Week 32

 

Students roasted apples over the fire at ECO on Wednesday

We are in our final stretch of the school year! We began the week with a Farm to School lesson with our FTS coordinator, Kyle Weatherghogg.  Students began planning for our raised bed garden.  We discussed factors such as size of the garden, size of plants, forw time for plant maturity, and what plants need to grow, then students each planted a seed to start indoors to be transplanted into the garden at a later date.  

On Wednesday, we had a cool, wet morning in our outdoor classroom at ECO.  After arriving at our designated campsite at the Elmore State Park, we started in the field where students discussed the water cycle and clouds.  Then we played "cloud tag".  In the tag version individuals who were tagged had to join their tagger for the next round (similar to how water molecules join other water molecules until they are too heavy and fall in the form of precipitation).  After tag, and snack and a story,  our focus lesson was about clouds.  Carrie (White Tailed Deer) demonstrated a "cloud in a jar" experiment using warm water and ice to demonstrate how clouds are formed, then students used cloud viewers to identify the type of clouds in the sky and then recorded them in their ECO journals (along with the outdoor temperature).  During forest choice students roasted apples over the fire and then added a little cinnamon and sugar before eating them.

Cloud Tag

On Friday we had a special guest from the Union Bank join us for part of our morning.  Monica Wood is the Save for Success coordinator at the Union Bank.  She works with schools to coordinate school banking.  She talked to the students about the program and the importance of saving money. Students brought home information about the program in their Friday Folders.  We hope to reinstate the Save for Success program at The Elmore School as an option for students next fall.  In the meantime, accounts can be set up by visiting the Union Bank, if you are interested in getting an account started before the fall or you can return the form in your packet to me and I will get them back to Monica.

During Writers Workshop students worked on finishing their book reviews.  This will conclude our persuasive writing unit.   We will conclude the year with a final narrative story with a focus on fiction.  

During math we continued working with fractions.  First and second graders identified and showed fractions using circles and various polygons before moving on to comparing fractions using a bar model,  Third graders began finding equivalent fractions by converting fractions by finding the scale factor.  This added a new challenge for these students.  

We have been learning about Economics the past few weeks.  This week our lesson focused on Producers and Consumers.  This week, students brought home information about a project they need to complete.  There is a letter to parents included with this.  I encourage you to read it, if you have not already done so.  Students are asked to create a product that could be "sold" or a service that could be provided.  They need to create an example of the product (or drawing of it) or tell about the service they will provide including the importance of the product or service.  There is planning sheet that goes along with the project.  Projects are due on Monday, May 2nd.  (If you child was absent this week, they will have extra time to complete the project.). Students were asked to complete these projects at home.

We also started our last science unit this week.  This unit will focus on the sky.  During this unit we will be learning about weather and patterns in the sky.  This week we learned about cloud formation and the moon cycle.

Speaking of "homework"... I have decreased the amount of daily homework (based on our trial week).  We are providing time during the school day to work on spelling, and I have not been sending math homework the past couple of weeks.  That being said, students still have the "option" to bring spelling words home to practice, and any incomplete math work will be sent home.  Students should still do nightly reading (10 minutes for first grade, 20 minutes for second grade, 30 minutes for third grade) and fill out their reading logs.  Please let me know if you have any questions regarding our new homework expectations.

Thank to our parent volunteers this week:  Malinda Pearson and Caitlin Mahoney for joining us for ECO, and to Jes and Robb Wills for providing our delicious Hot Lunch on Friday!

Announcements:(so many!)

• Library is Monday, May 2nd- remember your books!
• Economics project are due - Monday May 2nd
• PE Tuesday and Friday - you need your sneakers!
• Please send slippers or an extra pair of indoor shows for students to wear inside.
• Hot Lunch Friday, May 6th - provided by the DiMotta Family
• Email me lunch orders for Monday-Thursday
• Field Trip to the Montshire Museum: Monday, May 16 @ 8:15-2:30
• SBAC testing for 3rd grade will take place May 18, 19, 24, and 26.  There will be make days for students who miss a test, but please try not to schedule any appointments for these dates. 
• Elmore 3rd grade to visit MES 4th grade - Friday June 3rd from 1:30 - end of the day. (parent drivers needed at 1:30.  Students will be picked up at MES or take the bus from MES at the end of the day).  More info to come!  
• Last Day of School Tuesday, June 14, 2022
• 3rd grade Graduation/ Elmore School Family Picnic: Tuesday, June 14, 2022 from 5-7 @ Elmore State Park.

