WEEK 8

Our first ECO Circle of the year. Students enjoyed a snack and story as they got ready to explore!

Our week was full of many exciting moments! Third graders began the week with their first recorder lesson with Mrs. Leopold. The morning was abuzz with sounds of excitement as students awaited her arrival. I'd like to extend my appreciation to Lisa for agreeing to work with the third graders this year! I'd also like to thank Heather Hill, who graciously agreed to alter some bags I had, so each student will have a bag to store their recorders. Students also have special face masks for playing instruments. These will stay at school, but next week students will be able to bring their recorders home to practice.

I'd also like to extend my appreciation to Lisa Leopold who offered to help put our video performance together! If you have not had a chance to see the video yet you can click on the image below to view the video.

Monday was also Pajama and Stuffy day! This was our second reading reward of the school year. For this reward students read over 3,540 minutes to climb Hunger Mountain. Stuffy day inspired our writing focus on Monday as students wrote drafts of stories featuring their Stuffy as the main Character. Students spent the next few days finishing their stories and revising them.

Tuesday I began administering the PNOA (Primary Number and Operations Assessment) to first graders. I was able to finish these on Thursday. The PNOA gives me a glimpse at student's number concept and what they strength and weaknesses are.

Wednesday, we had our first ECO (Educating Children Outdoors) class. We had amazing weather to be outside for the morning. we began outside our school by doing introductions and going over expectations. After walking to the Elmore State Park we played a predator and prey tag game featuring the Great Blue Heron as the predator and fish and frogs as the prey. Then we settled in at our campsite (outdoor classroom) where students enjoyed their snacks and listened to a story about how to build a fire, told by our NBNC Naturalist, Carrie Riker. Students chose their nature names and shared them with the groups. After that students had forest choice where students began by finding sticks to build a small fire for the Kelly Kettle so we could make tea. During forest choice, students enjoyed using sticks and other forest materials to build fairy houses, and used magnify glasses to explore the forest up close. We ended our day with Journaling at our sit spots while having some tea.

On Friday we had our first spelling quiz of the year and we also had a quiz in Math. Next week, students will begin having spelling homework were they will choose one of 3 practice pages each night. On Thursday they should focus on reviewing the words to prepare for their quiz on Friday. We have concluded our first units on math on addition and subtraction strategies, and comparing numbers. Over the next couple of weeks we will focus on linear measurement.

On Friday, we also participated in the VTRAN's Name a Snowplow Program, which was open to all Vermont Elementary Schools. Schools were invited to submit snowplow name proposals in an effort to name each truck in the 250 fleet. As part of the program snowplow drivers will visit the school with the named truck for the unveiling of the name. Named trucks will be located near the school who proposed the name. We used the Civic process of voting to decide on the name. First students suggested names, them we had a blind vote where students were able to vote on their top 4 choices. One we had narrowed down 4 choices students had to write a persuasive paragraph about why their top name choice should be chosen. Students read their persuasive paragraphs in order to persuade their friends. Then we voted by secret ballot. The ballots were counted and ultimately the students chose "Snowy Owl".

Thank you to Deidre Keith and Ariah for the delicious Taco Bar for Hot Lunch on Friday! I thinks it is safe to say we love it!

Reminders:

Library is Monday! Remember your books!

PE is Tues and Friday: Remember sneakers and be on time!

email me your lunch orders for the week. There is no family Hot Lunch next Friday.

Early release, Friday, October 29th. Dismissal is 12:00. (we will eat lunch prior to dismissal)

No School, Thursday Nov. 11th (Veterans Day)

Thanksgiving Break: Wednesday, Nov. 24th - Friday Nov. 26th