Upcoming Events
Wednesday, Nov 2
Progress Reports Due
Nov 7-11Parent/Teacher Conferences Friday, Nov 11Professional Development (No School for Students)
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Conservatory Lab
25 Arlington Street
Brighton, MA 02315
617.254.8904
www.conservatorylab.org
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| Family Notes
October 28, 2011
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Dear Families,
There is magic in the printed word. Words have music in them; they carry levels of meaning and an impression of the author who penned them. They have power to stir or calm us, to inform and challenge our assumptions, to unlock our imaginations and to ignite our creativity. When we teach our children to read, we empower them with the tools to express themselves and engage with the world.
Reading can be a joyful experience. How many of us can remember the summer we first read our favorite novel? Like a familiar song, its very mention evokes smells, places, people. When we read something we love, it becomes a part of us. Great books become great friends, even mentors.
I encourage you to read with your children. Let them read to you. Read the books that interest them and offer them the books you love. It may be the strongest way to support their education. They absorb the language they encounter, and they become more expressive writers. Reading together sparks conversations about new ideas and topics. No matter the language, the level, or the subject, reading together is time well spent.
Warmly,
Diana Lam
Head of School
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Young Readers Flock to Bookfair
The fall Bookfair has drawn crowds of students this week, from the smallest picture book connoisseurs to the young adult fiction enthusiasts. For weeks they have been tightening their belts and saving their allowance money in order to bring home a new volume of stories, characters, and ideas.
Felice Rutstein-Lee has been organizing bookfairs at Conservatory Lab for several years. She loves seeing the students so excited about reading. "Students start asking me about it in September," she explains. "Students tell me they wait to buy their favorite books here because they know it helps the school."
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Tips for Reading at Home
Literacy Coach Shoshana Jacobs offers advice for encouraging reading among young learners.
- Make reading a part of every day. Carry a book with you to the doctor's office, on the T, in the car... reading isn't just for bedtime.
- Make the story come alive. Read to your child, in any language and make it fun. At every age, children need to hear what fluent reading sounds like.
 - Talk about books with your child. Ask them what they liked or didn't like about the book. Talk about what you think might happen next. Discuss the illustrations, characters, and events or the information learned in a nonfiction book.
- Encourage your child as they read to you. Give them positive feedback. Make the reading experience joyful.
- Visit the library together, find out what kinds of books your child loves. Feed into their interests in order to help them build a love of reading.
- Be a reading role model. Your kids will learn the best habits from watching those around them.
- If you weren't able to buy books at the Bookfair this time around, your child can visit the Conservatory Lab Lending Library or the public library to borrow books!
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Playing a Story
The wind ensemble students have been exploring music analysis through story. Resident Artist Chris Schroeder(trumpet) shares his experience:
Sometimes music can tell a story. Loud or soft, fast or slow, long or short articulations- the way we play affects the feeling of the music. Certain sounds and tunes remind us of a place, a time, and may even suggest a character.
 In the Bernstein and Dudamel wind rehearsals we have been exploring the concept of story in music as a way to connect emotionally with a piece and enhance the musical product. Listening to the melody and examining the dynamic and articulation markings that tell how the music should be played, we create a musical narrative together. Through discussion and analysis, students decided that a raucus, minor tune was a band of pirates, while a gently soaring theme seemed to be about a stroll through the countryside.
Allowing their imagination to guide the musical process, the sound from their instruments has more energy and vitality. The articulations and dynamics written in the music are more clearly defined, and there is a noticeable improvement to their musical expression. The music becomes their way to express an idea or a feeling.
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Anatomy of a Pumpkin
 The savory aroma of toasted pumpkin seeds wafted through the corridors of Conservatory Lab last week, heralding the coming of autumn and the conclusion of a successful math lesson. Fourth graders spent time estimating, counting, and graphing the number of seeds in each pumpkin, not to mention scooping out pumpkin goo, separating the seeds, and roasting them with sugar and spices.
The pumpkin seed project has become a beloved fourth grade tradition, and serves as an example of math lessons which employ targeted skills to solve an authentic problem. As students work to divide the seeds of several pumpkins among a hungry classroom, they must perform their calculations accurately and document their results thoroughly.
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Community Concerts
On Sunday, November 6 there will be three opportunities to see resident artists perform in local ensembles!
Discovery Ensemble
3:00 p.m. at the Sanders Theatre
Jaya Varma, violin
Brookline Symphony
8:00 p.m. at All Saints Parish in Brookline
Jaya Varma, violin
Joshua Garver, violin
Levi Comstock, viola
Chris Schroeder, trumpet
Boston Cellos
7:30 p.m. at Boston University
Josue Gonzalez, cello
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