussing which would be popular but also create-able. They shortened their list and made signs. Theymade sure they had all the materials for the booths they were working at. We had a lot of new ideas this year that turned out to be quite popular. The junk table is always a favorite. The students come away with a recycled toy or two.

A favorite among students and teachers was the photo booth.

Sweet treats and water ice were also popular.

The marriage booth was immensely busy. Students marry their friends, stuffed animals and brothers, sisters and parents.

Our DJ and a 4th grade parent had fun dancing and singing a song together.

'Pure Imagination' in the Art Room

The world of Pure Imagination, our theme for the spring program, is entering the art room. Students have been dreaming up ideas for the sets; from rainbows, to upside mountaintops, multicolored clouds to magic bunnies, their ideas have been endless!

The creation of the set and props for the spring program is truly a collaborative effort.  Our youngest 3 and 4 year old friends helped to create giant lollipops and made beautiful drawings out of recycled art 'oops'es. Our kindergarteners have created stunning stuffed paper animals, based on their classroom study of animals. The fabulous fourth graders sketched set designs and our first graders created inventive castle drawings. Many student voices have been included in its creation and there is much more to come.

The first graders had the opportunity to use papier mache, also known as goop, to transform aluminum pans and  paper stuffing into...something imaginative! To find out what they created, join us for the spring program on June 5th and enjoy a work of Pure Imagination!

Calling all water bottles!

Please help us to complete the fabulous recycled water bottle greenhouse that we raised during our EcoFest- Nature Playdate due to the generous help of the Penn State Abington Art Program. Our students have loved using this space to play. We need your help with more bottles to finish the walls and door! Please bring your recycled water bottles -any size- to the art room.

Los restaurantes en cuarto grado continúa / Restaurants in fourth grade continue

The fourth graders continue to impress us with their hospitality service. Their restaurant simulation as a culminating activity for our lengthy study on comidas has been a huge success. The students have wowed their customers with mouth-watering meals, delicious drinks, yummy desserts, amazing service, and in some instances with dazzling entertainment.

“Platos Deliciosos / Delicious Dishes” gave us the best of what this area can offer.  Owners Ronen, Ramón (Trey), Jabril and MJ served up the best dishes including a tasty “mar y tierra / surf-n-turf” for just $23.00. But, the best selling item on the menu was definitely the “helado de volcán / ice cream volcano” for only $15.00. ¡Delicioso!

 

Independent owner, Jordan, showcased her awesome hospitality skills during the grand opening of  “Súper Genialidad / Super Awesomeness.” Her delicious “limonada (lemonade)” for only $1.25 and “taza de la torta (cup cake)” for $2.99 were the biggest hits. !Muy rico!

“La Casa de La Comida del Desayuno / The House of the Breakfast Food” was another scrumptious restaurant that could not be missed. Owners Willa and Ruby delivered delightful breakfast items as they modeled beautifully the roles of both restaurant propietarias (property owners) and servidoras (servers). Their eatery offered the best “aguacate en tostada / avocado on toast” that money can buy. At $8.00 per serving the customers just couldn’t get enough! ¡Magnífico!

The delicious aroma coming from the “Asador Superiores / Superior Steak House” had everyone salivating (literally…even in the surrounding classrooms). Evan, Dylan, and Jeremiah worked collaboratively as they served their customers the most mouth-watering “pollo (frito o BBQ) / chicken (fried or BBQ)” for only “$12.99” a serving. ¡Sabrosísimo!

“El Cerdo Volador / The Flying Pig” offered the best fine dining in the area. Amira and Aria were the fabulous maître d’s of this exquisite eatery offering good food and quality service. Although on the expensive side it was definitely worth the visit. If seafood is your interest perhaps the “Ensalada de Pescado (Fish Salad)” for $45.99 will satisfy your taste buds but if meat is what you enjoy best, we recommend the “Filete Miñón (Steak)” for only $137.55 ¡Exquisito!

