The Learning Chronicles

October 4, 2023

February 2024

February has been a month filled with milestones and celebrations here at Pine Hill! Our students joyfully marked their 100th day of school, a testament to their dedication and hard work throughout the academic year. Additionally, we immersed ourselves in the spirit of love and friendship with Valentine's Day celebrations, spreading kindness and warmth throughout our school community. Let's continue to inspire curiosity, foster creativity, and nurture the love of learning in our students as we journey into March.

Coaching Updates

Literacy Coach Jen Ryan

Primary teachers in grades K-2 have dedicated their coaching foci to incorporating strategies for small group instructions that incorporate research-based methods that fall under the umbrella of the science of reading. Teachers differentiate instruction to incorporate multi-sensory phonics exposure, with application to decodable text!

Third grade educators are learning to boost student voice and agency through student-led book clubs. It’s inspiring to see the way students challenge one another to deepen thinking about characters across shared text.

Math Coach Lindsay Weiner

You might have noticed the colorful paper chains hanging in the lobby. On January 29th our 5th graders celebrated their 1,000th day of school. Since there are 181 days of school in a year at the end of 4th grade they had completed 905 days, so 95 school days into this year was their 1,000th day of school. They celebrated by recording 1,000 of their favorite memories of school on strips of paper. There are 10 different colors of paper and 100 loops per color.

Grade Level Happenings

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Pre-School

This month in preschool, we are “driving” into the exciting theme of "Things that Move!" Our students will embark on thrilling adventures exploring this theme, including an interactive car wash play activity. We are also emphasizing the importance of "whole body listening.” Ask your child what this means. In handwriting, our preschoolers are honing in on capital slant line letters, fostering fine motor skills. Plus, we are introducing the superstar short vowel "i"- our very own basketball player! Encourage your child to share what sound short vowel "i" makes. And get ready for hearing about our fun vote as we select the name for our new class pet.

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Kindergarten

Kindergarteners are learning to make teen numbers on double ten frames. Ask them what 10 and some more are all together (any number from 1 to 10). They are learning that 10 and more ones are teen numbers.

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First Grade

First graders are learning about sound in science. A highlight was making instruments out of recycled materials. This would be a fun activity to try at home, too!

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Second Grade

Second grade is studying the habitat of a tide pool. We are lucky enough to have our very own tide pool animals in each of our classrooms. We are learning about why this habitat is so unique, the different zones of the tide pool, and what adaptations animals in this habitat need to help them survive.

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Third Grade

Marian Neutra, Steven Tsai, and Jeff Waldron, who are members of Sherborn’s Select Board, recently visited Pine Hill’s third graders. The Select Board members helped the third graders understand how towns, such as Sherborn, have governments, what governments do, how Sherborn’s government is organized, and how people participate in and contribute to their communities. Thank you for a great visit and for all that you do to support Pine Hill!

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Fourth Grade

Fourth graders have been learning about our PH Promise word: Integrity. We have read picture books with this theme and hunted for integrity in our school. Ask your child for examples of integrity they see each day.

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Fifth Grade

Fifth graders continued learning about the engineering design process in science. Students engaged in the various steps of the cycle and culminated in creating their own water filters within groups. They were able to improve their designs by changing the materials used in order to limit the amount of particles, clarity and time it took to filter the contaminated water.

Specialists

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PE - Kindergarten

Kindergarteners have embraced one of my favorite saying, “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you”. Our energetic Kindergarteners took part in a variety of ambitious activities this month, including the rock wall, rope swing, and pogo sticks. They were also able to explore activities such as floor hockey, volleyball, and pickleball! Their coordination and teambuilding skills are growing with each class!

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Technology- Third Grade

Third graders have been enjoying the makespace alternative recess option where they come to explore, build and create things from legos to sticker art. This month's favorite make-and-take option, “the grabber” was a hit!

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PE- First

Our first grade students have been developing great teamwork and communication skills during the month of February as we focus on cooperative learning. They have been problem solving in small groups while playing “How Many in a Hoop?” and “Deliver the Valentine”. Each class focused on listening skills and following directions while making ocean waves, popping popcorn, and having a tea party with (and under) the parachute!

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Art- Fourth Grade

Fourth grade students have been studying the “outsider art” of Minnie Evans. They had the opportunity to study her work and discuss what made it unique, as we also theorize on the possible reasons that she may have been an outsider artist. Student ideas range from Minnie’s art style to society’s expectations of women and black people through the earlier half of the 20th century in the United States.. Our artists have engaged in creating works emphasizing key components of Minnie’s art, multimedia application and symmetry.

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Library- Second Grade

Second Graders have been working on research skills during their library classes. They have been learning about all of the great resources available to them on our Library website, Destiny. In addition, students have started to learn about plagiarism and how to use information responsibly.

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Music- Fifth Grade

And you thought we were done with drumming?!? Absolutely not, my friends! Fifth graders recently incorporated a new instrument called the “Talking Drum” (isn’t THAT an appropriate name for my fifth grade friends!). This instrument earned it’s name by the multiple musical sounds it can produce by using your BICEPS. I know, weird, right? Ask your fifth grader to tell you about their experience!

The Learning Chronicles