April Curriculum Update

ELA

April is poetry month. We will be exploring a variety of different poems through reading and writing. For example:

• acrostic poems
• list poems
• sensory poems (about spring)
• concrete / shape poetry
• color poem (similies/comparison)
• haiku

Fiction writing:  Using our imagination to add detail to our stories with the mentor text, ‘Harold and the Purple Crayon’.

Non-fiction writing: Writing an opinion inspired by the book, ‘Duck Rabbit’.

We will continue with the Daily 5, home reading, and Rainbow (sight/word wall) words programs.

Math

We will be doing a unit on Measurement (connected to our science), as well as reviewing Numbers to 100 (including skip counting).

Science

Our new unit is called The Needs of Plants and Animals.  The primary focus will be on the needs of plants since we have covered the needs of animals during our study of bats and penguins earlier in the year. That does not mean we will not have the chance to care for some animals as well… wait for it! :) But first, students will explore seeds, plants, and the growing process. We will be going on a field trip to Golden Greenhouses for a tour and additional planting activities.

Objectives in this unit include:

• observe, describe and compare living things
• contrast living and non-living things
• identify the requirements of plants to maintain life and recognize we must provide for the plants in our care, including the importance of soil
• classify plants based on characteristics
• plant adaptations
• give examples of which animals depend on plants and way in which plants depend on animals
• identify ways in which living things are valued

Social Studies

Continuing our Me on the Map project and creating a Community Scrapbook.

We will be celebrating Earth Day on April 22nd and will connect to a Social mini-unit, ‘Taking Care of our World’.

Health

Zones of Regulation

The Zones of Regulation is a curriculum designed to foster self-regulation and emotional control.  RBES is adopting this system to help students identify feelings and regulate their own behavior. There are four zones:  blue, green, yellow and red.  Learn more here: http://www.zonesofregulation.com/

Students will learn which emotions fit into which zone, learn to identify which zone they are in, and explore strategies to help get them back into the 'green zone' which is the optimal zone for learning. We will begin by exploring feelings. :)

We will also promote positive self image by doing a project based on the book ‘The Best Part of Me’.