April 11, 2025

Happy Friday to all of you! It's hard to believe that we only have one week left before our April break. Next week will be pretty jammed packed and there are a few things that I want to bring to a conclusion before the week ends. 

PRIDE, PRIDE, PRIDE! If you asked me to describe how the students are feeling about their writing work, I would use that word over and over. This week the students presented their writing work to the group (I read for a few nervous ones). It was such a rewarding sight to see them so happy and proud of their work. Some of the students have even been signing up for share (during our morning meeting) to present their writing work. The class is certainly enjoying this opinion unit and next week they will be writing counter arguments to my opinion on replacing recess with extra classroom work. I am hoping this gets them wound up a bit and they will write creative and strong counterpoint pieces. 

This week in math, the 1st graders continued to work on fact families within 20. This has them writing addition and subtraction facts for each fact family. They also worked on balancing equations by looking at the equal sign and then deciding if an equation was true or false. In second grade, the 2nd graders are currently working on a data unit.  This week they were gathering data and then representing the results on a table.

This week's read-a-louds were: Muncha, Muncha, Muncha, When Spring Comes, This Is It!, The Wicked Big Todlah, and Sugaring. We used the story When Spring Comes to start a literature project this week. The kids are in the midst of creating a multi layered spring tree or flower garden picture. We will finish these on Wednesday of next week. These books continue to help me achieve a goal of reading picture books each day to help foster the students love for reading and opening their eyes to so many different books. 

This week's science lessons had the students conducting 3 different mini investigations that allowed students to hear sound being conducted through different types of materials. The 1st one had the students making the age old string telephones with  cups, the 2nd one had the students listening to metal being clanged together under water, and the third one had the students using balloons to pass messages through them to each other's ears.  

NOTES:

*As I have mentioned in previous posts, if the temperature is under 40 degrees, I will have the kids wear their coats at recess.  If it is above 40 degrees, they can wear a fleece or sweatshirt. Kids will continue to need to wear boots or have a change of sneakers for recess time. This helps keep the mud out of the building and off our classroom floor.

*Thank you again for helping your child brings back their homework bag each day. There are a couple of kids who still have theirs at home (and have for a bit now).  If possible, could you ask if it is them and then help them look for it. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  I again want to say, how much fun I am having with this group. They are all so proud of their work and what they are able to do. It is nice to have such a fun and positive experience each day and a pleasure to get to work with them.  

Peace,

Tommy

April 4, 2025

I hope you all have had a wonderful week. It was certainly great to have a 5 day week with no academic interruptions. The class is really shining as a whole and in their own individual ways too. It is very rewarding to see their confidence grown and the happiness they express when that happens.

This week in writing, we read two different books about the same event. The 1st book was called The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall. In this version "the classic fairy tale is retold with a modern-day twist as the three little pigs settle into their new houses--one of straw, one of sticks and one of bricks--and find themselves threatened by a hungry, mean wolf." We then read The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka. "This is a fractured fairy tale where the wolf, Alexander T. Wolf, recounts his version of events, claiming he was framed and only wanted to borrow sugar for his granny's cake, leading to a series of misunderstandings and a hilariously skewed retelling of the classic tale."

The students then had to decide if they thought the wolf was mean or actually kind. Once they made their decision, each student started writing an opinion piece that tried to convince someone else of their opinion. They had to use evidence from the text to support their opinion. We will finish these writings next week.

First grade math had the students working on their knowledge of fact families and writing addition and subtraction equations that went with each fact family (I.e. 4, 6 & 10). We also worked with the concept of symmetry and look at shapes to see if they had a line of symmetry.  Second grade math had the students started a unit on weights and measurement and are currently building Popsicle stick bridges as part of a math exploration.

Our sound unit had us looking at how sound travels and how characteristics of objects can affect how something sounds. The students learned how fast sound travels through the air, compared to liquid and solid objects. This learning was all a precursor for some mini experiments that we will do next week.

NOTES:

*I happen to wear a Messi jersey to school today. A few of the students commented on it and how much they like it. Some even said they have a jersey too. They all want to wear them next week.  So Friday, will be Messi jersey or any sport, dance, or any other activity t-shirt that a kid might want to wear. Even a Waitsfield School shirt would be great. Please DON'T go out and buy something for this.  This is very informal and just based off the kids asking for something.

