Tree Swallow Times: November 2009

"The stripped and shapely

Maple grieves

The ghosts of her

Departed leaves.
The ground is hard,

As hard as stone.

The year is old,

The birds are flown.
And yet the world,

In its distress,

Displays a certain

Loveliness"
- John Updike, A Child's Calendar

Welcome fall, in full “bloom!” There is no mistaking whether the weather is changing now that we are in November. The telltale winter chill is present in the morning’s silvery glow and in the swirling shapes that our breath makes in the air in front of our faces outdoors. Winter is restlessly, teasing right around the corner….
Missing the week, reluctantly ill, it is hard to believe that we are already welcoming in the month of November, in our 39th day of school and well into the first half of our first semester. This month is short, but with much to look forward to and sure to be sweet.

Last week we officially began our backyard storyline. The class brainstormed “what a backyard might be like” which included who might live there and what might be there as well as what a backyard might be used for. Then, in groups of three and four, the Tree Swallows began working on “birds-eye-view” maps of an “ideal” backyard. This week students will present/share the map of their home backyard and complete their collaborative “backyards” in anticipation and preparation for planning and building our classroom backyard frieze. This is the setting for the story. Our characters will emerge as we explore “what lives in the backyard” through upcoming field investigations, classroom discussions and literature share. Students will investigate mini beast classification, needs and habitat in character creation. “Episodes” in our story will provide the opportunity and the motivation to explore insect structure, adaptation and defense, and insect, plant and human interdependence.

Oh, Buddy:
The Tree swallows and the Red-Tailed Hawks have completed their collaborative photography book. With a photographic eye toward symmetry, texture and patterns, the buddies chose representative subjects and snapped photos, then with a critical eye, selected three to include in the book. Using Tana Hoban’s book, “Look Again” as inspiration, the tree swallows created riddles to introduce each photograph. Watch for an order form! This book will be presented during our next Learning Celebrations too.

The Peace Buddies (Kestrels in Level 2 and the Tree Swallows) have filmed their PSA (public service announcements) for the Pennies for Peace project. Over the last several weeks, we have explored and compared Pakistan culture, the relative value of a dollar and created map flip books of “Where in the world we live.” This provided the foundation and motivation for the fundraising project, Pennies for Peace.
The Pennies for Peace service-learning program began at Westside Elementary School in River Fall, WI in 1994, when students, through their own initiative, raised 62,340 pennies to help Greg build his first school in Pakistan. The Pennies for Peace program is designed to help students broaden their cultural horizons and learn about their capacities as philanthropists. It educates students about the world beyond their experience and shows them that they can make a positive impact on a global scale, one penny at a time. Students learn the rewards of sharing and working together to bring hope and education opportunities to the children in Pakistan and Afghanistan. While a penny is virtually worthless, in impoverished countries a penny buys a pencil and opens the door to literacy.

Next week the “buddies” will present and share their PSA to a FGCS classroom, local business or perhaps another Forest grove school (we are checking in on this idea). The service-project will run through several months. More news soon…
We can’t “leaf” the Merlins out… Every other week we meet with our literacy buddies, the Merlin class. This is a Level 2 (grades 4,5,6) partnership that began last year, when this classroom and all its’ students were new to the school.
The buddies have written pen pal letters, created reading interest inventory “glyphs” and have practiced oral reading with Halloween Readers’ Theater scripts. Our latest project is both inspired by the season and by a classroom book, Leaf Man, by Lois Ehlert: Collaborative leaf-picture stories. In preparation for this project, the Tree Swallows went on a leaf-collecting walk last week. The next day, we gathered with our Merlin buddies to illustrate original stories using just leaves. The buddies will meet next week to begin composing their stories.

