"And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently. And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal. And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed". ~Kitty O'Meara'~
In an effort to keep our Kindi family active and engaged during these challenging times, updates from school administration regarding E-Learning will be posted daily to keep us all on the same page. I will be sending daily emails and would love to hear from you. You can send me topics, advice, or updates to share with the entire school. Some topics I will post are:
Our teachers and staff are working extremely hard to keep the learning going. These are some facts to know:
daily learning is taking place across the board from Pre-3 children to 8th grade
daily attendance is taken and submitted (according to the policy we sent earlier)
daily staff meetings are taking place to re-assess and re-design our materials and methods to keep learning engaging and interesting for all
daily emails are sent to parents from both teachers and administration and needed
As time goes by, we will get more creative and more confident with our methods and in turn our offerings. Our goal is to not fail our kids. They should take their e-learning seriously and proceed with their daily work as usual. As parents, we need your support.
Daily Tips:
Please feel free to send me any tips that might be beneficial to our community (medical, mental, family wellness, or any other tips you would like to share)
Daily Updates:
I will be sharing daily information that will help you navigate through your child's academic day.
Daily News:
Information that will help you during these uniquely challenging times.
Daily Funnies:
With everything going on, laughter is a medicine that we all need.
Looking forward to staying virtually in touch with all of you, every day.
Respectfully,
Rania Sadeq, Ed.D Kindi Academy - Principal www.kindiacademy.com 630-560-4900 Ext. 105 8161 S Cass Ave . Darien, IL 60561
News from our 3-6 Class
The month of February ended with a buzz. We celebrated the birthdays of the presidents of the United States of America. This led to the introduction of the map of the U.S.A.. We learned to recognize some of the states and which state is our home. The point of interest in the flag was the fifty stars representing each state of the U.S. Next, we talked about the money and which president is on each of the coins. The children have enjoyed stamping the coins and learning the values of these coins. The value of the coin was further matched with the golden beads materials. This month, we have been discussing the safety of the health of the children, We have been encouraging children to wash their hands with soap and water till they count till 20 or say the whole alphabet. Currently, the health of the children at school is our priority and we are constantly cleaning to protect our children. Please help your child understand the need to wash hands with soap and water and explain the benefits of this process. Parent-Teacher conference was a great opportunity to meet with all the parents and answer any of their queries. Next month, we will be doing a Parent-Child Night. please be there to support your child. We look forward to the month of March, warm weather and new beginnings.
Sincerely, Ms.Sujata & Ms.Tahany.
This February flew by! Every February, we focus on love and appreciation. We worked on caring for each other, our classroom and our belongings. We talked about what love is and incorporated it into our classroom community.
We talked about how to show love with our actions and not only words. Maria Montessori said, “Of all things love is the most potent.”
Animal Quest came for a visit this month and brought some interesting animals. We learned all about the skunk, rodents, reptiles and other exotic animals.
The Kindergarten students started their research on the United States and picked a state to study further. They have been introduced to money and have continued to work on the clock.
“The education of even a small child, therefore, does not aim at preparing him for school, but for life.” – Maria Montessori
Sincerely, Ms.Katie & Ms.Teri.
The Earth goes around the sun... Happy Birthday to Yousuf and Milana! Congratulations on turning 4 years old!
The days are about to get longer and Spring is around the corner! February came and went by fast. We learned about some US Presidents and made a booklet about Abraham Lincoln. The children enjoyed another in-school field trip when Animal Quest paid a visit to Kindi. The kids were in awe as the animal presenters showed off their exotic animals, such as a tortoise, a mara, a New Zealand rabbit, a bullfrog, and many more! The presenters did a great job talking about each animal and answering the children's questions. Some of us were able to pet the animals too! We continued our unit on animal kingdom by discussing invertebrates/vertebrates. We also presented a lesson on living and non-living.
With the inconsistent weather we've been having, we found time to get the kids out to play in the snow for the first time! They had a blast!
With March on the move, we have started off the month by celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday! The kindergarteners have been busy preparing for their presentation for Parents'Night and look forward to sharing with their parents. We will also introduce the life cycles of a butterfly and ladybug as spring approaches. Since spring break is only a few weeks away, the month of March will surely fly by!
"The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth." ~Maria Montessori
Sincerely, Ms.Radhika & Ms.Brooke.
Updates from Our 6-9 Classroom
We had many special events in the month of February, which made it one of our busiest months of the school year.
The students researched and presented a famous African American hero during African American History Month. We were very excited to hear the students' reports and view their poster boards depicting their heroes.
