First Grade: April 15 - 19, 2024
Hello, First Grade Families,
Last week, we practiced our play by taking on the persona of each character. We stood grumpy like King Crosspatch, practiced our cartwheels like Multiplication, and did our best belly laugh like Addition. The children observed how their peers interpreted each character and discussed how they would choose to portray their own character in our play.
As the play block requires more recitation than our other language blocks, our morning circle has taken a pause and has been temporarily replaced with a nature walk. Each morning, the children quietly walk through our campus and find a token from nature to bring back to the classroom. They then spend some quiet time sketching and tracing their object. On these walks, the children observed owls, cardinals, turtles, and lots of chipmunks making their way through the forest. The children have enjoyed spending extra time visiting the farm on some of our walks as well.
Class plays have many benefits for our Grades students. The class play allows the teacher to help guide their students in developing a variety of skills and capacities. It also helps to strengthen the sense of interdependence in the class as a whole, and it brings the opportunity to be creative through drama. Last week, we were invited to be a practice audience for the Second Grade as they rehearsed their play The Magpie’s Nest. This week, we will attend the Third Grade’s dress rehearsal of Charlotte’s Web. The first graders walked by their stage several times on their way to play at the creek. Each day, they wondered about the new props appearing on the stage. Watching the older grades perform fills our class with excitement as they prepare for our play on April 30. Our play will be held at 5:30, and we ask that for our class’s first-ever class play, only the parents of our students attend.
We are looking forward to seeing you at The Garden School annual fundraiser on Friday. The mosaic mirror made by the children is so precious! We can’t wait for you to see it!
Announcements and Reminders:
Dress for the weather with layers and send in full rain gear daily (raincoat, rain pants, and boots).
If your child is feeling under the weather, please keep them home to help keep our community healthy.
Upcoming Events:
4/23 Third Grade class play
4/23-4/25 Fifth Grade Pentathlon
4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser and Half-day Dismissal
4/27 Community Work Day 9 a.m - 12 p.m.
4/30 First Grade class play 5:30 p.m.
5/01 Second Grade class play 5:30 p.m.
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: April 8 - 12, 2024
Hello, First Grade Families,
Last week, we continued rehearsing for our class play, The King’s Advisors. Each morning, the children draw a different character to perform. They have enjoyed jumping into the different personas ranging from the moody King to the cartwheeling Multiplication. The students are also creating a book to accompany the play. Their reading skills and writing skills are developing as they begin writing sentences in their books.
For our auction project, the children helped by cleaning the grout off the mosaic pieces. They scrubbed each tile clear and picked away at the larger pieces, making sure that each tile was smooth and ready for assembly onto our mirror. The mirror will be fully assembled this week, so look forward to pictures of the finished project.
This week, we will continue rehearsing our play as we dive deeper into the personalities of each character. We will spend time as a whole group acting out each character and creating illustrations and paintings to complement their personalities. Please continue reading the play with your child at home to help them gain confidence for their performance on May first. This week, we will also work on our recycling project now that we have acquired a blender, which will allow us to turn our paper into pulp.
Announcements and Reminders
Please continue to dress your children in layers every day. It is ok to provide layers in their backpack if they feel too warm in the morning. The forest is cooler, especially when it is damp or cloudy. An expected temperature in the 60s and even lower 70s feels significantly different in different conditions, and we cannot easily predict what layers will feel most comfortable. As a rule, students should always have lighter and thicker pants, short and long-sleeved shirts, and a sweatshirt or light jacket. Additionally, students must have full rain gear and rain boots every day. The outdoor classroom remains wet for several days after rain.
Please ensure your children eat a filling breakfast daily that will sustain them until snack time at 10:30 a.m.
Insects are making their return! Please begin sending insect repellant in backpacks.