*Yesterday, I wrote a piece (for the public) regarding all of the talk about Education and the cost of it. There are many things that I feel are unknown to many.  If you are interested in hearing my view and what I feel should be done about it, please take a look here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MFOmnWCyUqdsamxSobi5b86-mZGzC7ReJnuT14WFQjU/edit?usp=sharing

Please feel free to share this with anyone you wish. If inspired to, please take action and engage with your local legislators.  

That is all for now.  I hope you have a great weekend.

Peace,

Tommy

March 28, 2025

I hope this finds all of you well as we wind down the last week of March. It's funny, as a class we talked  the old expression March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. I even read the book with that title.  However, this year it almost seems reversed. Whatever your weekend plans are, I hope you all have safe travels on the road.

This week I read the students the book Not A Box! by Antoinette Portis. is a simple, imaginative story about a rabbit who uses his creativity to transform a cardboard box into various objects, like a race car, a robot, or a spaceship, emphasizing the power of imagination. The kids then each took a box and turned it into their own imagination. 

This week in 1st grade math, the students focused on using their knowledge of +10 facts to solve +9 facts. The students also completed an assessment that looked at the Number Corner skills that we had worked on during the last 8 weeks. This focused on geometrical shapes, story problems looking for missing addends, and time to the hour and half hour. Second grade math focused on measuring with standard units, working on addition, subtraction and multiplication facts, and they worked with the Zearn program each day.

Today the Harwood Drama Department came by to present a preview of their play Anything Goes. The full length performance will be presented a few times (at Harwood) over the weekend. As I mentioned last week, we are very fortunate to live in an area where the arts are both cherished and celebrated.  

NOTES:

*We have a big academic stretch from now until the April break. Please have your child in school as much as possible before we head out for our spring break.

*Thank you for continuing to send in boots for your child. Gaga ball is a prime choice for recess right now and the Gaga pit can get quite muddy.

That is all for now.  I hope you all have a great weekend.

Peace,

Mr. Young

March 21, 2025

Happy Friday Everyone! It was so great to meet with all of you over the last two days. I always enjoy getting to connect and to talk about your child and the progress they have made as well as their new individual goals as we move forward. As always, please let me know if you have any other questions and/or concerns.

This week was such a fun and exciting week. The students have now all completed their first persuasive piece about their favorite toy and are now onto their 2nd and 3rd favorites. We will spend another week or two on this and then start to work in counter opinion pieces. This week students will continue to edit their 1st piece (with an adult) and we will share some of them with the group on Wednesday.  

This week's reading focus had a group working on learning the ling vowel spelling and reading of words with the vowel-consonant-e spelling (-vce). The 2nd group has been working on the /ar/ sound as well as starting a new book called Humphrey's Pet Show Panic. This group is working on checking for understanding (comprehension) as they read. They are given a journal prompt question after every 5-8 pages of reading. The 3rd group is continuing their practice of reading all -vce words and has started reading books from the Henry and Mudge series. The final group is working on expanding their vocabulary and higher levels of comprehension check ins while reading the  book, EllRay Jakes is Not a Chicken.  

Math class had 1st graders working on elapsed time (hours and half hours), counting and graphing pennies, nickels, and dimes, and working with penguin problems that require them to use their knowledge of 10 and some more. The 2nd graders worked on counting all coins and continue to look at quick addition with higher numbers.

Yesterday, the students were treated to the sounds of woodwind instruments from the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. The ensemble consisted of 3 instrumentalists from the VSO and one confused alien. The students seemed to enjoy the show and it is always great to have the opportunity to expose the kids to a variety of music experiences. 

Wednesday marked the end of our Winter Sports Program. It was an incredible day to end on. The mix of friends, sunshine and a snow mountain make for a lot of happy smiles. We are very fortunate to have this program and want to thank the PTA for their support in making this happen. Please take a moment and have your child/family send them a thank you note. 

