Students have been cleaning out their piggy banks to give pennies to some cause or causes.  We met today to consider which cause to give money to.  We have several possibilities including the organization that funds schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, run by Greg Mortenson of Three Cuyps of Tea.  We are also looking at other suggestions made by students in the class. In addition to learning about different organizations, we are learning about decision-making when we do not vote.  Students are good at speaking what is on their hearts and minds.  Now we practice listening to others, some with strong feelings in a variety of directions.  What is clear through all this is that we have a very caring, concerned class.

Food Collection

Our class will once again organize the food collection for the emergency food cupboard next door to the school in Lansdowne.  This is organized loosly to coincide with Martin Luther King Day on January 18th. We usually deliver the food and help stock the shelves sometime after Martin Luther King Day.

Both first/second grade classrooms have been focused on Night.  They are investigating nocturnal animals, poetry, and astronomy, with a special concentration on the moon.

As is their custom with themes, students began thinking about the moon by brainstorming the things they already knew.  See Tr. Jill's class list below.

What We Know About the Moon

Some people think the moon is made of cheese.

Sometimes the moon is orange.

Sometimes the moon looks different in the sky, even though it is the same.

The moon sometimes looks close to earth.

Each night the moon looks different.

There was a space race, but we won: we were the first to the moon.  The other country, the USSR, crashed.

Astronauts and scientists went and discovered the moon.

Some people think the moon is just a huge rock.

Sometimes the moon looks low in the sky.

Sometimes the moon is different shapes.

Sometimes you can see the sun go down and the moon go up.

On one side of the earth, you can't see the moon, but on the other side you can.

The moon starts out small, then gets bigger and bigger until it is a full moon.

Sometimes the moonlooks like it has a bunny face.

When its very late, the moon turns yellow.

There's more than one moon.  Planets have their own moon.

When you're driving, it feels like the moon is moving with you.

If you look at the moon for a long time it makes you fall asleep.

Sometimes the moon gets smaller or bigger.  When it gets bigger, its going up in the sky.

One time the moon looked likes Venus; it was red-hot and bigger than usual.  Maybe it was close to us and maybe a lot of light reflected off it.

The moon is a circle, or a thin bit too.

One time it looked like someone was walking on the moon, but it was really a bird.

Who done it?  That's what the 5th and 6th grade students are trying to figure out as they dive into a Mystery theme.  They'll be reading and writing mysteries, and solving mysteries through chemistry during December.  Today the class delighted the school with a presentation of three short mysteries at Gathering.

Meanwhile, Tr. Al led students in science mystery/miraclesoutside as students planted bulbs along the front fence.  We'll look forward to spring flowers!

Finally, Tr. Jacqueline shared her Dutch Sinterklaas tradition and a traitional cookie with children of all ages in the library today.

Kindergarten students investigate pumpkins, compost, and plant bulbs in front of the Library building with Tr. Al.

Students  enjoy putting the finishing touches on their mask projects in Shop class.