Week 31

 

Students played Over the Seesaw Bridge (working on balancing a seesaw) at ECO

I have just a quick update for you today!  We had a great week leading up to our last break of the school year!  On Monday we we had a special guest!  Jon Gailmor brought his guitar and sang a few songs with the children and we gave him a copy of the poetry book we wrote during the winter.  He loved the book and we loved spending time singing with him!  

Wednesday we enjoyed another amazing morning in our outdoor classroom at ECO!  We finished up with force and motion as students Learned how to throw a dart using an Atlatal, while other students created balances with sticks and stones.  During Forest Choice, students continued to explore with seesaws, made friendship bracelets and painted using colored water and a cup-pendulums, constructed little boats to send down the brook, and learned how to use flint and steel.  Thank you to Caitlin Mahoney and Eric Schoeberlein for Volunteering their time!

In the classroom this week students began writing book reviews as part of our persuasive writing unit, and in math we continued our focus on fractions in all grades.  During theme we learned about goods and services and the role they play in our economy. 

Thank you to Sorensen / Peden family for providing us Burgers and Hot dogs for Hot lunch today!

Announcements:(so many!)

• We have ECO on Wednesday, April 27th. Please let me know if you can volunteer or donate firewood.
• Library is Monday, April 25th - remember your books!
• PE Tuesday and Friday - you need your sneakers!
• Please send slippers or an extra pair of indoor shows for students to wear inside.
• Hot Lunch Friday, April 29th (provided by Jax Wills' family)
• Email me lunch orders for Monday-Thursday
• April Break: Next week!  Enjoy!
• Field Trip to the Montshire Museum: Monday, May 16 @ 8:15-2:30
• SBAC testing for 3rd grade will take place May 18, 19, 24, and 26.  There will be make days for students who miss a test, but please try not to schedule any appointments for these dates. 
• Last Day of School Tuesday, June 14, 2022
• 3rd grade Graduation/ Elmore School family Picnic: Tuesday, June 14, 2022 from 5-7 @ Elmore State Park.

 

Week 30

 

This week started with a lot of gusto!  It feels like the children have been bursting at the the seams with energy these past few weeks.  Spring fever perhaps?  I am working hard to slow the pace down while giving them more outlets for their physical energy  (in the form of more outdoor time).   We ended the week with a  early dismissal and a slightly calmer energy (maybe the rainy, cooler morning had us all slowing down).  We have one more week until vacation and then we will be in the final stretch.

Students began the week by writing a persuasive letter to convince me to either continue assigning homework or discontinue assigning homework.  As you can imagine, students wrote with a great deal of passion! While the majority tried to convince we to stop assigning homework, there were 3 individuals (one from each grade level) who argued, with great reason, that we should continue having homework.  Because the students wrote with such enthusiasm, I told them that next week we will have a trial run without homework (other than reading).  So next week you can expect little homework, but I did tell them if they do not complete their assignments during the day, they will need to bring it home to complete.

During Math this week we all began learning about fractions.  Students have been using a fraction bar and shapes to find and show fractions.  The big takeaway is that fractions represent equal parts of a whole. 

We also circled back to Economics, which we touched upon at the beginning of the year.  This week we discussed what money is used for and compared needs vs. wants.  During this unit students will be earning  "dollars" for each lesson completed and will have the opportunity to earn to earn additional "dollars" for being caught being a "good citizen".  They all have a little paper wallet to store their money. At the end of the Unit we will have a "school store" where students can spend the money they have earned.  After vacation we will also have a representative from the Union Bank come to visit the school to talk about the importance of saving money.  During this unit students will be asked to invent a "product" that could be sold (as a good).  I will send home more about this project in the coming weeks.

During Music this week students had fun composing rhythms using lego pieces to represent the note values.  It was fun to compare how the note values related to fractions in math!  You will find these rhythms in their Friday Folders.  See if your child can clap their rhythm for you!

During art, students are working on animals drawings with the focus on drawing like a scientist!  This means they have to look closely at a photograph,, listening to feedback, and make additional draft.  When students have improved their drawing as much as they are able to, then they will add color and details.  

