Hands on Nature - September 2014

This free slideshow customized with Smilebox This week we learned about ecosystems and habitats in Hands On Nature.  We talked about food chains and learned about herbivores and carnivores.  We ventured outside and created a food chain, and looked for leaves that showed evidence that insects had been eating them.  We discovered many different leaves that had been eaten by insects. In math, we are finishing up Unit One and will begin a new unit about math fact strategies using dice and dominoes next week.  In Writer's workshop we are continuing with the "Small Moments" unit.  Today we began writing our first stories.  Everyone is off to a great start.  In Reader's Workshop we talked about Characters and Setting and began to get our reading groups established and running smoothly. On Tuesday, September 30th, the Firefly Team will be going on a field trip to Shelburne Farms.  Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather that day.  I would also like to remind everyone to go onto our team web-page and sign up for an October conference. Have a wonderful weekend, Nancy

Fire Safety

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Fire Prevention and Week of Sept. 15th

This week the Shelburne Fire Department visited our school to teach us about fire prevention.  They talked to us about ways we can keep ourselves safe in a fire and the difference between tools and toys.  We practiced crawling through a smoke house and "Stop, Drop and Roll".  We also had fun learning about their fire truck and had an opportunity to climb in the back seat of the truck.  It was a great morning of learning for us.  Check out the photos on the smile box.

We began our first Science Units this week.  During this time all the Firefly classes have been blended together and regrouped.  We will be studying three units this year.  In my classroom, students will be learning about changes in the earth and Materials Engineering by using the engineering process to build walls. Mrs. KillKelley is teaching a unit called A Work in Process:   Improving a Play Dough Process.  Students will learn about solids, liquids and Chemical Engineering through this unit.   Miss Blair will be teaching a plant unit that will teach students about Agricultural Engineering and give them the opportunity to use the engineering process to create bee pollinators.  We will be switching units about every 12 weeks this year.

During Reader's Workshop we worked on finding "Just Right" books to put in our book boxes.  The class used the 5 finger test to find the books that would help improve their reading.  In Fundations, we finished Unit 1 which entailed learning how to write each of the lower case letters in the alphabet and reviewed letter sounds and key words to help remember those sounds.  Next week we will begin unit 2 which focused on practicing spelling CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words.  We will practice these words by tapping out the sounds we hear with our fingers, then writing them.

This week we also wrapped our "All About Me" collages we made on the iPads.  The students used an app called Pic collage to make these.  I will be exploring the best possible way to share these with parents soon!  They did a great job and were very engaged during this time.

Math continues to be focused on decomposing and recomposing numbers to 20.  We have been using number racks, tens frames, tally marks and other models to show numbers in different ways and find different ways to make numbers.  The Habits of Mind and Interaction we are working hard on right now are "Justifying Our Thinking" and "Listening to Understand".  We are practicing "revoicing" our partners ideas to make sure we are focused on these to habits.

Monday is picture day!  Please check this week's Friday Folder for the picture paperwork your child needs to bring back to school on Monday.  Tuesday is Hands On Nature day.  We will probably be going outside for part of this lesson, so make sure your child comes to school prepared to do so.

It was nice to see so many families at Curriculum Night!  If you were unable to attend, there is a Curriculum Packet in this week's Friday Folder that includes any curriculum information you need to know about first grade.  I have also posted the Powerpoint from the evening on our Team Webpage.  Also the link for signing up for October conferences is live so you can go on and sign-up.  It can be found on this page as well as our Team page on the SCS website.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Nancy

PTO Notes and News for Sept. 2014

PTO NOTES & NEWS FOR SEPTEMBER 2014

PLEASE HELP!

Visit the following link and sign up to volunteer for something that fits into your schedule!    This on-line sign up has replaced the paper sign up that we have used in the past. 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/lv?key=0AlIV5TlL1TUvdDA0MXhsUDNqbnNuYUFNOS1XU1o2TXc&usp=sharing

Stay up to date with PTO happenings by:

•   'Liking' us on Facebook (Shelburne Community School PTO)

•   Joining our list serve (a place to post announcements and help wanted--think of it as Front Porch Forum without the discussions).  Contact Courtney Tharpe to sign up: ctharpe25@gmail.com

•   Visit the PTO page at scsvt.org.

Mark your calendar

10/3 - Fall Fundraiser begins--packets will go home with every student

10/8 - Walking Wednesdays begin!  Meet on the town green by Church Street and walk to                        school.  Sponsored by the Wellness Committee

10/11 - Newberry Cup Bakesale--please contact Dawn Fragola dawn.fragola@vtmednet.org if                 you can donate baked goods and/or help staff the table

10/21 6:30-7:30pm -  Unified Arts curriculum night

Help wanted

•   Flower gardens--contact Lisa Williams lisawvt@hotmail.com if you are interested in helping to maintain the flower gardens

•   CY Mentoring Program.  Meet once a week with a 5-8 grader and build a friendship throughout the year! Contact Alice abrown@cssu.org

•   Everybody Wins! Literacy mentoring program.  Read and talk with a 2-5 grader Tuesdays at lunchtime.  Contact Jen jmarx88@yahoo.com

•   Help shelve books in the library!  Very flexible.  Contact Fran Brennan fbrennan@cssu.org

Highlights of Principal's report

•   Thanks to custodians for their hard work over the summer--moving 39 rooms!!

