Hey Friends,
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving with your friends and families. I was grateful for the time to give pause and take some purposeful time to be thankful for all I have.
One of my biggest joys and parts of my life that I am thankful for is the time I get to spend with your wonderful children, watching them grow and learn. It grounds me and reminds me daily of the reason I became a teacher.
As far of our activities here at school, we have been working hard on wrapping up our small moment stories in Writer's Workshop. The kids have been working on writing their hooks, filling out details using transition words like first, then, later, etc. and then stretching out details.
In literacy we have been focusing on using our time well as well as working hard in our reading groups. The kids have really gotten into working on their sight words as well as dabbling in free-writing their own stories about pirates, jail breaks and the like.
We have also been working on our transitions between activities as well as recognizing kindness in our room. During this time of the year, kids can get pretty distracted and it is always important to remain grounded in our agreements from the beginning of the year: being kind, working hard and having fun.
In science we have been looking into the states of matter - solid, liquid and gas. We have also had a lot of discussion about how scientists answer the question they are investigating. Scientists can answer their questions with a "yes", "no" or I am not sure. "Kind of" is not in their vocabulary. This has been a challenge for some, as some kids really like to try to find the sneaky way around answering these kinds of questions. example:
Teacher: Can you pick up water in the same way you can pick up a solid with your hands?
Sneaky kid: Kind of
Teacher: Show me using the water in the sink. Did it work?
Sneaky kid: Kind of
All kidding aside, it has been great and all in all, the kids are really doing a wonderful job.
I think that's it for now. We'll be starting our Artist and Residence next week. Thanks so much to Jen Campbell for helping organize this great opportunity for our kids!
Have a great weekend, everyone. Remember, bow/crossbow/muzzleloader season is starting for the next nine days, so be careful in the woods.
Be in touch if you need anything or have any celebrations, concerns or questions.
~B
Friday, December 6, 2019
Friday, November 8, 2019
Conferences and Other News
Hello Friends,
I hope you are enjoying the beauty of the fresh snow on this crisp Friday!
A few of reminders:
1. Thanks to those of you who have signed up for conferences. I am looking forward to meeting with all of you and talking about the great progress your kids are making! I have sent out sign-ups via Signup Genius. Look in your inboxes if you need to find the link.
2. The long Vermont tradition of youth hunting season this weekend, followed by regular rifle/muzzleloader weeks starting next weekend, is upon us. Please be safe and careful if you choose to spend time in the woods.
3. The Food Drive is in full swing and we are trying to get 1,000 items for the Middlesex Food Shelf. Please consider sending in some boxes/canned goods if you can. The Rumney Food Drive continues both in our classroom and in the school lobby. Our goal is to bring in 1,000 non-perishables/toiletries
I think that's it for now, please let me know if you have any questions, concerns or celebrations.
Best,
B
I hope you are enjoying the beauty of the fresh snow on this crisp Friday!
A few of reminders:
1. Thanks to those of you who have signed up for conferences. I am looking forward to meeting with all of you and talking about the great progress your kids are making! I have sent out sign-ups via Signup Genius. Look in your inboxes if you need to find the link.
2. The long Vermont tradition of youth hunting season this weekend, followed by regular rifle/muzzleloader weeks starting next weekend, is upon us. Please be safe and careful if you choose to spend time in the woods.
3. The Food Drive is in full swing and we are trying to get 1,000 items for the Middlesex Food Shelf. Please consider sending in some boxes/canned goods if you can. The Rumney Food Drive continues both in our classroom and in the school lobby. Our goal is to bring in 1,000 non-perishables/toiletries
I think that's it for now, please let me know if you have any questions, concerns or celebrations.
Best,
B
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Nominations, Food Drive, Personal Narrative, and Conferences
Hello, Friends,
I hope you all have been enjoying our transition into the real fall weather and enjoying all that comes with it!
We have been doing so much in our room, I almost don't know where to start. We have begun to nominate one another for list of good deeds throughout the day by filling out nomination sheets. You may have seen some of them come home in your child's folder. It is enormously powerful to see kids noticing the great work they are doing, not by me, but by one another. We earn class and individual rewards for all of our wonderful work.
