10-31-17 GBH Newsletter

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

• Veteran’s Day- No School: Friday, November 10th
• November Early Release Date: Monday, Nov 13th
• Conferences and Thanksgiving- No School: November 20th-24th
• Conferences: Monday and Tuesday Nov 20th and 21st   

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.

Requests:

• Many students are really enjoying having tea as they work, we have gone through the boxes and are hoping to stock up again on tea and Stevia, if you have the opportunity to donate a box or two of CAFFEINE FREE tea or Stevia packets, we would greatly appreciate it.

Weekly Update:

Happy Halloween. Be safe.

We are in the work of elevating our independent work quality and have seen some really in depth quality work!  On Helen and Molly taught us about wolves and the the trophic cascade effect of the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone.  Later, Noelle and Ava H taught us about primates and even quizzed us at the end!

Other students have started independent research and art

Our next focus as a class is to really work on welcoming each other and becoming a group of caring and nurturing individuals.  We have started to build a community with solid habits of work, effort, planning and quality products.  So, now we are ready to learn how to become each other's’ teachers and real friends.  We will be introducing more games and problem solving techniques this week and making being a real friend our focus  to help make sure each member of our learning family feels welcome, successful, cared for, and important.  This takes practice and work- and we will be giving updates throughout November on the process.

If you are looking to support your child on their days and their growth as someone who leads through caring, here are more questions to discuss over dinner:

• Who did you help today?
• Did you tell anyone “thank you?”  What for?
• What was the hardest part of the code to follow today?
• Who inspired you today? What did they do?
• Can you tell me an example of kindness you saw/showed?  Was there an example of unkindness? How did you respond?
• Did you have any nice connections with your classmates or teachers?
• Now that you’re home, is there anything you’d love to brag about?

Gratitude Corner:

• Michelle and Shannon made an AMAZING new habitat for Luna!  Pictures next week. Thank you to everyone who came to the auction it was a lovely and generous evening!

10-24-17 GBH Newsletter

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

• Friday, October 27th- Auction.
• Monday, October 30th- Historical Halloween.
• Next Early Release: October 30th.

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.
• Historical Halloween Speeches should be memorized and PRACTICED at home this week.  Please help them practice each night.

Requests:

• Come to the Auction!  It will be fun, and it helps a lot with our charter school funding gap.  

Weekly Update:

It was so great to see so many families at the open house! In addition to seeing students show off the classroom critters, their work, and their space- it was nice to get a chance to talk  with so many parents and families.  One thing we mentioned was balancing Freedom and Responsibility (and how they need each other).  One tool we can use together on this is the Learning Journal Map- that is our three week long outline to help students choose balanced work.  We work hard to minimize the learning journal map and keep it open ended to help students stay connected to all their realms, but also have a lot of choice time to explore strengths and passions.  The LJ Map is attached on the classroom blog every 3 weeks so parents can see it as well and have discussions.

There has been a growth curve in the planning and keeping track of long term expectations, but the students are really improving as planners!  As we continue to focus on that dance of balancing freedom and responsibility, our next step is to really make sure we are helping the students foster creativity, curiosity, and quality work.  Please try these conversation stems instead of “how was your day?” over the next week or two to help us develop these skills:

• Tell me something you know today that you didn’t know yesterday.
• What projects are you working on today? What is interesting about them?
• What did you do that was creative?
• Did you have any victories you want to share?
• What was frustrating about your day? What made you smile today?
• What did you work on from your learning journal today?
• Let’s look at your learning journal map and discuss what you are working on and what questions you can answer tomorrow.
• Let’s look at the learning journal map, and divide up your work so it is just a little each day.

Gratitude Corner:

• Thank you to the families who brought food for the open house!  It made the room feel very welcome and warm to have food in the corner.  By the end of the night it had been demolished by hungry students, siblings, parents, and teachers- thank you for the many small and big ways everyone contributes to make our community feel like family.
• Thank you to Ari’s mom, Natalia and Noelle’s dad, Naia’s mom for helping with the pumpkin patch field trip.  Thank you to the other parents who showed up while we were there, and those that volunteered that we did not need.
• Thank you to everyone who is helping with the auction!  The work I have seen has been inspiring.

