Signs of Spring

We are seeing some of our early signs of spring - that magical time when the redwing blackbirds return and call to each other, when the buds start to look ready to burst, and when our kids get utterly soaked and turn into mud people. I always apologize to families about the laundry this time of year, but I really do believe in all of the learning that happens when kids play in our stream and bring buckets of water to the sandbox. So we embrace the mud and offer our thanks for our washing machines!

Tracy's PK-2nd Grade Reflections

The mild weather had us celebrating birthdays, doing our writing, and eating outside. I wasn't quite ready to bring "Relax and Read" to the playground yet because mud and books seems like a particularly bad combination, but we all wanted to spend as much time in the sun as we could. We'll be doing most of our day outside again as the weather permits.

Our younger students were creating 2D and 3D shapes with toothpicks and marshmallows during their Zoom meeting on Monday. Of course, the older kids wanted a chance to build too. I loved listening to a discussion about the different types of pyramids they could make. "I like to start with a triangle." "I used a square." "I wonder if you could make a pyramid from a hexagon?" Our older students were exploring the different ways you can make fractional parts using graham crackers. While their initial inclinations was to all make fourths the same way, they soon discovered there were multiple ways to divide their crackers into four equal pieces.

During our remote learning days (Monday and Tuesday), the children did lots of texture rubbings and brought those to school on Wednesday. We found even more cool textures around the school, added watercolor paints to our rubbings, and then cut them out to make collages. The results are currently at school, but I've promised that they can head home soon.

Our biography celebration got pushed off to this week as we waited for a few students to finish their projects. Meanwhile I surveyed everyone to see what they wanted to do for our next big writing project. They are all really excited to be studying an endangered animal. We're in the research phase right now, but we'll be talking about how we want to share all of our learning - an animal safari, a diorama, a book, a poster, or something else? Ask your children about their animal.

Theresa's 3rd-6th Grade Reflections

The big kids at Country Classroom are continuing their studies in Biology. This week, in addition to watching mold grow as part of an experiment, they will be dissecting flowers and learning about the various parts of the flower.

In Social Studies. the kids have been watching "Liberty's Kids" as an introduction to early American History. This week, we will be adding readings from "A History of Us" which is a wonderful American History textbook.

The students just finished reading :The Watsons Go to Birmingham." This week, we are starting a new book. It is called "Made You Look: How Advertising Works and Why You Should Know," and it is a sociological explanation of why advertising works and what we have to know about it.

We very much enjoyed the warm weather last week and took a long walk to the cemetery. During recess, everyone has been enjoying the chance to jump without wearing a ton of layers. Jump rope and high jump both work much better without snow pants and winter boots.