Highlights of the Week from 10-14-16

Hello friends and families,

This week we did many exciting things in our classroom. We've begun reading short stories together from a collection called Rhinos and Raspberries: Tolerance Tales for the Early Grades. These are folk tales from around the world that teach us more about acceptance and tolerance. We use these lessons in our everyday life when we relate to other people and friends. It also ties in well with our social studies unit about our personal histories and what makes us the same and what makes us different. We played a fun game, "Just Like ME!," that demonstrated this too. 

Leslie Johnson (a teacher of the deaf working here at Rumney) also came in again this week to read us a book about hearing loss and how we can more successfully talk to someone who has hearing aids or cochlear implants. She read The Elephant in the Room by Jim Bombicino. If you'd like more information about this, feel free to contact me or Leslie!

Our ABC All About Me books are nearing completion! We've been sharing a page or word a day with different friends but we can't wait to be able to read each others' books and learn more about each other!

On Thursday we scrubbed and chopped the potatoes we harvested last month with crinkle knives. Soon our cooks Deb and Sabrina will roast them into an all school garden snack! We also had our first 4 Winds with Karen. We learned about insects, their bodies, and two types of metamorphosis: simple and complete! We looked at insects Karen collected outside using our digital microscope!

Figuring out what pieces they need to finish the bumblebee metamorphosis cycle.

This group found all the pieces to the lady beetle metamorphosis cycle.

Some insects have wings.

This aphid had laid some eggs.

First and second grade mathematicians continue to work steadily on their strategies to add and/or subtract. They are practicing ways to use a number line (written or visual in their head). They are gaining more skills in how to explain their thinking or how to use varied strategies to figure something out or prove it.

In a couple of weeks we'll be beginning a new science unit. Here are some household items we'll need: cardboard tubes (from paper towels or toilet paper), small shoe-box size boxes, tin foil, waxed paper cups (small), plastic cups (medium and large). Please send some in if you have any!

Fox Kits Corner
Here's what's important to us this week:

• We liked our classroom jobs.
• We liked writing our ABC books in Writer's Workshop. Some people got to finish or get close to finishing!
• We liked cutting the potatoes for the school snack.
• We got to read books with our buddies today.
• We finished McPufferson and got a new champ. Our new champ is Penny Gee!
• We loved having lunch bunch this week!
• We got to see bugs laying eggs in 4 Winds. We saw bugs up close with a digital microscope that connected to the SMARTBoard.
• We liked using the parachute in P.E.
• We had a dance party in music!!!!

Dates to Remember:
Thursday October 20 - All School Meeting 9:15-10:00
Friday October 28 - Halloween Dress Rehearsal. (Students may wear one part of their costumes to school but no masks, things covering faces, make-up, or scary/gross things) 
Monday October 31 - Low Key Halloween Party 2:50-3:25 - wear orange and black!