Cedar Update:
In grade-level math this month we have begun exploring measurement: informal and standard units (inches, feet and yards and time) and transitivity (if object A is longer than object B and object B is longer than object C, then object A is longer than object C). We will soon begin the first of two applied math units, which integrate math, scientific research, and experimental design: Hungry Ants Stories.
Your Future Looks Bright:
The other Level 1 teachers and I have been discussing the format of our Second Annual Family Feast Celebration. This event is set to occur right before Winter Break and will include presentations by Level one students. The students will also prepare a culinary “delight” (yet to be named) for your enjoyment. We will have more information coming soon.

Art Happenings from Teresa

Hello from the art room! The Swallows are currently binding sketchbooks by re-using old floppy disks that I picked up from one of my favorite stores called SCRAP (School and Community Reuse Action Project). Soon, we will be studying the Impressionists and creating plein-air paintings. We will also continue to work on our drawing skills by focusing on perspective and value.
At this time of year, I like to encourage students to admire the change happening around them. I hope that your Swallow will be inspired by the brilliant shapes, colors and textures of Fall.

Out and Abouts:
November 18th The Tree Swallows will have their fist visit this year to a nearby wetland that we have dubbed, “Ash Street Field.” FGCS in general and our class in particular established a stewardship role for this area during our fist year. In a collaborative service-project with Metro, the Tree Swallows planted native trees, helped establish a walking trail and began to develop a sense of responsibility and ownership. This year, the Tree Swallow class will again become stewards of Ash Street. Through scientific observation, field study and research, the students will become “experts” in order to create a public information share (a kiosk, perhaps) about what grows and lives in this local, public, green space. This initial visit will give us an opportunity to look closely (square of life) and develop a sense of place (recording impressions and observations in a field journal).

Goals:
Check out the Goal Garden in the Level 1 hallway! Students are taking their personal semester goals very seriously. Check in with your child about their goals. Knowing that you are thinking about them and are there to help will make all the difference. Please let me know if you have questions or need additional resources to help your child feel successful.
Progress Reports: We will check in on teacher/parent set goals at the end of this month. Progress reports will be coming home to le you know if we are on the right track or if we need to check in about something.

PTO Event:
This December 5th is the Light Parade in Forest Grove. Thanks to the PTO, FGCS will participate in the parade this year. The theme is “Night of Traditions” and each classroom and all families are invited to participate and/or help plan. The PTO has asked yours truly to be “Lady Winter Solstice.” I said, “As long as I have a scepter…” ☺ Watch for more info coming soon….
The Night of Traditions will be December 10th (watch for times) and will feature crafts, activities and information about a variety of winter traditions. This night will also feature the winter book fair, give you a chance to socialize with other FGCS families and have fun.

Questions comments and/or compliments? Call or email.

Rachel Weil

WHERE WE HAVE BEEN...

I love this time of year. The trees are a mix of deep summer green, dipped in the paints of a sunset. There is a noticeable chill in the air. Not the kind that demands tightly fastened bulky coats, not yet. This is just an invitation to welcome back sweaters.

This time of year there is a shift in the classroom as well. Students demonstrate a sense of belonging and shared ownership in the classroom environment and routine. You can see this in the way your child enters the classroom in the morning. Just a few weeks ago, their steps may have been tentative, uncertain. Watch them now. This is their classroom.
These past 19 days (yes, we have been together just 19 days!), we have worked together to establish the routines of our year and to develop a constitution for how we want to be with our class, school and local community. This agreement reflects the contribution of 20 individual voices with a shared responsibility and goal of a successful (defined as learning, joyful and full of friends) year.

Of course we have been getting to know each other too. While students are learning more about each other and the foundational structures of the classroom (i.e., Readers’ Workshop, Writers’ Workshop, scientific observation in the sunflower garden, Learning Centers…), I am learning more about each of them as class citizens and scholars through observation and informal and formal assessments. What a great group of kids!

BUDDY PROJECTS...

