Marble Mazes

We did a unit on measurement for math and as a culminating project, each student made their own marble maze. First, they drew an outline on graph paper of what they wanted their maze to look like. Then, using a ruler, pencils, clamps, saws, and glue, they measured, marked, sawed, sanded, and glued their walls into the maze. Ms. Jen is finishing spray-painting the last of them and children are putting the final touches on, using paint pens. Once everyone has finished, they will get a special marble and be able to bring the maze home. Enjoy trying to escape the mazes!

Bulby Observational Drawings

Our bulb, “Bulby” has been quietly growing away and the children are doing a fantastic job with their observational drawings, taking time to note the changes, the colors, and estimating how tall it will get. The pictures are going into their Observational Journals that they will be able to bring home at the end of the school year. You won’t believe these masterpieces!

Lots of Boxes

Ms. Jen and Ms. Katie (our visitor from New Zealand) showed us how to play a fun game of “lots of boxes.” In pairs, students take turns drawing lines between dots, and connecting them to try and make as many boxes as they are able. The winner has the most boxes when all the dots have been connected.

Happy Weekend,

Jen & Lisa

A New Class Pet!

We were delighted to welcome Snap Pea this week! Kathleen Hanson, mother of Gwen who is a veterinarian, had a parakeet for us to adopt. The students were really excited to have a partner for Magic Mike as they learned that budgerigars live in flocks. The students have observed that they like sitting together, chirp delightfully during the day, and have been sharing a millet bough.

Measurement in Math

We are finishing up our unit on measurement with a woodworking project! We are making marble mazes! This involved making a grid on a 11 inch x 11 inch plywood base and measuring the length of all 4 sides. The students then used clamps and saws to cut the exact length and glued them down. Next, they chose a starting point and cut walls in 1 1/2, 2, and 2 1/2 inch lengths. The students then built their mazes three walls at a time! We were lucky to have all the students together on Tuesday due to a field trip so everyone was able to participate! We were hoping to finish them before the April vacation, but the students are working slowly and carefully! They will be coming home soon!

Observational Drawing

As part of our science curriculum, we are making observational drawings of the plants and animals in our classroom. “Bulby” our classroom bulb is growing daily, and this week we measured the growth… 11 inches high already!

Happy Spring Break! ~Ms. Lisa & Ms. Jen

Spring Tub Friends

Spring has sprung and friendships continue to blossom in the classroom and on the playground! We have also seen some disagreements arise and opportunities to solve problems as individuals and as a group. It is remarkable how sophisticated the students language has become when speaking about difficult feelings.

Budgerigar Study

“Who let the bird out? Whoot, whoot, whoot!” We experimented with letting Magic Mike, our class parakeet, out of his cage! This coincided with a whole class conversation about activities that we are experts in and ones that we are still working on. Well, Magic Mike is still working on getting back in his cage! This has been a source of excitement and we are channeling this interest by doing a budgerigar study! We watched a sweet video of a budgerigar baby hatching in the outback of Australia, and narrating the joys of living in a flock with so many friends. We then did an observational drawing of our Parakeet! The students did a spectacular job.

Metal Insets

The students have made wonderful progress working through the Metal Inset sequence which builds hand-eye coordination, strengthens pencil grip, teaches geometrical forms, and teaches drawing techniques. It takes a great deal of patience and perseverance to move through all nine books and to complete the final exercise number ten! In that exercise, the student overlaps all ten shapes and fills each new shape with several different kinds of lines and all nine colors. They are beautiful!

Because a good handful of students have finished all 10 exercises, we came up with another extension! The students are sewing the overlapping geometric shapes in felt! They are beautiful!

Ms. Lisa’s Book Group

In a small group of six students, we have been reading “A Nest for Celeste” by Henry Cole. This is a novel about a little mouse and a friendship that develops with a young apprentice. It is a story with lovely black and white drawings, and throughout the story, is woven inspiration and the meaning of home, which ties into our theme.

Students have been reading independently, and aloud to each other. We have completed word searches, using some of the rich vocabulary that is in the story. Celeste weaves baskets in her little spot under the floorboards and we are currently attempting to weave a basket using pipe cleaners and raffia. This requires some fine motor skills and a lot of patience!

Warmest regards,

Lisa & Jen