Dear MPE Families,

 

Thank you to the MPE PTA for hosting our Health Fair.  Students participated in a variety of stations that included: yoga, barre3, Sadecky’s Puppet Show, and more! 

 

Upcoming Events:

June 18 – 12:15 p.m. dismissal

June 19 – Last day of school!  12:15 P.M. Dismissal

                 5^th grade Moving Up Ceremony – 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. – MPM Auditorium

                 5^th grade Clap Out – Begins at 12:10 p.m.

 

Meanwhile, in the classrooms…

 

Kindergarten students were very busy this week!  During English Language Arts, students worked on making that special someone a very special gift and card to show them how much they are loved.  During science, the children continued to watch and record how their marigolds and plants were growing. During math, the kindergarteners were able to see how much they’ve grown by recording how many inches long they were as a baby compared to how many inches tall they are now.  They could not believe that they used to be that small! Every day the children got together to practice for their big day!  They were so excited to be on stage and perform for everyone!

 

This week, first graders continued to write poems. Students worked on writing shape poems on topics of their choice! During math, students finished up their unit on money and will begin learning about measurement. Map skills is a concept that students explored during social studies this week! 

 

Second graders immersed themselves in their final reading and writing units on poetry. Students actively explored how poets use different literary devices to engage and connect with their readers.  They then used these examples as inspiration for their own poetry. They were so proud to share their work with their classmates! During math, students learned all about fractions.  During social studies, students explored different ways to be productive citizens of both their smaller and larger scale communities (ranging from their classroom communities, to the MPE community, to Livingston, and even their country).

 

The third grade worked hard on editing and revising their realistic fiction stories during writing. They worked in realistic fiction book clubs during reading and reflected back on their growth as a reader from the year! During math, the students worked on data analysis and learned how to collect data and display their data in a variety of ways. During science, the classes researched the different vertebrate classes.  During social studies, the students learned more about the hardships that immigrants faced when travelling to this country. As a reminder, Immigration Day for the third grade is Tuesday, June 18^th!

 

During fourth grade math, students studied patterns and algebra.  They learned all about numeric and nonnumeric patterns.  They were challenged with some tricky input/output tables too!  During science, students are finishing up their forces and motion unit with some sound and light stations.  They learned all about vibrations and how sound goes from the object to their ear.  During social studies, students finished up the year with a project on one of the US Regions.  Some students are making slide shows, while others are making brochures or games to teach the class about their region.  Lastly, during writing, students are finishing up their informational essays.  Students learned a lot during this unit on the importance of recycling.  They were so motivated that they started a recycling campaign to see how much paper they could collect in a two week period.  They finished the week with a visit from two recycling experts!

 

This week in fifth grade English Language Arts, students completed their informational picture book projects. They also spent time reflecting about what they did well and what they need to work on with regard to their comparative literary essays.

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Thank you,

 

Emily Sortino, Ed.D.

Principal

Mt. Pleasant Elementary School

 

Dear MPE Families,

 

We had an excellent school fair on Thursday! Thank you to the MPE PTA for organizing this fun event!

 

Thursday, June 13^th is the MPE Health Fair!  To ensure the safety of your child during this event, please send them in light layered clothing (shorts, t-shirt, long sleeve shirt), etc. and sneakers.  Apply sunscreen before they come to school and send them with a hat to wear that will shield them from the sun.  Water bottles are also a great idea, and can be refilled in our water fountains throughout the day.  Please also send your child with a towel that can be used during a session like yoga or mindfulness.  Thank you!

 

Thank you to the MPE PTA for hosting this event and to the  following providers who will be present at the MPE Health Fair:

 

Mrs. Rothfeld – MPE Garden, Livingston YMCA, Mr. Chaudruc and Mr. Rynearson – Rock Wall, Barre3 Morristown, CardiYoga, Sadecky’s Puppet Show, Yoga – Mrs. Giordano

 

Reminders:

• All library/media books are due by June 6^th. 
• Parents of 5^th grade students – please submit your immunization records to Mrs. Cullen.