NOTES:

*Boots are still needed everyday or a change of shoes for when they go outside. The reason being, we try to keep a lot for the mud from being tracked across the carpets and throughout the school. If it is above 40 degrees, I allow the kids to just wear a fleece or sweatshirt.  If it is below 40 degrees, I will require that they still wear their coat.

*The homework bag situation was FANTASTIC last week.  Thank you for making sure your child brings this back each day. Now that the winter program is over, homework bags will come home on Wednesday again,

*I am still looking for a math volunteer on Wednesdays. It is from 8:15-9:30. It was vacated when Sagan left. If you are interested and can volunteer, please let me know. I am also looking for someone during writing times on Wednesdays.  This time is from 10:25-11:10.  

*As you may, there is a lot of discussion for the future of Public Education in Vermont. The governor's plan will be devastating to both our district and the future of public education in Vermont. I do have a brief summary of the major points if you are interested in reading that (click here for the document)  There is a meeting at Harwood with our local legislators on Monday, March 24 @ 6:00 pm. I do hope that you can all attend and come with your questions, concerns, and/or demands. This is a situation where if you want to be heard, you will need to be proactive before you don't have a chance to be heard. 

That is all for now.  I hope you all have a great weekend.

Peace,

Tommy

March 14, 2025

 Good Afternoon,

I hope you all had a great week. I am running a little short on time today and headed away for the weekend. So, this will be a fairly short post.

Parent Conferences are next week.  Please sign up for a slot. These are the only times available so slots are filling quickly.  Thank you for respecting this request and finding a time in the provided time slots. You can find the link by visiting our school's web page.

It was nice to have a full week. We have been talking about the celebration of St. Patrick's day and reading a variety of books related to the holiday and its traditions. It sounds like there are many who are planning on setting a leprechaun trap.

Yesterday, some students from Harwood's Student Leadership Team came in to read to our students and then led them in activities about the book they read. The books all had a focus on jobs you could do as an adult.

Here are some pictures from the week:

I hope you all have a great weekend. 

Peace,

Mr. Young

March 7, 2025

Good Afternoon,

The good news is we had consecutive days of school.  The downside is it was only 3 days.  I am looking forward to a full week next week. This week in writing (Wednesday) the students started working on their opinion writings about their favorite toy. Wednesday's focus had kids writing their "hooks," giving context, and then stating their opinion. We will pick up on this work on Monday. 

Our science focus had the students testing different ways to make sounds louder or less loud. The students worked in teams of two and tested out different tools and then wrote about their findings. They also worked on posters that demonstrated knowledge for how to protect their ears. Next week, the students will work with a decibel meter and learn about sounds in different environments.  

Our reading groups met on Thursday and Friday.  Three of the four groups continue to work on phonetic skills that are then practiced in phonetic based readers.  Two of the four groups are also working with chapter books and sharpening their comprehension skills. A third group will be starting Henry and Mudge chapter books next week.  I am really happy with the reading progress and love this time a year.  The kids really start to gain confidence with their own abilities.  

First grade math has us looking at the fractions 1/2 & 1/4 again.  The students are looking at how to label each part of a fractional piece. They took part in a mid until assessment (geometry focus) to see how their progress was coming with identifying shapes by their names, and listing characteristics of shapes.  We also have gotten into 3-D shapes and their names.  The second graders have been working on telling time to the minute.

NOTES:

*We will have the winter sports program this coming week. Please make sure your child has all of their equipment.

*Please make sure your children continue to bring the appropriate clothing for recess time.  Boots continue to be a must, even during the mud season.  

That is all for now.  I hope you all have a great weekend.

Peace,

Mr. Young

February 21, 2025

Happy Friday All! I hope you all enjoy the time with your children over the next week and a half.  For those of you who are traveling, I wish you all a safe trip. For those who are here, I hope you can get outside and enjoy the epic snow and some warmer temperatures.  

Here are a few pictures from the week.

I will see you all in March.  

PLEASE VOTE!

Peace, 

Mr. Young

February 14, 2025

Well another 4 day week has come and gone. This week the kids have been part of a residency involving African drumming and dancing. We shared a culminating showcase of the dances we learned this afternoon in the gym. The performance was recorded, and information will be posted on how to view it (from Kaiya). A big shout out to the WES PTA for funding this opportunity.

