Computer Lab

Spring has Srpung in the Computer Lab!

We have enjoyed working with some new software in the computer lab.  This software is called Millie's Math House for Pre-K and Kindergarten; Bailey's Book House and Sammy's Science House for 1st and 2nd Grade.  The new software focuses on counting, patterns, reading, rhyming, weather and recycling!

Enjoy the beautiful weather!

Learning Center

Things have been really hopping here in the Learning Center!  It is hard to believe how quickly the school year is passing.  We have been busy reading the Monarch award nominees for 2012.  The Monarch is an Illinois state literature award given to the author of a book written for children in grades K-2.  Children, teachers and librarians all over the state read the 20 books nominated for this award.  In March everyone votes to determine the winner.  This year's top winner was the book Shark Train by Chris Barton.  The children really like having a say in determining the winner of this award, and they get to read some wonderful books.

The students have been exploring the way authors use descriptive writing to make a story interesting.  The student's worked as teams to create a "Super Sentence" from a short simple phrase.  They were very creative!  You can read their "super sentences" on the bulletin board in the  Learning Center.

Ahoy, Mateys! 
We are busy searching for treasure in the Learning Center.  The children have been brushing up on their alphabetical order skills and learning about call numbers in order to be able to find fiction and nonfiction books in the library.  We are treasure hunting in the fiction section this week.  Next week the students will be earning their "book-a-neer" hats and a feather for each book they locate on their own.

Poetry
April is National Poetry Month.  We will end this month by enjoying reading and exploring the books in our poetry section.

Physical Education

It is hard to believe how fast this year is going and how much our children are learning.  After our tumbling unit we spent time practicing striking objects with rackets.  We used different size rackets as well as paddles.  The children learned the forehand stroke as well as the backhand stroke.

One of my favorite units is our square dance unit.  The children learned the Virginia Reel square dance and then had the opportunity to make up their own square dance to Oh Susanna.  They really love to square dance!

We had lots of practice manipulating the deck tennis rings by throwing, catching and rolling them.  These are always good activities for improving hand-eye coordination.

During gym class we continually work on our endurance.  Our second grade students ran for their 10 minute certificates which means they were able to jog for 10 minutes without stopping or walking.  They did a terrific job with over 90 percent of them achieving that goal.  Our first graders ran for their 8 minute certificates and did equally as well.  They are very proud when they earn that certificate.

Our unusually warm spring meant we were able to go outside for gym by the middle of March.  What fun to be able to soak up the sun and play fun active games.

Next week we will start roller-skating in gym class.  This is an awesome PE unit.  The children will learn to stand, skate forward, stop, and skate backwards.  On day one of skating there are many children who think they will never by able to skate, but by the end of the five days they are all up and skating around the gym.  For many students this means overcoming their fears.  They are all very brave and work very hard.  If you get a chance to drop in and see your child skate, I think you will be amazed.  Check with your child's teacher as to what time their class skates.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call or e-mail me at ldohrn@johnsburg12.org.

Laurie Dohrn
Physical Education Teacher
Ringwood Primary Center
815-728-0459 ex. 125 - school
815-814-4285 - mobile

Art

In Art, we used many different tools and mediums to create art projects.  We used pastels, chalk, watercolor, tempera, and clay.  We also created holiday crafts and practiced using scissors correctly.

I hope you have been able to enjoy the wonderful creations your young artists have made.  If you get a chance to walk through our building, make sure you stop and see the giant snowmen the second grade classes made by tearing and taping paper.  They are truly magnificent!

Recently we started our drawing unit.  We will be practicing how to make drawings with perspective showing things that are close and far away.  Later we will practice  drawing the other half of a picture and filling it in with color.  We will end our drawing unit with a fun project called flipbooks.

The year is going by so quickly and we have many exciting projects and lessons in Art to complete.

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have regarding music and art.  My classroom doors are always open so feel free to drop in anytime to watch us create in Art or Music.

Music

The Second Graders have recently completed their successful concert in December.  They were truly awesome!!

Now Second Grade will be preparing for an intense keyboard unit.  We will be learning the notes on the staff in treble clef.  We will also be learning how to read a grand staff and be able to figure out which hand will play when.  It should be a very exciting unit.

Recently we received a wonderful Holiday gift from the Johnsburg Educational Partnership Foundation.  The JEPF has given the Ringwood music department enough money to replace the 12-year-old keyboards in the music room.  Thank you JEPF.  The old remaining working keyboards will be stored and hopefully will eventually be sent over to Bush School's music department.

First Grade and Multiage are now preparing for their concert on Wednesday, March 14.  Like the Second Grade concert, each class will be featured in an act with instruments, dance, comedy and more.  It should be another great concert so mark you calendars for Wednesday, March 14, 7:00 pm at the Johnsburg High School Auditorium.

In Kindergarten, we have been adding new songs to our repertoire each week.  The songs we have been learning are both educational and fun.  We feature a lot of movement and finger plays with our songs.  Our Kindergarten concert will be on Wednesday, May 9.

Again mark your calendars for these important dates:
Wednesday, March 14, First Grade and Multiage concert.
Wednesday, May 9, Kindergarten concert.

Character Education

We are wrapping up the year with RESPECT and PROBLEM SOLVING!!!!  The theme for classroom of the month is RESPECT.  The students have been talking about respecting each other and respecting each other's things and ideas.  During second step we have been talking about solving problems effectively.  Students have been working on being able to identify when a problem has made them angry so they can take the steps to calm down before solving the problem.  Our goal is to handle problems calmly in order to make the problem smaller - NOT BIGGER.

Jennifer A. Lueck, MSW
School Social Worker
Ringwood School Primary Center
jlueck@johnsburg12.org
815-728-0459