 

Upcoming Events:

June 10 – New K Screenings – by appointment – Music Room (parents will wait in Art Room)

                    PTA/Staff EOY Luncheon – Small Gym 11:15 a.m.             

June 12 – New K Classroom visits – Session 1 – 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.  

                   Session 2 – 9:45 – 10:45 a.m.

                   Gr. 5 Pizza and Ice Cream Truck Party – 12:15 p.m. – outside

June 13 – Health Fair

June 14 – Kindergarten Moving Up Ceremony – 9:30 a.m. – MPM Auditiorium

                   Spirit Day – wear MPE Apparel or blue and white

                   School Fair Raindate #2

June 17 – Raindate - Gr. 5 Pizza and Ice Cream Truck Party – 12:15 p.m. – outside

June 18 – 12:15 p.m. dismissal

June 19 – Last day of school!

                   5^th grade Moving Up Ceremony – 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. – MPM Auditorium

                   5^th grade Clap Out – 12:10 p.m.

 

Have a great weekend!

 

 

Thank you,

 

Emily Sortino, Ed.D.

Principal

Mt. Pleasant Elementary School

 

Dear MPE Families,

 

Please read below to learn more about what your child learned this week! 

 

Reminders:

• All library/media books are due by June 6^th.
• Parents of 5^th grade students – please submit your immunization records to Mrs. Cullen.

 

Listed below is an article detailing the best apps to use to manage your child’s phone use. 

https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-apps-to-manage-your-kids-phone/?smid=nytcore-ios-share

 

Upcoming Events:

June 4 – New Kindergarten Parent Orientation – 7:00 pm – large gym

June 5 –  1^st grade Scrapbook Writing Celebration – 8:30 – 9:00 a.m.

 June 6 – 5^th graders tour MPM – 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

                Instrumental Demo for Grade 3 – 10:30 a.m. – small gym

                School Fair – 2:40 – 5:00 p.m.

June 7 – Rockin’ Readers Parent Session – 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Large Gym

               5^th grade graduation trip to Spring Lake Day Camp

June 10 – New K Screenings – by appointment – Music Room (parents will wait in Art Room)

                 PTA/Staff EOY Luncheon – Small Gym 11:15 a.m.

                    Faculty Meeting – 2:40 p.m. – Media Center

June 11 – School Fair Raindate #1

June 12 – New K Classroom visits – Session 1 – 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.  

Session 2 – 9:45 – 10:45 a.m.

                   Gr. 5 Pizza and Ice Cream Truck Party – 12:15 p.m. – outside

June 13 – Health Fair

June 14 – Kindergarten Moving Up Ceremony – 9:30 a.m. – MPM Auditiorium

                 Spirit Day – wear MPE Apparel or blue and white

                 School Fair Raindate #2

June 17 – Raindate - Gr. 5 Pizza and Ice Cream Truck Party – 12:15 p.m. – outside

June 18 – 12:15 p.m. dismissal

June 19 – Last day of school!

                 5^th grade Moving Up Ceremony – 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. – MPM Auditorium

                 5^th grade Clap Out – 12:10 p.m.

 

In the classrooms…

 

Kindergarten students focused on characters during reading workshop. Using character sticks and puppets, students practiced sounding like a character in their book. Changing their voices to sound like a character can turn a story into a play that is fun to act out! During science, students learned all about plants. They learned about the proper steps in planting and then had the opportunity to plant flowers and beans. They will observe and record how their plants grow in the upcoming weeks. The poems read in class this week, taught students about the parts of a plant and how a plant grows. As students near the end of the year, they have learned how to form all of their letters correctly. The most important thing they learned about handwriting is to always start their letters and numbers at the top!

 

During first grade math, students learned about money.  They began to learn to identify different coins, add them, and work to make different combinations of the same amount of money but with different coins.  During writing, students started reading and writing poetry.  They envisioned how to create a picture in their mind when reading a poem.

