Panther Press
Mrs. Bruce is looking for volunteers, with building experience, who would be willing to help build sets for this year's 3/4 musical, James and the Giant Peach. We are also looking for donations of materials (lumber, hardware, paint, etc) to help build the set. Please contact her if interested at cbruce@rnesu.org. Thank you!
La clase de español con el Sr. Gram
Lothrop Spanish students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades started the new school year reviewing the comprehension and conversation skills we practiced last year—we really enjoyed revisiting many of the songs we listened to last year, and students even sang them along to live guitar accompaniment. Third-grade Spanish students began by practicing classroom expectations, getting excited about learning a new language, and learning the sounds of Spanish. We then learned songs focused on “getting-to-know-you” phrases, numbers, colors, and days of the week. These units include lots of fun games, more sing-alongs, some Chromebook assignments, and lots of movement breaks. One big hit with students was ‘casa, roca, árbol,’ a movement break activity that always spurs lots of laughter and smiles.
Sixth-graders are now well into our unit on Spanish-speaking countries, which involves map study, story telling, authentic cultural resources, songs, and more; fifth graders have needed some extra review time in recent weeks, but are transitioning into our countries unit soon.
Students in all four grade levels have already made significant strides in their Spanish proficiency, particularly in the area of comprehension. It is very satisfying, both for me and for the students, when we read a complex story with minimal English translation, and students follow right along and hang on every word. Listening to and understanding a new language requires a huge amount of focus and the use of visual and context clues, so I am very proud of my Spanish students when they trust themselves, make connections, and relish the ‘aha’ moments that come with understanding and unpacking a new language and the cultural traditions that go with it.
Email: ewilliamsharryman@rnesu.org
Website: https://lothrop.rnesu.org/
Location: US Route 7, Pittsford, VT, 05763
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LothropSchool/