Patterson Primary Kindergarten
Submitted by the Kindergarten Team
Patterson Kindergarten students have been very busy this year spreading kindness! We donated candy to the troops from our very own trick or treat bags. We made some special notes and paper hugs to include with our treats. We spent time in December spreading kindness by writing letters to Santa through the Make-A-Wish program, which donates one dollar for each letter mailed in the Macy’s Make-A-Wish mailbox. We made cards and mailed them to several children around the country who were ill during the holiday season. We also sent cards in our own community too – to students and nursing homes! We enjoy making place mats to be included with Meals on Wheels deliveries in our community. We also made valentines to be shared with other students in our building.
First Grade is STEAMing up at PPS
Submitted by the First Grade Team
The first-grade team incorporates STEAM lessons that focus on interactive enrichment at Patterson Primary. Earlier this year, our first-grade teachers read the story, “Iggy Peck Architect.” They linked literature to a STEAM lesson by having the students plan and build buildings out of various materials. In Science, the students studied sound and created instruments out of recyclable household products brought from home. Then, they planned and created their instrument in class. The instruments produced vibrations for us to hear. Recently, the classes made and grew crystals to show light and connect to our literature lesson about Snowflake Bentley. Students experienced the 3 states of matter with using a solid, liquid, and gas to form the crystals. Last, the students made kaleidoscopes in class out of toilet paper rolls, straws, foil, tape, construction or waxed paper. We discussed the properties of light. To help celebrate the 100th day of school classes rotated through STEAM math stations. Our first graders have had a STEAMing good time incorporating problem solving into the classroom.
Second Grade at Patterson
Submitted by the Second Grade Team
Second Grade is sharing kindness with projects that included making and delivering holiday favors for Franciscan Manor, making Christmas cards for Veteran’s and Valentine’s for Blackhawk friends. Students have written thank you letters to family and friend Veteran’s and created and displayed a Wall of Honor. Students have been showing what being leaders and role models in the school looks like and have been taking that responsibility seriously. New this year are Second Grade Helping Hands and reading mentoring programs. Each Kindergarten and First Grade classroom has Second Grade Mentors assigned to work in those classrooms and lend a helping hand.
Students have also been working on writing projects throughout the year that include STEAM, math, technology, and reading skills. The culminating activity is a poetry study, writing a book of original poetry, and presenting poems at our Poetry Café for a parent audience in May. Second grade students will also be learning beginning Spanish by participating in a course presented by a high school student.
Music at PPS
Submitted by Mrs. Kalmar
On December 17th, the students at Patterson Elementary School sang in their annual Holiday Concert. The students showcased their hard work on the pieces and shared with the audience some of the skills they learned in music class. Students have music class at Patterson every four school days and starting in Kindergarten they begin to learn the building blocks of music. The students will also have the chance to sing in the Spring Concert in May. One of the goals of the concerts is to give the audience a glimpse into the music skills students are developing such as keeping a steady beat, matching pitch, singing solfege syllables, and reading rhythms and melodies.
BCIT
Submitted by Mr. Simon
This year, the students are receiving regular computer class time. The focus of these classes has been to teach basic computing skills, more in-depth functions of specific applications and to find ways to connect the technology to learning moments in their classrooms. To achieve these goals, we have focused on learning the proper names of the computer, mouse and monitor. Additionally, students are learning how to use them appropriately and functionally. Understanding how and when to use a word processing application has also been a focus area for the students as they create and save documents. Lastly, we are trying to make sure to instill the ability of perseverance when a task might be hard and how to see it through to the end. The use of coding programs and applications has been key to showing students a real way they can persevere and meet a goal. We have used coding in small groups through Dash robots and in larger settings on the computers to code solutions to a puzzle. In any scenario, students must be focused and determined to complete their objective.
