by Abra Kessler
The Eagles class is a busy place, with students working well independently, in small groups, and as a whole class. This is only possible with the work we do to build community. This is done in all aspects of our day. We have ongoing conversations about how to treat each other on the field, in Hawgolwood, and in the classroom. An acronym that we focus on is T.H.I.N.K.: before you speak, think “Is what I am going to say: true, helpful, important, necessary and/or kind?” Sometimes it’s really important for a student to express themselves and be heard about something that upset them, but it can be done in a way that is received well. We also made a Class Agreement, which essentially is thinking about treating others the way we want to be treated. We revisit this agreement throughout the year.
In between the very important work the students do building their social and emotional well being during our outside times, we do Worktime, which is a block of time when the students are working to complete a weekly Work Plan. This is a plan that each student has to complete with activities in different categories such as Language Arts, where they play literacy games, write journal entries, and read independently; Math, where they play math games, complete practice sheets and practice math facts; and other work such as ongoing projects, like a quilt square for the school quilt, or a final project from our class read aloud. It is impressive how well the students budget their time.This is a life skill that many adults do not possess. It is a nice balance for the students to have opportunities to work with a partner, in a small group, and independently as they complete their Work Plan.
Our students also engage in a math and a reading group. Every student is in both of these groups, and after having assessed their beginning of the year skills, they are placed in appropriately challenging groups.These groups are fluid, and students may move into a different group depending on their skill level for the topic we are covering.These groups are also multi-aged, so students can spend time with friends from other classes.
One of our favorite parts of the day is read aloud. We started the year with a wonderful book called The World According to Humphrey by Betty Birney, about a hamster who is a class pet. We are now reading My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. The books we choose as read alouds are rich with story and description and they enable us to have in-depth conversations about character, theme, and imagining life through the perspective of the characters. Both books have animals as central characters, and animals is our theme of the year. We are studying about animals in many other aspects throughout the day: with our beginning of the year math unit on graphing and finding attributes; when we eat in class and play Guess My Animal; and when we have lessons and discuss how to identify different groups of animals. We participated in the Trout in the Classroom program last year. This year we decided to have another type of pet in the classroom. The decision of which pet we should have was posed to the class. The students proceeded to write persuasive essays to convince each other which pet would be the best. There was a presentation to families and the school community. Several students chose to create slideshows. Other students made posters and others simply wanted to read their essay. As chance would have it, we ended up fostering two guinea pigs, who needed a home for the winter. This allowed us to have class pets and perform a community service as well.
We have now chosen our poems, focusing on animal poems, of course, and we are practicing for and excited to share our poems at the Solstice Poetry Recital before the December break.
Making a Shoeless Playground!
By Harrison
In afterschool we made a shoeless playground. If you don’t know how to make a shoeless playground, I will tell you. First, you have to dig a pit. Next, you fill it with water. You can add more dirt if you want to make mud. You have to mix it. You can use a stick or your feet. Sebastian, Ryder, Grant and I made it. Then we chilled in it. We sat on the side of the pit and squashed our feet around. In the end we jumped around in the mud.
Cabin Work
By Marcel
We do jobs in the afternoon and mine was cabin. Harrison helped me. Harrison and I packed up our things and went to the cabin. We did the laundry, made cleaning potion, and put new laundry in. It's my favorite job to do!
Rudy
Bromley Manor
On Halloween, Red Fox went to Bromley Manor. Bromley Manor is a Senior Residence. On the way there, we listened to music. At the end of Grant’s turn, a podcast randomly started that opened with: SUPER MARIO ON THE NINTENDO 64 WAHOO!!!!!!!!!! We all thought that was hilarious. After we arrived at Bromley Manor, Victoria, the coordinator, greeted us and we went inside and passed out the suncatchers and cards we made for the residents. After that, we sang a Halloween song. Then the residents of Bromley Manor gave all of us candy! On the way back, I held my candy in front of the air conditioning so it would not melt. Everyone had a great time. I hope we go again!
William
The World According to Humphrey
In class we read a book called “The World According to Humphrey.” Abra read it out loud to us. We got to use cushions to lay down and listen. There was a little hamster called Humphrey. He was a curious and intelligent hamster. He had a little notebook and a little pencil. He wrote down stuff about his life. He loved solving problems. In the beginning of the book, he got bought by Miss Mac. She was a substitute and she brought Humphrey to the class. My favorite part of the story is when Humphrey helped Aldo Amato get his girlfriend by showing him a place he could meet people who worked at night. I like how the story ended happily.
Wild Apples at Smokey House
By Phoebe
My class went to Smokey House. First we went on a hike to pick apples that weren't good to eat, but good for apple cider vinegar. We made an assembly line to pick apples off the ground, pass them, and drop them into a crate. Next, we got a diagram and a pencil, and went apple tasting! Each apple had a letter, A-J. On the diagram were 8 squares on each page, and in each square was the apple’s letter, and a frown face or happy face, and you would check off the description. After that we voted on our favorite apple and named it. Smoky Fox was the decided name.
Our New Class Pets
By Cassia
Did you ever want to have a class pet when you were in school? Red Fox has had class pets for 4 of my 5 years at the school. The Eagles and Hawks got guinea pigs this year. Their names are Mango and Kiwi. Mango and Kiwi are so cute. Mango is orange, black, and white. He’s fat. His snout is pointy and white. Kiwi is black and white. More of the Eagles like Mango because he is chill. Kiwi comes out of the hut that they hide in more than Mango. I like them both the same. Well, actually…I love the guinea pigs! My favorite thing to do with them is to hold them. It is important to know how to hold them. Don’t squeeze them! Hold them by supporting their legs. Hold them close to your body. Otherwise, they could fall. It’s best to be sitting.
The guinea pigs were at North Meadow farm before we got them. We have them for the winter. They cannot be outside when it is cold. This is surprising given guinea pigs are from the mountains of South America. When school started we had to write a persuasive essay on what pet we should get and why. I wanted to get an axolotl, but we got guinea pigs. I’m glad we got the guinea pigs. At least we don’t have a fish. What class pet would you want to have?
Explore. Discover. Learn
Some of our adventures this spring:
Start of the School Year 2024
Mountain Day 2024
Harvest Fest 2024
Elf the Snow Plow 2024
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