Class Holiday Party and School Sing-Along

Our annual sing-along included several parents guests this year! I think they sang along with us (that was the deal folks!) and enjoyed the event as much as the kids!



Later in the day, we had our class party complete with cookies and juice! Yum! Each child received a book for reading at home!



At the very end of the day, we had a school assembly! A Brazilian style band played some great dance music! They invited students from the audience to come up and play percussion instruments with them! Several students from our class were invited...see if you can spot Elise, Devon and Avery and from Mrs. McGuire's class, Sumner and Calder! At the very end the kindergarten, first and second grades were invited to dance to the music! Woo-hoo!

Hanukkah and Christmas

Our study of Hanukkah led to an interesting connection...while learning that the story of Hanukkah is about a time long ago when the King of Syria told the Jews that they must worship Greek gods and stop practicing their own religion, several children commented that this story reminded them of King James and the Pilgrims! Nice connection! (There was quite a bit debate of the virtue of Kings!) Hanukkah celebrates the "miracle" of lights, where Jews believe that the oil lamp that was lit to re-dedicate their temple (with only enough oil to burn a few hours) burned for eight days and nights. After learning about this Jewish holiday, each child made a paper menorrah.

We read many, many books about various Christmas traditions celebrated by many people in many places right here in the United States. While each holiday we learned about is celebrated for different reasons by different people, your children noticed several similarities. First of all, every celebration brings families together! Families come from near and far to spend time together. They also noticed that every celebration included lights! Candles or electric lights or stars, but in some way each holiday uses light to celebrate. Finally, gift giving and sharing is also a part of each celebration.

We finished our studies by learning about American Christmas traditions. In many US families, gingerbread houses are a part of the Christmas festivities! The kids made the most amazing gingerbread houses! Check out the very focused expressions...they were VERY serious about this task! They had a tough time keeping the frosting on the knife without getting it on their fingers...some licking took care of that! Check out the frosting around their mouths! I know it's hard to believe, but almost all of the candy made it onto the houses...until the very end! When they'd finally created their gingerbread houses and they looked "just right", they asked if they could eat the leftovers! But until the very end...no candy was consumed! I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes! The gingerbread house were adorable! See for yourself!

Diwali

In the late fall, the people of India celebrate Diwali. Originally, this important holiday was a harvest festival marking the end of the harvest and asking for blessings of success for the new year. Families celebrate with food, bonfires, lights and special oil lamps called deepa. Our own oil lamps won't burn but celebrate the light of Diwali!

The Legend of the Poinsettia

While learning about Christmas in Mexico, I read a book by Tomie dePaola called The Legend of the Poinsettia. The legend tells us that a poor, young girl wanting to bring a special gift picked a bunch of weeds which turned into lovely red flowers. We made our own pretty, red poinsettias!

St. Lucia Day

On December 13th, the people of Sweden celebrate St. Lucia day. In Swedish families, the oldest daughter dresses in a white robe with a red sash and wears a crown of candles. Each child made a crown of (paper) candles to wear in honor of St. Lucia Day!

December Holidays!

We've been busy learning about holidays celebrated by people around the world! Our first holiday, St. Nicholas Day, is celebrated by people in Northern Europe. On December 6th, children leave shoes for St. Nicholas to fill with candies and treats. Each child in our class made a (paper) shoe and left them out on December 5th. When they arrived the next morning...their "shoes" had candy inside! St. Nicholas made a trip from Northern Europe to visit a very special group of children here in Hinesburg!

December? Brrrr!

Today turned out to be a truly "Fantastic Friday"! Not only did we visit the book fair, but we had indoor recess because...the next stage of the playground renovations are underway! New pieces are being added as I write this! Yeah! Because of the heavy equipment and work on the playground, kids stayed inside and we watched an episode of Curious George.

