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.

Week 28

 

Elmore students apply principles of force and motion in their outdoor classroom
as they explore with Mini Bows and Arrows during E.C.O. this week.

Week 28 came in like a lion with Strong winds and cool temperatures, but Wednesday brought us calmer weather and bright, sunny skies for E.C.O., providing us with a beautiful morning in our outdoor classroom.  Students constructed mini bows and arrows out of twigs and floss to explore and apply the principles of force and motion (pushes and pulls) as they shot their mini arrows at a target drawn in the snow.  At another station, students used force (a push) to throw spears.  Students also enjoyed a special treat, sugar on snow, during forest choice! Thank you to Mrs. Bellavance for bringing Maple Syrup from her family's sugaring operation!  I'd also like to thank our parent volunteers: Mike McCarthy for tending our fire and donating wood, Caitlin Mahoney for all your help, and donating wood, and Tim Sargent, for all your help!

Our big focus in the classroom this week was making posters (our culminating Informative writing project) to teach about our Nature Name animals.  Each students has a native Vermont animal they have researched.  After researching and collecting information, students planned a poster and then worked to create a poster which included several facts about their animals crafted in an interesting way, utilizing written text, images, diagrams, maps, and other test features.  Students reflected and revised their work using a learning scale, then they evaluated their projects.  After students evaluated their own projects, I used the learning scale to evaluate their work.  Posters were returned to students and they were given the opportunity to make additional revisions if needed.  Next week we will hang them in the Town Hall to have a "Museum" walk.  I will let you know when we open the "Museum" and will have the door unlocked at the end of the day for a few days so you can stop in to take a tour of the posters.  

During Math, level 2 and level 3 students are solving two part word problems using a bar model and equations to show their work.  This has proved to be a little challenging as students need to, first make sense of the word problem, understand how to set up their model, and then solve each part of the problem correctly.  Level 1 students worked to solve problems with 3 addends using arrays and graphs.  Then they started decomposing numbers to 100 into tens and ones using ten frames.  

We will have hot lunch on Monday AND Friday next week.  Monday the Dryden's are bringing burritos with options of beef and beans.  Friday's Hot Lunch is brought to us next week by the Sargent's.  Stay tuned for details on this Lunch.  Please EMAIL me your lunch orders for Tues - Thurs..

The playground continues to be pretty wet with melting snow, thawing ground, and rain.   Please make sure your child has indoor shoes (different from what they are wearing outdoors), and extra clothes.  If students have rain pants, I suggest bringing them.

This week we reviewed playground rules.  With safety in mind, students who are playing or being physically rough with one another (including: tackling, wrestling, pushing, pulling, hitting, kicking) will be asked to take a break.  If there is a second incident, their recess will be over and they will go inside.   

ECO

We have E.C.O. again this Wednesday.  Please let me know if you can volunteer, donate firewood, or donate hot dogs. 

Announcements:

• Library is Monday - remember your books and activity bags!
• Tue/ Fri are PE - you need your sneakers!  
• ECO - Wednesday, March 30
• Early release (noon) - April 8th
• Spring Break - April 18-22
• Field Trip to Montshire Museum- Monday, May 16th - bus leaves at 8:15 and returns at 2:30
• The last day of school is Tuesday, June 14th.

Weel 27

 

Our week was as short and sweet as this update will be!  We had a week of transition all around.  The weather went from winter, last weekend, to spring, this week!  We saw our warmest temperatures on Thursday since last October, and we transitioned from daylight savings time back to standard time giving us an extra hour of daylight at the end of the day!  With all of these transitions we are reminded that the final trimester of the school year is upon us and we are now in the final push for the end of the school year!  We still have so much to accomplish before we get there!

This week we spent much of our time preparing for our Student Led Conferences (SLC).  Although the LSUU schools have been having SLC for several years, the pandemic has put a halt to them the past two years, so this was basically new experience for all of the students (third graders had SLC in Kindergarten).  It was so nice to welcome you all into our classroom again! Being a witness to these conferences is such an honor as a teacher.  EVERY student rose to the occasion and presented their work and data with such pride.  When children have a SLC it is their chance to shine! Even if the data and work are not perfect, we look for the positive and focus on the growth.  In preparing for our conferences we did a lot of reflecting and goal setting.  It is not always easy to reflect on our work and look for areas to improve, but every student did this with integrity and grace!  One parent let me know that when their SLC was over their child expressed to them, "That was fun!".  Thank you all for taking the time to sit and listen to your child share their work and for all your encouraging words and thoughtful comments.  Mastery reports will be sent home sometime in the next week.  If you have questions or concerns, please reach out.

I will be sending home a parent survey next week so you can give me your feedback on SLC's.  Please take a moment to fill out the survey with your comments, suggestions, and observations and return it to school.  You do not need to include your name unless you want to.  

Next week we have ECO on Wednesday (March 23rd) from 9-12

I need one or two parents volunteers and firewood.  Please let me know if you can help.  

