We have had a very exciting and productive couple of days.  During stations yesterday and today everyone had the chance to use the Smart Board, our interactive white board. We worked on building combinations of numbers to make 5, and everyone had a chance to use their finger to write some numbers on the board as well.  We also began the Fundations program, which will focus on letter sounds and formation for the next few months.  We worked on lower case t's.  I will send more information about this in your child's folder in the next few days.

Most exciting was our first butterfly, which emerged around 10:00 on Wednesday morning.  We had a great discussion about what that butterfly would need to survive, noting that we would need to let it go so it could have space.We watched it's wings expand and dry for several hours before releasing it in the garden.

Today we worked on illustrating one hope or dream for the school year- something each child would like to learn or work on at school.   Children shared these with the class and I will keep them in mind as I continue planning throughout the year.  They will also serve as a springboard for a class discussion about rules and general ways of being in the classroom.  To accomplish all of our hopes and dreams our classroom will need to be a place where everyone can enjoy doing things that matter to him or her.

We have continued to watch our caterpillars as they grow and change.  We now have 4 chrysalids, 1 caterpillar that will surely be a chrysalis by tomorrow morning, and 3 little caterpillars busily eating and growing.  The caterpillars have helped us begin discussions about living and non-living things.

Thank you to everyone who turned in the checklists for the ECO program.  If you haven't turned one in  for your child it would be great if you could do so by the end of the week so I can gather any extra clothing we might need.

Today in your child's folder I have sent an explanation of the ECO (Educating Children Outdoors) program that we will be participating in this year.  There is also a very detailed explanation of this from the North Branch Nature Center copied as a blog post below.  Let me know if you have any questions!
Thanks to the PTO for funding much of this program.

In addition I have sent a class list so you know who your child's classmates are.  The PTO will send a school directory home in the next couple of months.

ECO – Educating Children Outside

“Children live through their senses.  Sensory experiences link the child’s exterior world with their interior, hidden, affective world.  Since the natural environment is the principal source of sensory stimulation, freedom to explore and play with the outdoor environment through senses in their own space and time is essential for healthy development of an interior life…” explains North Carolina State professor Robin Moore, director of the National Learning Initiative (Louv 2005).

Your child’s class will be using the outdoors as their classroom this year to learn how to care for themselves, others and the environment.  Amy Butler from the North Branch Nature Center, will be spending    3          hours every other week with the class outside.  This time will enrich and support classroom learning as well as:

-        Immerse students in the natural world

-        Allow students to make observations over a sustained period of time

-        Foster stewardship of Vermont's natural communities

-        Develop of community citizenship

-        Provide students with experiential and place-based learning opportunities 

-        Support current curricular themes

-        Meet Vermont’s Framework of Standards

The focus of our work revolves around teaching students to care for themselves, to care for each other and to care for the environment.  When children care for themselves, they participate in the classroom community and care for others.  Practicing empathy for people often leads to the empowerment of caring for the environment and community.  In order for children to care for the environment they need to have direct experiences in nature to connect to. Our program aims to create that balance.

  Activities and Lessons

Students will explore standards-based themes that will include (depending on the grade level): animal adaptations, life cycles, ecosystems, rocks and soil, scientific method, physical geography, mapping, cultural diversity, Vermont history (including native Vermonters), Vermont geography, and citizenship.  This content will be presented through skill-based games, observing, journaling, building, drawing, writing, spending time at a sit-spot, tracking, sharing stories, and singing.

Dealing with various weather conditions

This program is a half-day outdoor experience, as long as the weather permits us to be outside.  If the weather presents uncomfortable or hazardous conditions, such as lightning, heavy and persistent rains, cold and wet weather, wind chill factor at or below zero degrees Fahrenheit or high winds, we will hold the program in the classroom. 

In the instance of very cold winter days or cold wet weather, we may go outside for only short periods of time, making sure to keep the students dry and warm. We will be outside in light rain as well as on a typical cold winter day, so helping your child to be prepared is important!  Please read the “Being Prepared” section for a list of clothing needs.

 Being Prepared / Clothing List

The following list of clothing is necessary for every student to have.  We are requesting that children have rain pants and jacket by September 26th and all the other cold-weather clothing no later than November 1st. If you find it difficult to obtain any of these items, or if you have extra at home to give, please contact your child’s teacher. 

-       Rain pants

-       Rain jacket with a hood

-       Long underwear bottoms (moisture wicking is preferred)

-       Long underwear top (moisture wicking is preferred)

-       Wool sweater or fleece top

-       Snow pants

-       Snow jacket

-       Socks (wool or fleece, no Cotton!!)

-       Boots (insulated and warm!)

