Geometry

We shifted gears in math, after a great unit on Penguins. This month, students have been immersed in a geometry unit and have been exploring pattern blocks and polydrons. In this unit, your child has been learning how to describe, identify, and compare 2 and 3-D shapes, is using spatial reasoning to explore relationships among shapes and solve problems.

Studying geometry provides ways for students to think and talk about the physical world. The skills students develop now—including the vocabulary that they will come to understand and use with confidence—will help them in high school geometry, trigonometry, physics, and calculus. An additional benefit of studying geometry is that many students with a strong spatial sense—for example, the ability to visualize and move shapes in their minds—blossom when they are engaged in the kind of spatial problem solving featured in this unit.

Our class has been deeply engaged with our current geometry unit. Students have been exploring, building, and finding many three dimensional shapes around the classroom. They have also been immersed in activities focused on sorting shapes according to different attributes. There has been an abundant amount of math vocabulary introduced in this unit - words that we use almost only in geometry class. These words are important because they let us name shapes and talk about them in precise ways.

To help your child engage in conversation about what they are doing in math this month, you might find this link helpful. You will find a PDF of vocabulary words for Grade 1 Bridges students. On this Web page, there is also a link to a helpful online math dictionary for students. The PDF and the online
dictionary both show pictures and examples of all vocabulary words: these visual aids are
especially helpful for geometry words.

www.mathlearningcenter.org/resources/materials/parents/parents1.asp

Sabin's Pasture

Last Thursday, on the first day of spring, students set out on a new ECO adventure.  Using maps, children navigated the route to a new outdoor learning space - Sabin's Pasture.  Along the way, students read maps with their walking partner, noticed signs of spring/winter ending, and wondered about the fresh snow that had fallen the night before...why in Vermont do we say it's spring when it sure doesn't feel like it??!  Our class, along with Mrs. Wrigley's  classes had one of the best outdoor days of the year - perfect snow for building, exploring, wondering, and simply all around fun.  Throughout the morning, students thought about the similarities and differences between Sabin's and Harrison and look forward to returning to this new learning space to continue exploring.

Scholastic Book Fair

The Spring Scholastic Book Fair is Coming Soon!

**OUR CLASS WILL BE VISITING THE BOOK FAIR ON FRIDAY, APRIL 4th.  

(Our class will have a "wish list" if you'd like to donate to the classroom library)

**YOUR FAMILY CAN ATTEND during the evening 5:30-8:30pm

Reading is the most important skill you can teach a child. Of all the skills children learn, it is the one you can influence the most.

We invite you to visit this UES Parent’s Group Spring Fundraiser to experience a celebration of reading that provides the opportunity to support a universal mission:  encouraging kids to read every day!

Please be on the lookout for the Scholastic books preview that will be sent home soon. During the Book Fair, each child will visit with his/her class and will have the opportunity to discover and purchase from hundreds of fun, engaging, affordable books, starting at only $2.  Parents and family can come to the Book Fair during the day or before or after school.  You can also select books from your child’s teacher’s WISH LIST to help build their classroom library.  Also, if you or your extended family are unable to attend, or you want to purchase books outside of our Fair hours… try visiting theUES Online Book Fair.

We look forward to having you participate in our Book Fair, and remember, all purchases benefit our school! Last Fall’s USPG Book Fair was able to raise over $2000 in cash to directly assist the students and teachers of UES through field trips, art projects, classroom activities, etc. In addition, we earned over $400 in free books for students and classroom libraries.

Volunteers needed to help set up, help kids choose books, or help pack up.

Please contact Sidney Collier at #223-9120 or bookfair@mpsvt.org

Thank you all for your support!!!

Playing Cards

In this upcoming month, our class will be doing lots of math games that require the use of a deck of playing cards.  If you can donate a deck or 2 of complete cards to our classroom, I'd appreciate it!  Thanks so much for helping our friends continue to learn and grow in fun ways!

Marionette Puppet Show

Last week, we had the opportunity to watch "Bully! The Three Pigs" a puppet show put on by the organization, No Strings Marionette Company. This company is here at our school for three weeks to work with all the third grade classes who will create their own show complete with their own puppets. We will have a chance to watch their shows in a few weeks. Last Friday, however the directors of the program entertained us with their own show and answered many questions we had about the puppets and special effects shown. While waiting for the show to begin, students sang along with the directors to various well known songs and also learned a few jokes. INQUIRE with your children who their favorite character was and what they learned about the marionette puppets!  UES students are so fortunate to have the opportunity to see such fine performances each month!

Opinion Writing

This past week, we began a new writing unit.  So far this year, we have written small moments, where we share an experience with others in a narrative form, we have written informational books, where we have spent time teaching others about a particular subject, and this week, we will begin opinion writing where students will form ideas about an object/topic and think about how to convince their readers to think like them.  Much time was spent this week learning and understanding that we all have different beliefs, interests, and favorites - for particular reasons.  This unit will get students to think more deeply, develop persuasion in their writing, and develop skills to help them provide reasoning to their thinking.

This week, students learned how to look at objects closely, compare a number of different traits, and then choose which one was their favorite.  Students learned that before they choose their favorite, they had to provide evidence of why it was their favorite.  Acting as a "judge" students set out with a collection (ex. trains, coins, dinosaurs, horses, cars, rocks), and lined them up as if they were in a "dog show."   Students examined the objects closely before setting off to write their thinking on which object would get first place.  Some students extended their thinking, going on to explain who received 2nd place, 3rd place, etc while providing their opinion of why it did.  

