Talk of Terra Verde Fall Edition 2019

Terra Verde Discovery School

Fall Trimester 2019 Newsletter

Talk of Terra Verde Excellence | Education | Ethics | Ecology FROM THE HEADMASTER It is hard to believe that Terra Verde will celebrate its first decade of existence this year!

Beginning with 8 students in what is now our administration building, several buildings, including our newest facility “The Nest” have been built. Each structure has been designed with the environment in mind as having an environmentally responsible campus is part of our mission. This means far more than just building green structures. For both the health of our community/students and the health of our planet, we utilize green cleaning products, recycle paper, plastic, cardboard, glass and make an effort to have limit the amount of trash produced on campus.

Efforts to protect our environment are made when replacing our computers or other equipment (we make a conscious effort to refurbish or recycle the products for use in manufacturing). The school’s integrated pest and weed management does not use pesticides or poisons. We’ve been committed to planting only native species of plants in our landscaping beds. This leads to reduced water consumption and the creation of a habitat for wildlife. Just last week I recognized a sign made by our students near the admin building that requested a birds nest be left undisturbed due to observations and documentation. Seeing our faculty and students connecting with the natural environment, discussing with our students the importance of stewardship, and leading by example are critical to the long-term impact of the TVDS experience. With the environment in mind, I am excited to announce that we will attempt to install 130 KW of solar energy on campus during the 2020-2021 academic year. This investment will result in our campus being serviced by 100% renewable energy in the next year. I am excited to see our community goal come to fruition as we lead the way in environmental efforts in Oklahoma!

Enjoy reading the Fall issue of The Talk of Terra Verde!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

​

PAGE 1

From the Headmaster

PAGE 2

Kindergarten

PAGE 3

1st Grade

PAGE 4

2nd Grade

PAGE 5

3rd Grade

PAGE 6

4th Grade

PAGE 7

5th Grade

PAGE 8

Upper English

PAGE 9-10

Middle School Science

PAGES 11

Upper Math, Pre-Algebra, & Algebra

PAGE 12

Upper Social Studies

PAGES 13

Physical Wellness

PAGE 14-15

Mandarin

PAGES 16-18

Art

PAGE 19

Spanish

PAGE 20

Latin

PAGES 21-25

Music

PAGE 26

The Office

PAGE 27

2019 GOLF SPONSORS

1

Kindergarten By: Ms. Baugh

Children have a very natural curiosity and wonderment about their world, which is why Kindergarten is such an exciting place to be! It is also why inquiry-based learning is an integral part of the Kindergarten experience at Terra Verde! The ways children play and explore are delightful, but also play a very important role in their early cognitive development. Consider the range of skills included in signing songs, riding bikes, building block constructions, illustrating paintings, etc. All of these skills occur without formal school, but as a result of natural curiosity in social and physical interaction with the world. In Kindergarten, I observe to find the interest of the children and then together we explore!

The past week many kindergarten students have shown a natural curiosity about rocks on our playground. They began bringing rocks into the classroom and sorting them by attributes. They used a variety of recycled materials in our classroom to collect rocks and our classroom cubbies became a bit of a rock garden. Noticing how powerful this interest was, I created places in the classroom for students to explore! ​Many students loved to interact with the rocks. They felt them, studied their colours and shapes, and used a variety of art mediums to express their learning. During one of our closing meeting circles the question, “are rocks alive?” was proposed. This led to many opinions from different students! We then decided to investigate living vs. nonliving things further. We began by using items in our classroom and classifying them into two categories. It was fascinating to observe the critical thinking as students justify their answers. As a whole group we worked together to debate, reason and learn to see various points of view. We are continuing this rock study into the following weeks. I cannot wait to continue exploring with my little scientist and see where the rest of the year takes us!

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1st Grade Mrs. McCurry

Johnny Appleseed Day In first grade, one of the historical figures we learn about is John Chapman also known as Johnny Appleseed. The first graders learn all about his life philosophies of treating all people with kindness, respecting animals, and taking care of the earth. We celebrate our learning with a Johnny Appleseed Day.

