01-09-18 GBH Newsletter

Important Events (Always defer to the parent calendar on our website, if you notice a discrepancy.)

• No School (MLK Day/National Day of Service): Monday January 15th
• January’s Next Monday Early Releases: January 29th

Reminders:

• Make sure your child has PE shoes every day at school- this is important for both our fun and our safety.  Make sure your child brings warm gear and rain gear to school every day.

Requests

• ALL students are expected to have a library card with them daily- This is an important part of our independent research.  We have already managed to get 32 out of 41.  But, we are aiming for 100%

Weekly Update:  

On either Thursday and Friday of this week, we will be inviting children to join us for walking field trips to the park and the library to search for books.  This will take place during the middle of the day- we plan to do lunch and recess at the park, then go to the library in smaller groups.  This trip will get us some exercise, enjoy some time together, and will help build the habit of getting to the library.  We have found our students who regularly go to the library have better resources for the research and are chewing through more books!  We will only be inviting children who have their library cards because the main purpose of this trip is to check out books.  Please support your child by making sure they have a library card, by making sure they dress for the trip, and helping them pack a lunch that is portable.   

Last week was a great week of new beginnings!  We are very excited to have Miriam join our environment as a  sixth year student.  She has fit in wonderfully so far, and we are excited to see how she adds to the community over the course of the rest of the year.  

We also began music this last week.  Susanna Botieff is her name.  She is fantastic and brings great energy, skill, and talent to the classroom.  Students have the choice to be in choir, recorder, or both with her.  Some students have asked if they can buy a recorder to practice at home.  The answer is yes! There is a company in Salem that makes very high quality recorders, for very affordable prices.  

If you want to order a recorder, here is the website:  https://www.peripole.com/items/view/1018 The item to order is the Peripole® Baroque Soprano Halo® Recorder Item #: P6000 $5.50.

Great Blue Heron Upper Elementary – Learning Journal Map #6 (Jan 2nd - Jan 19th)  

	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3
Daily Challenges/ Morning Work:	Math Monday Challenge                                     □ Week 1                        □ Week 2                          □  Week 3           Trivia Tuesday Challenge                                    □ Week 1                        □ Week 2                          □  Week 3 Wordly Wednesday Challenge                          □ Week 1                        □ Week 2                          □  Week 3 Thoughtful Thursday Challenge                        □ Week 1                        □ Week 2                          □  Week 3 Refried(ay) Reflection Letter                              □ Week 1                        □ Week 2                          □  Week 3
Math	□ Math Lesson: ________________________ □ Follow up  _______  Follow Up _________ □  Mountain Math  ______ - _______	□ Math Lesson: ________________________ □ Follow up  _______  Follow Up _________ □  Mountain Math  ______ - _______	□ Math Lesson: ________________________ □ Follow up  _______  Follow Up _________ □  Mountain Math  ______ - _______
Reader’s/ Writer’s Workshop	□ Partner Read the Short Story. □  Complete 1 pink card. □	□ Partner Read the Short Story. □  Complete 1 pink card. □	□ Partner Read the Short Story. □  Complete 1 pink card. □
Organization	□  Conference                    □ Clean out Cubby	□  Conference                    □ Clean out Cubby	□  Conference                    □ Clean out Cubby

Lesson (Not Math):	Follow Up Plan	Lesson (Not Math):	Follow Up Plan
	□                      □		□                      □
	□                      □		□                      □
	□                      □		□                      □
	□                      □		□                      □
	□ □		□ □

Extension:

Reading:	Books I am reading: __________________________________, ________________________________, __________________________________ Circle when you have finished them.
Project:	□ The type of project I am working on: ___________________________________________________ □ FIlled out Project Plan (and got it approved/edited) □ Completed Project    or      Abandoned Project     or       Requested more time
Project:	□ The type of project I am working on: ___________________________________________________ □ FIlled out Project Plan (and got it approved/edited) □ Completed Project    or      Abandoned Project     or       Requested more time

01-02-18 GBH Newsletter

Important Events (Always defer to the parent calendar on our website, if you notice a discrepancy.)

• January’s Monday Early Releases: January 8th and 29th
• No School (MLK Day/National Day of Service): Monday January 15th

Reminders:

• Make sure your child has PE shoes every day at school- this is important for both our fun and our safety.  Make sure your child brings warm gear and rain gear to school every day.

Requests

• ALL students are expected to have a library card with them daily- this is an important part of our independent research.  Please check with your child and get them a library card if they don’t have one.  Then support them in developing a system for keeping track of it.  We plan on taking a walking trip to the library in the first week back to get books for research, and we need to make sure all students can come with us.  

