May 2014 newsletter

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

Page 1-2 Nature as Nurturer

Monitor

M A Y

2 0 1 4

Page 3 Achievements Page 4-13 Classroom Updates Page 14-15 M3S Spanish Page 16 Literature Page 17 Media and Library Page 18 Spotlight Kids Page 19 End of Year Show Page 20-24 Art Page 25 Studios Page 26-27 Events Page 28 Calendar

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FROM MILLHOPPER MONTESSORI SCHOOL

Harvard Professor and childhood development expert, Howard Gardner identified seven intelligences in children.

Aside from what we have long understood about the seven intelligences which are logical-mathematical, linguistic, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, musical and both interpersonal and intrapersonal, Gardner and others have since identified an eighth intelligence—the naturalist intelligence.

University of Wisconsin’s Leslie Wilson’s theories of learning describe these observable naturalistic traits in children as an ability to notice things that others do not, a high interest caring for plants and animals, liking and preferring to be outside observing natural things, analyzing how things are different or similar at a young age, easily classifying things in the natural world by characteristics, and showing a greater than normal concern for the environment.

Personally, I recall a five-year-old student, named Kato, who attended my school in 1977. Her home windowsills were filled with small natural ecosystems and creatures she liked to tend and observe. Fortunately her parents were very supportive of her collections and nurtured her naturalist intelligence.

One day, she brought her aquarium, containing her treasured garter snakes, to school. Over time, she was distraught when they wouldn’t eat in the environment she had prepared. She tried worms, and then offered her “pet” crickets (which she knew was a yummy treat through her creatively advanced five-year-old research.) After the snakes spurned the crickets and knotted themselves together, she assessed that they were “in distress” and needed to be released.

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With the somber silence and serious ceremony of a five year old, she carried the snakes into the woods behind the school. Tenderly, she pulled the snakes apart from their entanglement, and we released them. A tear rolled down her cheek. I was expecting that she would say how much she was going to miss her “pets.” Instead she said, “I just love nature’s animals.”

We know now that children have a capacity for Gardner’s intelligences or several in differing degrees. It is important for us as educators and parents to appreciate the importance of providing natural experiences for children as well as understanding how it impacts a child’s development.

It is the job of the adults in children’s lives to provide them as many opportunities for sensorial experiences (through the five senses) as possible, especially outdoors. Children need to analyze, collect, observe, handle, and not be afraid of the natural world. This is foremost in developing skills in natural science.

The importance of a child’s opportunity to learn does not have to always be in the middle of the woods. It can take place in a yard or while observing cloud shapes, it can happen while listening to the sounds of birds or studying flower petals, or perhaps, listening to a train heading off in the distance.

The author of Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv, said, “Perhaps the eighth intelligence is the intelligence within nature, the lessons waiting to be delivered if anyone shows up.”

“A child’s learning can take place in a yard or while observing cloud shapes. It can happen while listening to bird sounds or studying flowers petals, or perhaps, listening to a train heading off in the distance”.

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Congratulations to Mr. Richard Aslanian’s and Ms. Suzi Rumsey’s 2nd and 3rd grade class for winning the Box Tops Competition for the 2013-2014 school year! They brought in a grand total of 1,388 box tops and were rewarded for the efforts with an ice cream party. As a whole, MMS earned $643.40 this school year, so thank you all for participating!

Ms. Erin Sorel’s and Ms. Susie Long’s 1st and 2nd grade class sold pot holder bowls they made to raise money for the Bread of the Mighty Food Bank, and WCJB TV 20 came to interview the them Check out the link to see their interview! http://www.wcjb.com/.../no-hunger-games-empty-bowls-kids...

MMS Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) has acquired not-for-profit status with the State of Florida. Look for more upcoming news from MMS PTO in the 2014-2015 school year!

The Fourth Grade Spelling Bee was held in April for Fourth graders. It was an exciting event for the students. Congratulations to all!

1st Place: Eduardo 2nd Place: Analia 3rd Place: Sophie

In March, Ms. Elaine Manion and Coach Cam Parker attended a one-day National Seminars Training on “Developing Your Emotional Intelligence.” The training was focused on how to interact with different communication styles. With having learned these tools and skills, and putting them into practice at the work place, Ms. Elaine and Coach Cam have demonstrated how to have ongoing successful interactions amongst coworkers, while simultaneously teaching children how to do the same with their peers.

