Classroom News: Week of January 28th

Dear Barn Swallow Families,

Last week the Barn Swallows went to Theatre in the Grove to see The Little Mermaid play. We enjoyed watching our friends Max and Jamie perform!  We continue to add new materials to find stories with for story workshop.  Last week we added small wild animal figures, which have inspired many nature stories!  We also are now getting out the field guides and students are interested in learning more facts about our new animal figures.  This will be a nice seque into our wetland animal study this spring!  During math the first graders continued solving each other's picture story problems.  Second graders reviewed regrouping with addition and practiced fluency with two single-digit addition facts.

It will be our turn to present at the all school meeting next Friday, February 8th.  We will be singing one or two songs.  You are welcome to come see us at Central School in the Grove Room.  We will be beginning near 9:45.  Later this spring, level 1 hopes to share some information about wetlands at the all school meeting.  I will be sure to let you know when we have it scheduled. 

Next week we will have a local artist visit our classrooms  to guide students' experiences with a variety of types of paints on many different surfaces.  We will be going on a nature tour with a ranger from Metro at the Ash Street Wetland along the B Street trail in early February.  We have also learned that the dramatic changes have been made at Fern Hill Wetlands and we are in the midst of planning an early spring trip there.  It's also almost time to get planning and planting the school gardens.  We have hundreds of seed varieties to choose from.  Peas can be planted outside in early February!  Do you garden with your Barn Swallow?

Thank you families!

Sincerely,
Sherry

Classroom News: January 22nd, 2013

Dear Barn Swallow Families,

Last week students wrote stories by themselves during story workshop.  Normally, it is a time for students to collaborate and help each other with the four traits of writing that we focus on (ideas & content, conventions & spelling, organization, and word choice).  Last week was a time for students to see how much they've grown as writers, and they successfully worked alone.  I am impressed with the amount of motivation our students have to write and enjoyed reading the students' stories as I continue to work on fall semester report cards!  In math the first graders continued working on their crab and sea star picture problems, you will get to see a couple of them in the homework this week.  Second graders continued to work on memorizing their addition facts.  They reviewed regrouping with addition problems and practiced telling time by five minute increments.  On Wednesday we had an In & About. We tried out a variety of watercolor painting techniques and created many sheets of painted paper that we will use on our wetland mural.   We will be going to 'The Little Mermaid' play tomorrow!

Thank you families.

Sincerely,

Sherry

Classroom News: Week of January 14th

Dear Barn Swallow Families,

Last week we learned about editing our writing for spelling and punctuation, and revising to make more interesting word choices.  The students practiced these skills in their stories about paint experiences they've had.  The first graders worked on adding multiple teen numbers to get to a total of 50, and predicting, comparing, and developing strategies in a game called "50 or Bust!"  They worked on using multiple methods to solve picture problems involving crabs and sea stars, and began to create their own picture problems for classmates to solve.  The second graders made up addition story problems and worked with fact families.  They continue to work on memorizing their addition facts.  

On Wednesday afternoon we walked to Ash Street Field where we met Bonnie and Nathaniel from Metro.  We helped them plant young native plants, bulbs and seeds to help restore Ash Street Field to a more natural wetland.  We planted Meadow Checker Mallow, allium bulbs, gum weed, and more.  The students were great stewards and learned a lot about how to plant in wet, muddy soil.  (Photographs and videos are on the right!)  On Friday morning we went to our All-School Meeting.  Thank you for sending in money for the 'Little Mermaid' play admission.  The students are looking forward to seeing some of their classmates perform in the play!  

Sincerely,

Sherry

Classroom News: Week of January 7th

Dear Barn Swallow Families,

I hope that you all had a wonderful break.  We have exciting news!  We will be going to see "The Little Mermaid," at Theater in the Grove on Wednesday, January 23rd at 1:00.  The cost for the play is $5 per student.  We will need to collect the money from families by Wednesday, January 16th.  Please bring the money to the classroom, not the office.  If you are unable to pay, please let me know.  If you would like to donate money toward another student's ticket that is great, too.  Thank you!



This Wednesday we will be walking to a seasonal wetland at the end of Ash Street, along the B Street Trail.  We often call this area 'The Ash Street Field.'  We will working on a service project with Metro to help restore the habitat there.  The field used to be used by farmers.  I remember taking my class there five years ago and it was a monoculture of wheat.  Now it has been planted to be a seasonal wetlands, providing additional habitat for a wide variety of creatures.  I look forward to our project there!  Please help your child to be prepared for rain and cold.  Rain boots, rain jackets, hats, and warm layers will help ensure that all students are comfortable and can focus on the project.  We have a class set of work gloves, but if your child would like to bring his or her own, that is great too.  We are not in need of volunteers for this trip, but you are more than welcome to join us!  You can email me if you are interested at: S.Reuter@fgcschool.org   Thank you!

This Friday we have an All-School Meeting.  It is also spirit day and the theme is opposite/backward day.  Participation is optional, but all students are welcome to join in.



The week before break we worked on exploring with paint.  The students wrote about experiences they've had with paint.   On Wednesday we continued experimenting with making our own paint.  The students have been able to create some interesting colors with a variety of natural materials.  In math the first graders worked on adding to make sums in the teens; and adding two or three addends to make sums of six or seven.  The first grade students organized the various combinations systematically to make sure they had discovered all the possible combinations for sums of six or seven.  Second graders continued to work on memorizing their addition equations.  They wrote their own wetland story problems and worked more with fact families.  During reading time the students continue to work in small groups.  

We are fortunate to have a group of adults that work with us regularly to provide a variety of reading assistance to our class.  Mia, our Americorps volunteer, Limor, a parent volunteer, and Vanessa, our principal, have all been helping us to provide your children with great opportunities to grow as readers.  In these small groups students are learning a variety of reading strategies and having opportunities to practice these skills.  The Barn Swallows all continue to grow as readers and regularly share their excitement about reading with each other.  On Friday students put together a flower bulb project.  We are eager to hear how your bulbs are doing at home!  Students also enjoyed a shaving cream sensory painting experience, made butter with heavy whipping cream, and popped popcorn in the air popper.  (We were inspired to make the popcorn and butter from the book 'Farmer Boy.')  

It's great to be back at school!  We had a really nice first day.

Thank you families!

Sincerely, 

Sherry