On Johnny Appleseed Day, all the first graders dressed similar to Johnny Appleseed. Johnny even stopped by from his travels to visit our classroom to talk about his life and how to be a good citizen. He gave each student a tasty apple on his way out.

In the afternoon, we completed a variety of math, literacy, and science activities based around apples. The first grade students created stain-glass apples, determined if apples float or sink, weighed an apple with a variety of objects, saturated apple slices in different fluids, wrote apple print stories, tasted multiple types of apples and graphed our favorite type. Thankfully, we had many wonderful parents who volunteered ensuring the day was a success.

Hopefully, Johnny Appleseed will stop by Terra Verde campus again next year to visit all the new first grade students.

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2nd Grade Ms. Berryhill

Weekly STEM Challenges In the second grade performance expectations, students are expected to demonstrate grade-appropriate proficiency in developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, constructing explanations and designing solutions, engaging in argument from evidence, and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information. -​ Next Generation Science Standards, 2013.

Ask one of my spectacular second graders what is their favorite time of the week, and I bet I know the answer- Friday afternoon STEM challenges! Each week, students break into small groups to plan, design, construct, and present a new challenge. We’ve constructed school buses that roll, a bridge that supported rubber spiders, a raft that would transport school supplies, and their favorite, pumpkin catapults. We’re learning about big ideas such as density, force and motion, area and perimeter, and potential and kinetic energy. My little engineers are doing big things!

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3rd Grade Mrs. Miller

​

Mrs. Miller's 3rd Grade jumped right into Life Sciences lessons at the beginning of the year. With outdoor learning and study so critical in our day-to-day, it's important for us to discover how plants and animals interact in the ecosystems surrounding our school building.

Our class learned about pollination and the importance of bees and other insects in this process. We learned how seeds are formed inside of plants, and we learned all the correct botanical vocabulary for the parts of a flower. Dissecting tiger lillies enabled us to examine the tiny parts with magnifying lenses. Making giant, paper, botanically correct, flowers helped us understand the flower structures and memorize the scientific names. We also made giant bees to pollinate these giant blooms!

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​ 4th Grade

By Mrs. Moser

Tenacious 4th Graders

At the beginning of the school year Milan and Gigi talked to me about how they wanted to hold a fundraiser for TV student Xander Brayfield. They thought the class could have a bake sale, and all funds raised would go to Xander to help with expenses associated with his cancer treatment. We discussed this further in our morning meetings and created a plan. STASH kindly allowed us to use a booth at the October Flower Power Market, parents donated ingredients for our vegan brownies, and the kids/families promoted the event by sharing with as many people as they could. The class raised $1147.50 from the bake sale. I am so proud of the kids for working together to make this idea come to life and supporting Xander.

“Never stop, folding socks,” was the favorite chant of the class as we took a field trip to Tenaciously Teal. Tenaciously Teal is a non-profit organization in OKC that provides support for cancer fighters through providing cancer care packs, brave shave parties, empowerment photo shoots, gas cards, and other financial assistance. I shared about my journey with cancer with the class and told them that a single kind act can have a huge impact. It means so much to someone fighting cancer because you can feel so alone at times.

The kids spent the day learning about how founder, Tarah Warren, took the idea of making care packs and transformed it into a non-profit. The kids folded more than 500 socks, wrote notes of encouragement, and made 200 cancer care packs that will be distributed to local hospitals. Way to go, 4th grade!

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5th Grade Mrs. Reed

​Water Study

​Fifth grade students spent the first trimester developing the idea that

water is an exceedingly important natural resource, but one which requires an increasing amount of resourcefulness to find and maintain due to a variety of factors. This was done through the study of the Dust Bowl, the reading of ​A Long Walk to Water​, participation in two different water-carrying simulations, and presentations from the City of Norman.

Our class read the book ​A Long Walk to Water, watched a Ted Talk of Salva Dut (the true character of the book), and participated in a nation-wide discussion with both Salva Dut and Linda Sue Park (the author of the book).

