Weekly News:
October 24-28, 2016
Fall Camp 10/24-10/28:
We started off the week with designing haunted house, loaded with candies. Each day we took home a project we made from the camp including spooky jar, pumpkin necklace, spooktacular creatures made from clay and edible soil snack. This week was full with Halloween spirit!
Transitional Kindergarten:
In Chinese class, we reviewed previously learned Chinese words: 手，耳，心. We also reviewed the songs and rhymes, 左手，右手，牽牽手, matched the words to the pictures, and traced the characters to reinforced the vocabularies. In addition, we learned to say 南瓜，萬聖節， 黑貓 to welcome Halloween!
In English, the class learned the phonetic concepts /t/ and /th/. The students learned that /t/ sounds begin in words such as top, toy, time and tiger. They have also learned words that begin with /th/ sound. Some words that they have learned are thumb, they, three, thirty, and thief. The class learned how to make the /th/ sound by sticking their tongue in between their teeth. The students have finished reading the story, "I Can Draw" and is practicing the next story. The stories will be sent home by the end of the following week for the students to practice at home.
In art class, the students made Frankenstein's face. The students practiced a lot of fine motor skills through this project. There was a lot of scissors skills involved. The students practiced cutting rounded shapes such as circles, straight lines and zig zags. The students said the zig zags look like mountain tops!
In science class, the children learned about the pumpkin life cycle. They also learned parts of the pumpkins such as the seeds and the vine. In order for a pumpkin to grow, a seed must be planted. After feeding the seed with water and light, the seed will begin to sprout an later form a vine. Flowers will begin to sprout and turn into a small, green pumpkin. In about 4 months, the small, green pumpkin will develop into a huge, orange pumpkin.
Kindergarten: This week in Chinese class, we reviewed the words for CP T1 assessment. We then learned to say Halloween related words, such as, 南瓜，妖怪，鬼，精靈，鬼屋 and 蜘蛛. We learned to sing and dance to the songs, 妖怪手錶：宇宙Dance and 功夫小子。
First Grade: This week we reviewed Lesson 1 to Lesson 3 and completed the story, 友友的午飯. We also completed midterm assessment. In addition, we learned to say Halloween words including 南瓜，妖怪，鬼，精靈，鬼屋 and 蜘蛛. We learned to sing and dance to the new song, 妖怪手錶：宇宙Dance.
Second Grade: This week we wrapped up lesson 3 and previewed lesson 4. We read aloud the story, Jack O' Lantern 南瓜燈籠. We discussed about the story and learned to say words related to Halloween and the magic words: Trick or Treat, 不給糖就搗蛋！
Third Grade: This week we focused on Lesson 3, Thanksgiving Joke Telling Contest, 感恩節說笑話比賽. We read it aloud and paid attention to the pronunciation and intonation of vocabularies and phrases learned from last week. We learned how to tell a joke relevant to Thanksgiving. Moreover, we reviewed the vocabularies and phrases in flash cards.
Fourth/Fifth Grade: We emphasized reading comprehension for the lesson, Halloween, 萬聖節 from MeiZhou Chinese textbook. The students engaged role-play in the lesson and paid attention to the pronunciation and intonation of the phrases. More importantly, students learned how to be compassionate for poor and sick children from the dialogues. The students answered three questions relevant to the lesson.
Childhood is like being drunk.
Everyone remembers what you did, except you!
October 17-21, 2016
Every child is gifted.
They just unwrapped their packages at different time.
Transitional Kindergarten:
In Chinese class, we reviewed previously learned Chinese words: 水，火，木，土 and moved on the the new words 心 and 耳. We first watched a video to show how these words are formed. We then used rainbow colors to color the stroke orders accordingly. We added the poems 靜夜思 and 夜宿山寺 to the poem, 鋤禾 which we learned in the past weeks. In addition, we learned a new song, 星星的心. Our children really loved the song!
This week in English, the students practiced the /st/ and /sw/ constant blends. The class learned to blend the /s/ and /t/ sounds together. The words that they have learned with the /st/ blend are star, stem, stamp, and stone. The next blend that the students have been blending together is /s/ and /w/ sound. The words that they have learned with the /sw/ blend are swing, swan, swim, and sweater. The class discussed activities that they enjoy doing such as swimming and going to park to play on the swing. In addition, the students finished reading the story, "I Like Me".
