This Month’s Academic Journey

Spring is here, and with it comes a wonderful new unit of study! This month, our Primary scholars will be learning all about the fascinating world of birds. From the tiniest hummingbird to the majestic bald eagle, and even the giant ostrich, birds come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, making them an exciting topic for our young learners.

Throughout April, we will explore the life cycle of birds. We will dive into how birds build nests, lay eggs, and care for their baby chicks until they are ready to fly. The variety of birds, such as colorful parrots, elegant peacocks, and sweet songbirds, will keep our scholars curious and engaged. A hands-on approach will inspire a sense of wonder and curiosity as we learn about these incredible creatures. 

Our Primary scholars continue to work on important reading skills, including practicing the most common sounds the letters make, and then blending the sounds to decode (read) words. For math, the use of beads, and counters helps our scholars with understanding numbers as they practice counting, adding, and subtracting with these objects.

We know that learning can be fun, especially when it’s a game! Playing games with your child is a wonderful way to help them build important math skills, such as counting, addition, and understanding numbers. Here are some simple game ideas you can try at home using everyday materials like dice and cards:

1. Dice Games for Counting:

• Roll a dice and count the number of dots aloud. As your child gets comfortable, ask them to roll the dice and tell you the number they see.
• Addition Game: Roll two dice, then add the numbers together. You can take turns and see who can get the highest sum.

2. Card Games for Number Recognition:

• Use a deck of cards and have your child draw a card. Ask them to say the number aloud, then count out that many objects around the house (buttons, blocks, etc.).
• Adding Cards: Draw two cards and add the numbers together. This helps reinforce addition skills in a playful way!

3. Board Games with Moving Spaces:

• Play a simple board game like Chutes and Ladders or create your own using a homemade board with numbered spaces. As your child moves their piece, they’ll practice counting forward.
• Addition Challenge: After each turn, have your child add the number on the space they landed on to the number of spaces they moved.

Remember, the goal is to have fun and keep learning interactive! These games will help strengthen your child’s number sense while spending quality time together.

In April , for the Leader in Me program,  we will learn about respectful communication. Both listening and speaking respectfully are important skills that help with developing and maintaining relationships.  We’re excited to see the growth in our scholars as they practice these important life skills!

As we study birds, we will also focus on the following:

• The parts of a bird: From beaks to feathers, we’ll learn what makes birds unique.
• Bird songs: Scholars will listen to different bird calls and songs, learning about how birds communicate.
• Nest-building: We’ll even create our own “bird nests” and discuss the materials birds use.

• 4/11  Winter Ball 
• 4/23  Kids Heart Challenge Kick-off
• 4/24 & 4/25  Minimum Days - 11:45 Release
• 5/15  Field Trip to Safari Park
• 5/15  Open House Night 
• 6/4  Kindergarten Promotion