Our First Field Trip

The Blacksmith

     Our first field trip was a great success! To demonstrate to visitors what life was like long ago, the Littleton Historical Museum has two working farms--one from circa 1860 and the other circa 1890. Our learning goal was to notice the differences in the way people live then and now. The children enjoyed roaming the grounds. Highlights were the blacksmith, the "secret" garden and the animals.

Free time before lunch

Taking a break in the secret garden

 Long line at the outhouse!

We were all very tired on the ride home

Last week, we began a reading unit on how to choose "just right" books. The purpose of this unit is to help us to become better readers by learning how to choose books that feel just right to read independently. These books should have only one or two tricky spots. This helps us to become fluent and competent readers. We are also learning to read for meaning, as we always read first for meaning. It is important that when your child brings home books to read he or she practices retelling the story in sequence after reading. Being able to retell the story will assure you that the books are right for your child. The content of this unit includes:

• thinking about what a "just right"  book feels like
• learning how to choose books to read independently
• understanding how independent reading helps us become better readers
• knowing that a "just right" book has only one or two tricky spots
• knowing that readers read fluently (smoothly--like the way we talk)
• understand that we read for meaning first 

Starting Tuesday, we will be choosing our own independent reading books during our classroom library center time. This means your child will have the opportunity to choose their own books every six days as that is how long it takes the entire class to rotate through the center.

Dancing Drum

Last week, our Specials were different because Soaring Hawk participated in the Dancing Drum Artist-in-Residency program. The program offers students in depth instruction in drumming which included drumming in Music, a "Family Drum Night" celebration on Thursday, and a drumming assembly on Friday. According to dancingdrum.com, their mission "...is to educate, entertain, and inspire people of all ages through interactive, percussion-based programs."  Steve Campbell and Lindsay Rush were our Artists-in-Residence. They were awesome, and everyone had a fantastic time!

During Music

Family Drum Night

Mr. Steve, Mrs. McTigue, Ms. Lindsay

At the assembly