This book inspired the water simulation walk of carrying roughly two gallons of dirty water around the Wilson’s pond and then filtering the water through a series of steps that are similar in nature to the process we learned about while visiting the City of Norman Water Treatment Facility.

In addition to the water simulation at Terra Verde, fifth grade students and their families joined forces with the Walk4Water foundation and walked over three miles carrying water around Wheeler Park to help raise funds to build wells in Africa so that girls and women do not have to make the walk to obtain drinking water on a daily basis. Over $500,000 was raised by all of the participants.

Our water study unit was enhanced by a field trip visit to the City of Norman Water Treatment Facility where students learned all about the process our water goes through to get from Lake Thunderbird to the faucets in our homes. A City of Norman stormwater representative also visited fifth grade and presented a hands-on model of how different forms of pollution affect water runoff.

Fifth grade will continue to focus on water conservation throughout the year by planning ways to raise funds and bring awareness to the problem of water scarcity around the globe.

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​ nglish E -Mrs. Pearsall

In sixth grade, we have worked on establishing routines and a productive atmosphere as they begin their journey in the Upper School. They have proven themselves resilient and flexible as they were able to learn in a variety of environments- from the outdoors to the gymnasium stage. During this trimester, we encountered a very dynamic and resilient protagonist, Brian Robeson, and followed him through his journey in the novel,​ Hatchet​.

With this novel, we learned about conflict, protagonists, plot elements, themes, perspective, vocabulary, summarizing, making predictions, foreshadowing, flashbacks, suspense, and Gary Paulsen’s writing style. Through group and paired reading, students had time to work on their oral reading skills, building on fluency with punctuation, stamina with reading volume, and comprehension through discussion. In other news, we are working on spelling commonly misspelled words, grammar mini-lessons regarding punctuation, parts of speech, and sentence structure.

I’ve been truly impressed with how they have evolved in this aspect by being able to explain why sentences are structured and punctuated the way they are.

The seventh graders finished their novel study,​ Tuck Everlasting​. During this unit, we analyzed fantasy genre elements, author’s purpose, characterization, conflict, symbolism, plot, perspective, irony, and the theme of choice. While reading, students worked on fluency in oral reading skills and comprehension.

After finishing the novel, we viewed the Disney rendition of the novel, comparing and contrasting the two storylines.We are now using the venn diagram for a springboard in writing a five paragraph argumentative essay over which version the student preferred and why. Through this assignment, students will work on the 4 Square prewriting phase, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing stages of the writing process. Objectives are to write a cohesive piece using a thesis statement, transitions, topic sentences, well-structured paragraphs, and a conclusion. Also, we are learning to format papers and cite evidence using the MLA formatting guidelines.

The eighth graders showed the most resilience and flexibility in my experience due to the unexpected change in environments. We began the year with our Summer Assignment of TPCASTT analysis on song lyrics; however, because of the lack of technology and changing environments, we changed gears with ease and maturity. Students were introduced to the Oklahoma classic, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, and learned very quickly what makes a classic a classic (timeless themes, relevance to the reader, compelling plot and relatable, charismatic characters). Even after 50 years, students were able to relate and apply the themes of this novel while also learning about the context of the time. We also celebrated the conclusion of the novel by watching Francis Ford Coppola’s rendition of the novel, which also became a classic for its own reasons. Using Socratic Seminar discussion format, students were able to discuss the two versions of the storyline as well as why this book has been challenged in the past.

Now that we are back in the classroom and completed the novel study, students are back on track with TPCASTT and preparing their lessons to teach the class their song choices as poetry using their knowledge of connotations, poetic devices, tone and theme.

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​Middle

School Science Mrs. Beck

What an amazing journey it has been with TVDS middle school science with only one third of the school year completed. It has been a pleasure getting to know all my wonderful scientists and learning about the scientific topics that interest them. We started out the year learning about how to make good scientific arguments with the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) format. Students gained experience writing CER statements by investigating the contents of Mystery Bags. It was quite amusing to see them use their senses trying to figure out the contents of various brown paper bags.