Collaborative projects between levels foster a sense of a larger learning community, allow kids to experience a greater variety of partnership roles and responsibilities and of course make more friends. It gives our kids the opportunity to begin to establish important relationships with the peers and teachers that they will work with as they move up and through their school years here.
This year we will have multiple inter-level partnerships.
Some will be for short-term projects— Next week we will begin a collaborative project with our high school photography class. The two classes will work together to create a book based on Tana Hoban’s “Look Again”. Students will be learning some basic elements of digital photography, observational skills, and basic photo editing publishing.


We will have yearlong partners in our Merlin buddies. This is a level 2 classroom led by Gretchen. This partnership is created to foster literacy skills. We do shared reading and writing activities and hope to be creating resources for a local pre school. We meet every other week. Last week the buddies worked together to create “sandwiches” that describe their interests and attitudes about reading. It was both fun and informative for buddies and teachers ☺

We will continue annual partnerships too. This will be our third year with Peace Buddies. This partnership between a level one class (Tree Swallows), a level two (Kestrels with Charlie) and a level three class (now Chris) began in the first week of school our first year. We created books with images of peace in recognition of International Day of Peace (September 21). Since then, we have gathered twice yearly around topics of peace and citizenship.
Our first project with Peace buddies is Pennies for Peace. You will be hearing more and more about this from your Tree Swallow. We have been learning about Dr. Greg Mortenson and the children of Korphe, a village in Pakistan. We have been exploring maps and comparing ways of life here and in the village Korphe. Last week we introduced the Pennies for Peace program, a worldwide fundraising program created by elementary students. This program provides the funding needed to build schools in Pakistan and Afganistan.
We will gather next week to begin planning and organizing. Over the next few weeks, the buddies will be creating and filming PSAs (public service announcements) providing information about Pennies for Peace to be shared with other classrooms. More news about this soon.

Extra! Extra! Math Groups are off and running….

No doubt you have heard the news, but the grade-level math groups are now meeting. I love that the kids are excited and look forward to this time of the day and that we get to work with Swallows from each classroom. The Cedars (2nd grade) meet in our classroom. We have a large group that is already working great together. This week we will be creating glyphs (pictorial graphs) that share some about each class member. We will complete baseline assessments and continue to practice Workplace (math centers) routines.

WHERE WE ARE HEADED.....

This week is short but sweet. We will be preparing for goal setting conferences by talking about individual strengths and needs and setting personal goals. Your Swallow will share these goals with you and I at their conference.
On Wednesday we will make our first trip as a class to the Forest Grove Public Library. We will be using this library during project work and for research soon. This trip is to practice the expectations and navigation of the library with the goal to celebrate our love of books and to bring back a “just right book” to read in the classroom and at home.
In order to check out books, your child will need to have a current library card with them. I will not be able to check books out for students. Library cards are free and you just need proof of address to get one. Many Swallows opt to leave their cards in the classroom so we have it when we go. I have a folder that I keep students cards in. Of course, we will have the opportunity to read while there, so checking a book out is optional.
This month we continue exploration of maps and culture, through partnerships, art and backyard study.

Hope you had a marvelous weekend. The weather sure lent itself to outdoor adventures!

Hopefully you have already heard that we had a wonderful first two days of school. It was so great to see the new friendships form and old friends reunited. Best of all, there is already a sense of “family” growing in our classroom. Just two days together and we already observe a caring, respectful and contributing community. This week, we will continue to nurture this, learn more about each other and establish agreements (rules) and routines for being together.

Food for thought….

IT IS BACK! PIZZA WEDNESDAY! Thanks to the PTO and to our local Pizza Shmizza restaurant, our students have the opportunity to have hot pizza on Wednesdays. Besides being one of the most loved foods, a portion of the funds goes to funding outdoor school for our level 2 students (win, win and yum, yum). ORDERS MUST BE PLACED BY TUESDAY 9AM. You can pick up a form in the main hallway and I will send them with your Swallow tomorrow after school.