Our First year students are stepping in to the journey of grammar. They have been introduced to the first lesson about article and noun. In history, they are enjoying discussions related to food and nutrition and land transportation. They understand the timeline and the events as they occurred during the Prehistoric, Egyptian, Greek, Middle Ages, Renaissance, and the Modern Time. The students will be practicing and memorizing all of the fifty U.S. states in geography. In math, we will be working on abstract addition and subtraction, problem solving, money, measurement and fractions.
Our Second year students are working on writing paragraphs and the grammar box for interjection in language. In math, the students will work on fractions, measurement and times tables 8. In geography, the students will work on the history of writing and how art changed through the ages.
Our Third year students in math will learn equivalent fractions, reducing fractions, angles, estimation problem solving and long division. In science, the students will be studying the systems of the body. In geography, they will work on map skills and biomes.
All of the children have settled very well into the school routine. We are pleased with their accomplishments. We continue to assist our children to demonstrate a very high level of honesty, integrity, respect for one another, discipline, self-control, teamwork, and time management skills. Each and every child is working to his/her maximum potential. We are proud of them.
Sincerely, 6-9 Teachers.
Updates from upper elementary classroom
(ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS/READING) ELA NEWS This week we introduced and discussed the concept of symbolism in an author’s writing. Then, we watched the Pixar animated silent short film La Luna, which you can re-watch and enjoy discussing as a family: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdJgYQURH9k We successfully identified symbolic meaning in the film discussing the representation of light using the visual clues and inferences. We agreed that the star symbolizes new beginnings as the boy chooses to make his own path in life and express himself in a unique way that differs from his father and grandfather.
We challenged our ELA students to think about the world around them and decide what other relevant examples show symbolism in our daily lives. We continue with skill development in grammar, spelling, and expanding academic vocabulary. To reinforce a concept, we spent additional time in class practicing ways to edit run-on and fragmented sentences.
We practiced reading comprehension using a nonfictional text from history, the story of Nancy Hart- a female Revolutionary War hero to further expand our study on text types and purposes. This week we successfully completed unit 24 for spelling practice. This unit focused on knowledge of correct spelling for multi-syllabic words to aid in IOWA test preparation. Spelling pre-tests are given each Monday and formal tests are scheduled each Friday. SOCIAL STUDIES NEWS
This week we introduced persuasive/opinion style writing using a social studies prompt! We reviewed how to structure our essays stating a claim and providing evidence/examples to support that claim. Evidence should be cited (where did they find the information? a book, a website? what page #?). We will be crafting a works cited page to document our research. This formal essay (double spaced, written in cursive!) that is due, Wednesday, March 18. 4th GRADE TOPIC: With a focus on Illinois studies, we will research all Illinois has to offer! 4th Grade students must write a persuasive essay convincing someone to move to Illinois! Why is Illinois such a great place to live and grow? Think about the weather/climate; the nature/geography/outdoor recreation; the population density/urban/rural; the culture/activities/sports/attractions; and the resources/economy/jobs/education when you come up with reasons for living here.
5th GRADE TOPIC: With a focus on American History; we have been studying events leading up to the American Revolution. We are learning about the two opposing political parties that emerged in prerevolutionary Boston - the Whig Party and the Tory Party. Students are to pretend they are early colonists and must research both parties and decide which political party they would have been a part of. 5th Grade students must persuade the audience to become a Whig or a Tory based on their research and opinions.
SCIENCE NEWS In 4th grade science, we completed a very exciting hands-on activity to learn more about how pressure affects our weather patterns. We discovered the power of atmospheric pressure when we observed what happens when a cup of water is flipped over using only an index card as a lid. Following a formal lab write up, we concluded that the atmospheric pressure was a stronger force than the downward force of the water’s gravity thus creating an air-tight seal over the cup! Please continue to work on Science Fair preparations at home! Our Annual 4th Grade Science Fair is on March 19th! Students are expected to come prepared with their experiment, ready to present and discuss their research/outcomes. Formal lab write ups are due today! This means that there should be an introduction discussing the experiment(s), data recorded, detailed procedures, observations, hypothesis, and conclusions written neatly and appropriately researched.
Happenings in the Science Room
During February the fifth grade were learning about the layers of the sun and planet formation. To wrap up the lesson, students created the sun with its different layers as well as planetesimals.
The sixth graders continue learning about the human body. As part of the circulatory system, They got to make “blood”, and, as part of the digestive system they saw how digestion works.
Eighth grade is focusing in the different biochemical pathways that organisms use in order to survive, such as photosynthesis and cellular respiration. The seven graders have been working on molarity and percent composition. In this lab they got to put in practice what they have learned so far.
