September 18, 2026

We have had a wonderful week! The children are doing exceptionally well with their daily classroom routines, and they continue to be super focused during their work time. Alongside our academic learning, we have focused on kindness, friendship, and how the two are deeply intertwined. We discussed how small acts of kindness nurture lasting friendships and help build a supportive, caring classroom community.

1st Grade Math: Tallying, Numeral Writing, and Missing Addends

In 1st grade math, our learning centered on students working through the concept of determining missing addends and amounts taken away when starting with a given number of dots. They also worked on finding ten and some more with numbers ranging from 10-20. The students also used the greater than and less than notations in a card game with these numbers. These activities are essential for early math development because they build subitizing skills, reinforce proper numeral formation, and deepen part-part-whole reasoning, establishing a crucial foundation for addition and subtraction fluency.

2nd Grade Math: Venn Diagrams, and Data Analysis

The 2nd graders engaged with converting their Venn diagram data into picture and bar graphs and wrote mathematical comparison statements about their findings. Sorting attributes and graphing data are vital for mathematical development because they lay the groundwork for set theory, data literacy, and logical classification, while writing comparison statements teaches students to construct clear mathematical arguments grounded in data.

Language Arts & Daily 5 Assessments

In language arts, students continued practicing their independent Daily 5 routines. Having these self-monitoring routines established allowed me to conduct a variety of district-required language arts assessments individually with students while the rest of the class stayed productively engaged in meaningful literacy tasks.

Science Notebooks: Thinking Like Real Scientists

In science, our students were introduced (and for 2nd graders, re-introduced) to Science Notebooks! Science notebooks serve as a central place for young learners to record observations, track their developing ideas, and act like real scientists. They fulfill five core purposes in our classroom:

• Recording Observations: Students use drawings, labels, numbers, and simple sentences to capture what they see, predict, and discover during hands-on experiments.

• Building Scientific Thinking: Notebooks help children ask questions, test ideas, and look back at past entries to see how their thinking changes over time.

• Integrating Literacy: They support early writing and reading skills by combining science concepts with English Language Arts (ELA) through vocabulary lists, sentence frames, and reflections.

• Formative Assessment: I review the pages to understand what students comprehend, spot misconceptions, and offer guidance.

• Fostering Ownership: Keeping an organized log gives students a sense of pride and personal accountability for their learning.

To practice this process, students learned how to make a realistic diagram, label it, use a magnifying glass to zoom in on close-up details, and write "I notice..." and "I wonder..." statements. We practiced this using real apples and flowers, and these notebooks will be used across every science unit we explore this year.

Read Alouds:

Our read-aloud time focused on the arrival of autumn with four seasonal books:

• Mouse's First Fall: A sweet story following Mouse and Minka as they discover the vibrant colors, shapes, and crunchy leaf piles of autumn.

• We're Going on a Leaf Hunt: An adventurous tale of three friends hiking over mountains and through forests to collect colorful fall leaves.

• When the Leaf Blew In: A humorous chain-reaction story showing how a single blowing leaf sets off a silly sequence of events among farm animals.

• Hello Kitty, Fun Fall Day: A cheerful seasonal book following Hello Kitty and her friends as they enjoy classic fall activities outdoors (a huge hit with our classroom Hello Kitty fans!).

Everybody Wins! Literacy Mentoring

This week, Marcy Lutzky visited our classroom to introduce the Everybody Wins! literacy mentoring program. This is supported locally by the Rotary Club of the Mad River Valley, the program pairs adult community volunteers with students in grades 1–6 for one-on-one reading and relationship-building during a weekly "Power Lunch" on Tuesdays or Thursdays (11:15 AM – 12:15 PM. Mentors act as caring adult friends rather than tutors or academic testers, sharing books and conversation to build reading enthusiasm, self-confidence, and social connection. An informational page was sent home with students. If you would like your child to be considered for the program, please return the completed form by next Tuesday.

Notes & Reminders

• Weekly News Journal: Today your child will bring home their Weekly News Journal in their homework bag. It is their chance to write about something they did this week that they want to share, with the goal of working on quick paragraph writing. For some children, they will write a lot, and for others, they may only write a sentence at this point in the year. When you see the journal, take a look at the note on the inside of the cover. Then read the writing and initial it. Please have your child bring it back in their bag on Monday.

• Parent Volunteer Sign-Up: Your child also has a parent volunteer sign-up sheet. Please take a look at volunteer time opportunities and sign up for any slots that could work for you so I can create a schedule. If you want to do more than 1 slot a week, please indicate that on the bottom of the paper. If you would like to alternate every other week with a slot, please note that as well. Please return these by Thursday of next week.

• Everybody Wins! Forms: Due back by Tuesday.