If dining and entertainment was what you are after, then the restaurant “Mediterráneo / Mediterranean” was the place to go. It is where one could find the trio chef-and-owner team of Daphne, Gabrielle and Jackie tossing up a delicious salad or making a sweet postre (dessert) of tres leches (three milks). There’s fancy food too but it’s the owners/chefs-turned-to-dancers with the exquisite food that makes this restaurant a must go to. Once the patrons are served, the trio was seen dancing to Putumayo’s, Café Cubano. ¡Experiencia fenomenal!

Are you in the mood for homemade espageti (spaghetti)? Then head over to Lily’s restaurant, “La Quesería / Cheeseria.” This single owner establishment serves the best cheesy sensations such as queso frito (fried cheese), nacho con queso (nachos with cheese), ravioles (ravioli), espageti (spaguetti), macarrones con queso (macaroni and cheese) and a most delicious queso pastel (cheesecake) that money can buy. ¡Muy agradable!

The Golosinas Dulces / Sweets N’Treats is the place to go if you are in the mood for a great tasting dessert. Owners Bella, Samantha, Isabella and Sarah received many compliments for their fresh tasting “rosquilla (donut)” for $9.00 and “paste (pie)” for $14.00. But, the best part of the experience is the entertainment they offer. The customers can request their choice of a Spanish song and the DJ will play it for them as dancers sway to the sounds. ¡Maravilloso!

Owner and chef Elias aimed for a warm and cozy feeling when one enters his restaurant, “Mi Cassa es su Cassa / My House is Your House” and as the patrons expressed, he accomplished his goal. Upon entering this pleasant eatery, one can smell the amazing aroma of freshly made pancakes coming from the kitchen. Although his menú lists other items, without question the “panqueque” for $3.51 is the most desired choice! ¡Asombroso!

Cozy, yummy and delicious are three words that describe Cassandra’s eatery, ¡La Explosión De La Comida¡ / The Food Explosion! Although few choices are offered on the menú, the dishes are outstanding which include staple favorites like its famous mini tacos for just $2.00!¡Divino!

So, hungry yet?

Fourth Grade Fair is This Thursday!

It's time for one of our favorite annual events... The Fourth Grade Fair!

Spring has sprung! That means it’s time for the 4th Grade Fair. This Thursday afternoon, May 21st from 12:00 - 2:30, 4th Grade will host a fabulous fair for students EC - 8th grade on the back playground! Tickets are $.25 each. (Owls, Catbirds and Cardinals will attend at 11:00 and will not need to buy tickets.) 

There will be games and activities and tables of treasure. We recommend $5.00 - $7.00 for each child to purchase tickets for the fair's many offerings. 

-The 4th grade thanks you for your support!

Home and School News Spring 2015

Home and School News

Spring 2015

As the school year winds down, we welcome this special time of celebration and reflection. Below are the final events organized by Home and School. Please mark your calendars and look for additional details, as well as the link to volunteer where you can sign up to help. We can’t do it without you!

Spring Celebration- Friday, June 5,  2:30-3:30

Following the spring program, families are invited to come together to celebrate the school year with a cupcake party and outdoor fun outside of the Muller Cafeteria. We will also be honoring (and surprising) Jason as he moves on to his new leadership role in Washington D.C.

The final Coffee and Conversation will be held on the last day of school,Wednesday, June 10 from 8:00-10:00.  School dismissal is noon.

Faculty Appreciation Luncheon- Friday, June 12, Noon

Join Home and School in hosting a lunch for the exceptional faculty and staff of the Lower School.  Families will receive information about a letters of appreciation campaign and a link to sign up to donate food for the lunch and/or volunteer to help at the event.

Also, look for an email with a link to a short survey about Home and School.  With this survey we are hoping to learn more about what you think about Home and School activities in the Lower School, what sorts of activities you would like to see in the Lower School, and the various ways you can contribute to and support the AFS Lower School community. Thanks in advance for taking the time to complete the survey.

