Multiage Team Blog
September 9 - 13
Responsive Classroom
As you know, our team uses Responsive Classroom. This is a research-based, developmental approach to teaching children of all ages. It is a part of the routines, academics and social/emotional skills we teach, the language we use, and the use of logical consequences as opportunities for children to learn. Follow the link above to learn more about this approach!
Morning Meetings continued this week. During Morning Meeting everyone has the right to fun, feel like they belong, and feel that they are in important. Students created guidelines for behavior to make sure everyone has those rights. Students continued playing more activities such as Count to Ten, Chef's Salad and Coconut.
We have continued modeling routines and expectations in the classroom and around the school. Since we have started small group instruction it has been great to see students build more independence around what to do when the teacher is working with others.
Math
This week we continued Number Corner, Number Talks and math warm ups. Warm ups practice skills we feel kids should be practicing daily, such as mental computation, base ten understanding, and math facts. Warm ups also help get kids ready to really focus in on their math.
We began our first unit of the year in Bridges. Fourth graders started with Unit 4 with a focus on place value, rounding, as well as addition and subtraction. Fifth graders started with Unit 1 which focuses on multiplication, expressions, equations and volume. For now, we are keeping students in home rooms for math instruction.
Math Stars
Math Stars begins next week. A reminder that students may not get help from others on Math Stars. We recognize that the problems can be challenging but it is important students learn perseverance skills.
Read Aloud
Mrs. S. Mead's Class is reading: Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus. Aven and Connor have made a new friend, Zion. He often eats alone, as do Aven and Connor, but for a different reason: he is overweight and feels that others will make fun of him for eating. The three have become quick friends, and are working on investigating some mysterious items stored in the shed behind Stagecoach Pass (the theme park where Aven's family now lives). One of the items that they discovered was a very old sketch book with many interesting drawings in it. While walking alone on the hill behind her home one day, Aven discovers a turquoise necklace, that had obviously spent a long time in the dirt. She showed it to her two buddies, and Zion remembered that it seemed to match a sketch in the book they found. Now the three are wondering if something mysterious really did happen to the previous owners of Stagecoach Pass.
Ms. Jeffrey's class is reading The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle. This book is on the current Dorothy's List. Mason is the narrator and has endured some significant hardships in his short life. He lost his mother and grandfather and most recently his best friend. Mason made a new friend, whom he met in the Swoof at school. This boy, Calvin Chumsky, doesn't care that Mason has a sweating problem or that he cannot read or write. Like Mason, Calvin is also bullied by boys at school. Once day while riding home on the bus, Matt Drinker and his buddies took Calvin's tablet. Then when the boys got off the bus they chased Mason and Calvin while throwing lacrosse balls at them. Calvin ran to Mason's house with him, which Mason calls the Crumbledown because it is in such poor condition. Once again Calvin is not not bothered by something that others might be. The book addresses some serious topics while also still being quite humorous. Mason is a great narrator!
Mrs. K Mead's class is reading Space Case by Stuart Gibbs. A supply rocket landed on the moon and Nina assigned Dash to greet Kira as she came off the rocket. Kira is the daughter of Dr. Howard who is just beginning his three year stay at MBA. Dash is excited to have a new kid on the base who is his age and enjoys showing her around. After his tour he heads back to his residence where he is surprised to see Zan, a security guard who he has never met before, sitting in his living room. Zan lets Dash know that she needs his help to prove that Dr. Holtz was murdered but he needs to keep it a secret. There are people at MBA and NASA who do not want his death investigated. Dash agrees to help Zan. His first job is to find a way to hack into the security cameras to see what happened before Dr. Holtz made his solo trip onto the moon.
Allergy Free and Safe Settings
Allergy Free and Safe Settings
We have some students on our team with severe, life-threatening allergies to tree nuts, peanuts, and sesame seed and oil. That means foods containing those or foods processed in a facility with those ingredients will not be allowed in the classroom. Please read food labels, including the entire ingredient list, carefully.
Please plan to pack your child's snack in a separate bag or container to keep the snack away from any lunch items containing tree nuts. Lunches do not have to be allergen-free, and may contain any foods. Everyday students will leave their lunch boxes in crates. Please let us know if you have any questions.
All About Me Gazette
Between now and Open House, students will be working on an "All About Me Gazette," which will include information about themselves. As a part of this, students may bring in printed photos of themselves and their families. This is optional, as the photos will be taped/glued and may not be able to be returned. If you and your child choose to send photos, they can come in any time between now and September 26th.
Field Trips
UVM Ropes Course Field Trip
The students will participate in this team building activity is Friday, September 20. If you do not order a lunch from the cafeteria your child must bring a lunch from home that is peanut, tree nut and sesame oil free. A safe snack list can be found on the team website.
On the day of the field trip students should wear comfortable clothing, layers especially if it's chilly, and sneakers or hiking shoes. We will be outside the entire time so it might be a good idea to check the weather beforehand so your child can be prepared for whatever weather VT might have that day!
Volunteering
Chaperoning some field trips is one way that folks can volunteer. We will also have a few events during the school year where we as for volunteer help.
There is information posted on the EWSD website for parents interested in volunteering. Here is the direct link.
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Important Dates
September 20 UVM Adventure Ropes Course field trip
September 26 FMS Open House (Multi-Age Times 6:15 - 7:15 p.m.)
September 27 FMS PTO Fun Run
Contact Us
Karen Jeffrey: kjeffrey@ewsd.org
Kelsey Mead: kmead@ewsd.org
Stacey Mead: smead@ewsd.org
Kristi Goyette: kgoyette@ewsd.org
Website: https://www.ewsd.org/Domain/379
Location: Founders Memorial School, Founders Road, Essex Junction, VT, USA
Phone: 802-879-6326