Our list of behavior/deeds to notice are:
Facing Their Fears
Working Hard
Taking Turns
Apologizing Without a Teacher Asking Them to
Taking Care of Nature
Helping a Friend
Being a Good Listener
Being Kind
Being Generous/Sharing
Also, we are starting a Food Drive here at school. Please feel free to send in non-expired non-perishable items to us here at school. Our goal is to collect 1,000 items by November 26th. If you are able, please consider helping out families in need in your own neighborhood.
The kids are working hard on their personal narratives and are thinking about times when they had an experience when they learned something about themselves. The variety of experiences they are writing about is so incredible! They are thinking about feelings, senses, and details about their experiences. We'll be stretching out the moment using as much detail as we can muster. I can't wait to see how they shape up.
As far as conferences go, I'll be sending out times soon. I understand that families will be getting a notice regarding a new sign-up system we are going to try and use. I may or may not use it because the slots available are only for 20 minutes and I like to allow for a 30 minute meeting. It seems like 30 minutes is the least I can offer you all! More details will be coming soon.
I think that's it for now. Please have a safe, fun time this Halloween!
Be in touch with any questions, concerns or celebrations any time.
~B
I hope you all have been enjoying our transition into the real fall weather and enjoying all that comes with it!
We have been doing so much in our room, I almost don't know where to start. We have begun to nominate one another for list of good deeds throughout the day by filling out nomination sheets. You may have seen some of them come home in your child's folder. It is enormously powerful to see kids noticing the great work they are doing, not by me, but by one another. We earn class and individual rewards for all of our wonderful work.
Our list of behavior/deeds to notice are:
Facing Their Fears
Working Hard
Taking Turns
Apologizing Without a Teacher Asking Them to
Taking Care of Nature
Helping a Friend
Being a Good Listener
Being Kind
Being Generous/Sharing
Also, we are starting a Food Drive here at school. Please feel free to send in non-expired non-perishable items to us here at school. Our goal is to collect 1,000 items by November 26th. If you are able, please consider helping out families in need in your own neighborhood.
The kids are working hard on their personal narratives and are thinking about times when they had an experience when they learned something about themselves. The variety of experiences they are writing about is so incredible! They are thinking about feelings, senses, and details about their experiences. We'll be stretching out the moment using as much detail as we can muster. I can't wait to see how they shape up.
As far as conferences go, I'll be sending out times soon. I understand that families will be getting a notice regarding a new sign-up system we are going to try and use. I may or may not use it because the slots available are only for 20 minutes and I like to allow for a 30 minute meeting. It seems like 30 minutes is the least I can offer you all! More details will be coming soon.
I think that's it for now. Please have a safe, fun time this Halloween!
Be in touch with any questions, concerns or celebrations any time.
~B
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Apple Sauce, 4 Winds, Reader's Workshop and more!
Hello Friends,
I hope this finds you well. The foliage is starting to wane and the temperature is fall. Autumn is fully here! We have been singing our hearts our during Primary Sing to celebrate the changing of the seasons.
Today we got the opportunity to use some of the apples from my house to make apple sauce! Thanks so much to Talitha for sharing her Instant Pot, food mill and time to help make this happen. The kids even got to have some at lunch, too! It is amazing to see how much sauce you can make from a 5 gallon barrel!
Adrienne Magida came in to do our first 4-Wind session on the sun and its position in the sky. I even got to do some acting in the puppet show. This month we will be look at erosion. I really appreciate the time all of our volunteers put in to help make our days a bit more enriching and I know the kids feel the same.
We have been working on our senses in our science journals and will be moving into solids, gasses and liquids in the coming weeks to come to some basic understandings on States of Matter. I look forward to making some oobleck, looking at ice melt and evaporate and other investigations.
We have begin our work in Reader's Workshop as well. The kids split for the beginning part of literacy by grade, second grade stays with me and first grade goes with Caitlin. We are following the Lucy Calkins continuum, which is a great guide to help kids get to know themselves as readers.
We will beginning some story writing next week as part of Writer's Workshop. The kids will be writing about a time when they learned something about themselves. We have been talking a lot about the author's message (moral) and we will be incorporating the use of transition words, descriptive language and compelling beginnings and endings to our stories.
As a heads-up, we do not have a celebration for Halloween like a parade or a party, no need to send in a costume or treats on the 31st. We try to keep things as sane as possible!
I think that's it for now. Please let me know if you have questions, concerns or celebrations anytime!