May 2nd through 6th, Ms. Christina Miller attended (FISBO) the Florida Independent School’s Business Organization’s conference in Stuart, Florida. The conference was held at the Pine School. The different days focused on specifics such as business law, risk management, and maximizing technology investments with an IT audit.

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This academic school year is coming to an end and it has been a fantastic year full of growth, development, and learning in the Beginners’ Class. Science has been at the forefront of the spring unit studies as the students learned about life cycles of animals, plant and beneficial insects while working in the garden, and planetary information during the solar system study. The spring is fantastic time to explore science as so much growth is going on in the natural world. By observing and interacting with the life cycle of animals and plants students better understand their own growth and development as well as begin to build a scientific vocabulary and a questioning mind.

The garden unit is a yearly event that families look forward to each year. Parents and grandparents come and help plant the garden each year to begin the study. The beneficial insect release was an exciting time as students explored healthy alternatives for pest control. The students enjoyed cutting herbs and flowers and arranging them in small vases for the tables in the classroom. Herb tasting was also a popular activity during the garden study.

Life Cycle work

Parents and grandparents gardening with their children

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The students learned many facts about the eight planets that make up our solar system and the planets’ positions in the solar system during our April study. They explored concepts such as rotation, revolution, elliptical paths, gravity, and constellation placement through various movement activities and specialized globes. The students practiced the planets names through songs as well as facts about our sun.

Studying the constellation globe Solar system work May always consists of fun activities to finish the year, and this year was no exception. There were many exciting dress up days, process art, and silly songs. The students enjoyed movement activities such as beach balls, hula hoops, and an entire dance party day. Many birthdays were also celebrated in May as some of the children celebrated with another trip around the sun.

Bubble Day

MONITOR PAGE 5

The past few months have been very exciting for our class! During March, we learned about many animals living in Australia. We spent time push-pinning kangaroos and koalas and drawing our own Australian habitat for our animals to live in. We also learned about the parts of the leaf. We enjoyed studying many different types of leaves and looking closely at their vein patterns. Our “sink or float� science experiment was a great success. Our students each brought in an item to drop into our water tub and we watched each item either sink or float.

During April, we studied the parts of the seed and the parts of the flower. We sprouted bean seeds and carrot seed and watched them grow. For our Spring Celebration, we had a blast dying eggs to eat, making Cinna-bunnies and hunting for eggs in the classroom.

Bean Sprouts During April, we also celebrated Earth Day! Our students had a wonderful hands-on opportunity to take care of our earth by planting flowers and herbs in our patio garden. We released hundreds of ladybugs to help keep our plants healthy and filled our bird feeder with seeds.

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Parts of the Flower

Planting flowers on Earth Day

Ladybug release

Everyone had a wonderful time enjoying breakfast together with their parents during our Parent Appreciation Breakfast. Our students enjoyed painting flower pots as a gift to their parents for Parent Appreciation Day. They were also very excited to sing “Robin in the Rain” for all the parents.

We have just begun our study on the lifecycle of the frog. We are learning about the changes a baby tadpole experiences as it grows into an adult frog.

The Yu and Nakanishi families

Making Koinobori

We also learned about Children’s Day which is celebrated in Japan on May, 5 th. In honor of Children’s Day, the Yu family came to our class and gave a presentation, sang a traditional song, and gave us Samurai helmets made of newspaper. We also enjoyed making our own flying fish wind socks called Koinobori.

Making Koinobori

Celebrating Children’s Day

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Here we are at the end of another eventful school year. The children have learned, grown and matured so much this year and it has been a joy to be a part of it. We spent the first half of this semester exploring the animal kingdom and discovered how different creatures are classified into groups according to similar characteristics. As a part of this unit study the children did their own research and then presented their new knowledge to the class. We also spent time learning about and experimenting with simple machines.

These hands on lessons allowed the children to better understand how people move objects. They really enjoyed the independent and group activities.

Presenting research projects

Simple machine lesson

We spent February and March exploring the world and some of the different cultures of the people we share our Earth with. We learned that people all over the world have the same wants and needs but that how those wants and needs are met depends a lot upon where one lives and the resources available.

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During April we explored life cycles, we observed firsthand the development of plants, butterflies and tadpoles. We learned that insects are an important part of plant life cycles and vice versa.