Thanks to everyone who has been to our Informational Poster Museum at the Town Hall!  The students are so proud to show you their work.  It's fun to see how different students showcased their information about their animal's!  The museum will be open at dismissal on Monday for anyone who has not yet had the chance to stop by.  If you need more time after that, please contact me and we will arrange a time for you to stop view their work.

Announcements:(so many!)

• We have ECO on Wednesday, April 13. Please let me know if you can volunteer or donate firewood.
• Scholastic Book Orders Due Monday, April 11th.  (Last one for the school year!)
• Library is Monday - remember your books!
• PE Tuesday and Friday - you need your sneakers!
• Hot Lunch Friday (provided by Izzy Sorensen's family)
• Email me lunch orders for Monday-Thursday
• April Break: April 18-22  
• Field Trip to the Montshire Museum: Monday, May 16 @ 8:15-2:30
• SBAC testing for 3rd grade will take place May 18, 19, 24, and 26.  There will be make days for students who miss a test, but please try not to schedule any appointments for these dates. 
• Last Day of School and 3rd grade Graduation/ family Picnic: Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Week 29

 

Students enjoyed fire roasted Hot Dogs during ECO on Wednesday.

Week 29 was a buzz at the Elmore School.  The students seem to have a renewed sense of energy as spring begins to reawaken the earth and all its creatures. Like the tale of the Tortoise and the Hare, I'm reminded that the end of the school year feels like a race to the finish,  but a slow and steady pace will give us the best end to the school year.  I am reflecting on how to slow our pace while continuing on our course to the finish line.

This week we began our persuasive writing unit with a focus on writing about a collection.  Students are sharing their opinions about their collection and then giving reasons and details to support their opinion.  One things we have discovered is that no matter what genre we are writing, the format is the same: Introduction (hook), a body with evidence (reasons) and details, and a conclusion.  Next week we will be writing book reviews.  In preparation for typing responses on their SBAC tests in May, third graders have been using Google Docs to type their texts. 

In Math all students have circled back to place value work.  Level 1 students are using ten frames, place value blocks and place value discs tell a number within 100 and how many more (ones) to make the next ten.  They ended the week with comparing numbers within 100 and finding the difference between the two numbers.  Level 2 students are using place value disks to add hundreds, tens, and ones, to find the sum of two numbers. Level 3 students used place value discs and place value blocks to model expanded form with 4 and 5 digit numbers with a focus on each digits quality, place value, and total value.  We ended the week with rounding numbers to the nearest ten.  

This week during ECO students continued exploring with concepts of force and motion as some students used an ancient spear throwing device, known as an Atlatl, to throw long darts.  Other students explored with balance as they played "Over the Seesaw Bridge", balancing two small stones on a mini seesaw.  The next time we have ECO we will switch groups so all students have an opportunity to do both activities.  During forest-choice students enjoyed roasting hot dogs over the fire.

Constructing Seesaw bridges

Students use force as they learn how to use and Atlatl to throw darts.

Friday, April 8th is a half day with dismissal at 12:00, therefore we will not have Hot Lunch next week.  Lunch will be served before dismissal and school lunch will be available on Friday.  Please email me your lunch requests for the week.  Option are: Chef Salad, Chicken Caesar Salad, Turkey and cheese Sandwich, PB & J sandwich.  Lunch includes, milk and a fruit (sandwiches include a cheese stick and fruit/veggie).

Thank you to the Dryden's and the Sargent's for providing us with two delicious Hot lunches this week!

As the end of the school year nears, I will be working with Lindsey Waldman to arrange transition activities for 3rd graders moving to MES next year (and for students moving from MES to Elmore).  These will take place closer to the end of the school year.  Stay tuned for details to come.

• Library is Wednesday, April 6 this week.  
• April break is April 18-22.
• Field trip to the Montshire Museum: Monday, May 16 @ 8:15 - 2:30
• SBAC testing for 3rd grade will take place May 18, 19, 24, and 26.  There will be make days for students who miss a test, but please try not to schedule any appointments for these dates. 
• Last Day of School: Tuesday, June 14, 2022

These students are working together to make a friendship bracelet by using pendulums and a pattern of movement to weave the strings together during forest-choice.

These students constructed a seesaw with a fallen log and a stump during forest-choice at ECO!

Students had fun exploring with gravity and inertia as they roll down this bank during forest-choice.

This student is sipping tree-tea during a quiet moment in his "sit spot" at the end of ECO.