Learning Journal Map 10/23-11/10

Great Blue Heron Upper Elementary – Learning Journal Map #3 (Oct 23rd -Nov 10th )  

	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3
Literature	□ Partner read at least 1 short story                  (Minimum: 10 minutes every day.) □ 1 Pink Reading Card from the partner story.	□ Partner read at least 1 short story            (Minimum: 10 minutes every day.) □ 1 Pink Reading Card from the partner story.	□ Partner read at least 1 short story            (Minimum: 10 minutes every day.) □ 1 Pink Reading Card from the partner story.
	My JRB: _____________________   Start Page: ___________   End Page: ______________
Writing	□ Complete Narrative Writing project with 2 revisions.  Print computer drafts.   □ Attend at least one Author’s chair. □ Complete one blue card writing activity.
Word Study	All work goes in Spelling/Vocabulary composition book. □ Complete at least 1 WORDLY WISE chapter            □  Attend a spelling lesson.             □   1 green card follow up and Friday quiz.
History	□ Attend a History and Culture Questions Lesson and complete follow up.   □ Attend a Continent of Africa lesson and complete follow up. □ Complete a FHN card. Write the complete card on your work.
Math	□ Attend math lesson:   follow up date ____   follow up date_____ follow up date ________   Portfolio example _____ □ Attend math lesson:   follow up date ____   follow up date_____ follow up date ________   Portfolio example_____ □ Attend math lesson:   follow up date ____   follow up date_____ follow up date ________   Portfolio example _____ Practice math challenge ____ practice math challenge ___  practice math challenge______
Language	□ Complete the Language daily challenge.	□ Attend a sentence analysis lesson and then analyze 3 sentences from the card.	□ Complete the Language daily challenge.
Geography	□  Complete one command card from the box. □  Complete one Show What You Know related to a material on the shelf, or a lesson you received.
Biology	□  Complete one Show What You Know related to a material on the shelf, or a lesson you received.
Projects	□ Memorize your Historical Halloween Speech by Friday October 27th. □  One SWYK or independent project completed and turned in.
Organization	□  Conference                     □ Clean out Cubby □  Portfolio Additions        □ Reflection Letter	□  Conference                     □ Clean out Cubby □  Portfolio Additions       □ Reflection Letter	□  Conference                     □ Clean out Cubby □  Portfolio Additions        □ Reflection Letter
My Goal/ Focus

The Heron Code:

The Heron Code:

• Protect ALL concentration.
• Make mistakes, learn, and get messy.
• Leave places and materials better than you found them.
• Treat others like you want to be treated: Be a kind, helpful peacemaker.
• Work hard and have fun.
• Freedom comes with Responsibility.
• Be Yourself. Make friends. Celebrate differences.

10-17-17 GBH Newsletter

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

• This Thursday, October 19th- Open House/Parent Ed Night.
• Monday, October 23rd- Pumpkin Patch Field Trip
• Monday, October 30th- Historical Halloween.
• Next Early Release: October 30th.

Reminders:

• Historical Halloween Speeches should be memorized by this Friday.  The majority of the work should be done at home.  Please help them practice each night.

Requests:

• Come to the Open house- We are hoping for 100% attendance, because we want to update families on some new routines, and be able to say hello.
• Come to the Auction!  It will be fun, and it helps a lot with our charter school funding gap.  

Weekly Update:

The fundraising group of students- led by Sydney, Jahne, and Naia- raised nearly $600 for the Red Cross.  Thank you to everyone who helped make the event happen, and thank you to everyone for showing up and coming to play.  Thank you to people who donated even when they couldn’t come!  It was an honor to see such caring and dedication.

After last week, several students have been working hard to communicate using the Phoenician alphabet.  Others are working on the Egyptian Hieroglyphs, and many more are working on communicating through writing by working on their writing projects, stories, and thank you letters.  We are continuing to grow as a community of writers- with the workshops up and running and students working hard on a variety of works- they are beginning to share their writing more, and it has been very inspiring to see them working through generating and revising ideas.   