That is all for now. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Peace,
Mr. Young

We have had a fantastic week of learning, growing, and building community together! Here is this week's update on everything our class accomplished this week.

Classroom Community: Week 3 & Responsive Rule Creation
As we wrapped up Week 3 of the first six weeks of school, our primary focus was continuing to build academic stamina across content areas, practicing daily routines, and watching our classroom expectations come to life. This week, we engaged in the Responsive Classroom rule creation process, a cooperative approach where rules are generated directly from the students' own aspirations. We began by having each child articulate their personal "hopes and dreams" or learning goals for the school year. From there, we discussed what conditions and expectations need to be in place so that every class member feels safe, supported, and able to accomplish those goals. By grounding our class rules in supporting everyone's individual goals, our students gain a deep sense of shared ownership, responsibility, and teamwork.

1st Grade Math: Counting On & Number Bonds
Our first graders focused on strengthening key addition strategies and mental math models. Students learned and practiced the counting on strategy, where they start with a known quantity and count forward (e.g., starting at six and counting "seven, eight, nine" to add three) rather than starting back at one, reinforcing this skill through engaging cooperative math games. We also introduced number bonds, which are visual mathematical diagrams showing how a whole number is split into parts (for example, showing that the whole number eight can be decomposed into parts of five and three). Understanding number bonds is essential because it builds mental flexibility with numbers, deepens part-whole reasoning, and lays a strong foundation for mastering addition and subtraction facts.

2nd Grade Math: Attribute Blocks & "I Noticed..." Statements

Our second graders engaged in higher-level spatial reasoning by sorting geometric attribute blocks using overlapping Venn diagrams based on multiple characteristics like shape, color, size, and thickness. In connection with our interactive modeling practices, students shared structured "I noticed..." statements to describe specific patterns and visual observations. Working with attribute blocks and Venn diagrams is vital for early math development because it lays the foundation for classification, logical reasoning, and set theory. Furthermore, using "I noticed..." statements encourages mathematical communication and critical thinking, teaching students to analyze data carefully and justify their mathematical reasoning with precise language.

Writing & Self-Editing Habits

In writing, students were introduced to an editing checklist focused on core grammar and mechanics skills, including capitalization, punctuation, word spacing, and spelling checks. This tool establishes the essential habit of re-reading written work and making thoughtful edits before considering a piece complete. Applying these new editing strategies, the children wrote personal pieces reflecting on their favorite parts of school.

Read-Aloud Spotlight
Our read-aloud time featured four wonderful books that sparked lively classroom discussions and deepened our love of stories. We read Gilbert Goldfish Wants A Pet, the story of a goldfish eagerly searching for a pet of his own to keep him company; Guess Again!, a playful rhyming riddle book filled with unexpected, silly answers that encouraged creative thinking; You're Going to Love This Book!, an interactive tale designed to generate excitement for reading together; and Problem Solved!, an engaging book about identifying challenges and working step-by-step through creative solutions.

Daily 5 Literacy Block Routine

We officially launched our Daily 5 routine, which forms the core student-centered structure for our reading and literacy block. The framework centers around authentic literacy choices: Reading Group with Mr. Young for guided instruction, Lexia Core 5 digital phonics, Read to Self to build independent stamina, Writing, and Word Work for hands-on vocabulary and spelling practice. Built on the core principle that purpose combined with choice drives student motivation, Daily 5 empowers children to manage their own learning through explicitly taught routines, visual I-Charts, and kinesthetic practice that becomes habit. Students learned that there are valid ways to read a book (reading the pictures, reading the words, and retelling the story) and began using the I-PICK framework to independently select "good-fit books" for their personal book bags. The children did an amazing job learning expectations and transitioning smoothly between stations. Establishing this routine creates a structured, self-monitoring environment that allows Mr. Young dedicated, uninterrupted time to deliver highly individualized reading instruction tailored to each child's needs.

Notes

• Scholastic Book Orders: Book orders are due by September 14, 2026. An informational sheet was sent home in your child's homework bag on Tuesday.
• Homework Bags: Homework bags will not go home today. Everyone did a great job of bringing them back each day, and the kids are so excited about the books they get to bring home!
• Birthday Shout-Out: A big shout-out to Sariah, who celebrated her 7th birthday today! Thank you for sending in the yummy muffins and sharing them with your friends.

We had an amazing week and the class is already in a great rhythm. I hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy the early fall season.

Peace,

Mr. Young

September 4, 2026

It has been a wonderful first full week of school! Our main focus right now is establishing the routines, signals, and habits that will make our classroom run smoothly all year. In line with the Responsive Classroom approach, specifically guided by principles from The First Six Weeks of School, we are spending time laying a strong social and academic foundation. When children feel safe, known, and comfortable with classroom expectations, true learning can flourish.