Upcoming Events:
4/23 Third Grade class play
4/23-4/25 Fifth Grade Pentathlon
4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser and Half-day
4/27 Community Work Day 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
4/30 First Grade class play
5/01 Second Grade class play
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: March 25 - 27, 2024
Hello, First Grade Families,
We hope you enjoyed your break and were able to enjoy the solar eclipse with your families. The school year certainly is speeding by, and soon, our class will grow into second graders. Luckily, we still have six weeks of fairytales to guide us through the end of the school year.
Before the break, we had an eventful week filled with fun activities. On Wednesday, the Fourth and Fifth Grade class invited us to be an audience during the dress rehearsal of their class play. The children loved watching the older students perform and wanted to act out their own play the entire afternoon following the performance. On Thursday, the third graders invited us to view the shelters they built using materials found at the school. Interacting with the older students always fills the first graders with excitement for the many things they will get to participate in and learn in the coming years.
We also celebrated Grandfriends Day before the break, and the children loved having their friends and family members join them in song and celebration. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend.
Announcements and Reminders:
Dress for the weather with layers and send in full rain gear daily (raincoat, rain pants, and boots).
If your child is feeling under the weather, please keep them home to help keep our community healthy.
Upcoming Events:
4/12 Student picture make-up day
4/23 Third Grade Class Play
4/23-4/25 5th Grade Pentathlon
4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser - Half Day
4/27 Community Work Day 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
4/30 First Grade Play
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: March 18 - 22, 2024
Hello, First Grade Families,
The First Grade class concluded our math story as Percival Plus, Moria Minus, Tamara Times, and Duke Divide returned the conjuring stone and restored numerical order to the land of Numerica. Over the course of this block, the children used all four processes to solve word problems, counted by 2s, practiced our odd and even numbers, and practiced counting to 100 by ones and tens.
Last week also marked the beginning of the Spring season, and we spent several days visiting the farm, looking for salamanders, and reading beginner books from our new library, which will remain on our platform for use in our free time.
The class is now readying to begin our Play Block. In this time, we will practice our memorization skills, write an accompanying reader, and continue practicing our blossoming reading skills. Our play is The King’s Advisors, and it tells the story of the antics the characters Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division cause when a king seeks happiness. The play in First Grade will be held on March 30th. Our first class play will be held in the large Sky room just outside our class. It is an immediate family only event.
This week, we will also hold Grandfriends Day on March 29th before early dismissal. Please email Meredith@thegardenmarietta.org with a list of the guests who are attending, who they are in relation to your student, and the person who will pick up your child. We look forward to seeing you all there!
Announcements and Reminders:
Dress for the weather with layers and send in full rain gear daily (raincoat, rain pants, and boots)
If your child is feeling under the weather, please keep them home to help keep our community healthy.
Upcoming Events:
3/27-3/28: School Photos
3/29: Grandfriends Day (Half Day All School Dismissal)
4/1-4/5 Spring Break (No School)
4/8: No School: Solar Eclipse
4/23-4/25 5th Grade Pentathlon
4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser - Half Day
4/30 First Grade Play
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: March 11 - 15, 2024
Hello, First Grade Families,
Last week, we were visited by a mischievous leprechaun who played tricks on our class! He turned our chairs upside down, left messy footprints on the platform, and left clues throughout the week to help us find him. On Thursday, we found notes hidden across the school that led us to his home, and each student got to bring home one piece of treasure.
We also continued our math adventure in the Mixed-Up Marsh. We practiced our multiplication skills as we helped guide Tamara Times to the other side of the path by solving a series of multiplication problems. We also helped Duke Divide determine which numbers were odd and which were even by seeing which numbers could be split into two equal groups.
Next week, we will conclude our math adventure as we use all four processes to solve our trickiest problems yet! We will also continue practicing by twos, our odds and evens, and continue counting to 120.
Announcements and Reminders:
Dress for the weather with layers and send in full rain gear daily (raincoat, rain pants, and boots).
If your child is feeling under the weather, please keep them home to help keep our community healthy.