Community Snack calendar will come out this week. We appreciate your support with offering a community snack in the Tree Swallow classroom as it nurtures life skills of cooperation, patience, and kindness and fosters conversation skills. Snack Patrol (snack passers) are often using and developing math and problem solving skills in distribution.

Look for your last name on the calendar, that is your day to send a healthy snack for the class. A good rule is to choose two of three groups: grains, proteins, fruits and veggies. Here are some suggestions for healthy, delicious “brain food”:

Whole grain crackers and cheese, apples and cheese or peanut butter, bananas and granola, carrots and raisins and crackers, hummus and veggies, nuts and yogurt, PB and crackers….

You get the idea and I am getting hungry, so…..

The community snack is meant to benefit our class community, not to be a burden on our families. Please do not hesitate to let me know if for any reason this program does not work for you.

Welcome, Welcome, 2009-2010!

In just a few days we will be in the Tree Swallow classroom, reacquainting with old friends, getting to know new friends and learning how to be and learn together as a class family. Part of how that will happen will be to get know each other. We’ll share about our summer break, ourselves and family and our hopes and dreams for the coming school year. I thought I would start:

I am the oldest– by two minutes, of a family of five: one boy, four girls, one of whom is my twin. I was born in South Lake Tahoe, California, but really grew up in Carson City, Nevada. I remember building sagebrush forts with thatched roofs and collecting fuzzy caterpillars in Folgers coffee cans.
I moved to Oregon during middle school (uhg,...moving in the middle of the year is hard…) to a small town on the coast called Coos Bay.
This is where I went to High School and where my Grandpa taught me to drive. This is where I learned to make Grandpa Toast (a cherished recipe very much like cinnamon toast).
After that I moved to Eugene, where my daughter Yasmine was born. About nine years ago, I came to this area to continue my study of Education at Pacific University. Almost seven years ago, my younger daughter, Lily was born here. In 2004 I graduated from Pacific with a degree in Early Childhood/Elementary Education and my teaching license. My family celebrated with me by throwing a party. The party was fun, but more than anything, I was happiest to sleep after all those years of working so hard.
I then helped develop program and curriculum and taught at a private pre school in Beaverton.
In 2007 one of my big hopes and dreams came true: Forest Grove Community School. And with a group of 21 remarkable kids (that is you), we built a Tree Swallow classroom family where everyone has a “voice”. I continue to live my dream, now in my third year with FGCS.

This summer, I took a trip by plane for the first time ever! I also took a trip by a speedy train, a short punt (a smallish, flat-bottom boat propelled by pushing with a long pole) down a river and got stamps in my brand-new passport. As if that wasn’t adventure enough, I did a “make-over” on our classroom (the best iteration yet), including refinishing a bench for the classroom library. I also made several new variations of soup (again, the best I have ever made, yet…) and made my first loaf of sourdough bread. Phew…. I am looking forward to the school year starting and things slowing down….. Ha! Ha!

This year, I hope to continue with my goal of learning guitar. I also want to learn French. Lastly, I have a goal to write even more this year.
I know this school year is going to be super! I feel very fortunate for this opportunity and for being able to spend time with all of you and call it my job. It is good to know you!


Oh! The places you'll go in the Tree Swallow classroom this year...
This year, our overarching focus is “Backyard”. Within this topic, we will be scientists, writers, explorers, artists, researchers and agents of change in order to foster an understanding and love of our local place. Along with hands-on, outdoor inquiry, we will explore this topic immersed in two Storylines (fall and spring). What is a Storyline, you ask?
Storyline is both a method of creating and implementing curriculum using the elements of story:
Setting: The scene in a particular time and place
Characters: People and or animals (or insects)
Plot: A way of life to investigate
Conflict/Problem-solution: Real problems to be solved.
By creating and interacting as characters in a story, teacher and students create a context for learning content and skills with the active and personal involvement of each student. Tasks (a need to know and learn information or skill) arise from the context of the story, and becomes significant and meaningful, a “real-world problem”. Issues explored within the context of the story are both extracted from and applied to real-world, local needs and environments. Storyline is also art-rich, emphasizing asthetics and an ethic of excellence in work produced.
I have used elements of Storyline in past years of teaching and this summer I spent time in a workshop to learn more. I am very excited about inviting the Tree Swallows to our Fall Storyline, “A Bug’s Life”. I wrote this storyline with many kids in mind!
Feel free to contact me with further questions and/or comments.