December is here and with it comes our study of winter holidays. We will have several projects as we travel around the globe (on a map!) and learn about traditions near and far. There are two occasions where I'm asking for your help. On December 21st we'll be making gingerbread houses using milk cartons, graham crackers, frosting and LOTS of candy! I'll be sending you an email with a link to another "sign up genius" to sign up for supplies...if you'd be willing to contribute some of the ingredients for the houses. We will be celebrating the season together on the last day before break with a party. On December 22nd we'll have a small party in the afternoon with refreshments. I'll send a link to a separate sign up later!

Our current unit in Fundations (spelling, phonics and mechanics) has practiced what we call "bonus letters"-adding an extra (bonus) letter s, l, or f at the end of words with a short vowel. Practice words included were: pass, miss, bell, fill, puff, and huff. There are also "trick words' each week which are learned through memorization because they can't be "tapped", or sounded out. Each day we practice sounds, words for the current unit, review words, trick words and sentences.

Our math work focus is math facts. Children play games and do activities using math facts. Ultimately our goal is for them to know their math facts by rote. But early learning focuses on the "why" of math...why is a number plus zero always equal to the number, for example, or why can we always count by fives when we have sets of five? They learn the skills AND when to apply them. Most importantly, they enjoy math!

I'm SO excited with reading growth! The parent conferences happen too early! The last week or two has shown dramatic changes in reading...many kids are choosing books that are really "just right" and are eager to keep reading! I told them this week that "the books you're choosing are getting so long that you may need a bookmark to hold your place as you read!" So, I made bookmarks. I told them these are "tools" and they'll need these tools at school each day as well as at home. You may be surprised to see your children walking around with books! They want to bring more books and longer books home to read! Enjoy this time! PLEASE send these books back the next day! It's very hard at reading time when kids don't have their books for independent reading time!

Beginning on Monday, our school kicks off a food drive for the Hinesburg Food Shelf. Each class is collecting non-perishable food items to donate. There's a friendly competition where the winning class gets to display the Soup Man Trophy! It's very prestigious...OK, not really all that prestigious, but us teachers are vying for the trophy! I may need to go to Costco to buy a few pallets of Ramen noodles!!! I've asked your children to ASK YOU before they empty your cupboards! Any extra food you can send will be appreciated by those who need it most!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Book Fair

Happy last day of November! Today we visited the book fair to "preview" books! Your children found lots of books they were willing to let you buy! I asked them to pick ONE and I put it on a "wishlist". I mistakenly told them that we were going back to the book fair to buy on Thursday, but it's actually Friday. You can certainly send money tomorrow, but we go back as a class on Friday. The prices vary greatly...some books are a few dollars and some larger books are nearly thirty dollars. If you'd like someone to help your child's book purchase, please send me a note. There are lots of "other" things to purchase, but if you'd like books only, let me know!

Funoween!

Last Friday our entire primary wing was treated to the first ever "Funoween." Mr. O'Hara's sixth grade TA (Teacher's Advisory) group planned the event and then the entire sixth grade and their teachers helped make the day a success! Each of the primary classes was assigned several sixth grade "buddies" to help us make our rounds. The five boys and girls who helped out with our class were OUTSTANDING help! Our class (and each k-2 class) rotated through nine creepy, silly Halloween events! Our first stop was "Pin the Wart on the Witch" and "Pin the Nose on the Jack-o-Lantern" with Mrs. Cianciola and Mrs. Billen. Then we went to the bean bag toss with Mr. Anderson followed by the "Ghost in the Graveyard game with Mr. O'Hara. Then we headed off to play musical chairs (to the Monster Mash, of course) with Mrs. Gillette. We moved into the cafeteria to decorate paper pumpkins with Mrs. Smith. Then Mrs. Myhre helped us make edible spiders! Eek! Mr. Lasher was waiting with the feely bags filled with icky, yucky disgusting things to feel! Finally, Ms. Galyean taught us to play "gourd bowling." (The gourds self-destructed during the very first game with the very first class, so we played "soda bottle bowling" instead!) The kids were POOPED at the end of the afternoon! Me, too! We laughed and had a lot of fun! Thanks to Mr. O'Hara, all of the sixth grade students, and the grown ups who helped make the afternoon so much fun! Happy Funoween!



