Monthly Specials Newsletter

Mrs. Kuyvenhoven

October has flown by in the Media Center! Different literary themes from the month included National Hispanic Heritage Month and Banned Book Week.

LEARNING

We have continued our work on how to find good fit books and spent some time learning more about different genres. We did this through some of the following activities:

• First Page Fire-Students heard the first pages of 4-5 books and rated them. They were encouraged to check out books that may have sounded interesting.
• Heads up 7 up with Genres- A fun game to get students participating out loud and learning characteristics about different book genres. Ask your student if they have a favorite genre!

ACTIVITIES

This week I am bringing out the cart of games and STEM activities. Once a month this will be an option for students during the second half of their media center time. Activities include a variety of board games, Legos, Snap Circuits, and various building manipulatives.

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES

I am excited to welcome my new crew of student Media Center Helpers. I have a total of 21-6th graders spread across all the classes who come in on a weekly basis during an assigned lunch recess. They help with shelving books, organizing, decorating and generally learning about how a library is managed. Students have to complete and application and be recommended by a staff person in the building to participate. Current 5th graders will have a chance to participate next year!

As one of Forest's handlers, I am privileged to have NT's Pride Pup in the media center every other week for your student's media center time. Students enjoy this opportunity for some more small group time hanging out with Forest.

If you would like to volunteer in the media center, please visit the following link to sign up for a time! I enjoy having parent/guardian help with keeping the media center as a welcoming and organized space for students.

Ms. Smith & Mrs. Daly

• Where is my student’s artwork?

Students recently made custom portfolios to safely store their 2D projects in the studio. To keep their collection safe, 2D artwork won't head home until December. However, 3D sculptures and clay projects will be sent home as they are completed throughout the semester. Keep an eye out for those 3D pieces!

• 5th Grade

We will be working with watercolor paints over the next few weeks! While watercolor is generally washable, it can still stain lighter fabrics. Please help your student choose studio-friendly clothes on art days that you don't mind getting a little messy.

A massive thank you to everyone who donated items from our Amazon Wishlist—you completely cleared the list! The Calming Corner is officially set up and looks amazing. The students are already benefiting from having a dedicated space to regulate, reset, and recharge so they can create their best work. Your generosity means the world to our students!

Oak Gofoe / 5th Grade

Oak is getting a shoutout this month for his pure commitment to staying on task and putting his heart into his work. He took his time and leaned right into the open-ended fun of decorating his portfolio, sketchbook, and nameplate. He’s already got a signature style and theme that he loves showing off, and it's been awesome to watch him create in the studio!

Bonnie Thornhill / 6th Grade

Bonnie is an incredible team player in the art room. I frequently spot her helping out a classmate who is feeling confused, and she is always focused and listening. She serves as an amazing model for her peers and routinely stays behind to help clean up studio messes. Thank you, Bonnie!

A quick look at what our 5th and 6th graders have been exploring, building, and creating in the studio this past month!

Artist Pride Posters

Table groups collaborated to create posters showcasing our studio "A.R.T.I.S.T." expectations. Students drew out what it actually looks like to follow these values in our space. Ask your student what it means to Be An ARTIST!

Sketchbooks & Portfolios

Every student received a sketchbook to draw, brainstorm, and jot down ideas all semester long. They personalized their sketchbook covers alongside their large posterboard portfolios, making each storage folder as unique as the artist who created it!

Talavera Tiles

Classes celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month by creating Talavera tiles, a traditional Mexican ceramic style known for its bold geometric patterns and vivid colors. 6th graders designed and drew their own tile patterns, while 5th graders explored classic color palettes on intricate tile templates.

Mrs. Alpizar

It’s been another great month in STEAM, with an exciting month coming up! Starting in mid-November, Northern Trails will participate in the Michigan DNR Salmon in the Classroom program. Students will help raise Chinook salmon from eggs to fry in our classroom aquarium while learning about life cycles, water quality, and ecosystems. They’ll also build a sense of environmental stewardship.

Our participation in this program is possible thanks to support from Schrems West Michigan Trout Unlimited. Water Colors Aquarium Gallery recently delivered and set up our equipment. Stay tuned for updates in future newsletters!

5th Grade

As part of the Matter: Property & Reactions module, students began the month by exploring chemical reactions. They mixed substances to find out whether combining them formed new substances. Students also learned how mechanical engineers test mechanical properties. They followed testing procedures for tensile strength, compressibility, hardness, and softness or firmness. Ask your fifth grader which test was their favorite!

We finished the month by introducing our module’s final challenge: using the design process to create a procedure for testing a given mechanical property. In November, students will continue developing their designs and evaluate both their own work and the work of other groups. By the end of the month, we’ll be ready to begin our next module, Earth’s Water & Interconnected Systems.