 

This week in second grade, the butterflies emerged from their chrysalises! Second graders were eagerly awaiting their arrival!  For now, the butterflies have been drinking clementine juice that was inside the nets. Soon they will be released into the garden when they are ready to fly on their own! During science, second graders also learned about the food chain. Students learned about consumers and producers, as well as predators and prey. Second graders also had their Fairy Tale Writing Celebration! They were so excited and proud to share all of their hard work and wonderful writing with their parents!

 

Third graders were busy drafting their fiction stories.  This week, writers focused on character development and how adding action, physical descriptions, and dialogue help the reader to visualize the character in their mind.  During math, students started their unit on geometry, where they focused on angles, polygons, and triangles.  As students continue their study of the Westward Expansion in social studies, they learned about the Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark, and the Gold Rush!  During science, students learned about animal adaptation and had an introduction to the skeleton system. 

 

This week, the fourth grade mathematicians continued learning about customary units of measurement.  They also competed in the 24 Competition.   During reading and writing, most classes continued their research unit.  They read articles, conducted online research, and learned how to organize their notes into a detailed, informational essay on the topic of recycling. The super scientists continued learning about the various types of energy and experimented with electricity this week. Finally, during social studies, students continued exploring the Southeast Region and looked forward to their upcoming regions project. 

 

Fifth grade students wrapped up their geometry and measurement unit by showing off all the skills that they learned this year. They demonstrated how they could convert both metric and customary units of measure as well as identified characteristics of polygons and 3-D shapes.  Students were also very excited to present their findings on the stock they researched to their classmates.  Ask your child which company their class decided to invest in!

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Thank you,

 

Emily Sortino, Ed.D.

Principal

Mt. Pleasant Elementary School

 

Dear MPE Families,

 

We had a great week at MPE!  Kindergarten students loved their trip to Farmstead Estates where they released their ducklings and learned more about life on a farm.  Fifth grade students had an excellent time at The Battle of the Books with Central Avenue School in Madison.  Finally, Sports Night was a huge success!! MPE staff played kickball with the fifth grade students.  A fun night was had by all! 

 

As a reminder…During drop-off and pick-up, please be sure that all children in your car are safely secured as per New Jersey State Law.  This includes the proper seatbelts, booster seats, etc.  Additionally, please do not use your cell phones during these times while driving.  They create dangerous situations for students and staff. 

Upcoming Events

                                                        

May 27 – School Closed for Memorial Day

May 29 – 4^th Grade “24” Competition from 2:40PM – 4:00PM

in the Media Center

May 30 – Spring Concert – 7:00 P.M. MPM Auditorium

 

Have a great long weekend!

 

Thank you,

 

Emily Sortino, Ed.D.

Principal

Mt. Pleasant Elementary School

 

Dear MPE Families,

 

We had an excellent Field Day today! I am so proud of all of the students for doing a great job!  Thank you to Mr. C., the staff, and all volunteers for organizing and running such a fun event. 

Upcoming Events

                                                        

May 20 – Kindergarten field trip to Farmstead Estates

May 21 -  Author visit – Jerry Pallotta – p.m.  small gym

May 22 – Public Library Summer Reading Assemblies                   

                 Poppy Walk for Veterans – 1:45 p.m.

                 Sports Night at MPE – 6:45 p.m.

May 23 - District Art Show – Livingston Mall – 6:00 p.m.

May 27 – School closed for Memorial Day

May 29 – 4^th Grade “24” Competition from 2:40PM – 4:00PM

in the Media Center

May 30 – Spring Concert – 7:00 p.m. MPM Auditorium

 

In the classrooms…

 

Kindergarten students continued to learn so much about their ducklings!  Students had a great time taking turns being “lucky” ducks and caring for the ducklings.  They also loved participating in Field Day!  They worked so well together and had a great time!