On the actual day of Halloween, each child made a spider "hat" and many wore them home! They were SO excited for trick-or-treating and candy!!! Hope you had a fun night!

Winter Has Arrived!

The season of coat, hats and mittens is here...or nearly here! More and more children are arriving with winter coats and the wide assortment of gear that goes with winter. PLEASE consider putting your child's name on whatever you can! As much as I try to help them keep track of their "things", something gets left behind! Once it's in the lost and found...it can be more lost than found!

Last week the class finished their introductory writing unit called "Launching the Writing Workshop" which included a few weeks of practice working with writing partners. Children shared their writing with each other and then we invited Mrs. Johnson's kindergarten class to come and listen to our books. We had a ginger ale toast at the end celebrating weeks of hard work! Check out some pics of kids sharing their work...the first three pictures are a sharing circle we had alone before our kindergarten friends arrived. Each child shared only the first sentence of their book. It was a very exciting way to begin!


I will soon be sending home most of their beginning writing. While you may have difficulty reading some of it, please cherish it for what it IS rather than what it isn't. It represents their (for some) very first attempts at putting their thoughts on paper. We use the black markers to take away the need to erase. Sometimes beginning writers become focused on what they can't do or what they can't do well and they will write and erase and write and erase a single letter over and over. The markers take away the temptation to do that sort of thing. They do not color their work so that those children who feel less confident do not spend days drawing and coloring without putting any words down. The very beginning of writing workshop is about building independence and confidence. So, I need to resist the urge to correct every single mistake and resist helping with spelling. If I/we give in to those appeals, children learn that what they do isn't good enough the way it is and will look to others to "make it right." Ask your children to read their stories! They're wonderful books! They show imagination and creativity! Enjoy!

Each day your child is part of a reading group with several other children. We read a new book...some of it together and some independently. I spend a few minutes with one child each day to "take a running record." I have the child read a text to me and I note each word read and take note of reading behaviors. It's a way for me to check for reading progress and to see how a child decodes new/unfamiliar words. I can make certain that children are making reading progress and what strategies are in place and which need more reinforcement! Each night you should find that new book along with a few extras to read each night. This repeated reading practice is crucial in reading development! It's really important to try to read each and every night!

Have a super weekend!

Happy Autumn

Hi Folks,
What a busy, busy week! I really enjoy my wonderful group of children! I feel so fortunate that I get to spend each day with them! They've been doing so much! Let me show you what they've been up to each day...












Here are some children writing. Each day we have a time called Writing Workshop. We begin with a mini-lesson. Early lessons were meant to explain and practice daily routines. Now our lessons are about topic choice, getting started, writing longer and perseverance even when it gets "hard." Then they spend time writing independently while I conference with individual children. I get to spend time hearing wonderful stories and helping them with individual goals...some children are learning how to write sentences and sound out words. Others can write sentences and need help making their pieces more interesting by adding details or looking at word choice or varying sentence structure. At the heart of our work is the use of "mentor texts" to exhibit a variety of writer's crafts...once familiar with a number of texts, I can pull out one of our mentor texts and say, "Remember how this author used dialogue to tell us what the characters said? You could try that in your writing!" Their books cover several pages and tell about their (and your) daily life. What wonderful little authors! Here are some more pictures!

Firefighters Visit

This week two of Hinesburg's volunteer firefighters visited our first grade classes. Mr. Spivak and Mr. Waite came in a fire truck to talk about fire safety. You'll see that after talking about "stop, drop, and roll" each child had the chance to try it out! It started to rain during their visit...and not just a little! It started slowly and then began to POUR! Each child had a chance to jump up in the truck while I took a quick picture! Check them out below!

Fall is here!