Yesterday, on the short Monday we started the 5th great story- the Story of Our Numerals. Then on Tuesday morning we finished it.  That means we have heard five of the six great stories!  This great story allows us to feel gratitude for the many influences there have been on the math we know and use today, and marvel at our place in the development of math.  We also got to marvel and wonder that different societies had very different number systems- some didn’t have a zero, some didn’t use place value, some used other bases- like base 60.  This opens up our math exploration into the realm

In a couple days we have the Open House.  We moved the time this year, to try to allow families to swing through at their convenience.  If it works best for your family, come right at pick up to see the classrooms, get an orientation from your child, and say hello.  If that time doesn’t work- come after work and do the same.  This in an experiment that will hopefully give us more time to see each family and spread out the rush.  Looking forward to seeing you soon and sharing our Heron Code that we are finishing before then!    

Gratitude Corner:

• Mateo’s family saw a tragedy, and rather than getting down they sprung into action.  After the US was eliminated from the World Cup in soccer, Matt donated soccer balls to our PE program so we can help train up the next generation in the US to play the beautiful game.  Thank you for being an example of action Miller family!
• Farmer’s Insurance donated soccer balls to help us have a soccer unit in PE!  Irene reached out and secured the donation!  

10-10-17 GBH Newsletter

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

• October 12th- Student planned Hurricane Help Fundraiser Bingo! (please come support)
• No School This Friday October 13th  
• Next Early Releases: October 16th and October 30th.
• Thursday, October 19th- Open House/Parent Ed Night - We are hoping for 100% attendance, because we want to update families on some new routines and be able to say hello.
• Monday, October 23rd- Pumpkin Patch Field Trip
• Monday, October 30th- Historical Halloween (please look for more details soon)

Reminders:

• The weekly reflection letter, should be signed by a parent  and returned each week by Thursday.
• All students in the GBH Room are expected to have their own Library Card - we have only seen half of them so far.
• Historical Halloween Speeches (and notecards) are due Next Friday.  The students are getting some support this week in writer’s workshop, but the majority of the work should be done at home.

Requests:

• We are hoping to do a soccer unit for a month in PE.  However, we need soccer balls.  If you have any around your house that we could use, please write your name in sharpie and send them in with your child.  The more balls we have, the bigger variety of games and drills we can play. We hope to get 10-20 Soccer balls! Thank you.
• Come to the Auction!  It will be fun, and it helps a lot with our charter school funding gap.  

Weekly Update:

Three students are putting on a BINGO night this Thursday.  They are hoping to raise several hundred dollars to support the Red Cross in their efforts to support the disasters from the Hurricanes of the last month.  It is a great, community building event that will help raise money, and Friday isn’t a school day- so would be a great way to celebrate a long weekend.  Look for more details on the facebook page, and on fliers coming home this week.

This week we should be finalizing the Heron Code, so it should be coming home with next week’s newsletter.  The students have put some great thought into it so far, we are looking forward to seeing what comes of it.  In this three week cycle, the students have really shown improvement in keeping track of a large variety of work, and are using their plans, their teacher conferences, and their tools of responsibility to really do a great variety of work.  Please ask your child about their progress on their weekly work map, their project, and how they are doing sticking to the code.  These connections between school and home are very valuable!  

On Monday, we heard the fourth great story.  We heard how humans slowly developed signs to communicate.  Writing with an alphabet allows us to have our voice travel great distances, it even allows our voices to travel in time.  We can be connected to the poems of Shakespeare or the music of Beethoven, or the sayings of Confucius and Socrates because of writing.  They all died hundreds or even thousands of years ago, yet we know what they were thinking because of writing! We can do this because of the Phoenicians, and the Sumerians, and the Egyptians.  The unknown heroes who used their special mind and their special love to create something that we can write with our special hands.  We are celebrating this by beginning our Writer’s Workshop in earnest this week.

Gratitude Corner:

• Thank you to Jahne’s mom for helping students plan the fundraiser.
• Thank you to Molly’s mom for cooking a meal for the staff.
• Thank you to the families that have volunteered to help cook for the open house and for the Thursday Fundraiser!

Picture of the Week:

Students have begun to fill our new shelves with interesting projects, artwork, and research!