 

This week the first graders entertained the residents of Inglemoore Rehabilitation Center by performing a Reader's Theater Performance of Frog and Toad "Spring" by Arnold Lobel. A good time was had by all. The frog theme continued as students kept a journal in class of the changes they noticed in their tadpole tank. Classes just received more tadpoles last week and a few them already have their back legs! During writing workshop, students wrote about all that they had researched and learned in their “All About Frogs” books. In math, students used what they learned about addition and subtraction concepts and number patterns to complete input and output charts and tables. 

 

In second grade, students continued the writing process by revising and editing their fairy tales as well as adding illustrations to enhance the reader's experience of their story.  In math, students moved into using non-standard measurements (cubes, paperclips, etc.) to measure and compare objects.  In science, the butterfly larva have arrived!  Students have been excitedly observing this caterpillar stage and taking notes like a scientist about what they see happening.   

 

This week third graders continued to work on their measurement unit by solving elapsed time word problems. During social studies, students learned about how Daniel Boone and the pioneers blazed a trail westward. In science, students learned about food chains and food webs. In reading, third graders started reading Stone Fox and answered comprehension questions to deepen their understanding of the text. In writing, students began their realistic fiction unit. 

 

Fourth grade students had the opportunity to watch the fifth grade as they competed in their annual “Battle of the Books” this week. Students had fun and were excited to participate in the event next year!  In reading, the students participated in book clubs. Each group read a different realistic fiction novel and came prepared each day to discuss their questions, predictions and anything they thought was important. This is a great way to review all of the important reading strategies learned throughout the year.  During writing, fourth graders began their unit on “research”. Students conducted research on a topic important to their school and found ways to improve some aspect of their daily routines. The students went through the steps of writing questions, researching and turning their research into a written piece. During social studies, students toured the Southeast and learned all about the land, culture and music of this diverse area.  During science, students began to create their roller coasters! The students had so much fun learning about force and energy and applying this to their own roller coaster creation!

 

During science, fifth grade students finished working on their biosphere in the Earth Systems Unit.   Students worked in centers making, researching, and exploring fossils.   Students also learned about the parts of a microscope and that microscopes are used to observe cellular structures of life forms by exploring different slides.  During social studies, students learned about how the colonies moved toward forming a new nation independent from Great Britain.  They also learned more about the events that led to the approving of the Declaration of Independence. 

 

Have a great weekend!

 

 

Thank you,

 

Emily Sortino, Ed.D.

Principal

Mt. Pleasant Elementary School

 

Dear MPE Families,

 

This week, we celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week at MPE.  I want to thank the MPE PTA for providing our staff with treats throughout the week.  I also want to thank each and every staff member at MPE for providing students with care and kindness throughout the school year.  The staff here are tremendous and care deeply for each child.  Thank you for helping to support them!

 

Upcoming Events

                                                        

May 10 – PTA Spring Plant Sale

                 Spirit Day – wear MPE Apparel or blue and white

May 14 – Gr 1 Field trip to Inglemoor                  

May 15 -  PTA General Meeting – 7:30 p.m. – Media Center

May 16 –  Gr. 5 Battle of the Books – 1:45 – 2:30 p.m.  – Small Gym

May 17 – Field Day – 8:45 – 11:05 a.m.

May 20 – Kindergarten field trip to Farmstead Estates

                 Author visit – Jerry Pallotta – p.m.  small gym

May 22 – Public Library Summer Reading Assemblies                   

                 Poppy Walk for Veterans – 1:45 p.m.

                 Sports Night at MPE – 7:00 p.m.

May 23 – Field Day Raindate #1                  

                 Sports Night Raindate – 7:00 p.m.

                 District Art Show – Livingston Mall – 6:00 p.m.