6​th​ Grade:

6​th​ Grade presented their Element of Me​ assignment in which they learned about the periodic table by making a periodic table square of themselves. It was wonderful to see the symbols and numbers they used to represent themselves. Recently, 6​th​ grade has been examining and evaluating evidence related to cells and their functions. They engaged in lessons of inquiry as they researched and came to conclusions about some cell types that are found in the human body. We expanded this to body systems with a spotlight on their beautiful brains, and they will be creating an activity brochure as their culminating project. This brochure will highlight a physical activity and explain how and why cells are important to the function of the activity each group chooses.

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7​ Grade th​

In 7​th​ grade, we started off our year by talking about the elements that make up the universe and how those same elements can be found within us. This led to a great discussion about our capability as human beings and interestingly enough, a lively talk about black holes! We also explored the concept of motion and took a tour of the history of atomic theory. The 7​th​ grade scientists enjoyed briefly being in the shoes of past scientists by acting in an atomic theory play. Democritus and Aristotle were no doubt the stars of the show. We concluded the unit with a Burning Paper investigation which gave the energetic 7​th​ grade scientists a chance to exercise their inquiry and higher rational powers.

More recently, 7​th​ grade has embarked on our 2​nd​ unit titled ​“Adapt or Die?”​ and they have amazed me with their amazing inquisitive minds. They created a concept map on their own that was based on a picture and a few sentences surrounding the peppered moth phenomenon in England that occurred in the 1800s. I am excited to continue our unit as we investigate the phenomenon of increased media attention on white shark sightings and attacks this past summer.

8​th​ Grade Science

8​th​ Grade has been investigating asteroid collisions both in the past and the present in their ​“Colossal Collisions” unit. The science experts have been building skills reading the fossil record, deciphering various graphs related to biodiversity, and looking at soil layers to help build their case for why an asteroid collision would be disastrous for life on Earth. They also investigated the possible effects of an asteroid collision by exploring Newton’s laws in the classroom, on the playground, and using an online simulation. Since this group has many video editing skills, they will be creating a news report detailing the science and danger of a possible asteroid collision with Earth. I cannot wait for these expert reporters to give us the details of what they think is the solution to our problem.

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​ hysical Science P

Physical Science has been busy with our Physics units focusing on conservation of energy and energy transformations. We kicked off this unit with student groups building Rube Goldberg machines. It was amazing to see their creativity flow and hear them explain the nature of energy before I had officially taught them anything! We ended our unit with a much-deserved ​“Feast and Film”​ which I hope will be a tradition that will carry on at Terra Verde to help students continue to foster the familial bonds they form in middle school.

Rockin The Science Vibe Committee Mrs. Beck

What an amazing group of scientists we have and what exciting things we have planned.

Between helping plan the school’s first annual science fair, building model airplanes, and being invited to participate in Speedfest, the Rockin the Science Vibe committee is sure to be quite memorable. We’ve been busy studying aerodynamics and working out logistics for some exciting new developments coming to Terra Verde. Stay tuned for more exciting details!

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Burst Pipe + H​2​O = Math Nomads Mrs. Lindsay

The power of water. It created the Grand Canyon, and it sent students from the middle school at Terra Verde packing. In September a pipe burst inside the walls of the upper school, causing the building to flood.

Fortunately, the gym provided temporary refuge, as crews were brought in to repair the middle school. While the gym provides an amazing venue for athletic and social events, holding class was more challenging, as tables and chairs were set up in every corner of the gym. Students and teachers handled the challenge with aplomb, having class in the gym, out of the gym, and setting up and tearing down classrooms multiple times. After almost three weeks, the upper school was habitable, and the middle school packed up and returned home.

Nature lovers​-​-Mia Brown, Fin Dalrymple, Alonso Kain, and Kasen Tankersley enjoy math class outside (above)

Sixth-graders spent the first trimester getting to know the unique expectations of each of their classes. They learned the importance of the interactive notebook, bell work, and sharing their thinking in math. In the course of the first trimester, eight sixth graders became pioneers, implementing a self-paced program. The remainder of the class continues the traditional program—learning about positive and negative numbers and the number lines, and reviewing multiplying and dividing fractions and decimals.