Hi folks!
It's been a really busy start to the year! I've been working on the fall assessments...the Developmental Spelling Assessment (DSA) is done! I'm nearly done with the Fountas and Pinnell reading assessment. I'm learning a lot about your child's reading strengths and finding the very best place to begin reading instruction. I plan to complete the reading assessments by the middle of next week. Reading groups will begin soon after. Then you can expect to find a book or two in the homework folder each night for practice. Each book is carefully chosen for a variety of reasons and has been read at school. The book should not be challenging to read each night but is more of an opportunity for your child to "show off" and practice reading fluently. Please plan to read for 10-20 minutes each evening! Part of that time your child may be reading to you, but part of that time should be you reading high quality literature to your child...modeling fluent reading and talking about the book! Enjoy that snuggly nightly ritual as long as it last!

In your child's homework bag, you will find the fundraising envelope I emailed about last night. You will also find a poster for a golf tournament being held to raise funds for more playground equipment. The big, white envelope fundraiser is to fund classroom field trips.

Our math unit (BUGS!) is buzzing right along! This week students learned to sort bugs by different categories. We played a game called "There's a bug in my pocket"...ask your child to tell you all about it!

We've begun phonics and spelling work and our first Fundations Unit Test is coming up soon. The first test is mainly to check sounds and alphabetical order. Future tests are skill specific and will be kept here at school to share with you at conference time or whenever you request a peek!

This week we learned about the US Constitution and listened to (tried to learn) the Schoolhouse Rock song We the People!

Finally, on Fantastic Friday, we had a visit from Anna's mom and her cat, Lila. Anna was our Star of the Week and we had great fun getting to know Anna better! Thanks!

Have a great weekend! Love the cooler weather! Apple picking time is finally here!
Michelle

Back to School!

The first-very short-week is done! It was a busy, busy week! In fact, I overheard one young friend tell another friend he was "exhausted" at 9:30 Friday morning! The first three days were even better than I'd hoped! Despite the heat in our room, the kids worked hard and played hard.

We've been reading lots of great books and reviewing Fundations skills. As you may remember from kindergarten, Fundations is our spelling/phonics program. For the next week or two, the lessons are a review of the skills students learned last year with an emphasis on handwriting...properly forming the letters in the lines and spacing on writing paper. Our daily work is practicing sounds and "tapping" words as well as practicing "trick words." Trick words are words that are phonetically irregular and can't be "tapped." When children learn to tap words, they are learning to tap once for each sound heard in a word. To tap a word like "bat", students tap three times: /t/ and /a/ and /p/. But students also tap three times for a word like "fish" because fish also has only three sounds: /f/ and /i/ and /sh/. Although the sound /sh/ has two letters, it makes only one sound so one tap. As the units progress, I'll send you information about the current skill being learned.

Our first math unit starts with explorations of the many fun math manipulatives that we'll use throughout the school year. This first unit uses "bugs" as the vehicle for addition and subtraction learning. Our discussions and activities are often related to beetles, ladybugs or butterflies. Our first week of Number Corner has been an introduction to the daily routines (focusing on calendar skills), but next week your child will be introduced to day of the week routines: Money Monday; Time, Temperature, Tally Tuesday; Workout Wednesday; Thursday Thinking; and Friday's Figuring. Each day the group is presented with a content specific task or game to learn. All of the activities are meant to be engaging to young learners and often students are completely unaware of the complexity of the tasks they're being asked to complete because of the fun they're having while learning! Math homework doesn't begin for a few weeks and then is sent home once a week in the form of a game or family activity. On occasion, I may send your family and "extra" game based on need, following an assessment. These extra games are meant to help your child master a skill and I hope you'll find time to play at home!

And speaking of homework...the most important thing that you can do at home with your child is READ! I know days can be short and before you know it, it's almost time for bed. Please try to find time each day to spend with books. It's equally important for you to read to your child as it is for your child to practice reading to him/herself. We've already begun the reading assessments which will help me determine the best place to begin reading instruction for your child. Reading involves two very important steps: reading the words (decoding) and understanding what those words mean (comprehension). Many early readers learn to read many words but don't have a deep understanding of what is read. It's very important for both processes to be well developed! We'll be working on both this year!