May 24 –  Field Day Raindate #2

May 27 – School closed for Memorial Day

May 30 – Spring Concert – 7:00 p.m. MPM Auditorium

 

In the classrooms…

 

This week the kindergarteners welcomed new friends to their kindergarten family!  They have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of their ducklings. Some children had the opportunity to be the Lucky Duck for the day during the incubation stage, while others were the Lucky Duck caring for the ducklings.  The children took their responsibilities very seriously, whether it was recording information or making sure that the ducklings had food and water daily. All the children participated in preparing the brooding box for their ducklings.  They related this activity to how moms and dads need to prepare for the arrival of a new baby.  The ducklings will be with each class until they set them free on the class trip to the farm.  Kindergarten students will be sad to see them go but understand that they need to join their new friends out in the world!

First graders enjoyed working with their book clubs this week! Students continued to work on discussing story elements with their small groups. In writing, students learned about writing book reviews and in math, they began learning about time to the hour and half hour. Fact families were also a concept that students started to learn about this week. Students look forward to their field trip to Inglemoor Rehabilitation and Care Center next week where they will be performing a play called "Spring"! 

 

Second graders continued to work on their fairy tales during writing. They are each preparing unique adaptations of The Three Little Pigs, which they look forward to presenting to parents at an upcoming Fairy Tale Writing Celebration! In math, students are finishing up a data analysis group project, in which they came up with a survey question of interest and planned the best way to display the data using the types of graphs they have studied. During science, they continued to observe and journal about their plants’ growth through the life cycle, and they also began learning about the Painted Lady (Butterfly) life cycle to prepare for observing this phenomenon in person!  

 

The third grade finished up their unit on fractions this week and will begin their study of measurement. The classes continued their study of opinion reading and opinion writing.  They focused on supporting their reasoning with opinions learned in articles based on the same topics. During social studies, the third graders continued to learn about the original colonies and westward expansion. Finally, during science, the classes learned about ecosystems to begin their unit on vertebrates!

 

Fourth graders had a fun theme week while taking the NJSLA!  A few of their top choices have been wearing their favorite hats, crazy socks, and of course they loved a relaxing pajama day to finish off their testing.  In addition, there has been a lot of excitement building as they have entered into a STEAM project on rollercoasters.  Students have researched about different coasters and learned what makes them unique.  Students finished off this part of their forces and energy unit by creating their own rollercoasters.  Lots of fun was had by all!  During math, students neared the end of their decimal unit and enjoyed playing some review games to sharpen up on their skills.  Students are coming towards the end of reading their story, Hatchet, a whole class novel, where they learned all about survival skills.  Lastly, students finished their study of population density during social studies with a map making project. 

 

During English Language Arts, fifth grade students finished their comparative literary essays and submitted them to their Schoology accounts.   Students are also busy preparing for their upcoming study of nonfiction.

 

Have a great weekend!

 

 

Thank you,

 

Emily Sortino, Ed.D.

Principal

Mt. Pleasant Elementary School

 

Dear MPE Families,

 

Thank you to the PTA for a wonderful Multicultural Night.  The student performers were phenomenal and I loved seeing the huge crowd that came out to enjoy the night. 

 

Please see the attached letter about subscription busing for the 2019-2020 School Year and the weekly update from the MPE PTA.

 

Please read below to learn more about what your child learned this week!

 

Upcoming Events

                                                        

May 10 – PTA Spring Plant Sale

                 Spirit Day – wear MPE Apparel or blue and white

May 14 – Gr 1 Field trip to Inglemoor                  

May 15 -  PTA General Meeting – 7:30 p.m. – Media Center

May 16 –  Gr. 5 Battle of the Books – 1:45 – 2:30 p.m.  – Small Gym

May 17 – Field Day – 8:45 – 11:05 a.m.

May 20 – Kindergarten field trip to Farmstead Estates

                 Author visit – Jerry Pallotta – p.m.  small gym

May 22 – Public Library Summer Reading Assemblies                   

                 Poppy Walk for Veterans – 1:45 p.m.

                 Sports Night at MPE – 7:00 p.m.

May 23 – Field Day Raindate #1                  

                 Sports Night Raindate – 7:00 p.m.

                 District Art Show – Livingston Mall – 6:00 p.m.

