Dear Third and Fourth-Grade Families,
Last week went by in no time. Moving from the mood of Halloween, the class went into the mood of Martinmas, making lanterns for tomorrow's Lantern Walk. After the class had painted their lantern paper using a wax-resist technique, the fourth graders helped to assemble the lanterns for the whole class. They used rulers to measure and neatly mark folding lines on the back of the paper, cut openings, and folded the lanterns into shape. During the main lesson, the class practiced sequencing by writing the recipe for the campfire soup they made with Mr. Matan. They collectively listed all materials and ingredients needed to make the soup. Paired up in teams, they wrote the cooking instructions that come with the recipe. They carefully put all the necessary cooking steps into chronological order and then checked their work for accuracy. After discussing their writing with the whole class, the students wrote the recipe into their main lesson books. This year, the main lesson bookwork will integrate more of the students' work than in the previous school years, giving them more responsibility for their writing. The week was accompanied by Native American creation stories about the Milky Way, the Indian Paintbrush flower, and the legend of the Lady’s Slippers.
The class is excited about the Lantern Walk for the grades tomorrow. Here are the times for you to arrive at the school tomorrow night:
Fourth Grade: Be there by 6:00 p.m. to tune your ukuleles and warm up for the performance! The students need to dress warmly and bring a blanket to sit on.
Third Grade: Be there in time for the lantern walk at 6:30 p.m.
The Grades 1-3 students will meet at the picnic area on the field and then join their classes on the playground to hear a story about this special night while the fourth-grade students, along with some fifth graders, stay with parents and guide them to sing the lantern walk songs in the field area. After listening to the Martinmas story, the students will rejoin their families and walk together through the forest for the Lantern Walk. The ukulele players will play in different locations throughout the walk. During the lantern walk, please join us in singing the lantern songs. You can find them in my email or on the school messenger. Because of the respectful nature of the walk, we ask all families to walk calmly with their children and to refrain from taking pictures. Each student will receive a Lantern Walk treat to take home at the end of the walk. After receiving the treat, we kindly ask you to take your children directly to your cars and drive home to help preserve the reverent mood of the event.
Finally, please consider supporting our first community outreach project, One Warm Coat, and donate a coat or jacket (new or gently used) for our coat drive this week, which goes hand in hand with the donated coat in our Martinmas story.
I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Warm Regards,
Gaby Farrokhi
Reminders:
Nov. 8: NO school, teacher in-service day, Kindy Lantern Walk
Nov. 9: Grades 1-3 Lantern Walk (5th-grade siblings will play the ukulele with 4th grade)
Nov. 7-11: Coat drive for One Warm Coat
Nov. 14-18: Non Perishable food drive for Never Alone food pantry
Nov. 18: Half Day dismissal (12:15-30) - Thanksgiving Luncheon
Nov. 21-25 Thanksgiving Break (No School)