Have a wonderful weekend!
~B
I hope this finds you well. The foliage is starting to wane and the temperature is fall. Autumn is fully here! We have been singing our hearts our during Primary Sing to celebrate the changing of the seasons.
Today we got the opportunity to use some of the apples from my house to make apple sauce! Thanks so much to Talitha for sharing her Instant Pot, food mill and time to help make this happen. The kids even got to have some at lunch, too! It is amazing to see how much sauce you can make from a 5 gallon barrel!
Adrienne Magida came in to do our first 4-Wind session on the sun and its position in the sky. I even got to do some acting in the puppet show. This month we will be look at erosion. I really appreciate the time all of our volunteers put in to help make our days a bit more enriching and I know the kids feel the same.
We have been working on our senses in our science journals and will be moving into solids, gasses and liquids in the coming weeks to come to some basic understandings on States of Matter. I look forward to making some oobleck, looking at ice melt and evaporate and other investigations.
We have begin our work in Reader's Workshop as well. The kids split for the beginning part of literacy by grade, second grade stays with me and first grade goes with Caitlin. We are following the Lucy Calkins continuum, which is a great guide to help kids get to know themselves as readers.
We will beginning some story writing next week as part of Writer's Workshop. The kids will be writing about a time when they learned something about themselves. We have been talking a lot about the author's message (moral) and we will be incorporating the use of transition words, descriptive language and compelling beginnings and endings to our stories.
As a heads-up, we do not have a celebration for Halloween like a parade or a party, no need to send in a costume or treats on the 31st. We try to keep things as sane as possible!
I think that's it for now. Please let me know if you have questions, concerns or celebrations anytime!
Have a wonderful weekend!
~B
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Cider, Open House, All School Adventure
Hello families!
I hope you have all been able to enjoy these beautiful summer days! I know we have here in our room. We are building our class rules, exploring and cleaning up the outdoor classroom and settling into our routines.
In literacy, we are working on building our work stamina, making sure that it is a silent work time so everyone can do their best learning, and getting to know what "good fit" work looks like. They are working so hard on their reading and writing. Next week, after we have finished all of our assessments, we will begin our reading work in earnest.
We've read a number of books, the two the Read-Aloud books we read were Elmer and Down the Road.
We've been talking a lot about the author's message in the books I have been reading aloud and these are two of my favorites. The lessons from the books are critical in creating our classroom culture and helps us create expectations for ourselves and our friends in class.
We pressed some cider on Friday across our 1/2 team and the 6th grade got a crack at it, too. It's a good thing we picked so many apples! The kids all got to have a taste of their hard work at the end of the day and it is always a good reminder to celebrate our fall harvest. A special thanks and shout out to the Cotterill/Chabot family for letting us borrow the cider to press that allowed for this all to happen. The generosity of the families in Middlesex always come through!
Open House is this Wednesday, the 25th from 5:30 to 6:30. I look forward to you all coming in and learning about our class and seeing/meeting you all! The kids will be showing you routines, some of their work, and much more. You should also make sure to check in with their allied arts teachers as well to talk about their amazing work as well.
I think that's it for now. Be in touch with questions, concerns or celebrations any time!
Enjoy the last day of summer!
~B
I hope you have all been able to enjoy these beautiful summer days! I know we have here in our room. We are building our class rules, exploring and cleaning up the outdoor classroom and settling into our routines.
In literacy, we are working on building our work stamina, making sure that it is a silent work time so everyone can do their best learning, and getting to know what "good fit" work looks like. They are working so hard on their reading and writing. Next week, after we have finished all of our assessments, we will begin our reading work in earnest.
We've read a number of books, the two the Read-Aloud books we read were Elmer and Down the Road.
We've been talking a lot about the author's message in the books I have been reading aloud and these are two of my favorites. The lessons from the books are critical in creating our classroom culture and helps us create expectations for ourselves and our friends in class.
We pressed some cider on Friday across our 1/2 team and the 6th grade got a crack at it, too. It's a good thing we picked so many apples! The kids all got to have a taste of their hard work at the end of the day and it is always a good reminder to celebrate our fall harvest. A special thanks and shout out to the Cotterill/Chabot family for letting us borrow the cider to press that allowed for this all to happen. The generosity of the families in Middlesex always come through!
