November 26, 2018

Good Morning,

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I find that I love the holidays that are with family and don’t require the stress of gifts but rather the focus of traditions. I hope you all enjoyed your child’s Thanksgiving writing about traditions and things that each child was thankful for. It will be a very quick stretch between now and the December break. This stretch is packed with learning, school-wide events and the family traditions and celebrations that come with this time of year.

Ms. Fornaby will be solo teaching in the classroom for the next two weeks. This is a requirement for her to get her teaching license. Ms. Fornaby and I have spent a lot of time (throughout this semester) getting her ready for this time. I want you to know that the kids are in great hands. Sarah is one of the most talented student teachers that I have ever had. She has amazing classroom management skills and a calm demeanor both of which the students enjoy and thrive with. I can still be reached by email and please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions.

NOTES:

*Feel free to have your child bring a pair of sneakers to leave in the classroom during the winter months. I think it is easier for you to not have to worry about packing them each day. We sit on the floor a lot in our classroom and it means dry bottoms if no one is wearing boots on the carpet.

*Please label all of your child’s winter gear with their name. Stuff gets left behind, dropped, and/or forgotten about and I know it can be both frustrating and expensive to have to keep replacing kids items. A name on an item can help us return it to the rightful owner.

*We go outside for recess almost everyday. Your child will go out wearing whatever it is they brought for winter items. Please make sure they have gloves and a hat. Also, they need boots or they will be required to stand on the blacktop area during recess. Thanks for your help with all of these winter essentials.

That is all for now. Have a great week.

Peace,

Tommy

November 12, 2018

Good Afternoon,

Video conferencing with our Florida friends

  I want to start by thanking all of you who were able to contribute (in some form) to the success of the Ski and Skate sale.  It always amazes me how many community members pitch in to create one of the most remarkable fundraisers I have ever seen.  The vibe is always good and the benefits for the students are amazing.

  My students, your children, have been on fire as of late. They have been publishing stories left and right and really getting into writing with detail.  We have started to have final illustrated books finished and they have been put in our classroom library for all to share and enjoy.

Kai's note for a veteran

  On Friday, we talked with our 1st grade friends in Florida.  They shared with us all about their fall festival and the HUGE Veterans' Day celebration that their whole school had.  We talked about our Ski and Skate sale tradition and shared some other facts too.  On Friday afternoon, I talked with the class about Veterans' Day and why we have it.  The kids then wrote letters to Veterans and I posted them on Facebook to be shared with veterans using social media.  At the end of this post are the rest of the letters.

This Thursday is our Thanksgiving luncheon.  If you wish to be part of it, please RSVP to Kathy.  She needs to turn in a count to Cheryl so that we have enough food.  If you are able to attend that is wonderful and I have a favor to ask.  If you see a kid whose family can't step away from work, I ask that you ask them to join your family for the luncheon.  I know it will go a long way in making sure no one feels sad.  I appreciate your efforts with this and in helping our school family celebrate as a whole.

A note from Ms. Fornaby:

Ms. Fornaby leading science

I have been so impressed watching the 1st and 2nd graders work as engineers and scientists during our unit on light and sound! Last week's lesson left us with a problem: a group of kids got lost on a hike. They will have to find a way to communicate with the other group they came with, using only the supplies in their backpacks. While we haven't come up with any solutions yet, the class has a feeling that light and/or sound will be involved (they're right!).
The focus of our 2nd lesson was on sound. We talked about the process of hearing sound, which travels in waves through the air. Students learned that our ears catch sounds and then send a message to our brain, which then recognizes the sound. The rest of the lesson was spend at sound stations. Students explored ways to make sound with materials like plastic cups, rubber bands, and metal water bottles. Students also met with me (Ms. Fornaby) for one station, to discover tuning forks. They learned that when struck against another surface, the fork will vibrate and make a dinging noise. We also put the forks in contact with water and observed the water rippling and spraying inside the cups. This was definitely a highlight of the lesson! Next week will learn about light.

Judy working with some young writers

You may have heard your child talking about Judy.  Judy is a community member who use to work for the state in accrediting preschool programs.  She comes in during writing times and helps kids edit their work.  She also does a read a loud while she is hear on Mondays.  The kids really seem to enjoy her presence and the work she is doing with them.  

That is all for now.  Have a wonderful week!

Peace,

Tommy