HOPES & DREAMS 

This week, each student completed their "Hopes and Dreams" for the school year. Framing the year around student goals helps build intrinsic motivation and invests the children in their own growth. Ask your child what goal or hope they shared for 1st or 2nd grade!

MATH HIGHLIGHTS & WHY THEY MATTER

1st Grade: Students spent the week establishing math workshop routines, exploring the September calendar, practicing proper numeral formation, and playing partner games focused on "counting on" using six-sided dot and numeral dice. Why this matters: Early math success relies heavily on strong foundational habits. Learning how to use math tools, talk through solutions with partners, and recognize quantities quickly sets the stage for more complex problem-solving ahead.

2nd Grade: Students focused on identifying shapes and attributes by constructing "attribute trains," where each consecutive block must differ from the previous one by a single attribute (like color, shape, or size). Why this matters: Sorting and identifying attributes develops critical thinking, logical reasoning, and pattern recognition. It teaches students to look closely at details, a skill that transfers directly into reading, writing, and higher-level mathematics.

CLASSROOM TOOLS & "ALL ABOUT ME" POSTERS

Our hallway is officially decorated! The students completed "All About Me" posters this week. While this project helped us learn more about one another and celebrate what makes each child unique, it also served a practical purpose: it gave us guided practice in using, sharing, and caring for our classroom art tools appropriately.

READ-ALOUD HIGHLIGHTS

Read-aloud time is a cherished part of our day. These books kept us laughing while helping us practice listening, making predictions, and enjoying stories together:

The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith. A delightfully silly, cumulative rhyming book about a three-legged, one-eyed donkey that had the whole room giggling.

Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown. A funny role-reversal tale where a bear adopts a human boy, teaching us about empathy and boundaries.

The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak. A wildly entertaining book that forces the reader to say ridiculous words, showing kids the power and humor found in print.

This Book Is Perfect by Ron Krayewski. A witty story about a pink sloth trying to keep a book pristine, highlighting themes of perfectionism and accepting messy fun.

The Scariest Story You've Ever Heard by Ron Krayewski. A lightheartedly spooky tale with a clever twist ending that kept the kids on the edge of their seats.

THE FIRST 20 MINUTES of the DAY

I wanted to review the 1st 20 minutes of each day. As I said during conferences, it is a chance for kids to come in, connect with me, have breakfast/snack, and connect with their friends. The doors of the school open at 7:25 and the time goes until our meeting at 7:50. Students must be in the room by 7:40. If your child arrives after 7:40 it makes it challenging for them to access this important time. Please do everything you can to have them in school by 7:40.

A FOND FAREWELL: 

Today was a bittersweet day as we said goodbye to Rylan, who is moving to a new town with family. We wrapped up the week with a sweet ice cream celebration to wish him all the best in his new adventure.We will miss him!

LOOKING AHEAD

*PHOTO DAY is September 15th.

*I do a few Scholastic book orders each year. On Tuesday, I will send home the information for the 1st one. Please look for it in your child's bag on Tuesday.

*Homework Bags (Ziploc). On Tuesday, your child 

*Please check out the right hand side of the blog page. It has links for schedules and lots of other information.

*Please have your child wear sneakers on gym days. If you want your child to leave a pair in their cubby send them in and let me know. I will help them with that.

*We try to go out for recess no matter what (unless it is below zero or pouring rain). Please make sure your child dresses for the weather. The cooler weather often has kids looking for a sweatshirt or fleece.

*I am going to ask for understanding when it comes to the blog. I usually try to get this done during my only prep period on Fridays. I am typing and composing it at a rather fast pace. If I have a typo or a misspelling (because I have fat fingers) please correct it in your mind and continue on. I firmly believe editing is important but getting the information out in a timely manner trumps that (in this case). Thank you for your understanding.

*Homework bags will start coming home next week. These are a gallon Ziploc bag that will have your child's name on it. I explained these in my introduction letter too. Any forms, notes, or information that you need to see, will be in this bag. Please look for it each night, take care of the items and then send the bag back. Kids will be able to take home a book (Monday-Thursday) from our classroom library. The books must stay in this bag when it is not being read. Please take the time to work with your child on this routine and how to take care of the books they bring home. These books are ones that the kids would like to have read to them and/or can read themselves. It is optional each night.

HOWEVER, I need the books to be returned (in the plastic Ziploc bag) each day.  Even if you don't get to finish a book or have a chance to read it, I need them sent back daily (This is CRUCIAL to have the system work).  Homework bags won't come home on Fridays. 

We are off to a fantastic start. The class is learning our daily routines quickly, working thoughtfully together, and proving to be an absolute joy to teach. I am so excited for the year ahead with this group.

I hope you all enjoy a restful and wonderful long weekend!

Peace,

Mr. Young