In Art this week, the students made their trick-or-treat bags. As Halloween is approaching, the students are getting more and more eager to dress up! The students made various types of spooky and cute treat bags. Some of the students who made monster treat bags, painted the bag first before applying the eyes and horns on their monster. Other types of treat bags were Frankenstein, ghost, and Mickey Mouse. They glued on the templates step-by-step and were very excited to see the outcome.
In Science class, the students learned about penguins and their habitat. The class learned that Penguins have special types of feathers that repel water and allows them to stay dry. Penguins also live in cold areas and are water birds. They have enemies, which are seals and seagulls. The students learned that penguins have to constantly protect their eggs from being eaten by the seagulls.
Kindergarten: This week in Chinese class, we reviewed Lesson 3 拍拍手， 一年有幾個月 and began Lesson 4 我有十個手指頭. We learned to write as well as using these words in sentences: 工，口，左，右，有，尖， 不. We sang and danced the two songs, 功夫小子 and 加加油. For art, we drew spooky house 鬼屋. Our spooky houses look so Spooktalar!
First Grade: This week we reviewed Lesson 3 開玩笑. To preview the story, 友友的午飯, we explore Asian food such as 包子，小籠包，麵條，米飯， 水餃, etc. We then read the story which is about lunches everyone brought to school. We sang and danced to 你是我的花朵 and 忍者龜. For art, we drew haunted house. We all look forward to Halloween!
Second Grade: This week we read the short story, The Three Brothers: Wind, Rain and Snow 風，雨，雪三兄弟.
After reading the story, we discussed the story elements and completed the story map for CP assignment. Finally, we practiced for upcoming assessment including Pinyin 拼音 and radicals 部首. We then continued with our lesson which left off on Lesson 2.
Third Grade: This week we learned words including 感，恩，節，參，加，喜 and 歡. We then formed these words into new phrases such as 感謝，加油，喜歡，節目，參加，歡迎，感恩節. We also read sample sentences in the textbook and paid attention to how each of the phrases is used in a sentence. Following that, we used some high frequency phrases to make sentences to practice sentence structure. More importantly, we prepared for an upcoming mid-term vocabulary test at school.
Fourth/Fifth Grade: We emphasized reading comprehension of the story, Making Stories. The story taught us how to be a creative storyteller by playing a story development. Students also learned a Chinese idiom, Watching the Sky Sitting at the Bottom of a Well,”坐井觀天, which means drawing a conclusion about a situation despite having incomplete knowledge. In addition, students answered questions related to the story.
October 10-14, 2016
Play is the highest form of research!
Albert Eistein
Transitional Kindergarten:
In Chinese class this week, we started the week off with reviewing characters that we have learned and read the lessons about soil 土 and field 田. We practiced writing the characters 土 and 田. In Math, we continued simple subtraction by using number lines.
This week in English, the students were introduced to two new /s/ blends. The two new /s/ blends that they have learned are /sp/ and /sh/. The class learned that /sp/ sounds are in words such as spoon, spill, space, spider, and spaghetti. Words that they learned with the /sh/ blend are shell, she, shoe, ship, and sheep. The class has now finished reading the story, “I Can” and are now practicing their new story, “I Like Me”.
In Art this week, students made flying bat handcrafts. Instead of tracing a bat template, the students used their hands to create bats. They began with tracing their hand with chalk, the students were surprised to see that chalk can be seen on black paper! Through this art project, the students were able to learn that bats are nocturnal animals.
In Science class, the students worked on creating potions! To get the Halloween fun started in our classroom, we revisited chemical reaction and added our own fun. First, we used baking soda and added a few drop of green food coloring. Instead of putting vinegar right away, we added a few drops of dish soap. This is our class’s secret to create a thicker foam outcome when we pour in the vinegar. The reaction of all these ingredients made it very fun for students to experiment how adding one extra ingredient can make a very huge difference.
Kindergarten: This week in Chinese class, we practiced for Chinese test. We hoped to do well at school. We then reviewed the lessons 拍拍手 and 一年有幾個月. Toward the end of the week, we practiced using the words , 上，中，下，大，小，手，力 and in sentences. We sang and danced the two songs, 長高精靈 and 小蘋果. For art, we drew bats. Our bats look adorable!
First Grade: This week we began with reviewing words for CP tests. We did two practice tests. We were confident to do well at school. We then reviewed the story The Egg Went Missing 鳥媽媽的但不見了. We moved on to lesson 3, Making Jokes 開玩笑! We sang and danced to 你是我的花朵 and 小蘋果. For art, we drew bats. Halloween is sure to come!