Releasing the butterflies

We also had some special visitors (Chappie McChesney and Earlea Bee) from the Alachua County Beekeepers Club. They brought a real active beehive and the suit beekeepers wear to protect them while they work. Mr. Chappie gave a wonderful presentation and we all learned many new and interesting facts about honey bees.

Chappie McChesney teaching about bees

Earlea Bee with the children

Rahman, a Kindergarten student, also invited his friend Mr. Glenn Motts to visit us and share his knowledge with our class. Mr. Motts very generously came and shared many wonderful insect specimens from his collection and even more facts about them.

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What a great year it has been for us! We’ve grown and accomplished a lot during the school year.

Our studies have taken us from the beginning of the universe through life on earth, studies on the ancient civilizations and into Australia. We have explored the different classifications of animals and have looked deeply into the human body. We have personified many people from history, have had a spelling and a geography bee and even planted a garden along the way. The Third Grade students were able to bring the Great Books and Social Studies curriculum together with the jury trial presentation of “Ooka and the Honest Thief”.

Showing shields and sharing Greek food on Ancient Civilization Day

We appreciate the help of our parents and volunteers during the last term. Thanks to Ms. Candace and Ms. Rhea for sweating it out in the garden. Thanks to Ms. Lisa for the presentation on the brain, and thank you to Mr. Jack Putz, from UF, who came and gave us a great lesson on ecology. It was special for us to participate in a Skype session with Ms. Amanda while she was on her latest mission with the submersible ALVIN. We are looking forward to the end of the year show and our final fun field trip to Blue Springs.

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Geography Bee Winners

1st Places: 2nd Grade-Anthony 3rd Grade-Evan

The final day will tell us once again which house gets to hoist the House Cup Championship Trophy and enjoy the spoils of earning the championship. Summer reading lists will be posted on the school’s website towards the end of the school year.

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Middle School students began the fourth quarter preparing for the ITBS test. After that it was back to business as usual. Even though the school year is winding down Sixth, Seventh and Eighth grade students still have lots to do.

We had great weather for our Father’s Field Day. With the new game format, always exciting water balloon toss event and ribbons and trophies at the end, everyone had a great time! Great job to the Dads and students!

Our Moms were treated to a very lovely and entertaining Mother’s Day Tea. The young ladies looked elegant in their dresses while the young men were dashing in their ties. Moms enjoyed poetry, songs, a piano and a guitar recital, and the always popular “Mother’s Day News!”

Father’s Field Day three-legged race

During the fourth quarter, the Seventh and Eighth grade students turned graphic designers created the beautiful fourth annual literary magazine, The Gallery. It is filled with creative poetry, short stories and beautiful art work from students in First through Eighth grades. Copies were sent home to all the First through Eighth grade students a few weeks ago.

After all of their hard work this year, Middle School students had earned a well-deserved break. May 22nd & 23rd students traveled to Orlando for the annual End of the Year trip. Two days of fun and thrills at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure and Aquatica.

Literary magazine cover

Fourth quarter is also a time for transition as our graduating Eighth graders prepare for high school. We send them off in style at the graduation ceremony, Tuesday, June 3rd at 6 p.m. at Unity Church, with a party to follow at the Haile Plantation Golf and Country Club Fitness Center Pool for pizza, cake, and swimming!

To prepare for graduation, all Middle School students are writing speeches for the ceremony. All of the Seventh graders will introduce Eighth graders. The Sixth graders are writing and reciting poems on the theme of graduation and moving forward. Our Eighth graders have the difficult task of writing goodbye speeches to friends, teachers and staff that they have known for many years.

It is always a bittersweet event filled with tears but also with fond memories and lots of laughter. It has been another wonderful year in the M3S classroom. We are always so surprised by how fast the year goes but when you are learning AND having fun at the same time – that tends to happen! We would like to wish our Eighth grade graduates –Caryss, Lydia, Zach, Brian, Hunter, Ava, Lexi, Gibson, Dillon & Sophie– the best of luck in high school. To the incoming Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth grade students, have a summer full of adventures to share in community meeting when you return in the Fall. To our M3S Parents, thank you for your continued support.