The All School Adventure is planned for this Friday, the 27th. We will be leaving in the morning to go to Hubbard Park in Montpelier and will have a day of exploring the many sites and trails in the park. Please be sure that if you plan on joining us that you have filled out your Level 1 chaperone paperwork in the front office. Be in touch with Mary or Christa in the front office if you need more information about this.
I think that's it for now. Be in touch with questions, concerns or celebrations any time!
Enjoy the last day of summer!
~B
Friday, September 6, 2019
First Two Weeks
Hello Families!
I hope your children have had a wonderful two first weeks of school! I know it has been wonderful working with them and getting to know them!
The kids designed our room set up, have helped put away materials and have arranged out book shelves. They are doing a wonderful job working together! Over the next few weeks we will be establishing class rules, norms and expectations. This is when we all really get to know the other people in the room and how we start thinking about how we can take care of ourselves, take care of each other and take care of our school. This will be the foundation of our work going forward this year.
Next week we'll being to dig our teeth into literacy time by practicing reading to self and doing some self-directed writing and handwriting practice. I'll also being doing our annual battery of beginning of the year assessments to help guide our work in word study, phonics, handwriting, reading and writing.
We have also had the pleasure of letting go of some monarch butterflies that we raised and hatched. It is always such a wonderful experience to share with children. We were talking about it today and we think that the children of Vermont are probably responsible for the huge number of butterflies we've seen this year!
To go along with the theme of autumn, I was wondering if any of you know someone with an apple grinder and press that we can use here for our 1/2 team to make some cider. If you know of anyone who'd be willing to let us use one, it would be greatly appreciated.
We were able to get out to the outdoor classroom today (Friday) and the kids did a great job talking about our second week and also about how we are going to use the space and spend as much time outside as we can. We'll be making science journals next week as well.
Information:
I hope your children have had a wonderful two first weeks of school! I know it has been wonderful working with them and getting to know them!
The kids designed our room set up, have helped put away materials and have arranged out book shelves. They are doing a wonderful job working together! Over the next few weeks we will be establishing class rules, norms and expectations. This is when we all really get to know the other people in the room and how we start thinking about how we can take care of ourselves, take care of each other and take care of our school. This will be the foundation of our work going forward this year.
 |
| Holy dominoes, Batman! |
We have also had the pleasure of letting go of some monarch butterflies that we raised and hatched. It is always such a wonderful experience to share with children. We were talking about it today and we think that the children of Vermont are probably responsible for the huge number of butterflies we've seen this year!
To go along with the theme of autumn, I was wondering if any of you know someone with an apple grinder and press that we can use here for our 1/2 team to make some cider. If you know of anyone who'd be willing to let us use one, it would be greatly appreciated.
We were able to get out to the outdoor classroom today (Friday) and the kids did a great job talking about our second week and also about how we are going to use the space and spend as much time outside as we can. We'll be making science journals next week as well.
Information:
- September Dates
- September 9 - Picture Day!
- September 18 - Instrument Rental Night, 5:00-6:15pm in Rumney Gym (Also Board Meeting at Doty, 6:30pm)
- September 24 - All School Meeting 9:05-9:35
- September 25 - Open House, 5:30-6:30pm
- September 26 - Kindergarten Screening Day
- September 27 - All-School Outing
I think that's about it, please be in touch with any questions, thoughts or concerns any time.
Enjoy the weekend!
~B
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Welcome!
Dear First and Second Grade Families,
Welcome back! I hope you had a fun, refreshing and relaxing summer! I am so excited for the school year to start. I have had a busy couple of weeks getting ready and getting to know our new principal- Mr. Provost! It is going to be a great school year. Here is some information about me and some information about the first few days of school. I will see you soon!
Getting to Know Ben!
This is my 10th year teaching at our fantastic school! I grew up a few short miles from Rumney and am deeply connected and committed to this community. I remember playing little league on the ball fields! I believe in a classroom that is full of kindness, hard work and learning. I hope you get a chance to check out my blog (https://weissrumneyclass.blogspot.com/), which talks about this and many aspects of our days. Continue to check in as we go through the year for newsletter updates, curriculum resources and more. I am an avid outdoors person and am looking to finding lots of ways to get out and use nature as a resource for learning. I am looking forward to a great year working with your wonderful children!
