Mechanics Grove School

Plastic Bottles and Soup Cans?

MG is collecting rinsed out plastic bottles and soup cans for a project we will be doing on February 6th for our Family Leader in Me Night. Please help us out and send in plastic bottles and soup cans.

Thanks!

Winter has Arrived!

In District 75, we go outside for recess unless there are unsafe conditions and/or the windchill temperature is below 10 degrees. Be sure your child has hat, coat, gloves, etc. If you do not have those things, please contact the school and we can help you out.

Winter Collage Concert

Our Winter concert, featuring our 5th Grade Band (along with the 6th, 7th and 8th grade bands) is right around the corner on Wednesday, December 18th. This concert is at Mundelein High School and begins at 7pm. 5th Grade Band Students should report to MHS at 6PM. It has become an all time favorite concert as it features all of the D75 bands, with over 20 songs ALL UNDER AN HOUR! Bring your family and friends! It's a great way to spread some holiday cheer!

Action Items for 5th Grade Band Students:

• 12/18 After school band rehearsal - YES
• 12/18 Band Concert - YES
• 12/19 Morning Band Rehearsal - YES

An Update from our Specials Teachers

Art: Students have been continuing to explore different art mediums and artistic processes while learning new skills and techniques.

Exciting experiments have been happening in the art room as we combine science and art to explore the effects of salt on watercolor paintings. In preparation for STEAM week, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students have been creating original designs with liquid glue and pouring salt on their designs. Students then dropped liquid watercolor on the salt designs and watched the watercolor slowly travel through the salt designs. Students were excited to watch the process while experimenting with different amounts of water and paint to see how the diluted paint affects the value of colors within the salt. It has been a salty, but satisfying experience!

Music: November and December have been an exciting month in the music room! 5th grade performed their last elementary music program called “The Sounds of Winter” on December 11th! Students sang, danced, and played instruments to create the many different sounds we hear during the winter season. We heard everything from a snowball fight to ringing sleigh bells! 4th Grade has officially begun learning the recorder! Students have learned the pitches E and G, as well as how to correctly use their air to avoid what Mrs. Oropeza calls the “scary squeaky sound”! Soon, students will begin using their recorders to create their own improvisations and compositions. 3rd Grade has spent the month discovering and labelling the sixteenth note rhythm. Students learned how to read sixteenth notes, and then decoded the rhythm of the song “Piccadilly Circle”, which has several sixteenth notes! Students created movement to go along with this song, and then created their own rhythmic compositions in groups. We can’t wait to see what 2025 brings in the music room!

DD:

Discovery Den classes have been doing a variety of activities over the past month. Third grade focused on using the table of contents, glossary and index in a non-fiction book about a country. They were able to use these tools to find and locate answers to questions about the country. In fourth grade, students were working on creating visual book reviews to display on the screen in the room. Fifth grade students have been working on digital citizenship. They learned about how Google searches for information on the world wide web. We also read two versions of Goldilocks. The first was more traditional and the second was called #Goldilocks. Students learned that over-sharing online becomes a problem! This week, MG has been celebrating STEAM week and as part of it all students have been learning about coding, starting with coding a dance party. Students can code at home from tablets, computers or their chromebooks. The the link is on the Discovery Den google classroom or you can go directly to it at code.org

PE: In our PE classes, we’re having a blast learning the fundamentals of basketball, hockey, and gymnastics! In basketball, we're working on dribbling, shooting, and teamwork, developing our skills through fun drills and mini-games. On the ice (or court), our hockey unit is all about stick-handling, passing, and strategy, where we’re building both individual and group skills for fast-paced gameplay. In January we will be doing gymnastics, where we’re focusing on strength, flexibility, and balance. We will be practicing on various apparatuses to improve coordination and body control. One of our favorite fundraisers of the year coming up in 2025, is the Kids Heart Challenge! This fun and inspiring event encourages students to learn about heart health while raising awareness and funds for the American Heart Association. Throughout the challenge, kids engage in heart-pumping activities, such as jumping rope, fitness challenges, and games, all while promoting the importance of staying active and healthy. It’s a great way for students to support a meaningful cause, improve their physical fitness, and have fun together while making a positive impact on heart health in their community! It’s an action-packed time at MG filled with learning and growth in every class!

Important Dates

12/18- Winter Collage Concert (7:00pm at MHS)

12/19- Pajama Day

12/20- NO SCHOOL

1/6/25- NO SCHOOL

1/7- School resumes

1/8- PTO Meeting (7:00pm at CSMS)

1/17- Early Release (students dismissed at 11:05am)

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