"Reading, Writing, 'Rithmetic"...
Along with mathematic activities incorporated in thematic studies, beginning the 3rd week of school, we will teach math by grade level, three days a week. This will be three separate classes, taught by the three different Level One teachers.

Now, Read This! In the morning, five days a week, students spend an hour in Readers’ Workshop. Within this period, students engage in Literacy Centers that are designed to support growth and experience in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Centers support various learning styles, interest and skill, as well collaborative and social learning. While all students spend some time engaged in a variety of Literacy Centers, students also participate in Book Clubs have 4-6 students at same readiness/skill level based on reading inventory assessment which occurs at least three times during school year) to develop skills as active, critical readers while fostering listening, speaking and writing to interact with and respond to literature. Nurturing a culture of reading and the concept of one self as a reader also occurs throughout daily experiences (DEAR, read-alouds and buddy reading). This year we will share more of our beloved author Roald Dahl with “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and later, “James and the Giant Peach.” (we love, love, love, The BFG)
S-p-e-l-l-i-n-g (or Word Study): Words Their Way is a developmental spelling program. The students study words based on spelling patterns on a continuum of spelling development. Word sets are introduced weekly and the students spend time sorting these words by spelling categories (same and different rules). Each day of the week, the students have tasks that they are to do with their word cards, to become more familiar with the words, and the categories. At the end of the week, students take a word quiz to assess masery of words and spelling patterns. Students are assessed using a developmental spelling inventory in the fall, winter and spring, and these and weekly word study tests help to determine appropriate placement for the Word Work Group.

The "Write" Stuff...
Writers’ Workshop begins with seeing ourselves as “writers.” To support this goal, we will create our Writers Notebooks by adding photos and clippings to a composition book. By personalizing a notebook, time and attention fosters a sence of ownership, ceremony and pride. After we create a means for us to record our writing, our workshop begins with personal narratives. Students will be writing about family, goals and experiences in order to foster community. Tree Swallows will also write to reflect on daily experiences (reflection pages and daily journals) as well as writing to respond to and explore our place (nature journaling).

Wait!....What about Learning Centers?
Of course we will have centers this year—imagination station, take-apart and even sewing. Centers are designated areas and activities designed to support multiple intelligences and to encourage play and independent interest. Centers include reinforcement activities for concept or skills covered during other core times (i.e., math games and writing center) as well as extension centers that extend ideas we are exploring (i.e., science center featuring rocket design or happy sock construction). Centers Time this year will be at the end of our day.

It is all “special”, but….
Three days a week (one per day) we will have “specials”: Two Art days and one Physical Activity, or P.A. We will begin our Specials the first full week of school. On Tuesday and Friday afternoons, the Tree Swallows will have art with Teresa, and on Thursday, Physical Activity with Rick.
Out and About is fundamental part of our program, placing our students and the learning outdoors and in our local community. We have O&A each week on Wednesday afternoon. Remember Tree Swallows, always come prepared for an outing – walking shoes, water bottle and curiousity, as our studies often takes us into the “wild”….plus, this is Oregon after all, and therefore often wet.