Weekly Update:  

The Friday before break included art projects, an impressive work share, a group of students making a delicious group of soups and bread for 55 people, and a student planned dance party.  It finished with students opening really impressive and thoughtful Secret Snowflake gifts.  We are excited to pick up the new year with some new learning and projects.  Please help make sure your child has  their library card so we can do Goings Out to get research books and start 2018 with reading, research, and curiosity.   

Gratitude Corner:

• A special thank you to the families who kept our are going to end up with the animals- Alex’s family, Ben and Lily’s family, and Sage’s family.
• Thank you for the thoughtful holiday cards and gifts before break.

12-12-17 GBH Newsletter

Important Events (Always defer to the parent calendar on our website, if you notice a discrepancy.)

• PAJAMA DAY, Project Fair, and 2017 Celebration: Dec 15
• Secret Snowflake Exchange: Dec 15th (Presents must be there the day before)
• December 18th -January 1st: No School- Winter Break
  

Reminders:

• Make sure your child has PE shoes every day at school- this is important for both our fun and our safety.  Make sure your child brings warm gear and rain gear to school every day.

Requests

• ALL students are expected to have a library card with them daily- this is an important part of our independent research.  Please check with your child and get them a library card if they don’t have one.  Then support them in developing a system for keeping track of it.  We plan on taking a walking trip to the library in the first week back to get books for research, and we need to make sure all students can come with us.  

Weekly Update:  

This last weekend our three lego robotics teams went and competed with other schools and organizations.  It was a great learning experience, and it sounds like fun was had.  On Monday morning it was very enjoyable to hear about the adventures and misadventures of the weekend.  Thank you to Mateo’s dad, Ava and Emmett’s Mom, and Ben and Lilly’s mom, and Sage’s mom for coming in so frequently to support the lego robotics team before their competition this last weekend.

This Friday is full of fun events!  The students are doing a work share to share the projects they have completed since Thanksgiving break.  We have a PJ Day.  There are 1 to 3 birthday circles.  Several students have organized a dance party in the afternoon, after we have exchanged our secret snowflake gifts.  Also, a group of students have written an invitation to their “food share” for Friday:

During this time of year it is known to give gifts, that's why some of our students, Ava, Rebecca, and Naiya, are cooking soup for their classmates and teachers as one of their independent projects. They are making Chicken Noodle soup, Broccoli Cheddar soup and Tomato Bisque. There will be options for everyone! Additionally, Keller and Lily are both baking for the class as well!  This event will take place, December, 15th, 2017 during lunch. Please send your child with the appropriate size lunch so they have the option to eat soup and bread. Thank you!

Gratitude Corner:

• Helen’s family for seeing the needs in the newsletter and very generously donating to replenish our supplies!
• We have a couple families who have volunteered to take care of the animals over break.  Thank you to the families who volunteered!  A special thank you in advance to the families who are going to end up with the animals- Alex’s family, Ben and Lily’s family, and Sage’s family.
• Thank you to Caid’s family for donating some non-fiction books that fill some holes in our library.

11-28-17 GBH Newsletter

Important Events (Always defer to the parent calendar on our website, if you notice a discrepancy.)

Secret Snowflake Exchange: Dec 15th (Presents must be there the day before)
December 18th -January 1st: No School- Winter Break

Reminders:

• Our classroom blog is: crsblueherons.blogspot.com  It has digital versions of these newsletters, as well as digital versions of the learning journal maps.
• Make sure your child has PE shoes every day at school- this is important for both our fun and our safety.
• Make sure your child brings warm gear and rain gear to school every day- we are committed to making time for being outside daily throughout the winter- whether it is PE, walks for biology lessons, outdoor school, garden groups, or lunch/recess.

Weekly Update:

We hope that your Thanksgiving was rejuvenating and full of love.  It was so nice to meet with so many of you for conferences this last week.  It is so valuable to hear from the families, and it is so inspiring to be part of such a caring, holistic, dedicated community.  

In the student run meeting the students decided they want to do Secret Snowflake again this year.  Please help your child brainstorm what they are going to give/make for their friend.  We will send more information next week, but here is a quick overview.

The large gift has to be made by hand. (You may buy containers, materials, and wrapping paper, and you can use things you have in the house.)  Children do not have to participate, but if they do, they should focus on trying to make a great gift for the other person.  If they make food, be very careful with dietary restrictions (or don’t make food for someone who requests no homemade food).  The goal is to keep the secret snowflake a secret (but not from parents).
The gift has to be there the Thursday (Dec 14th)  before we open them.
                As we discussed in conferences with many of you, we are very excited to be spending the next 3 weeks helping the children guiding them through projects to practice exploring passions, working as a team, solving problems, and developing concentration. We will update you next week on the progress of those projects.  For this week, here are some questions to ask your children as they are resuming being in the classroom community:

• Did you learn any new words today?
• What are you doing on your project?
• What is something that challenged you today?
• How were you brave today?
• Did you help anyone today?
• What made you feel loved today?  What did you do to make others feel loved?