Seventh grade was split into two classes, math and pre-algebra. The seventh-grade math students have capitalized on the smaller class size,

asking as many questions as it takes for understanding. The pre-algebra Nomads-​-,Maggie Ball, Alaina Jawed, Omar group have risen to the challenge of skipping a year of math instruction, Shehata, and Jasper Muehring get some fresh air and they have worked with exponents and scientific notation. while working outside.

Eighth grade began their second year in smaller math classes. The pre-algebra class has been finding their groove since moving back into the building, studying the various rules of working with exponents and working with numbers in scientific notation. The algebra group has begun their journey into high school-level classes. The have shown maturity befitting a group for which their grades will appear on high school transcripts.

Is that so?-​-Ismaele Ferulli and Nick Gralla discuss a problem in math class.

While the first half of this trimester was very challenging, students have overcome and have established efficient routines in their math classes.

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Upper School Social Studies Mr. Woolum

6th grade​ started off the year learning to read and make maps of all kinds! Their final project for the Geography unit involved combining their map-making skills with information about climate zones and landscape features to create a fictional island or archipelago. This was a real puzzle, as it required students to understand how latitude, proximity to the ocean, and other variables determine a region’s climate.

Our first two units to delve into recorded human history focused on Mesopotamia and Egypt. While learning about Mesopotamia, students were introduced to universal sociological concepts, like social hierarchy and government, but also discovered some Mesopotamia-specific information, such as how to write cuneiform on clay tablets.

Likewise, while studying Ancient Egypt, students showed off their creativity by researching and drawing an Egyptian god and by solving the puzzle of which organ goes in which Canopic jar protected by which god. As they can tell you, getting the correct answer was very important for an Ancient Egyptian individual’s afterlife.

7th grade​ begins with a challenging but relevant topic, the Abrahamic religions. For the purpose of the class, students study the three largest of the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In addition to learning about the history, mythology, and practices of these three influential faiths, students also had the opportunity to address common misconceptions about these religions and develop an understanding of how deeply connected they are. I am very proud of the maturity and respect that this class showed to the subject, and it was exciting to see how enthusiastic they were to learn about the religions of their peers, and share their own ideas about religion. This bodes well for the rest of the year, as 7th grade is a difficult curriculum that involves covering many challenging subjects, from slavery to colonialism. But this class has proven themselves capable of having mature, academic discussions!

8th grade​ is a very different year in Social Studies, given that it focuses primarily on one civilization (that of the United States of America) as opposed to the many-civilizations approach of 6th and 7th grades. Nevertheless, a change of pace can be good for enthusiasm, and this year’s 8th graders are clearly excited to learn about a civilization that is both recent and has a strong, direct connection to the world they live in. As we pass through American history at the clipping pace that is required of the curriculum, students have already learned about Pre-Colonial and Colonial North America, the American Revolution, and the period of rapid American expansion that followed.

In addition to researching various Native American tribes, taking a quiz to determine their political philosophy, and participating in a mock Supreme Court case, 8th graders have stayed busy this trimester by helping out Mrs. McCurry’s class with our school’s new goats. I am proud of how enthusiastic the class has been about taking on this responsibility, as it sets a great example for Lower School students to see their older peers taking an active role in caring for our campus animals. Great work, 8th graders!

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Physical Wellness Mrs. Murphy & Coach Kendall

This First Trimester in Physical Wellness, we have focused on motor skills and movement patterns.

Students in grades K-2, have practiced hopping, galloping, running, skipping, jumping, and leaping. We incorporated each of these skills into our daily warm-ups and tagging games.

We learned how our heart rate increases and decreases depending on the type of activity we are doing. Students had fun experimenting with different locomotor skills and checking to see how fast or slow their heart was beating.