May 24 –  Field Day Raindate #2

May 27 – School closed for Memorial Day

May 30 – Spring Concert – 7:00 p.m. MPM Auditorium

 

In the classrooms…

 

Kindergarten students welcomed their grownups and eagerly shared all the wonderful writing they’ve been doing throughout the year. Students will continue to be writers as they work on stories about their feelings. To help them become more independent, the teachers have added a new routine called the Daily 5. The Kindergarteners rotate through 5 activities that include: reading alone, reading with a partner, reading with the teacher, learning sight words, and word work. In math, students continue to be problem solvers. Their tasks involved addition but they soon realized that there are many ways to solve a problem!  Students also continue to learn about the development of duckling eggs and hope that in less than 10 days they will have some good news to share with you!

 

First grade students started working in book clubs during reading workshop.  They learned how to make predictions, discuss characters in the story, describe the plot, setting, character traits, and also how to provide supporting information from the text about these points.  During writing, students worked on creating book reviews.   Finally, during math, they learned different subtraction strategies.

 

This week second graders continued learning about different types of graphs in math. They learned how to create bar graphs, tables, and line plots. They also learned how to analyze data found on each type of graph. In science, students were able to plant different types of seeds in cups! They learned the different parts of a plant, and look forward to watching them grow in the classroom.

 

This week, third graders have been busy finishing up their Opinion Writing Unit by editing their work with their writing partners.  During reading, students determined the author’s perspective in non-fiction opinion articles and collected evidence from the text.   During social studies, students learned about the benefits of colonies and the hardships and adaptations the early settlers encountered.  As students finished their science unit on simple machines, they look forward to starting their Vertebrate Unit shortly!

This week, the fourth grade mathematicians continued learning about decimals through games and real-world applications.  In reading, most classes continued the grade-level novel, Hatchet.  Students focused on summarizing, character development, and the theme of survival as they read. In writing, students continued their work on literary essays as they compared characters from two different texts. The super scientists experimented with force this week as they learned about friction, pushes and pulls, and gravity. They are excited to build their own roller coasters soon! In social studies, students continued exploring population density and the Southeast Region. Thank you so much for ALL of the postcards! We have received A LOT of mail here at MPE from our classes from all around the USA (and the world)!  

Fifth grade students finished NJSLA and they are now ready to take on the stock market!  Students are busy researching companies and tracking how their stocks are performing.  Over the next few weeks, students will collect data on their company and create a poster with background information and line graphs.  Students will present their posters to their classes in hopes that their stock is chosen as the one to invest in!

 

A message from Mrs. Piccoli…

The Battle of the Books is coming soon!  5^th Grade parents are invited to attend the in-class Battles for Battle of the Books These will take place in the media center on the following days. Please remember to check in with the office.

Mrs. Nikirk’s Class ~ 9:00 - 9:45 ~ May 3rd & May 13th

Mr. Darst's Class ~ 9:00 - 9:45 ~ May 6th & May 14th

Mrs. Perry's Class ~ 9:00 - 9:45 ~ May 7th & May 15th 

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Thank you,

 

Emily Sortino, Ed.D.

Principal

Mt. Pleasant Elementary School

 

Dear MPE Families,

 

We had a great first week back!  Please see below for upcoming events.  Attached to this email is the PTA Weekly Update and information about the new summer academy that is begin offered for rising first and second grade students.  Have a great weekend!

 

Upcoming Events

                                                        

May 1 – K Writing Celebrations with parents – in classrooms 8:30 – 9:00 a.m.

               Multicultural Night   - 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.  – outdoors and MPM Auditorium

May 10 – PTA Spring Plant Sale

                 Spirit Day – wear MPE Apparel or blue and white

May 14 – Gr 1 Field trip to Inglemoor                  

May 15 -  PTA General Meeting – 7:30 p.m. – Media Center

May 16 –  Gr. 5 Battle of the Books – 1:45 – 2:30 p.m.  – Small Gym

May 17 – Field Day – 8:45 – 11:05 a.m.

