Dear Madrona Families,
April has been an exciting month! Returning from Spring Break the children launched back into learning a diverse array of skills in geometry and math: finding common denominators with graph paper, converting fractions to decimals, measuring the area of triangles and trapezoids, translating words into algebraic expressions, and much more. In language, children have been applying word study strategies both to spelling and analyzing parts of speech in text. Some children have taken on poetry writing in celebration of Earth Day. We have also been studying Indigenous peoples of North America by region and children will soon be putting their work into compositions. For reading comprehension, we have been applying our critical reading skills to a variety of historical texts about: Washington State history, United States history, and a history of Mesoamerica before European contact. The children are reading orally, with partners, as well as collaboratively answering comprehension questions in complete sentences. Children were inspired to run their own experiments to examine the main function of the stem and leaf, as well as dioramas and charts explaining the Tropics and Equator. The 6th years have been busy compiling presentations on their MMUN trip to New York, as well as their 6th Grade Service Projects, stay tuned for their community presentations!
This month, in remembrance of the 82nd anniversary of the forced removal of Japanese Americans from the West coast, we welcomed Hollind to give several lessons on the Bainbridge Island Japanese American community history, the internment of Japanese Americans in 1942, and the Exclusion Memorial. We were able to visit the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial and received guided tours from Joyce and Carol. We were grateful for the enriching experience and will carry forth the message: nidota nai yoni (“let it not happen again”). To celebrate Earth day, we read stories from change makers around the world who are working in their communities to find global climate solutions. Several students shared haikus and free verse at our school-wide celebration on Friday, April 26th.
Joelle capped off our month in Madrona by presenting lessons to the children as part of her practice teaching for Montessori Guide training. We enjoyed having her exuberance and joyful approach for the past couple of weeks!
Looking ahead to May, we are excited about our Elementary Mariner’s trip (May 1st), Outdoor Education at the Mount Saint Helens Institute, as well as Arts Night (May 21st) and the Portfolio Review (May 30-31st). Here’s to an eventful rest of the school year!
Sincerely,
Jaclyn and Zach