Here are a few logistical reminders as we think about heading back to school:
- Look for your child’s home to school folder with lots of paperwork on the first day. After that, folders will continue to come home each day. Please try and check them and send any important information our way!
- Try your best to make sure your child knows their snack and lunch plan for the day. Also, feel free to shoot us an email with your weekly plans.
- Please send your child with a water bottle to keep at school! We will send them home on Fridays.
- We have PE on Monday and Friday, so be sure to have your child prepared with sneakers on those days.
- This Wednesday August 28, will be a regular 3:30 dismissal. Starting Wednesday, September 4 we will begin our early dismissal procedure with a 3:00 dismissal.
- Despite how excited your kids are, our school days can feel long to young learners. Please do your best to help your child rest up and get a good nights’ sleep before the first day.
- Please remember, snack should not have any nuts due to school wide allergies and policies. If your child brings a lunch with nuts, they will have to sit at the nut table in the cafeteria.
- If you feel like your child needs a change of clothes at school, please let us know and send them in. We will keep them in a safe, private place. In case of emergencies, the nurse has some available.
- Arrival and Dismissal: Arrival time in the morning is at 8:45 AM. If you arrive with your child before 8:45 AM, please wait in the lobby with your child until the start of our day. At this point, children may enter the classroom. Our day starts at 9:00 AM and this is when we take attendance. Dismissal will be at 3:30 PM. Please wait outside the primary wing for your child to be dismissed. If your child goes on the bus, please make sure you are there to meet them. The bus driver will not let children off the bus if no one is there to meet them.
- Please leave toys at home. If your child is someone who may benefit from a fidget of some sorts, we have many options of those for children to use and try out to see how they best learn.
- Picture day is Monday, September 9! Be sure to send your form in with your child.
Feel free to reach out to us with any questions or concerns! We look forward to a great school year with you and your kiddos!
Warmly,
Ben
223-5429 (s)
223-3677 (h)
bweiss@u32.org
223-5429 (s)
223-3677 (h)
bweiss@u32.org
Monday, June 24, 2019
SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello Friends,
First, I'd like to say thank you for a wonderful year. Your children were such a gift to have in class and I thank you for sharing them and supporting our class and school.
Please be in touch if you need anything over the summer such as resources, books, or anything else. In the meantime, remember:
First, I'd like to say thank you for a wonderful year. Your children were such a gift to have in class and I thank you for sharing them and supporting our class and school.
Please be in touch if you need anything over the summer such as resources, books, or anything else. In the meantime, remember:
Read Good Books!
Go Outside and Play with Friends and Family!
Repeat!
Also, if you need a place to get started for apps, please check out:
Epic Books
Razkids
Summer Reading in a Box
For book resources and summer reading challenges, please go your own Kellogg Hubbard Library. They have a huge library of books for kids, knowledgeable staff and great programs running all summer.
Hope to see you around!
~B
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Montshire, PLPs and Plays
Hey Families,
What an amazing weekend of beautiful weather! I hope you have been able to be productive and enjoy the outdoors despite our roller coaster weather! Luckily, we have had really good luck being able to get out for recess!
The All School Spring Concert is Wednesday, June 5th at 6:00pm. Have the kids get here a bit early. There will be an intermission after K-2 go. At that time, we will be releasing kids to their families and you can head on home or stay. It's up to you!
As a reminder, we are going to the Montshire Museum this Friday, the 31st of May. We'll be leaving in the morning and coming back before buses. If you need information about the trip or another permission slip, please let me know and I'll send one home.
Our first and second graders will be going to U-32 on June 12th to get books that 7th graders have made for them. It is a great tradition that goes back some 25 years. The kids always have such a great experience and we are glad to be participating.
Our PLPs (Personal Learning Projects) are going great! Kids are working on building their books, which they have done a ton of research and work on. There are many kids who are going to be moving on to their posters before long. We'll have a presentation before the end of school, date to be determined.
We are working hard on our plays, too. Some kids are in a number of plays, some fewer. They will all be working on backgrounds and props. They should not be spending money on costumes. They can bring things from home to use in their plays (within reason). Our play presentation will be Tuesday, June 11th at 10:30 and 2:00. Feel free to come and see either (or both!).
We got to plant our squash for the garden here at school, which is super exciting! I can't wait to see what the summer months bring! Thanks to Talitha and the rest of the garden crew for continuing this great tradition.
