Classroom News: Week of December 17th

Dear Barn Swallow Families,

Last week we began our paint study!  The students began with sharing experiences they've had with paint.  (I told the story about my cat Duster painting 'works of art' when he was in the Humane Society for a fundraiser.  Yes, this is true!  He, apparently, enjoyed the sparkly gold paint the best.) Students made paintings and wrote stories about their memorable paint experiences.  Thursday was exciting, as we began experimenting with various materials (brainstormed by the students on Wednesday) to try to make paint.  Thank you for sending in such interesting ingredients for our experimentation!  We have some paint-like samples and are looking forward to experimenting some more.  As Ulee said, if we gave up and didn't make any more, we wouldn't be able to build stamina with making paint!  In math, first graders worked on subtraction  as they acted out hungry shark story problems.  They played variations on the "Who Has More Cents," game, making trades for various coin amounts.  Second graders continued to focus on new addition equations.  They started to make up their own wetland story problems based on their new equations, continued to work with fact families, and reviewed regrouping.  

We are in need of baby food jars for some upcoming projects.  If you have some that you are willing to donate, please send them to school with your child by Thursday. We also are in need of borrowing a popcorn popper.  While reading Farmer Boy,  we were inspired to make some popcorn, which seems like a great activity for Friday.  If you would like to donate popcorn or a stick of real butter (or heavy whipping cream, and we will make our own butter) we would appreciate it very much.  Thank you!

Sincerely,

Sherry

Classroom News: Week of December 10th

Dear Barn Swallow Families,

The students worked hard last week preparing and rehearsing our two winter songs for the all school meeting.  They used nice, loud voices on Friday!  Students have been writing stories in story workshop and are now using puppets and dramatic play to find stories.  We started a new exploration on Friday-paint.  What IS paint?  We will explore that question together!  (We will be making a list of materials and ingredients that we think paint is made of, and may ask families to bring in some of these items for us to explore with this week.  I will send out another email if we get there or your child may ask you about it at home.  Thank you!)  In math the first graders worked on creating two charts that helped to reinforce counting and adding in multiples of 5's and 10's.  Second graders continued to work on memorizing addition facts through creating story problems and working with them while making fact families.  They also reviewed place value.  On Wednesday, Sarah and Meesha, two of the educators from Jackson Bottom Wetland, brought us their insect program.  We learned about classifying animals, insect habitats, and factors that are unique to insects.  (We also got to practice the fire drill in the middle of the lesson.  The Barn Swallows made it outside quickly and we were able to continue the insect lesson in the garden with Sarah and Meesha.  There were a lot of insects and arachnids scurrying about, which was surprising for December.)

Thank you families!

Sincerely,

Sherry

Classroom News: Week of December 3rd

Dear Barn Swallow Families,

Last week we kept busy with reading groups and Story Workshop.  In math, first graders used number lines for adding and subtracting.  Students played the frog jump game to reinforce this concept and the students practiced creating and solving story problems using the number line.  Second graders started working on memorizing single-digit addition facts.  They focused on 4 facts (2+3=5, 7+5=12, 8+3=11 & 7+2=9) and used them in story problems and fact families.  They continued to review telling time and regrouping with addition.  On Wednesday we had an In & About.  Jackson Bottom came to us and brought their traveling program ‘amphibians.’  Students learned about characteristics and needs of amphibians through several hands-on activities.  We spent Friday afternoon making 'get well' cards for our good friend Natalie.


This Friday we will have another Spirit Day at our all school meeting.  The theme is dress as your favorite character.  The Barn Swallows will be singing two winter songs on the stage in the Grove Room at Central School.  You are welcome to come see our performance!  All school meetings begin at 9:45 and the Barn Swallows usually go first.  

Thank you families!

Sincerely,

Sherry

P.S.  I will be posting videos of students sharing their stories soon!