•   Thanks to PTO for helping to fund middle school team building event (UVM ropes course)

•   Strong turnout for middle school sports! 

•   Part2 was a great success last year, and is going strong.  4 Part2 staff members are now supervising recess for all students during the school day. 

Fundraising updates

•   Soccer concessions:  The PTO will be selling coffee, water and Gatorade at some soccer games.  If it goes well we will do more next year.  Want to help?  C:  catecdesign@gmail.com 

•   Fall Fundraiser - This will include Genevieve's gifts and gift wrap, holiday and all occasion custom photo cards, Boston Coffee Cakes, Vermont-made food items, and much more!  80% of the proceeds that each team raises during this fundraiser go directly back to that team.  The remaining 20% is split between the Unified Arts programs and the PTO.  Please look for packets to come home on 10/3!

•   School Directory - This will be distributed to each SCS family in mid October.  Local businesses pay $35 to be listed in the business section of the directory.  Please thank these businesses and let them know you appreciate their support! IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE DIRECTORY, OR IF YOUR INFORMATION WAS LISTED INCORRECTLY OR HAS CHANGED FROM LAST YEAR, PLEASE EMAIL CORRINE!  corrinel@usa.net

•   Direct donations are coming in, and total $1,425 so far. 

•   Price Chopper Tools for Schools--If you shop at Price Chopper, please register your card, and a portion of your purchases are automatically donated to the PTO (funds raised in the past have helped purchase supplies for the library)  To register go to:  http://www.pricechopper.com/savings/tools-for-schools    School Code: 15260

•   Hannafords Helps Schools--Now through 12/6, for every 4 participating products purchased in one transaction, you will earn a certificate worth $3.  Put those certificates in the Shelburne Community School slot in the kiosk (on Shelburne Road) or bring them to the main office.  For more information and a full list of participating products, go to: http://www.hannaford.com/content.jsp?pageName=HHS&leftNavArea=AboutLeftNav

•   We love to shop local, but if you also shop at Amazon, please enter the site using this link: http://www.amazon.com/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=shelbcommusch-20 and proceed as you normally would.  When you do, a portion of your purchase will automatically be donated to the PTO.  You must enter Amazon's website through this link each time.  The link can also be found on the PTO page of the SCS website. 

•   Box Tops for Education--You will find box tops on various General Mills products.  See boxtops4education.com for more details.  We earn 10 cents for every box top collected, which helps fund the Hands On Nature program (PTO pays for 1/3, school pays 1/3, box tops 1/3).  Please cut them out and drop them in your child's team collection box or in the main office.

Fund spending update

•       Visiting Artist program - We voted to contribute $3000 towards funding the Flynn Arts Words Come Alive program which will benefit teachers and students in grades K-8.

•       The PTO contributed $2000 towards a Middle School Team Building Event which each middle school team is participating in at the UVM ropes course this month.

•       The PTO is contributing $5000 to the new playground which will be installed next summer.

Thank you to:

-Lori Roberts for designing the Shelburne Community Days flyer, as well as the PTO web page!

-Sherry Senior for the awesome back to school bulletin board outside the main office!

-Valerie Richardson, along with all who contributed food and help, for coordinating a much                        appreciated Teacher's Breakfast!

-All of the first day/week greeters who helped students feel welcome and find their way

Week of September 8th

We finished our first full week of school.  We are continuing to get to know each other and learning the expectations in the classroom.

This week we finished our "All About Me" butterflies and our excited for our families to see them at Curriculum night.  They are hanging around our classroom.  They are beautiful and colorful.  We have also been sharing our "Me"museums at share time to get to know each other.

In math we are learning about number sense and looking for structure on ten frames and double ten frames to identify numbers and addition facts.

In writing we have been working on a project to help us come up with ideas that we will be able to write stories about through the year.  We are also continuing to learn about routines for writer's workshop.

In reader's workshop we are also learning about routines and choosing "Just Right" books.  Hopefully we will be able to begin using our book boxes next week and choosing books from the library instead of the pre-chosen books in the baskets.

Next week we are beginning our first Science units.  Students in this class will be divided into 3 groups and mixed in with the rest of the Firefly Team.  Each teacher will be teaching a science topic and children will rotate through the 3 classrooms throughout the school year.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend,
Nancy

Week of September 1st

We have finished our 2nd week of school and we are starting to get to know each other a little better.  We have started following our regular schedule for the most part.  We began math, writer's workshop and reader's workshop along with our "All About Me/Community" unit.  In reader's and writer's workshop we are in the beginning stages of getting used to routines and what it means to read and write.  I have begun assessments in reading so that I can begin reading groups in a few weeks.

In math we are working on the first unit which focuses on numbers all around us.  We made a popsicle graph of our favorite flavor of a twin pop and counted by 2s to see what the total number of popsicle sticks were in each row and total.  We have also been practicing making tally marks and counting by 5s.

In our "All About Me/Community" unit, we are beginning to make butterflies that will tell information about each of us.  When they are finished, they will hang in our rooms.  Next week we will begin making collages on ipads to tell about ourselves.

Please remember to return your student information sheets and health forms to the front office.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend,
Nancy