Third Grade Alphabet Books

The study of China has engrossed our third grade students all year. As one of the culminating ways to reveal their knowledge about China, students have been busily engaged at creating an alphabet book. The first step is to brainstorm topics that begin with each alphabet letter, more than one topic per letter is preferred. Then, students pick a topic for each letter to collect information for that letter page.  The challenge for each student is to write the fact that contains the biggest idea as their first fact. A wide variety of books are available for students to choose from. Students also have a bank of facts now in their memory, after their year long study, that they can draw from as they conduct their research. Listening in on the conversations of students as they collect information is gratifying as we see how they can support each other and reveal the immense knowledge that they now have about China.

Converting Measurements in 4th grade

In 4th grade, we have been learning about the size of measurement units and have been making conversions of metric and customary units of measure.

We have learned and practiced:

Length:  Meters to centimeters, centimeters to millimeters, kilometers to meters, feet to inches and yards to feet

Mass/Weight: kilograms to grams, pounds to ounces

Volume: liter to milliliters

Time: minute to seconds, hour to minutes

Converting measurements is a practical skill in our everyday lives. For example, a recipe might provide the measurements to make enough food for 4–6 people, but if you want to feed a larger or smaller group, you need to convert the measurements in the recipe. This might require changing pounds to ounces to prepare the recipe for a smaller group, or changing ounces to pounds for a larger group.

In order to learn to convert measurement, students first had to become comfortable with the size of measurements.  We looked at meter sticks to talk about the size of millimeters, centimeters, and meters.  We also looked at a variety of food containers to compare gallons to quarts, pints and cups.

In small groups students then made "Gallon People" to help them remember how many cups are in a pint, how many pints are in a quart and how many quarts are in a gallon.

How you can practice at home: 

Have your child list items in the pantry and record the measurement of each item found on the label. Then have your child to convert each measurement to the nearest unit of measurement, for example, kilogram to grams, pound to ounces and liter to milliliters.

Have your child measure items around the house and record the lengths in meters and centimeters. Then practice converting the length from meters to centimeters and centimeter to millimeters.

Fourth Grade Writer's Night

The fourth grade students presented their realistic fiction stories to family and friends last Wednesday evening. The students spent the year reading fiction in their book group to familiarize themselves with the genre and the literary devices that authors use when crafting a story. To create their own stories, the students brainstormed ideas and dug deep to think of a topic they had some personal knowledge about. Once they settled on their topic idea, they were asked to consider the who, when why, what and where about their story. They created character traits for the individuals in their stories and were asked to weave them in descriptively throughout. The students were given story maps to summarize and plot their rising action and story climax.

When the students finished writing, they peer edited, revised, and practiced reading their stories aloud with fellow classmates. On the night of their presentation, they were excited to share and nervous at the same time. 

Their stories were phenomenal and everyone did an amazing job that evening!

Pure Imagination - Spring Program Concert Information

Pure Imagination

An Abington Friends Lower School Spring Program

Friday, June 5, 20l5 ~ l:30 p.m.

Abington Friends School, Muller Auditorium

Spring Program Concert Information

All children, 3 years old through 4th grade should dress in black shirts, long, black pants and comfortable shoes.  All children are encouraged to bring their concert attire clothing to school on Thursday prior to the spring program.  Children will be given the opportunity to change at school on Friday prior to the 1:30 p.m. performance.  Children are welcome to add a colorful accessory as a way to connect to our program theme (a red bow tie, purple hair accessory, an orange scarf, etc.)  We encourage children to be creative with this choice!  

Please note that all children will be involved in movement activities on stage and should wear pants and comfortable shoes (no heels please).  In addition, we ask that everyone wear black socks for their movement performances.

We look forward to celebrating our accomplishments with you on Friday, June 5th in our Muller Auditorium beginning at l:30 p.m.  Please plan to arrive a few minutes early in order to allow time for parking.  

Following the spring program, Home and School invites families to come together to celebrate the school year with a cupcake party and outdoor fun outside of the Muller Cafeteria.