I think that's about it for now!
Best,
Ben
What an amazing weekend of beautiful weather! I hope you have been able to be productive and enjoy the outdoors despite our roller coaster weather! Luckily, we have had really good luck being able to get out for recess!
The All School Spring Concert is Wednesday, June 5th at 6:00pm. Have the kids get here a bit early. There will be an intermission after K-2 go. At that time, we will be releasing kids to their families and you can head on home or stay. It's up to you!
As a reminder, we are going to the Montshire Museum this Friday, the 31st of May. We'll be leaving in the morning and coming back before buses. If you need information about the trip or another permission slip, please let me know and I'll send one home.
Our first and second graders will be going to U-32 on June 12th to get books that 7th graders have made for them. It is a great tradition that goes back some 25 years. The kids always have such a great experience and we are glad to be participating.
Our PLPs (Personal Learning Projects) are going great! Kids are working on building their books, which they have done a ton of research and work on. There are many kids who are going to be moving on to their posters before long. We'll have a presentation before the end of school, date to be determined.
We are working hard on our plays, too. Some kids are in a number of plays, some fewer. They will all be working on backgrounds and props. They should not be spending money on costumes. They can bring things from home to use in their plays (within reason). Our play presentation will be Tuesday, June 11th at 10:30 and 2:00. Feel free to come and see either (or both!).
We got to plant our squash for the garden here at school, which is super exciting! I can't wait to see what the summer months bring! Thanks to Talitha and the rest of the garden crew for continuing this great tradition.
I think that's about it for now!
Best,
Ben
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Field Trips, 4 Winds, PLPs...
Hello Friends,
I hope that you all had a great break and that you are enjoying the start to snow-free ground! Things in our room are certainly picking up!
We have 2 field trips coming up! One is next week, May 7th, and we are going to the Flynn to see our make-up play from our canceled trip this past winter. We will be seeing "Me, Jane" and we are looking forward to it.
Find a link to the book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN0FwIKjlOk
Find a link to the play here: https://www.flynncenter.org/education/student-matinees/details.html?perf_no=15790&prefix=SMM19J
Field trip permission slips are being sent home today. Please get these back as soon as possible. If you have further questions, please be in touch. Parents must drive themselves and if you want to join us, you will need to buy your own ticket. We simply do not have enough tickets for staff and parents. We have encouraged kids to consider dressing up to go along with the theater experience. It's always a blast to see them all gussied up!
Our second field trip will be to the Montshire museum on May 31st. We will be sending home information in the coming weeks.
We had a great 4-Winds on Tuesday on deer. Despite the weather, we got some good fresh-air time in the morning and got some time to run around. We got to examine a pelt, look at antlers, look at how high (8ft!) and how long (25ft!) they can jump, and lots of other information. It is such a wonderful opportunity for kids to learn about the natural world around them. Thanks to Katy and Rachel for volunteering their time and working with us!
Our PLPs have started with great enthusiasm! When we read off the topics last week so that the kids could hear what others were doing, the list was staggering in its diversity. The kids are working hard on reading some tough stuff and are doing a great job helping one another. We are working on the skills of making sure that the questions we are asking regarding our topic are broad enough, note taking, and organization. It's always such a fun time of year!
Please be in touch if you have any questions, celebrations or concerns.
~B
I hope that you all had a great break and that you are enjoying the start to snow-free ground! Things in our room are certainly picking up!
We have 2 field trips coming up! One is next week, May 7th, and we are going to the Flynn to see our make-up play from our canceled trip this past winter. We will be seeing "Me, Jane" and we are looking forward to it.
Find a link to the book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN0FwIKjlOk
Find a link to the play here: https://www.flynncenter.org/education/student-matinees/details.html?perf_no=15790&prefix=SMM19J
Field trip permission slips are being sent home today. Please get these back as soon as possible. If you have further questions, please be in touch. Parents must drive themselves and if you want to join us, you will need to buy your own ticket. We simply do not have enough tickets for staff and parents. We have encouraged kids to consider dressing up to go along with the theater experience. It's always a blast to see them all gussied up!
Our second field trip will be to the Montshire museum on May 31st. We will be sending home information in the coming weeks.