In grades 3rd-5th, we focused on pacing as it relates to jogging. We used Tabata style activity to increase our cardiovascular endurance.

Students practiced different breathing techniques to help control their heart rates. We used these techniques as students ran their laps, and learned to “listen to our bodies”. We also played games such as: Survivor Tag, Four Corner Soccer, and Meet in the Middle to explore ways we could sustain our aerobic activity.

As a cumulation of the skills we worked on in Physical Wellness this Trimester, all grade levels participated in our annual Terra Verde Jog-a-Thon. Students displayed perseverance, integrity, and good sportsmanship as they ran laps with smiling faces and joyful spirits!

We are so proud of the progress the students made in the area of endurance. We look forward to watching them use these skills in games and sports that they play throughout the school year.

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MANDARIN Mrs. Tsay 蔡老师

Chinese Culture Days Once a month, Mandarin supplements a culture day into curriculum. On these days, we have various fun activities to introduce, compare and discuss about different perspectives of authentic Chinese culture.

So far we have introduced how an elementary or middle school look like in China. Our students were shocked by the fact that their Chinese peers have night classes from 6pm to 9pm. They all wear the same uniform from Monday to Friday. They do morning exercises and eye exercises. Our students felt connected to their Chinese peers when they found that they all have similar classes and after school activities. After learning that the Chinese students get 10 minutes break between every two classes and they are free to roam around the whole campus at that time, our students were amazed and wanted the breaks implemented at TV, as well as an hour nap time at noon. Although they changed their minds after finding out the Chinese students got out of school much later and also had classes on the weekend. We have also talked about different houses in China. We compared and discussed the differences in various provinces, cities and rural areas. Our students were in AWE by the diversity of China.

Other than presentations and discussions, we also had lots of cooking activities. We made mooncakes during the Moon Festival.

We learned how to make dumplings from scratch. We also went out on field trips to experience Chinese culture on OU campus.

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Our students have shown great interest in Chinese culture days and have gotten genuinely connected with the Chinese language, as well as Chinese culture. They are looking forward to acquiring more knowledge and experiencing some more fun cultural activities.

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A​ ​R ​T

with Mrs. Eberle

2019​

is the year we started with a flood in the art room! The good news is that ART can happen This unique group of kindergarten artists came to TV ready to flourish and anywhere! I can now create! We have learned about Mondrian, Kandinsky, Navajo sand add the faculty lounge painting, made pinch pots and clay mice, enjoyed several books by Leo Lionni, and SO MUCH MORE! to the numerous locations that I have taught Art on this campus since day one.

These 1st graders are “artists on the map”! They are traveling the globe in the Art room. We have learned about Maori koru, Aboriginal bark painting, Matisse, Romare Bearden, and Inuit artist Kenojuak Ashevak. We are starting a printmaking unit. This group of adventurous artists are going to go far this year!

My 2nd grade artists have used all kinds of new techniques this year, including using a wash and oil pastels on clay and mixing cement for sculpture bases. They have learned about Renee Magritte, Keith Haring, Cubism, Gustav Klimt, and lots more!

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The Wheelers, our upper school ceramics committee, are back in action!

These 3rd grade artists know that weaving takes perseverance! They have explored machines with Da Vinci and Paul Klee, made prismatic chalk landscapes, clay food, and learned about Oklahoma Chickasaw storyteller Te Ata. They have more to come with Oklahoma History and native art.

The 4th grade artists have learned about 1 point perspective, made dreamcatchers and clay animals, and beautiful watercolored feathers. This group of enthusiastic artists is ready for anything!

5th grade is the beginning of the pottery wheel at TV, and this group of artists is thrilled to be throwing! We have made lots of connections to their classroom water study, including ​The Great Wave off Kanagawa​, African landscapes, and water animal silhouettes.

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The Class of 2020!

I get sentimental with my 8th graders and remind them about each of our “lasts� as we go along. (They humor me.) It is such a pleasure to see this group of artists have freedom in the art room to create their own work and plan the 8th grade show!