-       Hat (wool or fleece)

-       Gloves or mittens (please no cotton) 2 pairs

-       Neck warmer or scarf

LAYERING is the key, as we are sometimes very active outdoors and sometimes sitting. Whatever your child is not wearing, they can carry in a backpack. On wet and cold days, pay close attention to the layers close to their skin. If possible, choose a “wicking’ material (i.e.; poly-propylene or capilene, fleece, or wool), this wicks moisture off of the body, rather than soaking through. Cotton is not the best choice because it will hold moisture close to the body and can make a person chill. Hats and/or hoods are required on wet and cold days.  Again, please contact your teacher if you need assistance acquiring the necessary clothing!

Food

On the day of the program, we require each student has:

-       A hearty snack

-       A full water bottle

Volunteer Opportunities

          We need parent/ caregiver volunteers on any Wednesday that we head outside to learn. Please come and explore with us! This a unique learning experience for your child and we would love to share it with you. Below is a list of possible ways that you can be involved and help us have a great year outside.

-       Volunteer parent for the day (join the class for the morning)

-       Guest speaker (a skill to share, games to teach, a story to tell, or local history to pass on)

-       Financial contributions (for warm and dry clothing)

-       Parent donation group (work with a few other parents to solicit local business donations for clothing purchases)

-       Firewood donations (a few split logs from your home supply would be great!)

 If you have any questions about ECO, please contact your child’s teacher.  We look forward to all the adventures we will have with you and your child this year!

Perhaps your child has mentioned that we have a helper every morning.  Colleen Todd joins us from 8:00- 11:30 and helps us in every way possible!

We have slowly begun sharing our artifact bags.  This is a great opportunity for children to practice really listening to their peers so they can learn something about them.  We have been sharing one at a time throughout the day to optimize good listening.  We will keep sharing several each day until everyone has had a turn.

This week we have been doing stations during what will become our math station time.  We have started with 4 stations:  blocks, sand table, scientific drawings of caterpillars and chrysalises, and cutting (to practice scissor use).  We have been practicing staying in our station for the whole time (10 minutes to start), using an appropriate volume, and working with other children in our station.

Today we officially began Writers Workshop by reading the book Library Mouse.  In this book, a mouse Sam writes books for the children who visit the library and helps them realize that writing is fun and not so hard if you write about what you know.  We brainstormed ideas of what we could write about and then talked about starting with a picture and adding details.  Several children mentioned that they can't yet write words.  No big deal!  We can write pretend words or letters we know (and while this is all going on Colleen and I will help scribe.) We wrote for 15 minutes and many children were not ready to stop!

In an effort to streamline and simplify things the school district is asking that all staff begin using new school email accounts.  I will continue to use the email address I already shared as a personal account, but for work I will begin using abeattie@waitsfieldschool.org.  It would be great if you could use this account to contact me, although I will still get messages at the old account.

What a fantastic first week we have had!  Your children have been amazing as they have adapted to new faces, new routines, and for many a new school.  From learning our circle routine, to navigating the lunch room, and even quiet reading, they have done a wonderful job.  Some of the many things we have done the last few days are:

• practiced walking in a line to get from one part of the building to another
• learned the routine for quietly reading and practiced it for 10 minutes!
• watched our caterpillars voraciously munching through piles of milkweed
• explored different math materials during stations (pattern blocks, geo-blocks, linking cubes)
• practiced writing and drawing on white boards
• listened to many stories and looked at many wordless picture books, creating the story line ourselves
• sang Down by the Bay and created our own rhyming verses
• painted our own giant paper bucket that we will try to fill with our kind thoughts and acts (ask your child to tell you about the book Have You Filled a Bucket)
• participated in music, gym, art, guidance, and a brief French class
• explored the playground and all of the new equipment
• explored many different choices during free time in the classroom

It has been a busy week!  Today in your child's folder I have sent some information to give you a general sense of our schedule.  Minor changes are already occurring as the need arises (gym on Thursday will actually be at 1:00), but this gives you an overall sense of our days.

If you haven't returned the forms that were sent in the red folders, please do so as soon as possible. These can go directly to Kathi, or I can deliver them to her.  Have wonderful weekend!
I will post some pictures soon-I've had some difficulty transferring pictures to my new computer!

We had a great first day! Getting a school year under way takes a lot of patience on the part of students, with a lot of time spent listening and learning routines. Everyone did a wonderful job.   Much of our time in the coming weeks will be spent reviewing expectations and practicing routines. We will also focus much of our attention on getting to know each other and building our classroom community.

In your child’s bag  today you will find a bluish-purple folder with a note of explanation inside, along with a paper bag that will be your child's artifact bag (also explained in the folder note.)  You should also find a red folder from Kathi with general school information and paper work.  These can be returned directly to Kathi at the front desk, or you can send them in your child's backpack and I will get them to her.  I know that your children will sleep well tonight!