We had a great 4-Winds on Tuesday on deer. Despite the weather, we got some good fresh-air time in the morning and got some time to run around. We got to examine a pelt, look at antlers, look at how high (8ft!) and how long (25ft!) they can jump, and lots of other information. It is such a wonderful opportunity for kids to learn about the natural world around them. Thanks to Katy and Rachel for volunteering their time and working with us!
Our PLPs have started with great enthusiasm! When we read off the topics last week so that the kids could hear what others were doing, the list was staggering in its diversity. The kids are working hard on reading some tough stuff and are doing a great job helping one another. We are working on the skills of making sure that the questions we are asking regarding our topic are broad enough, note taking, and organization. It's always such a fun time of year!
Please be in touch if you have any questions, celebrations or concerns.
~B
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Sugaring, The Big 4, Conferences
Hello Families,
I hope you have been enjoying the wonderful spring weather! We have been working hard on a number of skills here at school.
We will be making trips to the sugar house a regular part of our upcoming weeks. We will be collecting and boiling. I'm not sure who is more excited, me or the kids!
We will wrap up our persuasive writing this week and be transitioning into our works on our Personal Learning Projects (PLPs) for the rest of the year. We will be tying in our information writing to our projects. The projects will be made up of a formal writing piece, a poster and a model of some kind. We will be working on these for the remainder of the year.
Our literacy times have been filled with some great book shares by kids, kids doing their independent reading, meeting with individuals and small groups on reading and working on their own personal writing. Their volume and complexity of work is growing. An important note: This week on one of our morning messages the kids were asked by a classmate to write down what they read over the weekend. Many of the kids stated that they didn’t read anything. It’s always worth the reminder that it is important that kids are doing some reading everyday. I can’t stress the importance enough both in them learning a life skill as well as making sure they are getting opportunities to practice what we are working on in class. If you need any books, please let me know. We have a classroom library that the kids are welcome to sign out books from any time.
We’ve been talking a lot about our Big 4 at school. This is a time of the year when there is some cabin fever going on and the options for play have been relying heavily on imaginary play. While this is age appropriate and perfectly typical, we have run up against some physical rough housing that has crossed the line on what is acceptable and tolerable here at school (using objects, like sticks, for instance as well as unsafe bodies). I encourage you to talk further about this with your child as it makes sense.
We have had a few class meetings where We revisited our Big 4, especially “Make Safe Choices”. These talks with the kids are always so reassuring because there were a number of kids who knew that things might be getting crazy and knew they should have let an adult know, but didn’t. They felt responsible and was a perfect segue into discussions about being “upstanders”. I always wish we had cameras in these moments because they are powerful and I believe we as adults have a lot to learn from them in terms of honesty, integrity and forthrightness.
We also have parent conferences coming up! I always look forward to touching base about the great growth your child is making. Here is the link to sign up:
Again, my most sincere thanks to our amazing 4 Winds volunteers. Their efforts bring as needed element of science into our class and I can’t thank them enough for enriching our day. There was lots of tracking going on for days afterwards....
I think that’s about it. Please let me know if you have any questions, concerns or celebrations any time.
Enjoy the sugaring!
~B
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
All School Meeting, Winter Wellness, etc.
Hello, families!
I hope this finds you all well. What a late start to the day today! It's a good thing that we were able to get out and enjoy it together!
We have an All-School Meeting tomorrow, I hope you can all make it. The kids will be presenting some of the things that are going on in our classroom. Also, Valentine's Day is tomorrow. Please, no snacks or treats. However, if kids want to being in cards, they may. The only rule is that they need to go out to everyone.
Speaking along the lines of kindness, we talked as a class about being sure to be sensitive about talking about birthdays, play dates and sleepovers at school. I know that this is a tricky topic to handle, but supporting the message that the tone of sharing plans is important. your support is appreciated.
We are working on a persuasive writing piece to Ms. Toth regarding getting a climbing wall at our school. They will be starting their own writing pieces next week using a graphic organizer and then diving into the convincing. I can't wait to see how they try to convince you all with their various ideas.
Please be in touch with any questions, comments and celebrations!
Best,
Ben
Class list for Valentines:
Ayden, Stella, Anthony, Rowan, Kora, Landon, Wolfie, Eli, Eli (yes, there are two Eli's!), Anna, Wrenn Anneliese, Emma, Lorelei, Yael, Lucian, Gage, Harper, Sena, Connor.