This week's read-a-louds were Guess Again by Mac Barnett, Once Upon a Time by Niki Daly, and the Jolly Pirate by Brett Helquist. All three of these books are new to our classroom library. Guess Again, is a fun book that tries to trick kids in what they think will happen on the next page. Once Upon a Time is a book that focuses on a student who is nervous to read. "When Sarie's teacher says, "Children, take out your reading books," a sick feeling grips Sarie. The words trip up her tongue and she stutters and stammers, making the children in the back row giggle. But there are two people who her schoolfriend Emile, and Ou Missus, the old lady living over the veld. One Sunday, Sarie comes across an old copy of Cinderella and begs Ou Missus to read it to her, Ou Missus says, "No - we will read it together." Sarie's confidence grows, until the day comes when the school principal says to Sarie, "You read beautifully!"

This was a great book to read with the message of persevering with ones ability to read. 

Our writing this week had the kids finishing their writing from the reading of Brave Irene. On Monday, the students brainstormed ways in which Irene demonstrated her braveness. They did this by citing specific examples from the story. The class then used this list to write a new letter to me in the form of another opinion piece. Next week we will start writing about each student's favorite toy. 

I still need the three pictures from Hewitt, Finn, and Luke.  They can be placed in this folder.

The kids had another glorious winter sports day on Wednesday. It is so great to see how this group helps each other get ready. I want to give a specific shout-out to Finn and Landen.  They are able to get ready fairly quickly and then kindly help others buckle up their boots too. A big kudos to them for their kindness and teamwork.  

NOTES:

*Please make sure to label any winter clothing your child brings in. It is amazing how large our lost and found (with unlabeled items) gets during the winter months.  

*Please make sure your child's homework bags is sent back to school on Wednesday mornings. With some kids bringing a different bag to school on ski days, it is hard for them to remember to grab it from their backpack.

*Each year I run a basketball camp at Harwood. If your child would like to attend, please email me for an application.

Peace,

Mr. Young

February 7, 2025

The kids have a snowball fight during morning meeting 

I am writing this on Thursday evening (instead of Friday) in order to use my Friday prep time to plan for next week. So it is only based on two and a half days of school and a Winter Program afternoon.  I hope yesterday's school cancellation didn't cause too much of a problem for your work schedules. I know I had to spend a good amount of time snow blowing and cleaning up the snow we did get. 

I had ordered a variety of new read a loud books over the past few weeks. I have been spending some time finding new and interesting book options. This week I read the book Claude, A True Story of a White Alligator by Emma Bland Smith and Once Upon A Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O' Malley. Claude is the story of the California Academy of Sciences' beloved albino alligator, from his birth in Louisiana to his present day life in his swamp at the Academy. Claude is a celebrity alligator and the mascot for San Francisco's California Academy of Sciences. The 2nd book begins with a boy and a girl who were supposed to tell their favorite fairy tale to their class. They couldn’t agree on which story was best, so they made one up. The girl begins. She introduces the beautiful Princess Tenderheart, who had eight beautiful ponies named Jasmie, Nimble, Sophie, Polly, Penny, Sunny, Monica, and Buttercup. When a giant begins stealing her ponies, Princess Tenderheart cries all day. The boy doesn’t like the way the story is going, so he brings in a cool motorcycle dude to fight the giant and earn the gold thread that the princess spins from straw. The girl says "wait a minute, the girl can fight for her needs too!" The girl doesn’t like the way the story is going, so they end up making an ending together that both of them can enjoy—sort of.

Reading with our Classroom Buddies

NOTES:

*As some of you know first hand, there are lots of colds, stomach bugs and a variety of other illnesses in our school community. Please reinforce the idea of hand washing and trying to use tissues to clear out our noses. 

*This is the final time I will post the class list (for Valentine's) before 2/14/25. Please use this if your child needs this list.  

Wiley, Olen, Jayden, Hewitt, River, Paxton, Emma, Hazel, Elowyn, Ava, Annabelle, Amelie, Luke, Nora, Edie, Landen, and Finne

That is all for now.  I hope you all have a great weekend.

Peace,

Mr. Young