Preschool and Pre-K, Kindergarten and Elementary Grade Level Events
Throughout the year, Sunset Mesa students participate in wonderful unit studies and events that are fun, fulfilling, and a delightful way to expand our core curriculum. The children experience music, art, literature, science, math, and drama through a broad variety of activities, guest speakers, and field trips. We love having parent volunteers help and participate with us! Here are just a few of the unit studies and events that make each grade level an exceptional experience:
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[wptabtitle] Pre-K, 3 Years [/wptabtitle] [wptabcontent]
- Marvelous Me, learning about ourselves and our friends
- Falling for Autumn Unit, enjoying the changing seasons
- Hot Air Balloons
- Life on the Farm
- Thanksgiving Unit, complete with a traditional Thanksgiving Feast
- Winter Celebrations
- Explorations using children’s literature
- Gotta Have Heart
- President’s Day
- Dino Dynasty
- Butterflies and Flowers
- Mother’s Day Tea
[/wptabcontent] [wptabtitle] Pre-K, 4 Years [/wptabtitle] [wptabcontent]
- Literature and pre-reading skills through author studies
- Nursery Rhymes, an introduction to rhyming
- Celebrate America Unit and American Presidents
- Desert/Rainforest Units , comparing habitats
- Polar Animals Units, a chilling experience!
- Nocturnal Animals/Diurnal Animals
- New Mexico: our weather, events and traditions
- 100th Day and 101st Day Celebrations
- Simple Machines Unit: wedges, levers, inclined planes and wheels
- Solar System Unit, an out-of-this-world adventure
- Parent planned theme parties
[/wptabcontent][wptabtitle] Montessori Pre-K[/wptabtitle][wptabcontent]
- Solar System
- Human Body
- Continents and Land Forms
- Plants
- Insects and Spiders
- Amphibians and Reptiles
- Mammals
- Birds
- Science Experiments
- Children’s Birthday Celebrations
- Thanksgiving Feasts
- Winter Holiday Program
- Earth Day Celebration
- Mother’s Day Party
[/wptabcontent] [wptabtitle] Kindergarten
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- Field trips to Explora, Natural History Museum, the Zoo, and Popejoy Hall
- Thanksgiving feast with families
- ”Polar Express” Day
- Author studies (e.g. Audrey Wood, Jan Brett, Laura Numeroff, Dr. Seuss)
- Teddy Bear Math week
- Star of the Week
- Weekly show and tell
- Friday Fun (e.g. thematic based cooking, art, and show and tell activity)
- Kindergarten graduation and field day
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[wptabtitle] First Grade
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- The Pumpkin Patch field trip, a farm experience
- Old Town Scavenger Hunt field trip, New Mexico unit
- Shady Lakes field trip, Life Cycle unit
- 50th day of school sock hop
- Dr. Seuss Week
- “All About Me” presentations, building classroom community
- Apple and pumpkin math weeks
- Storybook character pumpkins
- New Mexico Fiesta, a celebration with cooking, music, dance, and more
- Writer’s Walk to Fame, a week of collaborative writing experiences
- Thanksgiving Celebration
- Winter Holidays Around the World, exploring cultural diversity and family traditions
- “I Have a Dream” Day breakfast
- Endangered animal powerpoint presentation
- End of Year Blast
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[wptabtitle] Second Grade
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- Zoo field trip for animal studies
- Explora field trip
- Theatrical production experience field trip
- Community Farm field trip at whole foods
- Community Awareness unit
- Flat Stanley Breakfast with our traveling flat guests
- Native American unit
- President Biography project
- Green Hat Parade (St. Patrick’s Day Celebration)
- animal research and powerpoint project
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[wptabtitle] Third Grade
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- Field trips to Explora Museum, Popejoy Hall and Natural History Museum/Planetarium
- Various writing genres experienced during the year (personal narrative, explanatory, persuasive, and expository)
- Novel studies and several reading genres throughout the year
- Science units including Structure and Function, Healthy Science, Space/Our Planet and Scientific Thinking
- Math games and explorations
- Poetry unit
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[wptabtitle] Fourth Grade
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- Field Trips to theatrical productions, Indian Cultural Center, chemistry unit at Explora
- Fall Retreat to Manzano Mountains
- Genres of writing and literature infused throughout the curriculum and units of study
- Yearly Community service project
- Novel studies with reading extensions highlighting literary genres through projects and celebrations
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[wptabtitle] Fifth Grade[/wptabtitle]
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- Field trips to the Sandia Mountains to study biomes, Santa Fe legislative unit, theatrical experience
- Fall Retreat to Manzano Mountains
- Research projects
- Revolutionary Tea Party
- ”Pi Day”…or is that “Pie Day?” students have fun with both
- Novel studies and culmination activities, projects, and luncheons
- Government simulations
- Community service project
- Colonial Day
- Graduation events
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