RJ's Class Notes

With some extra warm days late October, we spent some time walking around the perimeter of campus collecting leaves that we will be using for a Fall art project. We will create stained-glass window decorations using wax paper that will be pressed together using an iron.

Each week we're spending time getting comfortable with new groups of sight words. Students have been doing activities where they write sentences, draw pictures, and play games using weekly sight words. The kids have been loving word bingo that we’ve played using sight words.

We spent the morning of Halloween Eve planting an amaryllis bulb that Indie brought to school. We took turns placing soil in a pot and buried the bulb about two-thirds of it’s height. We also each took turns watering it. The bulb will sit in the classroom which allows for us to watch its growth over the coming months.

Students were delighted to receive letters from the Senior Learners. The looks on their faces when they received letters was priceless. They were eager to write back their pen pal(s); Senior Learner's each asked questions of the students that they were happy to answer. We have already written back and we wait in excitement for their responses.

Our writing continues to flourish with students in the process of working on books. We have stories about a crow, Halloween, Hayground school, and a student’s version of “Elephant and Piggy”, and more. Each student designed the look of their book, choosing page layouts and color of the outer cover. 

 We continue to read books aloud focusing on kindness and compassion, friendship, and the natural world. 

Each Monday students have been pumped for pump track. It has been delightful, witnessing the progress each student has made in a short amount of time.

This upcoming week, we will be discussing some current social issues. Students will create their own make believe country, design a flag, and write about issues that are important to them. In conjunction with this project, we will read books that discuss different social issues, where they can gain some ideas.

This coming Tuesday, students will work in groups of four with Ella in the garden. Students are very excited as they always love the time to explore and work in our gardens.