Birthdays and Volunteers and Snacks, Oh, my….
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU…..
Birthdays are very important in the Tree Swallow classroom. After all, they are celebrations of the joy that is each of you! We celebrate by having each Tree Swallow offer a wish on a penny to the birthday Tree Swallow and a happy birthday wish in the form of a song and an inedible “treat” from the Birthday Chest. Some students really want to bring in "treats" to share with their class. Please consider some healthy options if you want to bring something in. Some hits last year: bagels, fruit, special erasers or pencils.
Over the first few weeks, the students will be creating “birthday boxes.” These are decorated “reused” boxes or canisters that are put at “Message Center” during the students birthday week. Peers write a special message for the birthday Tree Swallow and place it in the box. On his or her birthday, he or she will take it home to read the many special wishes.
I know we have many summer birthdays; we will celebrate summer birthdays on the half birthday.

HATS OFF TO YOU...
This classroom and this school would not be what it is without our families. We have been so fortunate to have tremendous volunteer support, so thank you. I will be introducing and inviting volunteers into the classroom over the course of the second and third weeks.
That said...here is our first plea: We will have our morning and lunch break in our play yard we need volunteers to be with students, monitor and play with the class while at break. Please contact me or Vickie in the front office for further information if you are able to commit to this volunteer opportunity. WE NEED YOU!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT…


In this classroom, we have a shared family snack. This has worked well for the past two years, (aside from the few minor glitches of schedule share…). On a rotating schedule, each family contributes a healthy snack from two of three food groups (proteins, whole grains, and fruits and veggies). It provides opportunity for students to try new foods, for us to have a shared “meal” and to think about and apply concepts around nutrition and mathematics. This calendar will be available the first full week of school. Please send a healthy snack for your child the first two days of school

And now, back to the beginning…
The goals of the first few weeks in a classroom are getting to know each other and the shared space, establishing expectations of how to be together, voicing our “hopes and dreams,” and building a community of learners ( “a class family”). Through writing and art activities, the students will share what makes them each unique and learn what makes us each alike. We will use small-group cooperative brainstorming and whole group discussion to begin the process of creating our classroom expectations for being together. This is not an easy task– creating “laws and rules” democratically, and we will see our share of frustration. However, it is so important that each member has a “voice” in deciding how we are with each other, with our space and with the tools that we use. These agreements will guide classroom procedures and activities through the year.
In addition to developing our class family we will begin to nurture our school community as well. Through “buddy projects,” our students will begin (and continue) building relationships with students outside their classroom. These buddies collaborate on a variety of projects. Merlin Buddies: We are proud to be reading buddies and pen pals with this Cluster 2 class,(4,5,6 grade) for a second year! Merlins class is led by our former Out and About teacher, Gretchen. Peace Buddies: Beginning our first year, this partnership groups three or four students, one from each Cluster 1, 2, and 3 to explore citizenship and stewardship projects, especially around ideas of peace.
I can hardly wait, friends!
Rachel
Feel free to contact me with questions, comments or compliments by email or phone, 503-880-5478

Dear Tree Swallow Family,

It is Saturday, the 30th of May. The heat of this day brings to mind childhood summers in Nevada. I am sitting in the classroom on this Saturday afternoon in part to escape the heat (my house is near 75) and to prepare for our---get ready for this---last 7 and ½ days together. You need a moment?
Breathe; September is a hop, skip and breakneck sprint away.
Perhaps you thought that teachers countdown to summer like kids count down to Christmas morning or their birthday…. that all teachers salivate at the passing of these final days, anticipating some kind of freedom … Well… not me…
O.k. sometimes, when the alarm is going off even though I am quite sure I just laid my head down because I can barely peel me eyelids open…on that morning, I think “now, how many days till summer?”
Truth is, it seems like it came so quickly. I am going to miss the Tree Swallows. I will miss those bridging Swallows, founding members of this class family that will not be the same with out them. I will miss summering swallows too, even knowing they will return slightly taller and as elders and mentors of new class members. Thank you for a memorable year, friends!

MAY... Already?

Our Wetlands Study begins "sense-sationally Wet and Wild":
Greetings Tree Swallow Families,

     I can hardly believe that there are just three weeks of our school year left.  It truly feels as if just last night I was checking the district website to see if snow had closed us for yet another day.  Here we are... the end of May.