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The Fourth through Eighth grade students went on an educational and fun filled trip to the Lowry Park Zoo and Florida Aquarium in Tampa. At the zoo, they learned about the many native Florida species, explored the primate world and discovered the cool characteristics of our closest cousins in the Animal Kingdom. They also visited the Asian gardens and explored the fascinating animals of this massive continent - everything from unusual tapirs to the rare Malayan tigers. And who can forget Safari Africa, where they got to explore the African savannah, home to some very elusive and diverse wildlife as well as some of the world's largest land mammals. The students used their animal instincts to solve clues, work together, and have fun with a Lowry Park Zoo themed scavenger hunt. At the Florida Aquarium, students got an opportunity to learn about the vast diversity of aquatic ecosystems: the wetland trail where they saw alligators and Burmese pythons, bays and beaches where colorful fish and stingrays live, and coral reefs and deep oceans, and a journey to Madagascar complete with leaping lemurs and hissing cockroaches!

Exploring at the Lowry Park Zoo

The Seventh and Eighth graders studied the ecology unit. They learned about energy flows through an ecosystem, how matter is recycled through the environment, how climate affects limiting factors in an ecosystem, why both biotic and abiotic factors are important for a healthy ecosystem, and how environments adapt over time. At the end of the unit, students understood that human actions impact biotic and abiotic factors, ecosystems change over time, and adaptation is essential for species survival.

The Sixth graders explored the oceanography and climate unit. They learned about what created the wind and the ocean currents on our planet, how clouds, mountains, and the oceans effect our climate, how living things changed the composition of our atmosphere over time, and the relationship between the sun and our weather.

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¡Hola a todos! During these last weeks all Middle School students prepared for the Spanish Spelling Bee. They all worked hard and we had a very close final round! Check out the next page for the results. Congratulations to all the winners! I am very proud of all my students for the effort they put into this activity.

The Sixth graders studied Unit 2, lección 1 Somos Estudiantes, and lección 2 En La Escuela. They learned how to discuss daily schedules, how to ask and tell the time, and how to say what they do and how often they do it. In this unit we also reviewed the days of the week and numbers from 1 to 20.

In the last month they began with lección 2: En La Escuela, they studied how to describe classes and classroom objects, and they learned how to talk about their school schedule. As part of this unit students labeled all the classroom objects in Spanish and displayed the labels around the classroom. As a final project for the school year, the Sixth graders created a Spanish Speaking Voki Sixth Grade Spanish class (Avatar) of themselves. The idea with this project is that students will be able to express what we have learned and practiced over the year using all the grammar structures, and at the same time engage them by designing an Avatar of themselves that could speak in Spanish.

The Seventh graders have been studying Unit 6, República Dominicana lección 1: ¿Cuál es tu deporte favorito?, and lección 2: La Salud. They have learned specific vocabulary about sports, the use of the verb jugar, how to talk about whom you know and what you know (the difference between the verbs saber y conocer). In the second lesson of the unit students learned specific vocabulary related to the different parts of the body, the use of the verb doler, and the use of the preterite tense. As part of this unit students did a project about a vacation in Dominican Republic where they had to pretend they were spending a week in the Dominican Republic beaches. They had to send me a postcard from there, explaining what they did there in preterite tense and using the unit vocabulary. To make the project fun and realistic I asked them to mail the postcard to me. We also began Unit 7, Argentina, lección 1: En el cybercafé. In this lesson the Seventh graders learned to talk about technology, and a series of events. They studied the preterite of regular verbs. As a final project for the school year, the eventh graders will also create a Spanish Speaking Voki (Avatar) of them, their Voki will speak in Spanish and will explain what technology they like the most and what each student and their classmates did last week, the idea is that they use the preterite tenses that they have been studying.

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The Eighth graders have been studying Unit Unit 7, Argentina, lección 1: En el cybercafé; lección 2: Un día en el parque de diversiones. They learned to talk about technology, to say what they did, to talk about indefinite or negative situations. Also, they learned about the Argentinian culture.

During the second part of this unit ( lección 2 Un día en el parque de diversiones ) they learned to talk on the phone, to say where they went, how it was and what they did. To reinforce this subject I asked them to present a summary to the class about their visit to the Aquarium and Zoo in Tampa. They had to use all the verbs in preterite tense that they have studied. A few weeks ago we started Unit 8, Costa Rica, lección 1: Una rutina diferente. In this unit the students learned about Costa Rica, to talk about their daily routines, and how to talk about daily routines when they are on vacation. They studied the reflexive verbs and also learned about present progressive.