Second Grade: This week we read the short story, Rainbow Appears When the Sun Dims 射日彩紅. The story explains why there is rainbow. After reading the story, we discussed the story elements and completed the story map. Finally, we practiced for Friday quiz with the words: 爺，婆，親，表，活，什，麼，重. We began to learn Hanyu Pinyin in the class as well.
Third Grade: This week we focused on reading comprehension of the story, Picking Apples in the Orchard 摘蘋果 . Students were required to pay attention to pronunciation and intonation to the words in the story. The story is about Chinese parents and students taking turns to pick apples, baking them into apple pies and delivering them to nursing homes. Students learned that helping elderly actually makes them happy. Moreover, students answered questions to comprehend the meaning of the story.
Fourth/Fifth Grade: We emphasized reading comprehension of the story, Making Stories. The story taught us how to be a creative storyteller by playing a story development. Students also learned a Chinese idiom, “watching the sky sitting at the bottom of a well,”坐井觀天， which means drawing a conclusion about a situation despite having incomplete knowledge. In addition, students answered questions related to the story.
October 3-7, 2016
Little by little one walks far
Peruvian Proverb
Transitional Kindergarten:
In Chinese class this week, we learned the new character 山 and 木. We found out that 2 木 make 林 and 3 木 make 森 and together make a forest 森林. Chinese words are very fun to learn! In addition, we learned a poem 夜宿山寺 and read aloud the story, 木偶奇遇記. In Math, we started simple subtraction by using number lines.
This week in English, the students practiced /s/ blends. The /s/ blends that they have learned are /sn/ and /sl/. The students practiced blending the two beginning letters together. The class used the /s/ blend sounds that they have learn to blend with vowels and ending sounds to create words such as snow. Words that they have been practicing are sled, slow, sleep, slide, snake, snap, snowman, and snail. The students finished reading the story, "Follow Me" and began to practice reading the story "I Can". They will also continue to learn new /s/ blends next week.
In Art this week, the students made Halloween Silhouettes. First, students used paper plates and painted them orange for the background color. We discussed about our own shadow and how we see them whenever the sun is out. With that in mind, the students picked out what shadows they wanted on their plate - ghost, bat, pumpkin or a cat. We then glued them onto our plates. The students are very excited to decorate the classroom with our first Halloween art that they have created!
In Science class, the students made leaf rubbings. They picked some of the leaves from the school's playground, and we placed a blank paper on top of the leaf. The students then got crayons and used it to rub against the paper. The class was very surprised to see the outline of the leaves! After, we discussed the different parts of the leaf - petiole, blade and vein.
Kindergarten: This week in Chinese class, we took home the lessons 拍拍手 and 一年有幾個月 to read to our moms and dads.We continued to practice writing Chinese numbers, arranging numbers in the order. We also practiced words learned from CP to prep us for upcoming assessment. We sang and danced the two songs, 長高精靈 and 星星的心. For art, we drew pumpkin-cat. Halloween is in the air!
First Grade: This week we began with reviewing words 言，請，找，黃，就，說. We then moved on to the story The Egg Went Missing 鳥媽媽的但不見了. We took home the story to read to our parents. We continued to use flashcards to continue to practice identifying the word list from CP. We sang and danced to 你是我的花朵 and 忍者龜. For art, we drew pumpkin-cat to welcome Halloween!
Second Grade: This week we read the short story, The Three Caterpillars 三隻毛毛蟲. The story is about the three caterpillars finding a way to cross the river. Only one found a way to cross the river without hassle...turning into butterly and fly over. The story taught us to think before acting. After reading the story, we discussed the story elements. Finally, we practiced for Friday quiz with the words: 校，寫，以，後，久，相，父，母.
Third Grade: This week we focused on new vocabulary words including 者，永，遠， 病， 願， 安 and 樹. We then used these words to compose new phrases: 記者，永遠，永久，生病，願意，安靜，果樹. Additionally, we practiced using the sentence structures: 假如我是。。。，願意。。。，不願意。。。. More importantly, we then prepared ten phrases for the upcoming quiz at CP.
Fourth/Fifth Grade: This week we we reread lesson 2 to gain fluency in reading. We learned new phrases including 因此，爺爺，其實，任何，如何，不肯，用功， 功課 and 學習. We practiced the sample sentences in the textbook, and then we selected some of these phrases to make our own sentences. Through the activity, we gained knowledge of applying each phrase into a different context.