If your child would like to bring in a collection or two from home, feel free. Have your child look around your home for something that they enjoy collecting - lego figures, stickers, balls, marbles, rocks, stuffies (small), books, etc.  The collection should be limited to five items of the same type of object. Please be sure the collection can fit in a plastic bag and involve no unsafe materials.  The object will need to fit lined up on their desk.

Sound Experiments

Last Thursday was devoted to continue our science learning about sound, sound production and pitch.  Melanie, Royce, and Justin visited and helped us learn about this concept through a variety of experiments.  INQUIRE with your child about what is sound, what makes sound, why can some sounds be heard and other not hear by the human ear, what is pitch and can sound be measured?  Later that day, students created their own "telephones" and experimented with how sound travels best.  

Flynn Theatre

On Monday, we had a great trip to the Flynn Theatre to see three different black light puppet shows.  These shows were based on three different Leo Lionni stories - Swimmy, Frederick, and Inch by Inch.  Mermaid Theatre does an outstanding job with the production.  After the show, we learned a little bit more about how the puppets were made and how they move in certain ways.  INQUIRE with your child what was their favorite - and why!  This week, as we read and reread these stories, students are taking a close look at the characters and thinking about the character traits while comparing them across stories.  Making text to text connections and looking closely at character traits is an important component of first grade literacy.  We also spent much time looking at the book, Swimmy.  We joined Mrs. Wrigley's class to create a story walk for UES community members to enjoy on our hallways bulletin boards.  You can also stop by to read Leo Lionni's story and look at the beautiful artwork created by our first graders.

Conference Sign Up

I would like to schedule a Spring conference time to meet with you and your child to discuss social and academic progress in First Grade. These conferences will be Student-Led (with lots of teacher support) and scheduled on 3/21.  If the Friday does not work for your family, please let me know. There will be no school for students on Friday, March 21st. Please sign up for a conference slot by using this wiki space link below.

http://closterconference.wikispaces.com/

Please click on the link above to sign up for your conference. When you get to the wiki, please use the table to sign up for a time that works best for you. Click the EDIT tab and then type your name into the box next to the time you would like for your conference. Once you have entered your name, click on the SAVE button. 

 Please look in your child's red folder next week for some helpful advice for your family to use while you listen to your child talk about their progress.  Once you sign up for the a conference on the wiki, this will act as the confirmation.  

Leo Lionni

Students will participate in an author study of Leo Lionni's work following the February break. First graders will visit the Flynn Theatre, Burlington on Monday, March 10th for a production of Swimmy! one of Lionni's award winning children's stories.

If you visit the library this week, or just take a look on your book shelves at home, consider reading a few of Lionni's stories with your child to help them prepare. INQUIRE about Leo Lionni with your child by visiting his page on the Random House website: http://www.randomhousekids.com

PLEASE SEND A SNACK AND LUNCH TO SCHOOL ON MONDAY.  WE WILL BE LEAVING BEFORE LUNCH AND WILL NEED TO EAT IN THE CLASSROOM.  

Check out this link with your child over the weekend! 

Leo Lionni

The Limes

Before vacation, we joined our buddies in the Auditorium to listen to some live music.  UES hosted the Cabot School's high school band, The Limes.  They are led by Brian Boyes, a great local music teacher and performer.  

This group is composed of: 1 trombone, 1 French horn, 1 baritone saxophone, 1 alto saxophone, 2 trumpets, 2 flutes, 4 singers, 2 drummers, 1 keyboard player, 1 bass player, one guitar player, and 4 vibes players. The set will take probably around 45 minutes. They are a high school band with a goal to get out in the world and become a "real band"

Check them out!

http://somethinglikethelimes.tumblr.com/

Enjoy the video below - this was the beginning of our class starting a dance party with almost everybody in the auditorium.  Our class is FULL of dancers!  

Assembly

This past month, our school assembly focused on self control.  Mrs. Koch's class and Diadel's Community Connections students sang us songs, played ukelele's, and practiced a kindness pledge with us.  On Friday before vacation, students met their recent hoot goal and earned a popcorn party from the school mascot, Screech!  Screech is so proud of each student's efforts to show self control during the weeks before vacation! 

Post Office

February's Community field trip led us to the Post Office.  After learning how to write a friendly letter, students set off down State St. to learn the processes involved in sending correspondence through the postal service.  Students were amazed at how much work goes in to mail just 1 letter. The highlight of the tip for sure was trying out the scale - how many pounds do you think our class weighs collectively? This provided a great extension of math learning as we had just finished investigating length and weight when learning about penguins!  

Ah! Capella

The vocal quartet "Ah! Capella" from the Vermont Symphony Kids program, visited Union School.  Soprano Claire Hungerford, alto Linda Radtke, tenor Cameron Steinmetz, and bass Brett Murphy offered a kaleidoscope of colors, rhythms, and forms of vocal writing.  The audience participated in the performance, even learning to sing a South African hunting song at one point.  Other favorite selections include a cowboy song from Colombia, a song about bullying, arranged by Robert DeCormier, and "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."  Later in the morning, as students got ready for recess, I observed a group of students reenacting the performance on their own!

Friendship Day

Students worked with their 5th grade buddies to create and deliver valentines for special helpers around our school.  On Valentines day (or the Monday after) we celebrated our class community and the friendships that have been created.  Students decorated a special valentine bag, passed out cards, and enjoyed a special afternoon treat (THANKS LISA FOR MAKING THESE).

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