I hope this finds you all well. What a late start to the day today! It's a good thing that we were able to get out and enjoy it together!
We have an All-School Meeting tomorrow, I hope you can all make it. The kids will be presenting some of the things that are going on in our classroom. Also, Valentine's Day is tomorrow. Please, no snacks or treats. However, if kids want to being in cards, they may. The only rule is that they need to go out to everyone.
Speaking along the lines of kindness, we talked as a class about being sure to be sensitive about talking about birthdays, play dates and sleepovers at school. I know that this is a tricky topic to handle, but supporting the message that the tone of sharing plans is important. your support is appreciated.
We are working on a persuasive writing piece to Ms. Toth regarding getting a climbing wall at our school. They will be starting their own writing pieces next week using a graphic organizer and then diving into the convincing. I can't wait to see how they try to convince you all with their various ideas.
Please be in touch with any questions, comments and celebrations!
Best,
Ben
Class list for Valentines:
Ayden, Stella, Anthony, Rowan, Kora, Landon, Wolfie, Eli, Eli (yes, there are two Eli's!), Anna, Wrenn Anneliese, Emma, Lorelei, Yael, Lucian, Gage, Harper, Sena, Connor.
Monday, January 14, 2019
Winter Wellness, Construction and Kindness
Hello Friends!
I hope this finds you all well. We are continuing to thaw out and survive the indoor recesses... That said, I hope you have all gotten to experience this magical winter weather.
We will be starting Winter Wellness next Friday. Your child should come home with the paperwork yesterday. My apologies for not getting it out on Friday, I was not able to do it as I was doing reading assessments with students throughout Friday afternoon. We will be starting Next Friday afternoon, the 25th and going every Friday until February break. Be get in touch with Ms. Toth if you have questions about joining us, should you want to.
We have opened our Construction Zone an the kids have been trained on using various handsaws while cutting cardboard. We have received our first work order from two classrooms for 25 1'x1' cardboard squares. We have a number of really helpful friends. I will be teaching the kids more about measuring in the coming weeks. This will be building to the work or wood construction at some point later on. I am so proud of how hard and seriously they are working.
We were bummed to not go to the Flynn last week due to the road conditions. That said, we made it a great day and I hope they felt the same. We are looking at possible programs at the Flynn that we could check out later in the Spring. We'll keep you updated as we go forward.
We have started our School Kindness unit again where we focus on being kind and recognizing kindness from others. The kids have been writing some really sweet letters to other kids, many of whom are not in their grade cluster.
In writing, we have finished our stories and will be moving into some non-fiction writing. Prepare to be persuaded! We have also been super productive in literacy. Kids are reading, writing and even starting a newspaper. We are beginning to do some audio books as well to add some new flavor to the mix.
All in all, a great start to the new year!
~B
I hope this finds you all well. We are continuing to thaw out and survive the indoor recesses... That said, I hope you have all gotten to experience this magical winter weather.
We will be starting Winter Wellness next Friday. Your child should come home with the paperwork yesterday. My apologies for not getting it out on Friday, I was not able to do it as I was doing reading assessments with students throughout Friday afternoon. We will be starting Next Friday afternoon, the 25th and going every Friday until February break. Be get in touch with Ms. Toth if you have questions about joining us, should you want to.
We have opened our Construction Zone an the kids have been trained on using various handsaws while cutting cardboard. We have received our first work order from two classrooms for 25 1'x1' cardboard squares. We have a number of really helpful friends. I will be teaching the kids more about measuring in the coming weeks. This will be building to the work or wood construction at some point later on. I am so proud of how hard and seriously they are working.
We were bummed to not go to the Flynn last week due to the road conditions. That said, we made it a great day and I hope they felt the same. We are looking at possible programs at the Flynn that we could check out later in the Spring. We'll keep you updated as we go forward.
We have started our School Kindness unit again where we focus on being kind and recognizing kindness from others. The kids have been writing some really sweet letters to other kids, many of whom are not in their grade cluster.
In writing, we have finished our stories and will be moving into some non-fiction writing. Prepare to be persuaded! We have also been super productive in literacy. Kids are reading, writing and even starting a newspaper. We are beginning to do some audio books as well to add some new flavor to the mix.
All in all, a great start to the new year!
~B
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