I'm very excited to get back to school on Tuesday! I hope you and your children have a restful and fun weekend!
Stay dry!
Michelle

Rain, Rain Go Away!

We had indoor recess several days this week which makes for a very "busy" afternoon! And kiddos are coming to school with big, red bug bites! Nurse Shelley has something miraculous that she puts on that seems to make the itching go away!

On June 9th our class will travel to the Audubon Center in Huntington for a program called Wetland Explorations. Our class, along with Mrs. McGuire's class, will leave school at 8:30 and return by 11:30 which means the kids will be having lunch here at school. As the name implies, we'll be outside in the WETlands! If your child has rubber rain boots (or can borrow a pair from a friend) that would be best! If not, an extra pair of sneakers with dry socks would work. They will likely need bug spray and possibly sunscreen...keep your fingers crossed that it isn't raining because we go rain or shine! (Anyone want to volunteer for this trip?) I'll send you more details next week so you'll know exactly what to pack. We really would love volunteers, so if you'd like to spend a few hours out by the pond with a bunch of curious first graders, please let me know!

Our farm unit is drawing to a close and the kids are dying to bring the farms home. We have a few more farm activities and I'll begin by sending home a folder with all of their payment sheets (I know you'll be surprised to hear that farm land in "Hinesville" only costs $10 a square!) Please ask your child all about the farm and the animals they learned about...cows, chickens, goats, horses, sheep and pigs. It's been a really fun unit and I'm sad to see it come to an end!

Have a great weekend!

What a Whirlwind!

It's already May and the end of the year is in sight! Luckily, first graders have a very different sense of time and they don't realize how quickly the end is coming! We'll keep having math and reading and writing and spelling right up to the very end. By keeping the schedule as normal as possible, the class will continue to be kind and productive and learning!

Our farm unit in math is in full swing! The farms are taking shape and have barns, farmhouses, silos, sheep, cows, chickens, goats, pigs...the farmers here are very busy! You'll be happy to know that a house in "Hinesville" costs only $30! The kids are so excited and most days kids spend extra time in the morning working on their farms. We've read many great books about farms and farm animals. They really do have a better understanding of how much work it is to farm and what a dangerous job it can be. More importantly, perhaps, they have worked really hard to "pay" for everything on their farm. There were days where I'd planned some extra time to help them count out (for example) $27 to pay for the barn. I was certain that using two tens, a five and two ones would be really tricky...the entire class whizzed through that activity and surprised me! It's even more motivating than I thought! We had a special visit this week...Nathan Brown (from Mrs. McGuire's class) invited his grandmother to bring her lamb to show and share with our classes. Each child had the chance to pet the lamb, named Blanca. Very sweet!

I've been working on the end of the year reading assessments. I know...it's early to begin the END of year assessments, but our supervisory union collects data and most of it needs to be in by June 1st or not long after. On a positive note, children are doing REALLY well and showing great growth!

As the end of year activities draw closer (Move Up day, field days, school picnic, etc.) I'll be sure to send reminders. Field days usually has a water activity which requires a bathing suit and/or change of clothes...sunscreen...etc.

Have a great weekend!
Michelle

I'm Back!

It felt great to be back to school this week! The kids kept asking if they could hug me! I feel like I'm good as new!

This week we began the first of several science units for this year. As an introduction, we discussed some of the "rules" of being a scientist. I began by explaining that many of the objects and materials in science may appear to be something other than what they really are and so scientists NEVER put things in their mouths! We also talked about how scientists are very curious and ask lots of questions and wonder a lot about the world around. This is a very curious bunch, so I think we've got that part covered! Our unit is about Properties. This week they examined many different materials (buttons, styrofoam, feathers, rubber bands, wooden blocks, rocks, sandpaper, marbles, etc.) and we made a chart of words describing the properties of the objects. We'll be examining the properties of more objects and then water in its various states.

