B.E.S. CONNECTION. 9 Essential Habits of Empathetic Kids. Inside this issue: Bonduel Elementary. Volume 24, Issue 3. January/February 2018

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1 Bonduel Elementary B.E.S. CONNECTION Volume 24, Issue 3 9 Essential Habits of Empathetic Kids It's hard to believe that we are already halfway through the school year! The staff and students at Bonduel Elementary School are off to another great start in continuing the tradition of academic excellence. Recently, an assembly was held to review The Bonduel Way behavior expectations. By practicing "Be Responsible, Be Respectful, and Be Safe", the students learn to put these behaviors into practice. A main area of focus this school year has been teaching the students about "Empathy." Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Earlier this school year, Dr. Michele Borba visited with the staff and a group of parents. Teachers have been emphasizing the 9 Essential Habits of Empathetic Kids, as described by Dr. Borba in her book, "Unselfie." These are: DEVELOPING EMPATHY Habit 1: Emotional literacy. Teaching emotion literacy as the gateway to empathy so children can recognize and understand the feelings and needs of others in their body language, voice tone or facial expressions. Habit 2: Moral Identity. Helping children develop ethical codes and caring mindsets so they are more likely to adopt caring values that guide their integrity and activate their empathy to feel with and help others. Habit 3. Perspective taking. Stretching perspective taking abilities so children can step into others shoes to understand another person s feelings, thoughts, and views. Habit 4. Moral Imagination. Using elevating, emotionally-charged images in literature, film, news and images as a source of inspiration to help children empathetic. PRACTICING EMPATHY Habit 5. Self-Regulation. Helping children learn ways to manage strong emotions and reduce personal distress to keep their empathy open, avoid the Empathy Gap and be more likely empathize and to help others. Habit 6. Practicing Kindness. Developing and exercising kindness and pro-social behaviors to increase children s concern about the welfare and feelings of others and enhance the likelihood that they will step in to help, support or comfort others. January/February 2018 Bonduel Elementary School 404 W. Mill St. P.O. Box 310 Bonduel, WI (715) Inside this issue: 9 Essential Habits of Empathetic Kids... 1 Walk Like an Egyptian nd Grade Science... 3 Upcoming Events... 3 Students with Allergies... 4 Visitors... 4 Greetings from the Music Room... 5 Family Fun Night... 6 Habit 7. Collaboration. Cultivating teamwork and collaborative abilities to help kids work with others to achieve shared goals for the benefit of all and develop a WE, not ME mindset. LIVING EMPATHY Habit 8. Moral Courage. Promoting moral courage and teaching children Upstander (someone who recognizes when something is wrong and acts to make it right) skills and situational awareness to give them the courage to speak out, step in, and help others. Habit 9. Compassionate Leadership Abilities. Cultivating unselfish leadership abilities to motivate children to make a difference for others, no matter how small it may be and boost their chances of becoming Social Changemakers. Please join us in this effort to teach the children about empathy and to practice these habits on a daily basis.

2 Walk Like an Egyptian... By: Mrs. Wallender, 6th Grade Teacher How does geography influence the way people live? What makes a culture unique? Why do civilizations rise and fall? These are just a few of the topics 6 th grade social studies students investigated recently, after taking a giant step back in time to study Ancient Egypt. Volume 24, Issue 3 Egypt's dry, sandy climate helped preserve countless artifacts and monuments for thousands of years. These well -preserved carvings and other relics from the ancient pyramids tell us much of what we know today about this ancient culture and its history. Throughout the unit, students gained a better understanding of just how important the Nile River, the life-blood of Egypt really was to these ancient people. They compared life in the Fertile Crescent (from the prior unit on Mesopotamia) to life in the Nile River valley. They studied the Egyptian social class system and considered what life was like from the perspectives of people from the various class levels. This included the Pharaoh s role as both a political and religious leader. Religion is a large part of every culture studied in Mrs. Wallender s social studies class. Egypt was no exception. Their belief in the afterlife influenced much of their daily life. Students learned and were able to identify the steps in the embalming/ mummification process. Project time In Mr. Margelofsky s science class, they dissected a minnow and dried them in salt. Rest easy knowing the heart was left intact, as it would be required to answer for the deceased person s good and bad deeds if entrance to the afterlife was to be granted. The mummification of the minnows continued in social studies as the students wrapped the fish (pharaoh they had been researching) and placed him or her to rest in the impressive pyramids they had been teaming up on. Their creative work was showcased one afternoon in the lunchroom, and many classes and teachers from the 2 nd floor took time to view them and vote for the most imaginative and most comprehensive displays. It was great to see the 6 th graders collaborating with each other so efficiently and taking such pride in their work. What kind of music do mummies listen to? Answer: Wrap Music Page 2