They created a Spanish Speaking Voki (Avatar). Their Voki will speak in Spanish and will explain about their daily routine and their travel preferences.

It has been an exciting year. I am looking forward to the next school year as well. ¡Que tengan un feliz verano!, Sra. Karina Newman

A student presenting her Voki

Spanish Spelling Bee Winners Sixth Grade: 1st Place-Alex 2nd Place-Eileen 3rd Place-Lindsey

Seventh Grade: 1st Place-Nayantara 2nd Place-Ari 3rd Place-Charlie

Eighth Grade: 1st Place-Brian 2nd Place-Caryss 3rd Place-Gibson PAGE 15

The Fourth graders took the Florida Writes essay exam on April 16. Parents will receive a letter with their student’s score, no later than the final report card.

Now that the Florida Writes is complete, Fourth grade is revisiting the familiar format of Junior Great Books. We are reading and discussing “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”, one of the stories in Arabian Nights (which is also the origin of “Aladdin”, our year-end show). We’ll also be taking time to review and reflect on all we’ve learned this year and prepare for Fifth grade next year the last year of elementary school!

Ms. Jennifer assisting a Fourth grader with writing Checking out library books

The end of the year for the Fifth grade is a busy and exciting time, with lots of different and special activities going on for the patrols. We are taking the opportunity to study poetry and figurative language, and explore how the meaning of a word, phrase or poem can differ depending on the reader. Our mantra is “no wrong answers” as long as the student’s interpretation can be supported by something they found in their reading. Of course, no poetry unit would be complete without the students having an opportunity to write some poetry of their own!

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Our Spring Book Fair was held Monday, April 7 – Friday, April 11. With the proceeds, we were able to purchase almost $1,000.00 worth of books for the school. The additional profit goes into “Scholastic Dollars”, which will let us purchase additional books for the school. Mark your calendars now for the Fall book fair: December 1-5, 2014.

That’s the week right after Thanksgiving break, so you can get a head start on your holiday shopping!

Even though this school year is over, make sure your student(s) keep reading all summer long! Summer reading is one of the most important ways to make sure children continue learning over the summer, and don’t lose the hard -won gains made over the school year. Elementary and Middle School students will have reading lists (with some required books) to help them get ready for next year, but in addition to that, make sure your child(ren) read some books of their choice – just for fun! Children of any age also love to be read to, so break out some old favorites.

Below are some links to help you support your child with their summer reading: http://www.scholastic.com/summer The theme of this year’s Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge is “Reading Under the Stars”. All rising First – Fifth graders have received a personal login which they can use to track their reading and earn online badges as they reach goals. Last summer, the rising Fourth and Fifth graders logged 12,214 minutes of reading – and that’s just for Ms. Tina’s class! The school with the most minutes logged can win prizes, including the grand prize of a school visit from a bestselling children’s author. The Scholastic site includes a section for parents, which has resources such as activities and suggested titles by age. http://www.justreadfamilies.org/ This site, home of the state of Florida’s “Just Read, Families!” initiative, includes Elementary and Secondary reading brochures for parents with lots of additional links and information, as well as suggested reading lists for students from Kindergarten through high school. http://www.aclib.us/ We are fortunate in Alachua County to have access to an excellent public library system! There are many FREE events offered at the library throughout the summer. If you’re trying to beat the heat of a summer afternoon, why not spend it at the library? Be sure to look at the event calendar to see what’s happening at your local branch! http://www.floridamedia.org/?page=SSYRA_List The Florida Association for Media in Education and the Florida Department of Education jointly sponsor the Sunshine State Young Reader’s Awards to encourage students in upper elementary and middle school to read appealing, good quality literature. The lists for the upcoming 2014-2015 school year are available at the link above.

Here’s a hint: Ms. Jennifer Kuntz and Ms. Susan Hansen expect their language arts students to read books from these lists!

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Every year the Spotlight Kids invite Third through Eighth graders to join them for an afternoon of fun and glimpse into their club. Drama Fun Day was filled with laughter, new friends and old friends. We played many games that helped with building characterization, voices, focus and creativity.

On Friday, April 26 the Spotlight Kids supported Eastside High School Drama Department in their production of a brand new musical Barbershop Tales. Spotlight Kids alumni Laura Clark, Dominick Aslanian and Ben Brandt were part of the production. The lyrics and the music were written by Eastside's Musical Director Jacob Fjeldheim. Our support was very appreciated!