May 20 – Kindergarten field trip to Farmstead Estates

                 Author visit – Jerry Pallotta – p.m.  small gym

May 22 – Public Library Summer Reading Assemblies                   

                 Poppy Walk for Veterans – 1:45 p.m.

                 Sports Night at MPE – 7:00 p.m.

May 23 – Field Day Raindate #1                  

                 Sports Night Raindate – 7:00 p.m.

                 District Art Show – Livingston Mall – 6:00 p.m.

May 24 –  Field Day Raindate #2

May 27 – School closed for Memorial Day

May 30 – Spring Concert – 7:00 p.m. MPM Auditorium

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Thank you,

 

Emily Sortino, Ed.D.

Principal

Mt. Pleasant Elementary School

 

Dear MPE Families,

 

Thank you to Mrs. Barbag and Mrs. Szostak for their presentation on how to help your child develop study skills at Tuesday night’s PTA Meeting.  Additionally, the Genesis Parent Portal will open at 3PM today for you to check your child’s report cards (for students in grades 1-5). 

 

Upcoming Events:

 

4/15 – 4/19 – Schools Closed, Spring Break

4/23 – Spring ASE Begins

4/26 – Spirit Day – Wear Blue and White or MPE Apparel

5/1 Multicultural Night, 5/2 Rain Date for Multicultural Night

 

In the classrooms:

 

Kindergarten readers learned that non-fiction books are like taking a trip.  Reading about a penguin?  It’s like being in the Antarctic.  Reading about stars?  It’s like being in space.  During writing, students wrote non-fiction books about animals.  Students wrote at least two sentences about an animal and then illustrated it with lots of details.  They figured out the new pattern on the April calendar, which featured 3-D shapes.  During math, students learned about capacity.  How many scoops of rice fit into a container?  They then chose another container and made a new prediction about how many scoops would fit into it.  We discussed why their estimates changed, depending on the size and width of the containers.  Students are also busy preparing for a very special science delivery…

 

This week the first graders used what they learned about character traits to complete their character projects using a book of their choice. During writing, the first graders worked hard on their persuasive letters to try to convince readers to agree to give them something that they really want. During math, students are completing their place value unit so they can start learning subtraction strategies after break. In science, students were busy researching the life cycle of frogs and prepared to take care of their tadpoles when they arrive after break!

In second grade, students were very excited to use what they learned about the economy to sell their goods or services on Market Day!  Each student or group planned a good or service to sell, made an advertisement for their product, and determined a good market price for their products.  In math, students finished up their unit on time by reviewing concepts in math centers.  In language arts, students delved deeper into fairy tales and compared story structures to prepare to write their own fractured fairy tale. 

This week in third grade, students finished up their fraction unit by learning about fractions on a number line and comparing two fractions using models. In science, students continued to learn about simple machines and how they make work easier. In social studies, students learned about Jamestown and John Smith. In reading and writing, students explored different opinion texts and supported their opinions with reasons. 

Fourth graders finished their fraction unit with a test this week. Students will move into decimals next! Students have some fun games and activities prepared for this unit. In reading, all classes are now reading Hatchet. While reading this book, students will respond in their journals as well as make connections, inferences and predictions to the text. Students will also use this book as a starting point for learning how to write a literary essay. During science, the classes will move into their Forces and Motions Unit this week. They will do lots of hands on learning in this unit! Students finished up their study of the Northeast and will move into a “tour” of the Southeast soon!

 

During science this week, fifth grade students finished up discussing the geosphere lessons in the Earth Systems Unit.  Students will analyze how the eruption of Mount St. Helens was both a constructive and destructive force that affected the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere of the Earth. The students will identify both the short-term and long-term effects and include a model or illustration to support their analysis. During social studies this week, fifth grade students discussed the tension between the colonies and Great Britain through a jig-saw strategy.  When the activity is completed, each group will make a Kahoot! to review each section. 

 

Enjoy the vacation!

 

Thank you,

 

Emily Sortino, Ed.D.