     Well, summer may be beckoning, tempting us with sea-blue skies and frog and cricket lullabies, but we remain immersed and committed to our current project:  Our Local Ecosystem Documentary.  This is a culmination of our exploration of the forest, wetlands and tidal ecosystems/habitats, documenting experience and learning.  The finished product will be used at a place-based educators seminar this summer.  Our documentary will also be available for local classroom use as a resource on local wildlife/phenomena.

     We are so pleased to announce a showing/sharing of the Tree Swallows' ecosystem documentary (yet to be titled) on Wednesday, June 3rd, at 5:20 (give or take).  This is our Learning Celebration (our last of this school yeas (sniff sniff) which runs from 5:00-6:30.  

We hope you will be able to attend this celebratory and informative event.

     

     Whoa!  Wait 'till you hear what we've got coming up for Out and Abouts:

                This Friday we head to a local wetlands, Fernhill.  This is an encore event; our first trip offered so much for us to experience and discover, we knew we would have to go back.  This time we will create eco-houses and the creatures that inhabit them, explore aids to viewing the very small and the very far away life there, and practice patience, kindness and problem-solving

( and enjoy being with each other) through group team-building games.  I know it is little notice, but please let me know if are able to come spend the day with us.

                 Next week, we'll revisit another favorite:  Nana Cardoon, a local organic garden/farm. Our first visit was in the fall, and we learned to press apples, build a compost raised bed and cook bread in a cob oven.  This time, we will visit with our high-school buddies (they also have visited before).  We will harvest herbs, make dough and prepare pizzas (among other activities).  Please let me know if you will be able to come.    You will not regret it, I promise.

                 On June 1, Monday, we head back to the coast.  We will start at the Sea Side Aquarium (tidal "experts" will have one last chance to film) and then we will head to the Seaside beach to play.  Please let us know if you will be able to come with us.  Don't we have the coolest school?

                 

                What's in the works?  We are currently trying to schedule a presentation time for our Merlin Buddies Readers' theater at Jennings McCall.  We hope this can take place on June 8th.   We would like to be able to share out Lorax Musical with the student body of FGCS.  OUr tentative schedule is for next Friday, May 29th.  

               Keep your "owl eyes" and your "deer eyes" open for upcoming news...

Cheers, Rachel

 Thank you for making student-led conferences so successful.  It was so awesome (yea, “awesome” is still cool to use) to see the Swallows pride in explaining and showcasing their work so far to an interested and invested audience (you).

Thank you for completing the feedback surveys.  Your responses provide invaluable information that helps us further fine-tune our developing procedures.  If you still have yours, no worries… please complete them and return them as soon as possible.  Your voice counts!

This Saturday is the Annual Children’s Fair at Pacific University.  This is a really cool (yea…I think it is still cool to say cool..) event, offering engaging activities for children and information for adults (adults can play too though). 

Some of you may recall that last year the Tree Swallows had an activity table there offering Imagination Station.  Well, if it works, don’t fix it, right?

This Saturday, FGC School will host a table at the Children’s Fair.  This table will offer information about our school, Roots and Shutes and LEAP (student organized philanthropic project), as well as inviting kids and kids at heart to create, invent and imagine while “reusing” (a.k.a.: Imagination Station).

To make this event as successful as last year, we need your help.  We would love to again have Tree Swallow representatives at the Fair to explain and inspire.  ALSO, WE NEED YOUR “TRASH”.  Please send in your reusables.  Ask your Tree Swallow for advice on what works well for imagination Station.  Feel free to email or call me too. 

The Tree Swallows and the Owls invite you to a Playwrite Performance Showcase featuring 'The Lorax Musical' and POM (Poem, One Acts and

Monologues) at 6 p.m. on Earth Day (Weds., April 22). The event will take place in the Grove Room at the school district administrative offices at 1728 Main Street. Admission is free but you are asked to bring an item of non-perishable food to contribute to a local food bank as part of Tree Swallow ongoing resource drive project.