6th Grade

We will soon wrap up our current module, Infection: Detection. Throughout October, students investigated how the body protects us from germs to keep us healthy. They also learned about various agents of disease, mostly focusing on pathogenic bacteria and viruses. They applied what they learned by using patient symptoms to identify the disease agent behind a simulated disease outbreak.

Over the next couple of weeks, students will learn about epidemiology and use its practices to determine a likely source of an infection spreading through a fictional school. Then they’ll begin their next module, Infection: Modeling and Simulation.

Mr. Erander

SWEAT!

At Parris Island, South Carolina there hangs a large sign that says, “We Make Marines!” I’m thinking of hanging a sign over the Northern Trails gymnasium door that says, “We Make Stinky Kids!” I’m incredibly impressed with the effort I’ve witnessed from this entire group.

Much of our first session testing is complete - though some classes are behind due to scheduling, etc. Also, this year we are going to include push-ups… which is new. I am working on a plan to make the standards reasonable, but equitable, for everyone. That’s a little tricky!

Our first unit game of the year is called AirForce. It is a fast paced, quick transition, team oriented game that offers students with a variety of skill levels (and interest) equal opportunities to participate and contribute to their team’s success. I loved playing it as a kid, and it’s just as much fun watching it as an adult.

Fall is pretty much here, and I’m thrilled. Easily my favorite time of the year. The leaves are beautiful. Deer hunting is in full swing. People put cinnamon and pumpkin spice in everything, yummy! And I can wear my muted browns and drab olive greens without my wife getting on my back about how blah I dress. I hope everyone is having a wonderful year!

Mrs. Daly

Make sure to bring recorders to class!

Mrs. Daly

Hello Choir Families! I am so excited to teach your young singers how to sing together in a choir!

Here's some reminders below to get started:

1) Students will find out their choir schedule on the first day of school.

2) Choir classes will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays this year.

3) Students will have assigned seats based on height and vocal comfort.

4) I will have pencils in the room for students to use during choir class.

5) No gum is allowed outside of testing at Northern Trails.

6) No eating in the music classroom.

7) All choir concerts are required. (12/14, 3/30, 5/24)

8) If you have any questions or concerns you can email me at jdaly@fhps.net.

I am looking forward to making music with your students this year!

Mrs. Gagiu & Mrs. Niqula

Large Ensemble Rehearsal!

Our first combined rehearsal is Monday, November 2, from 9-10am. All students are asked to bring their wire stand, instrument, and music. As a reminder, all cellos and basses need to be brought to school that morning. If you have any questions regarding transportation, please reach out to us!

Concert Music!

Students were given a packet that contains ALL their Winter concert songs. So far, we have learned the entire first page which includes "A Mozart Melody" and "Jingle Bells". We encourage your students to play for the family members throughout the week!

**NT Music Shirt**

Shirts will be passed out this week!

**Fall 2026 Dates to Remember:**

**All students need to bring their wire music stand along with their home instrument (including cello and bass students!) on these dates:

- Monday, November 2, combined rehearsal during the school day

- Wednesday, December 2, combined rehearsal during the school day

- Thursday, December 3, Winter Concert at Forest Hills North HS Auditorium (call time 6:15pm, concert at 7pm)

In harmony,

Mrs. Gagiu and Mrs. Niqula

Ms. Benjamin

Our first full band rehearsal consisting of all 6 band classes will take place on Monday, November 2, from 9:00- 10:00 AM in the school caf. Students are to bring their wire music stands from home for this rehearsal. Our first concert is on Tuesday, November 3, at the Fine Arts Center (600 Forest Hills Ave SE). Students arrive at 6:30 PM wearing their music T-shirt & carrying their instrument & music folder. Our First Informance Band Concert begins at 7:00 PM. The Fine Arts Center has music stands, so wire music stands stay at home Tuesday evening.

Sound Innovations Book

P. 5 #2-5 (our 1st 3-notes)

P.6 #6-8

P. 7 #12, 13 (adding half notes & rests to our 1st 3-notes)

P.8 #16, 17 (adding quarter notes & rests to our 1st 3-notes)

Warm Up line #1 (separate single sheet of paper)

Packet of Beginning Band Tunes

P. 1 #1 Shark Attack; #2 Hot Cross Buns (music with 3-notes)

P. 2 #6 We Will Rock You (adding a 4th note)

Our NT Music T-shirts have arrived. Some students received their concert T-shirts in class on Thursday. The rest of the T-shirts will be given to students at Monday morning's rehearsal. For the concert, students also wear solid, dark colored pants to the ankle.

The theme of 'We Will Rock You' from our concert is student's first Check In. Music targets that will be checked using a rubric are correct notes, rhythm, steady beat, articulation, & posture while students play their instrument. Other Check In work includes note naming, rhythm counting, & music vocabulary. This will be during the week of November 9 during band class. Students with Skip-a-Quiz ticket are welcome to use them for the instrument playing portion only.