Adult Book Club- A Year of Great Discussions

On Monday May 11th parents, grandparents and teachers met for the last meeting of this school year to discuss the Pulitzer prize winning novel, All the Light that We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Raji, one of our kindergarten teachers joined our group for this discussion after finishing it a few days before and feeling that this book had a profound influence on his life. All of us concurred, having felt this way after finishing the book or even for a few, after reading halfway through the book.

The New York Times book review writer, Janet Maslin, delineated a few themes in her review from April 28, 2014, that resonated for us during our discussion. The themes she describes are: the brain's power to create light in darkness, self-protection and lies. The lyrical writing in this book, the finely drawn characters and the complexity of the plot and plots within the plot all spoke to us. As readers, we all bring our life experiences into our reading and discussion of any book. The format of a book club allows us to share a part of ourselves. We are looking forward to a summer of exploration and fun with our families, reading with that summer gift of time and then to another great year of discussions with our Abington Friends Adult Book Club. All are invited to join us next year, a schedule will appear at the beginning of the school year- our first meeting will be in October.

Grace Lin - A Star in our Midst!

Clusters of kids peered into the library.  Whispered conversations were easily overheard: 

Is that her? Is that her?  Are you sure?  Yes, look that's her. She has the same smile as on the book!  

Such was the entry of Newberry Honor author, Grace Lin, into the world of Abington Friends Lower School.

For two days, we had the opportunity to learn more about Grace Lin and her incredible work as an author.  Her visit to Lower School was truly a celebration as well as a magnificent learning opportunity.  Grace marveled at the artwork on the walls inspired by her stories, and she was impressed by the knowledge of her books that all our students, three years old through fourth grade, demonstrated.

During various writer's workshops hosted over the course of the two days, Grace taught students about writing skills and elements of story that are critical aspects of her work. These same skills are what our students work on at each of the various grade levels in developmentally appropriate ways.

Witnessing the students' passion for the stories of Grace Lin was immensely gratifying.  Our youngest students were thrilled to connect with the person responsible for many of the beloved books shared in their classes this year.  Our older students asked thoughtful questions and sought Grace's advice on how to further improve stories on which they have been working.  Grace Lin's considerable talent for presenting was captivating for all of us.  The imagery, myth, leadership and power of the individual that are present in her stories are sources of inspiration and imagination as evidenced by all that our Lower School students were moved to create.

We were so proud to share our learning space with such an amazing author, and we are so appreciative of the memories Grace Lin's visit has given us.

Pet Sitting for the Summer?

Are you interested in having a Science Room pet for the summer?  Here's your opportunity to have a pet for a short period of time and the be able to give it back!  The pets are very low maintenance and will come with food and complete set of instructions.  Available animals include a gecko, bearded dragon and tadpoles.  Thanks for much for considering having a summer guest and helping out the Science Room.   Please email Rosanne at rmistretta@abingtonfriends.net if you are interested.

Kindergarten Measures Up!

The kindergartners have been investigating different forms of measurement these past few weeks.  Seth introduced linear measurement using standard and non-standard forms.  He read the book, How Big is a Foot?, to get the students thinking.  Afterward, we took turns measuring the rug with our feet and discovered we had different size feet!

Next, he asked why we have rulers.  The students explored ideas and agreed that we needed something that is the same for everyone.  The children then traced their hands and feet and used inches and centimeters to see what size they were.  The next big project was to trace each student's body and measure various body parts.  This was a great deal of fun and the room was buzzing with excitement.

Then we took our measuring outside to the playground and found lots of things that measured between one and ten inches and recorded our findings on a chart.  This was hard work but it was fun to see all the different things that were of similar lengths.

Today we read the book, Just a Little Bit, and discovered the concept behind a balance scale by reading about animals trying to balance on a seesaw.  The students then worked in small groups and used classroom items that they each chose, to find out which was heaviest and which was lightest, and those in between!  We will soon begin to use weights and find out how much things really weigh!!

Measuring things at home is also lots of fun.  If you have a ruler or tape measure (the preferred tool!!) encourage your child to measure the height and length of some of their favorite things and then, if a scale is available they could find out the weight as well.  If they record their findings we would love to have them share it with their class!!