We finished our math penguin unit this week. The next unit is a geometry unit. The class has been learning the names of 3-D shapes during our calendar routine and sorting shapes by properties (nice connection, eh?). Because the focus is less on math facts and more so on geometry, some future homework will have math fact practice to keep up those skills.

On Tuesday, I sent home (via email) a sign up sheet for parent/teacher conferences. Conferences are being held on April 7th and 8th. I've included several 7:30am times for those of you who can't make it in the afternoon. If you'd like to schedule a conference, please let me know...you can send an email or paper note!

Have a great weekend!

Trick Words Come Alive!

The video you just watched is an example of the videos we've been creating to help remember trick words! The kids are pretty excited to be in a "movie"! We experimented with the trick words and they found they were able to remember the words practiced this way much more easily! Enjoy!
Valentine's Day was a filled with friendship and kindness. As they opened their Valentine cards from each other, there was a chorus of voices saying, "Thank you!"Check out Silas and Brodie's enthusiasm for the day. I think they sum it up!




In addition to having a Valentine Celebration, we continued our penguin studies. This week we had a guest who has actually visited Antarctice! Betsy Youngman is a teacher and scientist who was studying the ozone in Antartica. While she was there she saw...YES, penguins! The children were riveted while she shared her tale! Thanks, Betsy!
There's more to say, but I've run out of time...check back later this weekend for more!
Have a great vacation week!

Penguin Plunge!

This week we jumped in with both feet...into the Antarctic Ocean, that is! Each child made a game called "Penguins On Board." You'll be able to play this game and four others when your child brings home a folder at the end of the unit with all five games! The unit focuses on measurement. As they learn about penguins, they measure a piece of string as tall as that particular penguin and compare their weights. This week they had to use a thermometer to make a cup of water exactly 60 degrees (the average winter temperature of the ocean off the coast of Florida.) They're so excited about penguins and the games and activities that when I announce the end of math they groan! We've been reading books about penguins and learning about Antarctica. Very exciting!

I sent home a Valentine list this week, but if you didn't receive one, email me and I can send you a list this weekend! I'm providing treats for this party!

I'm sending home a Reading Celebration form...every year during "I Love to Read Month" (February), we ask children to read and record minutes read for the week before February vacation. On the last day before break, we have an assembly planned and each form returned will be entered into a drawing for prizes! It's a fun and exciting time especially for first graders who've just discovered the joy of reading! I encourage you to help your child find time each day to read and fill out the form!

This week I'm sending some math homework to review time and on the back there are a series of questions about a money graph. At the bottom is a "challenge" question...this part is optional.

Snow, snow and MORE snow!

AGAIN we missed our field trip to Shelburne Farms...something tells me it wasn't meant to be! I think we should skip this trip and move on!

I attended a great technology conference! I didn't even know how much I needed to learn! I look forward to trying out some new tricks with the kids and sharing our work on the class blog!

This week the class began learning about penguins. They made penguin folders along with penguin measuring tapes. For their imaginary trip to the Antarctic region, they filled out penguin passports. The unit's focus is measurement and they'll be using their penguin measuring tapes nearly every day as they learn about a number of penguins! They will make and use their own workplace games which will come home at the end of the unit for you to play and enjoy as a family.

In the homework folder you should find your child's report card for the second quarter. It's in an envelope marked, of all things, "Report Card." Inside you'll find the classroom report card, the Universal Arts (PE, art, and music) grades and a math report card. Please sign and return the envelope!

Have a snowy weekend!

Bursting News!

As you know, our field trip to Shelburne Farms was canceled due to the extremely cold weather! However, the good news is...it was rescheduled! Yeah! On Wednesday, February 2, we'll be traveling to Shelburne Farms for the field trip! Kids will still need outdoor gear as much of the field trip takes place outside...looking for animal tracks! Kids also need a lunch from home that day! This week, eager children have been bringing in evidence of animals...rabbit fur...rabbit scat...a tree branch that was chewed by a hungry animal...these kids are definitely ready to get into the woods! If it turns out you can join the class, please send a note! We arrive at 9:30 and leave at 1:30!

