Thursday, December 22, 2011

Sunday, December 18, 2011

NAP Day

We will spend the day outdoors, with opportunities for: nature art, debris shelter tours, ropes exploration, bread and apple roasting, and many songs, games and explorations.
We need your help:
1.      Please join us if you are able (even for a part of the time)
2.    Contribute a bag of apples
3.    Send a bag lunch and water bottle( or let us know by Thursday if you need a school bag lunch)
4.    Help your child wear layers:
-        Long underwear layer
-        Heavy Clothing layer
-        Outdoor layer(Jacket, snow pants, hat, mittens)
-        Wool socks and Winter boots

We plan to leave around 9:00 and return by 2:00
Please call me with any ideas or questions….

Friday, December 16, 2011

Some Videos For Sharing Day

Adrianna( mom to Ian and Vincent), sent in this message:
"Ian really wanted to share something funny we found for the holidays and wanted to use it as his share.  It is an elf video and we used everyone in the class so there is a total of 4 videos."
(just click on the link, and wait a few seconds for it to load)


   
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/o8wzKmLtWVGFYCgQWjTF

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/ad7LHSGKv3WeTXDcpNLh

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/6cM8RP73sPlHG1unVypx

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/AK8IJFZwaHI2WBJa


The class loved these and asked that I post them here, so families can see them too. Look for a surprise in the fourth video!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

5th Grade Fundraiser

The fifth grade teachers and students would like to invite each classroom  to visit the fifth grade wing on Friday, December 9.  The fifth grade students will be hosting a craft fair/bake sale.  Items to be sold will include, (but not limited to), baked goods, popsicle stick baskets, t-shirts, earrings, necklaces, pencil holders, rose pens, duct tape wallets, ribbon barrettes, crayon discs, bookmarks and a used book sale.  Some students will even play their instruments as you shop!  Items will range in price from about 25 cents to $3.50.  All proceeds will go to their Boston trip in the spring.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Letter Writing

Our December focus for Writer's Workshop is letter writing. We have discussed the format of a letter, the purpose of a letter, and the ways letters can be used to share information. We have written to our first grade pen pals in East Montpelier, and also have written some letters together. We will continue to read books that feature letters. This week, we looked at "Click, Clack, Moo." The story uses letters to show persuasion and negotiation. Some first graders have decided to work on letters in their writing notebooks. So far I have seen letters to : our class pet Ozzie, Santa, Mr. Bradley, and to classmates. I cannot wait to see what happens next week when we create small mailboxes in the classroom!

If you enjoy letter writing, or have special family letters to share, please let me know.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Quiet Cafe

Beginning Monday all students will be asked to go to Quiet Cafe to eat their lunch and socialize with other first graders when it is their assigned day. Students attend in alphabetical order segments by their last name,
Students whose last names begin with the letters...

Mon: A-C
Tues: D-I
Wed: J-M
Thurs: N-R
Friday: S-Z

 I have  discusses this with our class, and will review again at Morning Meeting on Monday. The change is school-wide and the purpose is to provide an alternative lunch experience for all students in a smaller group setting.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Update on Mr. Whiskers and Lorraine

 
When we returned to our debris shelter after two weeks, we found that our cardboard friends had remained fairly dry, but had actually curled up from dampness. Most first graders agreed that it would be difficult to stay in a debris shelter for several weeks. In an emergency, a stay in a debris shelter could be lifesaving.!

We also had a surprise outside our shelter. A third cardboard cutout was resting outside the door of our shelter. There was no note or identifying marking on it. We are all wondering where this new  cardboard friend came from!

The mystery visitor to our debris shelter.

Fill- A -Nest

Each class at Union School has reached 500 hoots. This means students have been using CARES all over the school. Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibilty, Empathy and Self Control, are the targeted behaviors that we are all working on!

The Fill-a Nest event was scheduled to recognize this achievement. Classes were able to bring their donated food items to Screetch, get a class phots, and some high fives( or high 2's?) and to give to those who may need some extra help with food this season. All donations will go to the Montpelier Food Pantry.



Union School kids collected over 1,000 food items for the Food Pantry!!