Upcoming Events:
3/27-3/28: School Photos
3/29: Grandfriends Day (12:30 All School Dismissal)
4/1-4/5 Spring Break (No School)
4/23-4/25 5th Grade Pentathlon
4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser - Half Day
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: March 4 - 8, 2024
Hello, First Grade Families,
Last week, we continued our math adventure story as Percival Plus, Moria Minus, Tamara Times, and Duke Divide traveled through an enchanted forest and discovered an abandoned castle. The children had to solve the riddle of an odd and even path leading to the castle. They discovered the odd-numbered stones would fall if stepped on, but even-numbered stones led to the castle. They used a clapping game we learned in the morning circle to remember which numbers were odd and which were even. We also began writing to 100 on hundreds charts the children created in their main lesson books in order to solve the mystery of the hallway with 100 doors.
With the warmer weather, we saw all kinds of animals emerging from their winter rest. The children found multiple salamanders, turtles, and handfuls of bugs. Some children even thought they saw a snake, but it turned out to just be a very large worm. They were especially excited on Thursday to have a Venus fly trap visit our room. Some students sat with the plant their entire playtime, waiting to see it to catch a snack. The excitement they shared when it finally did eat a bug could likely be heard across the campus.
This week, the class will continue their math adventure as we travel through the abandoned castle and into a swamp. Our focus will be on multiplication and division, but we will continue to practice addition and subtraction as well.
Announcements and Reminders:
Dress for the weather with layers and send in full rain gear daily (raincoat, rain pants, and boots)
If your child is feeling under the weather, please keep them home to help keep our community healthy.
Upcoming Events:
3/15: Teacher In-Service (No School)
3/27-29: School Photos
3/29: Grandfriends Day (12:30 All School Dismissal)
4/1-4/5 Spring Break (No School)
4/23-4/25 5th Grade Pentathlon
4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser - Half Day
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: February 26 - March 1, 2024
Hello, First Grade Families,
Last week, we began our third Math Block with an interactive adventure story. In the story, the four process gnomes, Percival Plus, Moria Minus, Tamara Times, and Duke Divide, journey on a quest to defeat a dragon and restore numerical order to the kingdom. In the story, the children solve math riddles to advance the adventure and gain tools to use along the journey. This week, they solved the riddle of the three bird cages using addition and gained an abacus. They then found a treasure map after solving the twisted hallway problem using multiplication.
We also began work on our auction project. The children loved having family members come in to help with the project, and the mosaic tiles are beautiful. Thank you to everyone who came and participated! We are so excited to have our finished project ready for everyone to bid on, which, in turn, benefits our beautiful school.
This week, we will continue working with the four processes with a focus on subtraction and division. Our adventure story will take us into an enchanted forest where we will solve an odd and even riddle and practice counting to 120. We will also celebrate Forest and Lily’s birthdays this week.
Announcements and Reminders:
Dress for the weather with layers and send in full rain gear daily (raincoat, rain pants, and boots)
If your child is feeling under the weather, please keep them home to help keep our community healthy.
Upcoming Events:
3/9: Community Work Day 9 am - 12 pm
3/15: Teacher In-Service (No School)
3/27-29: School Photos
3/29: Grandfriends Day Tea (12:30 Dismissal All Students)
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: February 12 - 16, 2024
Hello, First Grade Families,
Before the break, we practiced reading and writing sentences. Each morning, we read sentences as a group, and on Thursday, we wrote our first sentence in our main lesson books. The children expressed pride in their work, and some reflected on how much they have learned this year.
On Thursday, we went on a scavenger hunt around the school, searching for something that begins with each letter of the alphabet. We wrote all the letters on the outside of a paper plate and cut it so that each letter could fold down. As we found objects that began with the letters, we would fold the tabs down. Some letters were easy and were quickly filled with ideas, while others proved more of a challenge. The children had to search the entire day before they found the letter X on the number ten card, a Roman numeral, and we are still searching for Q and Z!