The 6th grade artists have worked in a variety of media in the 1st trimester as they created night scenes, ceramic forests, unique playing cards, and Fauvist-style portraits.

7th grade started the year depicting change using a variety of materials.

Inspired by Kehinde Wiley, the 7th grade artists turned to Art History to find an artwork to reinvent. They have made ceramic slab pieces and continue to improve their skills on the pottery wheel.

8th grade at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art after going behind the scenes into the vault!

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How Input

Language

Hablamos español

works:

Con la profe (Miss Peggy)

Students learn language best “Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.” ‒​Flora Lewis when they hear words that they know in real-life situations.

Through storytelling and classroom What we focused on in Spanish this trimester: discussions, we will learn ● Become comfortable with engaging in a new language with little need to language (number one focus!) study outside the classroom. ●

The required vocabulary will be on the board and students have control over some of the additional words that they learn. Ask your student to retell class stories to hear how they are progressing!

●

● ● ●

Read, write, speak, and listen for meaning in basic Spanish Participate in simple conversations and respond appropriately to basic conversational prompts Identify different grammar patterns Generate language by incorporating basic vocabulary and grammar patterns Analyze and compare cultural practices, products, and perspectives of various Spanish-speaking countries

You CAN learn it!

What we did: We used stories as a means to practice reading, writing, and speaking skills We sang, danced, played games, cooked food, and had fun. All in Spanish!

We assessed student progress through quizzes, tests, and speaking/writing submissions

Each and every one of our students can be successful as a language learner. Just as we couldn’t rush them to speak as babies, we have to be patient in the second language classroom​.

Up-coming date: Conference Day for all grades:

Thursday, November 21th (4:45 pm - 8 pm) and Friday, November 22nd I appreciate your support in encouraging your child to use Spanish whenever (9am - 1pm)​. If you prefer to possible. Encourage your child to share something from class with you or ask her/him to teach you a phrase or two. set up a meeting with me, please email me.

Hasta pronto, La Profe

Contact Information:

Peggy Guitton - Spanish Teacher E-mail:

spanish@terraverdeschool.com

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LINGUA LATINA Latin with Magister Konieczny

During their first trimester of Latin, the 6th-graders have been introduced to basic vocabulary and grammar, which they have been able to put to use reading several example stories from the Cambridge Latin Course textbook. The students have been introduced to the world of ancient Rome and Pompeii through readings both in English and in Latin. Additionally, the students have discussed how learning Latin can be helpful in other ways: as a bridge to other Romance languages, for its help in understanding English grammar and etymology, and even for the critical-reasoning skills one develops in studying such a heavily-inflected language.

The 7th graders have begun reading more complicated passages in Latin, reading exciting tales from the earliest period of Roman history and even encountering stories from Greek and Roman mythology. The students added to their understanding of Roman mythology with a unit on Roman superstitions and religious practices. The class grappled with questions of how religion affected the government and literature of ancient Rome through several primary-source texts read in English translation.

The 8th grade Latin students have continued to acquire vocabulary and have further developed critical-reasoning skills to tackle more complicated examples of Latin. In addition to the language itself, the class has learned about the broad history of Greek and Roman literature. The students have analyzed actual examples of Roman poetry and discussed several of the elements, tropes, and themes found in classical literature and their effects of literature and media even today.

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Upcoming Dates:

Music

6th Grade @ Legacy Park -

Saturday, December 7, 6:00-6:30

Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd Grades @ Rivermont Retirement Center - Wednesday, December 11, 6:30-7:00

4th, 5th Grades @ The NEST - Wednesday, December 18, The Nutcracker Performance 6:30-7:00

with Mrs. Underwood

Kindergarten is composing in the first trimester! Here they are drawing Pitch Pathways, learning to associate high and low sounds in their voice to high and low on paper.

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6th Grade is preparing for our annual performance at Norman’s Winterfest at Legacy Park, sponsored by the Norman Parks and Recreation Department. Come join us! ●

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7th Grade started the year with a marimba performance at our annual TVDS Golf Tournament. Their music and smiling faces welcomed friends, family, and donors to the event!

