Try, Try Again!

Hello Families!

Today we started our new songs and poems a little early.  We only have three weeks until our winter break, so I thought I’d get a jump on them.  The new snowflake haiku inspired us to remember the pattern in making a haiku.  When we tried to make a line with five syllables, many of the kids realized that they were quite good at this!  Then we ended up writing our own new haiku from the example lines that came up.  Here it is:

The Ice Cream in My Tummy

Ice cream is yummy

In my big, happy tummy.

It’s so delicious.

By the Powerful Problem Solvers

We have already had some good discussions about the poem we are studying by Robert Frost.  If you would like to google these and read them together with your child, here are the poems and songs we are studying:

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening, by Robert Frost

Bear in the Woods, by Shel Silverstein

Everyday People, performed by Sly and the Family Stone

This is the homework that the students created for themselves.  I’m sorry I really took time over the break and didn’t get this up, but it all still applies, and many of these will carry over to the winter break too.  We will brainstorm more for the break too.  Do you have any ideas to add here?  (We already did add one, if you have a Christmas tree, how tall is it?  If your child is doing this one, have them help to measure it and to figure out in feet and inches!)

Our character wall is growing!  The students have worked so hard to create each character to be informative and personal.  There are a lot of writing skills going into these!  The feedback in this process is key here.  Many students made simple but realistic changes to move their illustrations from being like anyone could make, to being special and unique.  Please come in soon to find your child's work and to have them explain their process! 

 What changes do you feel made the biggest difference with these masterpieces?

 By Avery

 

  By Rainli

 

  By Joey

  Here you see that his character loves to run!

We are also still investigating and discussing the signs you have been sending in.  Thank you!  Our field trip was also an amazing source of this.  We are continuing to talk about that day.  Thank you to all of you parents who came with us on our outing.  You made it fun and safe!   I am trying to learn how to embed a slide show here... Stay tuned!

Coming Up:

Next Monday we will be starting our next session of Explorations.  We will be having these classes on Mondays still, but in the morning now, from 9:30-11:40. This session will go to March 12^th.  The two classes the students will be involved in this session are Photography and Movement- more exciting fun to be had.  I hope your student will be sharing this experience at home with you, too.

Next Wednesday, December 7^th, 2011from 4-6pm will be our next Family Night.  Please Come!  We will be enjoying community togetherness and have a school wide potluck.  I will email you more info.  I hope you will be able to come, it is always such a special thing to see the students and family members meeting and getting to know each other further.

Well, that's all for now!  I hope you enjoyed reading this with your child!  Love, Jennifer