Winter is coming in with a force today here in West Bolton! The snow is piling and the wind is howling "I am here!"
I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a wonderful break filled with joy, relaxation, and cherished moments with loved ones. Whether you're traveling near or far, I hope this time brings peace and happiness to you and your family. Safe travels to all!
Looking ahead to 2025, I am thrilled to share some exciting news! After the break, we will have the pleasure of welcoming a new first-grade student to our lovely crew. I know that each and every one of you will make her feel right at home. Our classroom is a place of warmth and kindness, and I am confident that this new addition will quickly feel like part of our family.
Wishing you all a peaceful holiday and I can’t wait to see you in the new year! Be well and see you soon!
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Like the chilly wind outside, this school week was a whirlwind of energy, creativity, and learning! Our students dove into an exciting experience as they worked to expand their movement skills during our Artist in Residency with Ms. Rose, the MMU Dance Instructor. She guided students through a range of exercises designed to improve coordination, body awareness, and created a little dance routine! As the week ended, the students showcased their newfound skills in a mini-performance for their peers and teachers on Friday afternoon and then in front of parents on Friday evening! It was so much fun and took a lot of bravery to perform in front of others! Great job!
In addition, the class explored PebbleGo, an interactive research tool where they learned fascinating facts about animals, the human body, and more. Afterward, each student selected a fact to write about!
We integrated our Word of the Week with science, and our Heredity study by introducing DNA this week. While it's a complex topic, we simplified it by explaining that DNA is a genetic code in our body that makes us who we are.
K. Math - Students engaged in both competitive and cooperative dice games with their partners, practicing their counting skills by working with sets of 20 objects. They had to keep track of their growing sets, reinforcing their understanding of numbers and quantities.
1st Math - This week they began focusing on adding three-digit numbers. When adding the numbers together first graders are working to find friendly pairs such as facts that equal 10 or quick doubles. They learned this is called the associative property. They will continue to work on these skills next week.
As December settles in, the familiar sight of snowflakes falling has brought a crisp chill to the air and a magical atmosphere to our school. If you were able to make it out for the Lantern Walk this past week we were greeted with some blustery winds and snow but then it soon turned into a magical evening. It was wonderful to see such a nice turnout despite the frigid temps.
This week has also marked the beginning of our Nonfiction Unit in both reading and writing. Students have been diving into the world of real-life stories, learning to distinguish the differences between fiction and nonfiction. It’s been exciting to see their curiosity grow as we explore books that inform us about the world around us. These nonfiction texts have opened up new avenues for learning, and we’re all looking forward to the many discoveries ahead!
One of the highlights of our week was learning about the famous Iditarod sled dog race. This incredible event, which spans 1,000 miles across the icy wilderness of Alaska, has such a rich history. Initially, the race was created to deliver medicine to a remote town during a harsh winter, but today, it’s an exciting annual competition. Students wrote their first NF piece, began to paint an Alaskan scene for our new door mural, and for our W.O.W learned about what a Musher is. Ask your child about some of the fascinating facts they’ve learned!
Kindergarten Math - Measure, measure, measure! That is what the KIndergartners did this week. Our new unit began with having students develop strategies for measuring the length of an object by using nonstandard units (cubes, sticks, etc.) to find out how long something is. We measured our boots, pieces of tape on the floor, and objects around the room.
First Grade Math - This week learned how to find all the possible 2-addend (a number that is added to another) combinations for a given number. They also worked at finding combinations when one addend is unknown. For example, if there are 10 balls and 4 are on the floor, how many are still in the bag? Next week we will work on problems with 3 addends.
Notes:
12/9 Guest Teacher
12/11 Early Dismissal
12/13 Hip Hop Dance Recital @ BRMS arrive at 5:50.