News from our Middle School
What a month it has been! So much happened that it’s hard to keep track of it all, but we have been having a great time with everything. The class had the excitement, joy, sometimes sadness of reading, analyzing, and completing the novel, Among the Hidden. We had so many meaningful discussions, debates, conversations, writing assignments, projects, and activities associated with this novel, that we truly feel like we analyzed it inside and out. We also went on a whirlwind exploration into Shakespeares’ Comedy of Errors, where we did a quick-study of the play before going to witness an amazing performance at the Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier. The kids LOVED it! Students will continue exploring various writing styles and literature genres as the year progresses and we continue to unveil the vast world of the language arts.
“Stay gold, Ponyboy.” These words that might echo in the ears and minds of the English 2 class for years to come. As we finished up our deep dive in the novel, The Outsiders, a look into the hearts and minds of these characters, it allowed the students to really explore their own thoughts and feelings. We had some deep discussion and debates about the various themes and topics of the novel and utilized a wide range of activities in the process. The students had a lot of autonomy in choosing what type of project they wanted to work on, what type of essay they wanted to write and even had a chance to practice for their upcoming movie project, by creating a “real-life” News Report that covered some of the events from the novel. We capped off the novel by watching Francis Ford Coppolla’s classic adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s popular novel, and the students were able to express their feelings about the movie’s effectiveness. We, too, went on a dizzying look at Shakespear’s Comedy of Errors, and the students thoroughly enjoyed the wild ride and side-splitting performances. Over the course of the next month the students will be deep into their “KindiFlix” project and workshops that will help them get a better understanding of the movie-making and storytelling process.
PE - Middle School and 4th/5th Grade We found a new (favorite?) game --- GAGA BALL! While we don’t have an actual Gaga Ball Pit, we used our ingenuity to use a set of tables and garbage cans to create a makeshift “Gaga Ball Pit,” and the students have been having a blast playing this playground favorite. We will definitely be adding this one to the rotation of games and activities that are played throughout the year.
Middle School Technology We’ll start with technology here because the students have been learning about something very important. As we live in the age of social media and the internet, students will unfortunately be faced with the reality that not all people on the internet can be trusted, and that some may have dangerous intentions. So we have been doing a short unit on internet safety and discussing the dangers of internet predators - older adults who attempt to spend time, or solicit pictures/information/phone numbers/etc from children and teenagers. We discussed how to stay safe on the internet and to always tell an adult if a stranger says or does anything concerning.
To help students understand the dangers of this situation, we watched NBC News and clips of their various special segments on internet predators. Students got to watch real situations of students their age (12-14) who were contacted by adults on the internet. Thankfully, on NBC news each situation was merely a setup and the predators were arrested, but students got to see firsthand the gravity of these situations. While some of the news clips may have been uncomfortable in the terminology used, we hope they provided a very important learning opportunity for our students —> staying safe on the internet is of paramount importance! If you believe your student has had any interactions on the internet that are unsafe, please talk to your child. Ask them! And if you’re unsure or have questions, you may contact us here at the school as well - we will be happy to help.
Social Studies In happier news, the social studies classes are all starting new units of study. The 6th graders are just starting their units on Rome after finishing up presentations on Greek City States. The 7th grade classes finished up Europe and are about to study North Africa, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia. And finally, the 8th graders are almost done with their unit on the US Constitution, finishing up with a review of the judicial branch before taking the actual Constitution test before Spring Break.
IMPORTANT: 8th Grade Parents - The US Constitution test is required to graduate from 8th grade, and will be given the week before Spring Break. Please ensure your student studies for this test.
After Spring Break in April, all students in social studies will be getting a final research project. Students will get to choose any topic within their given subject (Ancient Civilizations, World Geography, or the US Government/Modern History) and will be writing a short research paper on the topic. Please stay tuned, as more information will be coming out shortly regarding that project.
Updates from our spanish classroom
The 3-6 yr. old Spanish classes has been learning the Spanish alphabet and how to tell their age in Spanish. In addition, we have practiced terms for family members and learned about tortillas and their importance in Mexican food, culture, and family life. We used a real tortilla press to flatten out dough and make "tortillas para mamá"!
1st grade Spanish students have learned an expanded list of food vocabulary and cut out pictures of food they've learned from grocery fliers. They have practiced saying which foods they like.
2nd grade Spanish students are learning to express where they are going and what they are doing within the school, using verbs such as "hablar" (to speak), "usar" (to use), and "estudiar" (to study).
With our box of props at the ready, 3rd graders have begun their much anticipated Spanish novel: "Las Aventuras de Isabela." They will follow Isabela's adventures as she and her mother visit Guanajuato, Mexico! Students got to sample fruit with chili powder (Tajín), as is commonly eaten in Mexico. Be sure to ask them what they thought of it!
Updates from our Arabic Room
6th-8th graders preparing their work in Arabic for “My Favorite Arab County “