Our final Drama Club was on Friday, May 16. We will resume Drama Club in August 2014.

All For One, One For All, Together the Spotlight Shines Brighter!

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These past few months were great in our Art department. Students in Mr. Richard Aslanian’s class finished drawing their Chinese Dragons. All of the 28 beautiful dragons were on display at the Millhopper Branch Library for the Chinese New Year and during the month of February. Our Middle School students had their linoleum block prints on display in the same library branch during the month of April. Staff at the library tells us that there was a lot of positive feedback during the shows.

Here are our new projects: MS. ERIN SOREL’S CLASS SAILING BOATS IN PERSPECTIVE PAINTING / COLLAGE Perspective in art is an illusion of depth and distance.

To a viewer, an object actually shrinks by half in size each time the distance to it is doubled—something our eyes and brain use every day to decide where we are in relation to our surroundings. In this project students used three techniques to create an illusion of perspective: the size of boats, the location of boats, and the overlapping of waves and boats.

FLORIDA SUNSET PAINTING / WATERCOLORS Students learned about silhouette as a dark image outlined against a lighter background; a dark image, especially a shadow, seen against the light. We also discussed the colors of the sky during sunset.

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MS. ERIN SOREL’S CLASS AND MR. RICHARD ASLANIAN’S CLASS DRAWING ANIMALS / INSPIRED BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTOS DRAWING / COLORED PENCILS We discussed the process of observing and drawing from photos. We tried to follow four fundamental steps in creating a good drawing. We measured size and proportions and we carefully transferred basic shapes on a paper; we tried to choose and mix the right colors (many times mixing few colors to get the right one); we used shading technique to create a three – dimensional appearance, and we made a decision on how much emphasis each element should receive.

RADIAL BALANCE / MANDALAS DRAWING / THIN MARKERS Balance in art refers to the ways in which the elements (lines, shapes, colors, textures, etc.) of a piece are arranged.

Radial balance is a type of balance in which all elements radiate out from a central point.

The word "mandala" comes from the classical Indian language; Sanskrit. Loosely translated to mean "circle," a mandala is far more than a simple shape. It represents the whole universe, describing both material and non-material realities.

In ancient Tibet, as part of a spiritual practice, monks create intricate mandalas with colored sand made of crushed semiprecious stones.

Students watched the PowerPoint presentation about some of the most beautiful mandalas in art and architecture around the world, and then created their own.

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MR. RICHARD ASLANIAN’S CLASS: ANCIENT ROME / FISH MOSAIC SCRAP BOOK PAPER MOSAIC The pieces of Roman mosaics were called “tessellae” or “tesserae” and their size could differ even within the same mosaic. A large range of materials in different colors were used for ancient Roman mosaics including pebbles, pieces of terra cotta tiles, pumice stone and seashells. Many times stones, marbles, colored glass or even gold leaves were used.

Students learned about mosaic as a picture or pattern produced by arranging together small colored pieces of any material. We used colorful scrap book paper for our fish mosaics.

VAN GOGH’S SUNFLOWERS PAINTING / THICK TEMPERA PAINT It was August, the sunflowers were blooming in Holland, and Van Gogh desperately wanted to capture them in a series of 12 pictures. Because the flowers wilted so quickly, he worked on his canvases every day.

Students learned about impasto as a thick application of paint, and then we analyzed visible strokes in Van Gog’s paintings. We also compared parts of sunflowers to some of the basic shapes. Then, we tried to draw and paint sunflowers like Van Gogh.

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MS. CHRISTINA MILLER’S CLASS: MEDIEVAL CASTLE DRAWING AND PAINTING / BLACK SHARPIE MARKER / AQUARELLE We looked at the photos of the most famous and beautiful castles in Scotland, England, Ireland and Germany. We also studied the floor plan of a traditional medieval castle.

We talked about linear perspective where parallel lines seem to move toward the same point as they move farther away from the viewer, and we practiced the aquarelle painting.

Aquarelle is a technique of painting in transparent, rather than opaque, water colors. It was used especially in France and England by landscape painters.

FANTASTIC ANIMALS / DISTORTION DRAWING / MARKERS / COLORED PENCILS Frequently artists use distortion or abstraction to convey their message. Fantastic Art, which is representational and naturalistic, rather than abstract, has been an integral part of art since its beginnings. Often, artists alter the reality in such a way that an item is simultaneously recognizable, and visibly changed in some manner.