1st Grade students were inspired by Johnny Appleseed Day to create their own Rhythm Composition using vocabulary from their research of this tall tale. We have also been working on our first 2-part marimba piece!

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2nd Grade is learning about harmony and different time signatures as they prepare for their winter performance at Rivermont Retirement Center. They are loving the chimes!

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8th Grade’s favorite thing to do in the music room is easily playing marimbas. They have already learned a new piece, worked on some improvisation, and revived some old favorite tunes as well. Be looking for them to perform this Spring!

3rd Grade played a game to help learn some of their winter holiday songs. Here they are preparing to represent Kwanzaa at our holiday performance at Rivermont Retirement Center in December!

4th Grade is preparing Terra Verde’s first ever performance of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker! We took a short break for a little Halloween fun, creating rhythm compositions from class costumes.

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The Serenity Now Committee

has been exploring calming

techniques ranging from 5th Grade started the year by representing our Terra Verde at breathing and centering exercises to yoga, from a trip to the OU College of Education’s 90th Anniversary Celebration.

According to the OU organizers, they were the highlight of Teaoli to smoothie making. the evening!

Ohmmm...

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TVDS PARTNERS MightyNest​ ​is a unique site that provides you the ability to research, get advice and buy natural, organic and non-toxic products all in one place. Every purchase at MightyNest makes your home healthier, and gives back to Terra Verde, which receives up to 15% of each order.

When shopping for water bottles or lunch gear, shop Mighty Nest, and choose Terra Verde as your school!

Homeland Apply for a​ ​Homeland One Card and use ​Terra Verde's School code #64137 ​each time you check out. Every time you use that Homeland One Card,Terra Verde gets credit!

Natural Grocers Dollars for School Stay tuned for NaturalGrocers vouchers for Terra Verde family Shopping Spree Days – where Terra Verde gets dollars back if you shop on a particular day.

TVDS OFFICE Office Hours: ​Office Hours 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

School Hours 7:45 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.

Office Email: ​Sherri Jones, Office Administrator office@terraverdeschool.com ​All email is checked daily.

Email received after 12:00pm noon will be returned by the next school day.

Office Contact: Phone 405-366-6362 | Fax 405-928-5065 | Terra Verde Discovery School, 1000 36th Ave S.E., Norman, OK 73026 | www.terraverdeschool.com http://www.facebook.com/terraverdeschool

Green Gala 2019 Drumroll please------ we are super excited to share that we were able to raise $85045.00 this year at our Annual Gala. We owe additional thank you's to Deidra Kistler, Celisse Compagni and all of the Green Gala Committee members who worked tirelessly to put on the event. An additional thank you to the Wilson family for allowing us to have the event in our new facility!

Box Tops​ are an easy way to bring in extra funds for our school. This time of year, many participating products have bonus Box Tops. Each is worth 10 cents and they add up quickly. The classrooms all have a Box Top can for collection. You can add them yourselves, or put the Box Tops in your child’s folder and they’ll get to the right place.

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TERRA VERDE THIRD ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT SPONSORS Riverwind Resort Bank of Oklahoma Michael Martin M.D. Merrill Lynch Brad Kelly Farhan Jawed Consumercare Direct Norman Heart & Vascular Associates Crowe & Dunlevy Kickingbird Investments Eide Bailey Top of the World Leonard Building Company Sooner Sports Properties Pinnacle Design Group Agility Medical Group Gillian Roebuck First United Bank Adair Enterprises,LLC McCormick Family Pub W

BancFirst Dr. John M. Kras & Dr. Eric M Snyder Cabbiness Engineering, LLC Accent Glass Comtech Electronic Systems, Inc Steven Shultz M.D. Preston and Allicyn Treat Norman Heating and Air Republic Bank Rick Bell Embassy Suites Success Vodka King Kopy Belmar Golf Course The Trails Golf Course Cool Beans Coffee Benvenuti's El Toro Chino King Kopy The Garage Red Rock Canyon Grille

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