Another bit of bursting news...I will not be with the class next week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to attend a technology conference. In preparation for my absence, I tried out some "new" technology and videotaped myself teaching Fundations...at least there will be 18 kids riveted by my award-winning performance...ha! I'm excited to learn new ways to use my nifty new smart board. I'll be checking my email daily if a question pops up!

The second quarter of school ended today and report cards will be coming home next Friday. It's hard to believe that half of the school year is done already! On the report card you'll find, among other important things, your child's reading level. We assessed students this month in order to report student growth! This is a crew of kids who are really excited about books and learning! More and more your children are choosing "just right" books from the library. And when I ask kids to choose books to take home to read, they ask to take more than one! Yeah! Happy reading!

Next week our class begins a new unit in math all about penguins! They're going to be living and breathing penguins all day for about 3 weeks! If you have any books to share, or information about penguins, please let me know if you're willing to loan us those books!

Have a great weekend!

Tracking In the Chill!

As you know, we have a field trip to Shelburne Farms scheduled for Monday! The predicted temperature is for an overnight low of -20 degrees and a daytime high of 1 degree! I'm expecting it to be...cold! While Shelburne Farms will likely try to keep us inside as much as possible, I'm hoping that we can go outside for short trips to try and find animal tracks in the woods. Please be sure to send your child in warm clothing (it's an old barn and even inside is chilly!) and include snow pants, boots, a hat, mittens and maybe even a scarf to cover your child's mouth and nose while outside! I'm a little disappointed that it's going to be so cold, because this is a wonderful field trip! Wish us luck and warmth!

As part of our tracking unit, each child made an animal tracks field guide. They've become quite the experts when identifying animal tracks and what kind of tracks they see...waddlers, straight walkers, hoppers or bounders! They'll bring their field guides home to share after the field trip!

Our current math unit is wrapping up and we'll move on to a unit about penguins. This is an integrated unit which includes activities across the curriculum...math, writing, science and social studies! The kids will be living and breathing penguins for about 3 weeks...and so will you!

Your child will be bringing home a unique-truly once a year-homework assignment tonight! February 7th is the 100th day of school! To celebrate the very special day, each child is asked to make a 100th day project using 100 of...something! In the past children have a wide variety of 100 things to display! The directions are in your child's homework bag tonight!

Our technology educator, Jessica Wilson, came to help me install our "rock star" headset this week! I have a headset for the computer with a microphone attached. Children are beginning to read their Christmas stories into the computer for "publication." They're very excited to be movie stars!

Have a great weekend! Keep warm!

It feels good to get back in the school routine! I’ve mentioned to several of you that Christmas vacation is the best rest the kids get all year and it seems to jump start their learning! Everyone came back rested and ready to learn! Reading and writing skills are steadily improving and kids seem more confident!

Today you’ll see a math homework activity that is exactly like a game we played in class. Your child should be able to teach the game to you tonight! You’ll also notice a sheet to be returned to school…the game stays at home with you (to be played over and over) and the sheet comes back to me!

This time of year is really important for reading growth…the kids are really motivated and starting to realize that they “get it!” Try to find time to read each day…they are beginning to choose some books to practice each night. Some nights they’ll have chosen well, and other nights they’ll have chosen books too difficult to read independently. You’ll recognize the reading group book (it says “Reading A-Z” on the cover) which IS a just right book!

In preparation for our field trip to Shelburne Farms (on the 24th), we’ll begin learning about animals active in winter in Vermont! The lessons generally focus on animal tracks and other evidence of animal activity.

I’m so excited for you to read the stories your children wrote about Christmas! I’m thinking we can find a way to get them on the blog…I’ll work on it next week!

Have a super weekend!