Classroom News: Week of March 11th

Dear Barn Swallow Families,

Last week we were busy in the school's Sunflower Garden.  We planted spinach, radishes, and calendula in the garden beds and started transplants of beets, chard, and more.  Students also began the muddy and fun work of digging our future seasonal wetland.  We will plant wetlands plants that we have learned about this year and hope to see the 'wetland' fill with water before the summer comes!

Students continued to research their mammals.  Ask your child which mammal he or she is researching. If you are inspired, you can learn more animal facts at home together and your child can bring new information to his or her research group.  We are learning about needle felting and each student will be needle felting their mammal that they are researching.  Last week students each used the needle and experimented on wool. 

In math, the first graders started using whale to help them count by twos.  They made their own whales and made a chart to help them count the increasing number of whales and whale flukes in each row.  They are using hundred charts to help them count by twos.  Second grade math students were introduced to 'borrowing' with subtraction problems.  Students built on their knowledge of the ones, tens, and hundreds places and are learning how to borrow with ones units, tens sticks, and hundreds grids.

We will be making soup for the Empty Bowls event this Wednesday for our Out and About.  Thank you to Brenda, Limor, Kacie, and Beth for volunteering to help us cook!  If anyone else would like to join us, the more the merrier.  Send me an email if you are interested.

Thank you families!

Sincerely,

Sherry