3 B.E.S. CONNECTION Tell me and I 2nd Grade Science By: Mrs. Polaczyk, 2nd Grade Teacher This month in second grade, the students learned all about the weather in Science. They learned about temperature, wind, the water cycle and storms. One of the things that they focused on were clouds. Second graders learned how clouds were formed through the water cycle and even saw it in action with an experiment. Students identified different types of clouds by their appearance and what those types of clouds meant for the weather. They focused on three specific clouds stratus, cumulus, and cirrus. To help them remember the three types of clouds they learned about, they made a 3D diagram using blue paper, markers, and cotton balls. The second graders split the paper in three sections for each type of cloud and then labeled them. They manipulated cotton balls to make them look like the appearance of those three types of clouds and then explained what each cloud meant for the weather. forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn. -Benjamin Franklin Upcoming Events at BES! Feb District Spelling Bee Feb Valentines Day Celebrations Feb No School; Teacher In-Service Feb No School Mar Parent/Teacher Conferences (Info will be sent home) Mar No School Mar No School; Teacher In-Service Day/ End of 3rd quarter Mar No School Feb Family Fun Night Page 3

4 Students with Allergies We now have students in our Bonduel Elementary School with severe allergies to Peanuts/Tree Nuts. We are asking each family for support in this matter by not sending Peanut/Tree Nut containing foods to the school. There is a tremendous risk that children and adults who are allergic to nuts face from even the smallest amount of peanut butter or a piece of nut. Consumption is not the only way to cause a reaction, sometimes just close proximity to the nut/peanut protein will affect them. The consequences can be life threatening by causing an anaphylaxis reaction that will require immediate intervention with medication, hospitalization or even life support. We want to do all we can to eliminate the possibility of such an occurrence in our school. Avoidance is the only way to prevent an allergic reaction with the students affected by this life threatening allergy. We know this is a lot to ask but we need your help so we can provide a safe learning environment and allow full participation in all class activities. Volume 24, Issue 3 Parents choosing to bring cold lunch for their child to eat at mealtime are asked to avoid Peanuts/Tree Nuts. Please keep this in mind when planning and packing your child s food for the day. Our hot lunch program is already free of these products. The peanut butter condiment in the cafeteria has been replaced with cheese. If your child is a classmate of the student(s) you will receive additional information. We will ask that you please refer to the label reading instructions listed in that letter when donating food items for the classroom snack, helping out during class parties or other special events. We are available to help answer any questions or provide guidance. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. Contact Greg Nordwig, RN school nurse at the Shawano Co Health Department at with any questions. Visitors Visitors are reminded to register in the principal's office of the building in which they are visiting. It is an important student safety issue for the building principals to know who is in each building. Visitors should sign the log book and wear a visitor badge. Thank you for your cooperation. Page 4

5 B.E.S. CONNECTION Greetings from the Music Room! By: Ms. Van Gheem, Music Teacher Our students spent the last couple of months hard at work preparing for the annual Christmas Programs here at Bonduel Elementary. I think we can all agree that the students performed phenomenally again this year! As we start a new semester, we have a wide variety of units and projects beginning in all grade levels. Here is what we are currently working on: Music is a world within itself, with a language What are we working on? 4K: Using My Singing Voice and Steady Beat 5K: Dynamics 1 st Grade: Spring Program 2 nd Grade: Orff Instruments 3 rd Grade: Percussion Instruments and Composition 4 th Grade: Rounds and Composition 5 th Grade: Expressions of Style Around the World 6 th Grade: STOMP Composition Unit we all understand. -Stevie Wonder What s Next? March is Music in Our Schools month. The theme for 2018 is Music Connects Us. Get ready to show the world how music inspires and connects you! Join us in celebrating the 2018 Music in Our Schools Month. Page 5

6 Be on the look out for flyers coming home in February!