What a week! We finished out our winter fitness fun, finalized our unit on informational writing, practiced math facts, and studied the difference between figurative and literal language.
This week concluded our winter fitness fun. What a fantastic time this has been. Over the five weeks of this program students have learned to ice skate, starting skiing, increased their proficiency nordic skiing, and had a lot of fun. This program was new to us this year, and was grant funded. We will be working hard to keep this program going in the future! We would also like to thank all of the parent volunteers who participated. Parent involvement is so helpful in endeavors like this one.
We have also completed a unit on non-fiction writing. Throughout the course of this unit students have, practiced research and citation, crafting engaging text, adding text features, and created work that they can be proud of! The skills used in this unit will be revisited after our break as we investigate the human body.
While talking about the human body...we are starting a new unit, and our current focus in on the brain. This is such an interesting subject. Thus far we have looked into the Stroop Effect, and investigated the different hemispheres of the brain an what they control. We have also investigated how impulses travel throughout our bodies to deliver sensory input information to our brains.
Finally we are looking into literal and figurative language. For this we are using one of my favorite books The Tiger Rising. This is a Kate DiCamillo book, and throughout it's course she artfully weaves figurative and literal language together. What a great read!
I hope this reader finds you well, and that you have a relaxing and fun February Break!
-Dave
Friday, February 20, 2015
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Bus Camera Letter
East Montpelier Elementary School
665 Vincent
Flats Road
East
Montpelier, VT 05651
802-223-7936
Marion Anastasia, Ed.D., Principal
Alicia Lyford, M.Ed., Assistant Principal
February 17, 2015
Dear
Parents/Guardians of EMES Bus Riders,
The
letter is to inform you that First Student will be installing cameras on our
busses over February vacation. Our primary
goal is to transport students safely to and from school. In order to accomplish
this goal, we need the cooperation of our bus riders. Appropriate student behavior while entering,
riding, and leaving the bus contribute to safe transportation. Such conduct makes it possible for the driver
to give full attention to the roadway and other drivers.
Having
cameras on the buses will allow us to monitor the behaviors and enhance the
safety of your children. The EMES Bus
Discipline Policy states “Student behavior may be monitored by video cameras
and other monitoring procedures.” Please
be assured that no persons, except the Administration may view the videos to
protect the FERPA rights of all our children.
Thank
you for your support for helping us with compliance of bus expectations!
Best,
Marion
Friday, February 13, 2015
A chilly and fun week!
This week we all experienced our fourth winter fitness Thursday! We also finished some of our writing. Over the past few weeks students have been working on researching and writing informational books. This work has taken the form of books focused on Vermont. Throughout this unit of study students have practiced elaborating their writing, adding mini-stories to their writing, and verifying facts that they are writing about.
We have also begun a deep investigation into words by practicing "word consciousness." This practice follows us into the books we are reading and encourages us to search for and identify different literary devices the authors employ. Some of our favorites are simile, metaphor, and hyperbole. Check in with your student for their favorite.
On the topic of words and their importance, we have been working on word problems during math. Our focus has been to ascertain what the questions are asking, by focusing on the words used in the problems. From these word problems we have been recording the expressions that will help us solve the problems, solving the problems, and finally checking our answers using the inverse operation of the one we used in the solution.
On a final and celebratory note, we have been working hard on reflection this year, and the fruit of that work is becoming evident. All students are interacting in a mindful manner with one another, and our community is an exceptionally strong one!
As always have a restful and invigorating weekend!
Dave
We have also begun a deep investigation into words by practicing "word consciousness." This practice follows us into the books we are reading and encourages us to search for and identify different literary devices the authors employ. Some of our favorites are simile, metaphor, and hyperbole. Check in with your student for their favorite.
On the topic of words and their importance, we have been working on word problems during math. Our focus has been to ascertain what the questions are asking, by focusing on the words used in the problems. From these word problems we have been recording the expressions that will help us solve the problems, solving the problems, and finally checking our answers using the inverse operation of the one we used in the solution.
On a final and celebratory note, we have been working hard on reflection this year, and the fruit of that work is becoming evident. All students are interacting in a mindful manner with one another, and our community is an exceptionally strong one!
As always have a restful and invigorating weekend!
Dave
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