Salvador Dali embraced this technique, and painted familiar objects in distorted ways. Our students used imagination, creativity, humor and the distortion technique to draw their strange animal creatures in unusual surroundings.

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MS. SHERILYN FARRIS’ CLASS: RELIEF PRINTMAKING / LINOLEUM BLOCK PRINTING Linocut is a relief technique popularized by Matisse and Picasso in the 20th Century.

Linocut is a printmaking technique, a variant of woodcut in which a sheet of linoleum (sometimes mounted on a wooden block) is used as the relief surface. A design is cut into the linoleum surface with a sharp knife, V-shaped or U-shaped chisel or gouge. Raised (un-carved) areas represent a mirror image of the final print. The linoleum sheet is than inked with a brayer, and impressed onto paper or fabric. The actual printing can be done by hand or with a press.

For every successive print the linoleum must be re-inked.

CHAMELEONS DRAWING / MARKERS / COLORED PENCILS We had fun drawing chameleons! We analyzed some great photos of chameleons; their anatomy, colors and texture, and we used it as inspiration to create our own, unique, full of personality, cute chameleons.

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MMS offers a variety of studios in addition to our After School Program. This semester, students could sign up for Beginning Cooking, Imaginative Movement, Afternoon Academics, Beginning Sewing, Sewing, Art Class, Chess Club, Writing Bootcamp, and Spotlight Singers Vocal Ensemble.

Students dancing with scarves (upper left) Students showing off their sewing creations (bottom left)

Students playing chess

Students practicing singing as a group

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The Seventh grade MMS students began interning in their assigned classes in March. Each year Seventh graders spend a week honing their job skills by becoming an assistant in the various classrooms here at MMS. The Eighth grade week long internships happen in businesses in our local community.

A Seventh grade intern reading a book to the Preschool class

A Seventh grade intern helping a Preschooler with country placement

Every year, First Grade through Eighth Grade students have the opportunity to share what they have been working on in the classroom with their parents during an evening showcase. They share everything from art work to science projects to sewing creations to history projects.

A Fifth grader showing her history project

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A Fourth grader showing her art work

Ms. Crystal Sorrow’s 5th grade Safety Patrollers got to spend three days and two nights at Camp Crystal.

They canoed, swam, did archery, did the lower-level ropes course, played Gaga (a designated ball game), and made s’mores around the campfire!

Swimming in the lake

Making s’mores

Ms. Erin Sorel’s, Mr. Richard Aslanian’s, Ms. Christina Miller’s, and Ms. Sherilyn Farris’ classes each held a Tea for the students’ mothers on various days during the first few weeks of May. Teachers and students decorated their classrooms and provided tea and other tasty treats. The students presented their hard work for their mothers, such as poems and songs they had written, and routines they had created and practiced. We think the mothers of MMS students felt pretty special!

Students presenting their play to the mothers

Serving their mothers sweet treats

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May Wednesday, May 28 Thursday, May 29 Friday, May 30 Friday, May 30

Kindergarten Graduation @ Unity Church 1:30 PM Last Day of School for Beginners, Preschool, & Kindergarten M3SSemester Exam: Language Arts End of Year Show @ PK Yonge 5:30 PM

June Monday, June 2 Tuesday, June 3 Wednesday, June 4 Wednesday, June 4

Thursday, June 5 Monday, June 9Friday, July 18

M3S Semester Exam: Math Middle School Eighth Grade Graduation @ Unity Church 6:00 PM Westside Pool Field Trip (Ms. Erin’s class) Blue Springs Field Trip (Mr. Richard’s, Upper Elementary, & Middle School classes) Last Day of School for Elementary/Middle School MMS Summer Camp

July Monday, June 9Friday, July 18 Friday, July 4

MMS Summer Camp Independence Day—No Summer Camp

August Friday, August 8 Monday, August 11 Friday, August 15 Monday, August 18 Thursday, August 21 Tuesday, August 26

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Preschool & Kindergarten Orientation Day First Day of School for Beginners, Preschool, & Kindergarten Elementary & Middle School Orientation First Day of School for Elementary/Middle School Preschool/Kindergarten Parent Orientation 6:30 PM Middle School Parent Night 6:00 PM