Principal

Mt. Pleasant Elementary School

 

Dear MPE Families,

 

We had another great week at MPE!

 

The MPE Student Council is busy collecting supplies for the Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter from April 5^th – April 12^th. 

Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter is in need of supplies! We are going to purchase items from their Amazon Wish list. You can send in…

1. Cash (please label envelope to Student Council)

Or send in….

2. Paper Towels
3. Sponges
4. Puppy Training Pads
5. New or used blankets, towels, sheets, or pillowcases
6. New or used leashes

Upcoming Events:

 

April 8 – Jenkinson’s Penguin Assembly – K-3

April 9 – 5^th grade group picture taken for yearbook

          PTA General Meeting - MPE Media Center, 7:30PM

Mrs. Barbag and Mrs. Szostak will be presenting on how to develop study skills and organizational habits with your child. 

April 11 - Rain date for 5^th grade group picture

April 12 – Gr. 1-5 MP2 grades on Parent Portal after 3:00 p.m.

April 15 – 19 – Schools closed for Spring Break

April 28 – Livingston Pickup Day – see attached flyer

 

 

Meanwhile, in the classrooms…

 

This week the kindergarteners were busy completing STEM activities during science.  Each day, the children rotated to a new center where they were asked to imagine a plan to try and improve something or solve a problem.  The children worked together to come up with a plan.  They learned that working  as a team helps to get a job done.  During writing workshop, the children learned how to gather accurate information about an animal they may know a lot about.  This will be their first piece of nonfiction writing.  They welcomed the new month with their April song during shared reading.  During reading workshop, the children compared fiction and nonfiction books.  One thing the children noticed is that nonfiction books give true information. 

 

This week, first graders began reading the novel Henry and Mudge The First Book! Students learned how to look closely at the characters, Henry and Mudge, to better understand how characters change in stories. During writing, students started to write and plan out a persuasive letter that they wanted to write to someone. They worked on writing to convince their reader to understand their point of view! During math, students focused on comparing numbers and learned how to use the greater than, less than and equal to symbols to make number sentences true. In science, students were so excited to begin learning about life cycles in preparation for their tadpoles that will be arriving in a few weeks! 

 

Second graders were excited to start their new reading and writing units this week with an introduction to fairy tales! They explored many different traditional fairy tales, as well as “fractured,” or reimagined, versions of these tales (Think, “The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig” or “Chickerella”). After actively investigating on their own, students came together to devise a list of common elements often found in fairy tales. During math, students continued practicing reading and writing time on both analog and digital clocks, and in social studies they continued learning about the economy through various read-aloud books.

 

In the third grade, students continued their study of traditional literature, focusing on tall tales this week. Students also began their study of opinion essays in writing, as well as, fractions in math. During social studies, the students learned about Christopher Columbus and Henry Hudson. They specifically learned about their sponsors, hardships, and motivations for exploring. During science, students learned more about simple machines and studied examples of them in their daily lives and how each machine helps make lives easier.

 

Fourth graders had a blast during science where they finished up their body system unit.  They participated in really interesting respiratory stations where they learned all about their pulse and how it can change with activity.  They really enjoyed visits from Dr. Narang, a pediatric hematologist as well as Dr. Baskies, an orthopedic surgeon.  During social studies, students finished up their unit on government with a project of their choice.  Students look forward to seeing slideshows on the Bill of Rights, mobiles on the branches of government, timelines of past presidents, plus many other choices.  During math, students are getting close to the end of their fractions unit.  Students have learned how to add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers and even how to multiply fractions!  During reading, students finished up their historical fiction book clubs and were busy drafting their historical fiction stories in writing as well. 

 

This week in fifth grade, the students continued to think, talk, and write about common themes across different texts. They also continued to draft their comparative literary essays.  They are hard at work creating well thought out and carefully crafted writing passages.

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Thank you,

 

Emily Sortino, Ed.D.

Principal

Mt. Pleasant Elementary School