News From Mrs. Crowther!

In literacy, we continue to think about and work on our stamina in both reading and writing.  Additionally, we're focusing on word meanings - using context clues to help us understand our reading more deeply, and also some explicit vocabulary instruction using words from our class read aloud: Wonder by RJ Palacio.  

As a way to support developing reading and writing stamina at home, please be sure your child is reading for at least 20 minutes 5x/week.   Another good idea is to have them journal or write in some form at home regularly.  Maybe you want to start a dialogue journal with them?!!

Next week we are lucky enough to have Vermont author Natalie Kinsey Warnock visiting SCS as an artist in residence!  She'll talk to the students about her life, how she gets her ideas for her writing and being an author!  This will be a fantastic way to start our October focus of narrative writing!  Expect the students to come home asking about family stories!

Walking Wednesdays!

Please join us for Walking Wednesdays!

October 2017

October has arrived, and you know what that means...Walking Wednesdays!  This year we thought we’d continue an opportunity for more students to participate in this wellness activity.  

Beginning October 4th, all K-8 SCS students and families are invited to meet at the “parade” green on the corner of Church Street and Route 7 (Farmer’s Market location).  We will meet up with buses,E, D, G and H at about  7:45-7:50.  Any students who want to get off the bus and walk to school are encouraged to do so.  There will be cones set up on the right (north) side of Church St. with the Shelburne Police there to assist.  Teachers, staff, and community members will supervise students as they cross Route 7, walk down the sidewalk by the library and coffee shop, and head west on Harbor Road.

• October 4th, Bus E,      Driver~PJ
• October 11th, Bus D,    Driver~Diane
• October 18th, Bus G,    Driver~Damian
• October 25th, Bus H,    Driver~Lucy

Although, we would love to have everyone participate, this is an optional activity.  Any students remaining on the bus will continue on to the school.

Rocketry At SCS!

Students in 3-5th grade - come join Bob for the Fall Model Rocketry Class! Build test and launch the Estes Photon Disruptor. Class begins Monday 10/23 from 3:00-4:15pm, and runs for five weeks - completing the week after Thanksgiving break. Cost is $91 and includes the model rocket and supplies. Sign Up here.

So much to tell you!

This morning we totaled up our donations and we have over $200 to support hurricane victims world wide.  We have decided to share 1/3 of the money with a 5th Grade class in Houston, Texas!  The classroom Teachers are Ms. West and Ms. Fowler.  We will send the money in the form of a Gift Card to Amazon so they can get needed supplies for their classroom.  The rest of the money will be donated to the Red Cross in hopes of supporting victims of Hurricanes Irma, Maria and Jose! 

We built our classroom norms last week and landed on an amazing collection of actions we hope to participate in on a daily basis here at school!  We signed these norms by leaving our mark as Vashti does in the story The Dot!  Ask your child about it!

We continue to be engineers in science class! We have focused heavily on the vocabulary we will engage in as we build our solar ovens!  We will be using different materials, thinking about their properties, finding ways to create a sustainable solar oven that is efficient and inexpensive.  We will design and redesign our ovens in hopes of improving their success in making s'mores!

Ask~Imagine~Plan~Create~Improve~Ask~Imagine~Plan~Create~Improve

In math class we have been focusing on our multiplications strategies while discovering volume and what it means to our friend Brad who is running a baseball business!  He sells baseballs in packages of 12 and 24 and we are designing multiple ways in which he can box up his baseballs!  We are keeping track of our models by noticing the lengths and width and height of of the boxes we design. We are generalizing the formula for volume while also discovering the congruency between some of our designs.  As a bonus we have also been focusing on strategies for addition and subtraction!  I am most proud of our dedication to multiple pathways, perseverance, mathematical representations, critique and debate and accuracy and precision!  Way to go efficient mathematicians!  

Don't forget on Friday, we are headed to Shelburne Farms!  Your students will need comfortable clothes appropriate for the weather, sneakers, snacks and a lunch, as well as a water bootle!  Thanks!

Vasanthi 

Donating to Harvey!

Here we are counting our donations!  How much money will we raise for Hurricane Harvey?Changing our mission next week to support citizens affected by Hurricane Irma!  Please continue to send in your spare change, every penny counts!

Habits of Mind, First Goal Sheet and Reading!

Dear Families,

I hope you have all had a great first full week of school!  The weather has been phenomenal and the learning has been so engaging and exciting!  Our weekly reflections showed me this week that our students valued having time in both classrooms focusing on math, reading and writing, attending an assembly on Bullying Behavior Prevention, starting band instrument lessons,  and working on our Photo Wall Project as well as Habits Of Mind posters!  Please talk more about these exciting topics with your students! 

Today I will be sending home our first Goal Sheet of the year!  Students will be returning goal sheets on FRIDAY this year.  Homework is starting light with just reading and focused reflection on a chosen habit of mind.  Below is a graphic that has been shared with your student in hopes of supporting all of us in simply reading for 20 minutes a day!  I know that schedules are busy with extra activities and family time, but reading is a simple and highly beneficial way to stay curious, engaged and excited about learning.  We can learn about the history of the world, travel to exotic places, gain empathy through the perspectives of other characters, widen our vocabulary and improve our writing fluency!    

Your students have been engaging and reflecting on these 16 Habits of Mind for over a year!  This year we want students to be aware of all 16 and make choices in which habits they wish to focus on and practice!  Teams researched and presented these habits to the whole team.  Posters (that they created) will soon be visible in our classrooms and will engage students in understanding these habits, how to practice them and reflection on how this focused work can support them in being successful in school and life.  

Lastly, on a personal note, my mother suffered a heart attack on Monday afternoon.  I was out Tuesday to support her in the hospital.  She came home Wednesday!  At home I have been so impressed by my mother's bravery, persistence and thoughtfulness.  She knew the symptoms, got help and is grateful for the care that has put her back on her feet again!  Your children were so kind and thoughtful on my return Wednesday.  They asked questions, gave me hugs of support and continue to check in on her healing!  So with a grateful heart I wish you and your families an awesome weekend!   

Up, Up and Away!

Ask your child about this Team Work activity!  SO many great skills practiced!  We focused on consensus building!  

Hope for Houston Coin Drive

Hope For Houston Coin drive to help our fellow Americans affected by Hurricane Harvey! Who: 5th grade students at Shelburne Community School How: Bring in spare change! When:9/11-9/22(2 weeks) Americans united to support hundreds!

Week 2 off to a Super Start!

This  morning we took charge and created our classroom job chart, cleaned up our classroom library, planned our 5th Grade Coin Drive for the citizens affected by Hurricane Harvey, and created a A teamwork poster based on the phrases and words we have been collecting every day!  Our first 5 days of school have been heavily embedded with team work!  Together as a team we kicked off a Habits of Mind Design Challenge today...stay tuned for more updates.  Here is a photo of the 16 Habits of Mind!  

We began swapping classroom for short time periods this week!  It has been this highlight of the day for many!  Ask your child about Math with me and writing and reading with Mrs. Crowther.  Your child may want to  play Total 25 with you!  All you need is two pencils and a piece of paper!  

Mr. Badillo visited the team this afternoon to roll out our Chromebook Agreement!  These came home in your child's HW folder, please read it and sign it and return it to school tomorrow!