If your child has rain pants, please send them (even if it is not raining), as well as waterproof footwear.  This is the time of year the ground is very wet!

Please EMAIL me your school lunch orders for Monday - Thursday.

The Dryden's are on the Schedule for Hot Lunch next Friday.  

That is it for this week!

Week 26

 

Students Enjoyed the warmer temperatures and sun at the Spruce Peak skating rink on Thursday!

We started the week with blustery, freezing conditions and ended the week with early spring conditions.  As I write this update, the snow is coming down and winter is back!  Tonight we will set the clocks ahead on hour  which will make our mornings darker again for a while, but the sun won't be setting until nearly 7:00 pm!  With the warmer weather coming, the snow won't be sticking around too long this week, and hopefully the ice on the playground will be melting, too!  Thank you to Adam Audet who spread some sand on the ice last week so we could move more safely on the playground!

In the classroom, students finished their non-fiction writing unit and did an on demand writing assessment on Wednesday.  Students will have these to share with you at their conferences next week.  Students are now researching their nature name animals (assigned during ECO) and will be creating a teaching poster about their nature name animal.  Our next writing unit will be persuasive writing.  This week also did a spelling inventory and first graders took a phonemic awareness assessment.

During math level 1 students continue building math fluency as they shift from using ten frames to  number bonds when using make ten strategies to subtract within 20.  Level 2 students continue applying addition and subtraction strategies (with regrouping) to solve comparison word problems within 100.  Level 3 students  apply addition and subtraction strategies (with regrouping)  to solve comparison word problems within 1000.

Thursday we had our 2nd and final outing at Spruce Peak.  While the conditions were not favorable for nordic skiing or snow-showing, we were able to use the ice skating rink.  The warm temperatures and sun on Thursday, made for soft ice, but the students still enjoyed themselves.  While we had hoped for more opportunities to ski and skate this year, the weather just did not cooperate as well as we had hoped.  I am grateful for the time that we were able to spend on the trails and on the ice at Spruce Peak.  Thank you to the parents who took time out of their days to join us for these outings.  

Thank you to the Schoeberlein's for bringing Hot Lunch on Friday.  There is No School next Friday.  the Dryden's are on the schedule for Hot Lunch on Friday, March 25th.

Reminder that we have am early dismissal (noon) Thursday, March 17th.  We will have lunch prior to dismissal.

ECO has been Postponed until March 23rd.  Please let me know if you would like to join us for this engaging outing with a focus on Force and Motion.  We will also need fire wood and kindling.  

Student-Led Conferences: Friday March 18th

Friday we will have Conferences.  Please be sure to bring your student with you as these will be Student- Led Conferences.  Each conference will take about 30 minutes and they will overlap with other families.  This means that there will likely be one other family in the room.  Student-Led conferences are a chance for you child to shine!  Students will have a chance to show you some of their work and demonstrate some of the learning activities they participate in while at school, as well as time to reflect on their scholarly habits.  I will be in the room offering support to students and will be available to answer questions you may have.  

Week 25

 

Week 25 was short and sweet.  Wednesday, many students walked through the door for the first time in nearly 2 years without a mask!  It was so great to see their smiles and hear their voices clearly!  Understandably, we are not all comfortable going maskless quite yet, but this is a huge step in our return to "normal" (whatever that means).  

Wednesday morning also saw the return of ECO!  This week we our focus was Grouse Houses, where students learned about what the grouse does during the winter to adapt to the colder climate, then they worked to construct grouse houses in the snow.  We were lucky to have a fresh fluffy snowfall which provided the perfect conditions for this lesson.  Thanks to our parent Volunteers, Mike McCarthy, Caitlin, Mahoney, and Everett Dryden for taking time out of their day to join us!  We are very lucky to have so much family involvement!

Students were eager to get back to writing their non-fiction (informative text) books this week.  On Thursday, students used checklists to reflect on their work and make improvements.   To conclude this unit, all students will be researching their ECO Nature Name animal.  They will be create a teaching poster to tell all about their animal.  

During math this week, level one students worked on subtraction strategies using ten frames.  Level two students used subtraction to solve word problems involving comparisons.  Level three students used multiplication and division to solve word problems which involved finding the perimeter of various polygons.

During Science students explored with magnets to experience how magnets use force to push and pull metal objects (in this case, paperclips) made from (or containing) iron.  

Thursday, March 10th will be our last day going to Spruce Peak for outdoor winter recreation this year.  I will send an email early this week with details for volunteers.  Fingers crossed the weather will cooperate for us this week! 

Announcements:

• Monday: Library.  Remember to bring your books and activity bags!
• Tuesday / Friday:  PE - remember sneakers!
• Thursday: Ukuleles (2nd and 3rd grade)
• Thursday: Spruce Peak 11:30 - 2:30
• Friday:  Hot lunch provided by the Schoeberlein's
• Last day of the Marking Period- Wednesday, March 9th
• Early release (noon): Thursday, March 17th
• NO SCHOOL - Student Led Conferences - Friday, March 18th.