'The Lorax,' based on the Dr. Seuss book, is the product of a months-long collaboration between Level 1 and 3 students inspired by one Tree Swallow’s personal learning goal to produce a play.

The series of poems, one-act plays and monologues are the work of Level 3 students.

Please join us for what promises to be an exciting evening!

Watch for an information/response sheet coming home with your Swallow Thursday night.  As requested on the sheet, please try to have signed and returned the paper by Friday the 17^th.  I know that unfortunately some of our Swallows will not be able to attend this evening performance.  We are working to secure a school day performance later in the month.  Please let us know if your child will not be able to attend on the evening of the 22^nd so that we can make arrangements for coverage (every part and voice counts).

 

For the latest news, check out Amy's Student Teaching Blog (to the right and down for the link...).

Treasure Book Form Due Thursday!

I hope that your Tree Swallow has told you all about our collaborative treasure book. This year we are publishing our poems in two voices created with our high school buddies. To illustrate the autobiographical poems, the Tree Swallow and high school buddies drew each others portrait. This is a moving collection.
Your Tree Swallow brought the information/order form home last week. Please take the time to sign and complete this form, even if you are not planning on ordering a copy of the book. Forms are due THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2009. Please let us know if you did not receive a form. Thanks for your support.

Wednesday, 3/4/09 5:30-6:30

Our “Celebrations of Learning” open house is this Wednesday, March 4th, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Beverages will be served - please bring your own mug and, if you wish, cookies or another snack to share. This month's open house will highlight our school's sustainability efforts, art projects with a 'green' theme, student projects and a slideshow about our place-based program. The open house is a great time for prospective students and their families to visit the school – please invite anyone you think may be interested in learning more about us.

March 2-6

Today we read our favorite books, welcomed guest readers who shared their favorite books, performed readers’ theater rhymes, spent time with our Peace Buddies (level 2 and 3) and met our collaborators for a spring play/musical (level 3). And if that was not exciting enough, we shared our knowledge about forest, habitats and ecosystems to provide the foundation for our new unit of study. The Tree Swallows learned that they will be creating a documentary of the next four weeks’ exploration of forest (ecosystems, habitat and characteristics). The students were given the task of thinking of a name for the documentary and will begin recording and discussing ideas Tuesday.
Thursday, the Tree Swallows will visit Tom McCall forest and investigate living and nonliving components by closely observing a small section of earth (a hula-hoop sized circle) and documenting findings. This will provide a context for examining relationships among components and later comparisons to forests elsewhere.
This unit was designed and will be led by our wonderful student teacher, Amy, during her four weeks of lead teaching. Check out more about the unit and her experiences on her blog (see below and to the right for a link).

February 23-27 News

Last week, we examined "heroes" as individuals and groups that care and commit time and talent. We learned about River Keepers and working together to preserve and improve our watershed.
Tree Swallows applied skills they are working on in Art- perspective and proportion of face and were reunited with some dear community friends during an Art Out and About last week. The residents at Jennings McCall were gracious models for budding artists. Most residents even tried their hand at drawing their Tree Swallow's portraits.
We were able to spend time with our High School buddies to edit "I am" poems and collaborate on portraits for our class Treasure Book. I am so excited about this opportunity to publish this awesome collection of poems in two voices. Look for the order form this week!

Where we are going...
Monday is Dr. Suess' birthday and Read Across America Day! This will be our second annual read-in. We will engage in a variety of literacy activities (guest readers, buddy reading, and dramatic readings). Tree swallows are invited to wear pajamas (we will have outside recess, so shoes and a coat).
This week we begin our ecosystems study with a focus on forest. Thursday's Out and About is at the Tom McCall Forest where students will closely examine and record the life within a "hoolahoop" circle.