On Valentine's Day, the students shared what they love about each other, and we shared a special snack of star cookies and heart strawberries. In the afternoon, we painted salt dough hearts that the children had mixed, rolled, and cut the week before. The children were so excited to take their gifts home to give to their families!
Announcements and Reminders:
Dress for the weather with layers and send in full rain gear daily (raincoat, rain pants, and boots)
If your child is feeling under the weather, please keep them home to help keep our community healthy.
Upcoming Events:
3/9: Community Work Day 9 am - 12 pm
3/15: Teacher In-Service (No School)
3/27-29: School Photos
3/29: Grandfriends Day Tea (12:30 Dismissal All Students)
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: February 05 - 09, 2024
Hello, First Grade Families,
Last week we packed our classroom supplies and headed back outdoors. The children did the majority of the work themselves by first cleaning our indoor space. They then took several trips up and down the stairs bringing all of our important supplies outside. The children put everything in its place on the platform and organized the supplies independently. At the end of the day, the children learned how to pack the supplies neatly into the shed. Now, each morning, the children take the supplies out of the shed and arrange the classroom, and each afternoon, the children put everything away. Practical work such as this supports a child’s will development, builds their inner confidence, gives them a sense of accomplishment, and allows them to work toward a goal that serves the entire class. It beautifully illustrates how much they have grown as a class community.
Last week we continued practicing the vowels and consonants, and the students are excited and eager to write new words each day. We are learning to write CVC words such as hop, pan, kit, and sun, and the children continue to gravitate towards reading during their free time. It is lovely to see the class taking their first steps into reading in such an organic way. Some choose to look at the books that only have pictures, others prefer to sit and read with the teacher, and others yet, are reading beginner books independently. A Waldorf education gives room to meet the students where they are each day.
Next week we will be away for our mid-winter break. When we return, we will begin our third math block. In this block, we will move deeper into the four processes and practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division equations.
Thank you to everyone who was able to attend conferences. It was nice to catch up and discuss how much the students have grown this year!
Announcements and Reminders:
As has been our tradition at The Garden School, instead of bringing cards from home on Valentine's Day, please save all card and gift exchanges for off-campus playdates.
Winter is not over; we will spend as much time outdoors as possible. Please continue to dress your child in layers and send in winter coats for our chilly mornings.
Upcoming Events:
2/19-2/23 Mid Winter Break (No School)
2/26 Teacher In-Service (No School)
3/9 Community Work Day 9 am - 12 pm
3/15 Teacher In-Service (No School)
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: January 29 - February 2, 2024
Hello, First Grade Families,
Thank you for attending the All School Meeting on Saturday. It was nice to come together as a community, enjoy the beautiful day, and support our school.
Last week, the weather finally began to show the first signs of Spring. Near the farm, daffodils are in bloom, and insects seem to be emerging from every corner of the forest. The children are particularly excited to see the forest creatures return as it has allowed them to resume a favorite game from autumn, Bug Hotel. Each day during playtime, a group of students circles a large tree and builds rooms, playgrounds, and even a hospital wing for the insects to enjoy. It is a joy to watch the children so immersed in their world of play.
Last week we completed our introduction to the vowels, and the students have begun to read and write short words and sentences. The children are so excited to begin writing, and they are so proud of their new skills. There are many benefits gained when children wait for something, whether it is tangible or intangible. The will development achieved and the increased enthusiasm they feel when the time (finally) arrives are the ideal rewards. Our current read-aloud is A Bear Called Paddington, and it is wonderful to hear the children ask for just “One more page!” because they are enjoying the story so much.
This week, we will continue to practice reading and writing as we conclude our Language Block. On Wednesday, we will go on a scavenger hunt around the school to find something to represent each letter of the alphabet. We will also hear the stories of The Three Musicians of Bremen and The Giant with no Heart.
Announcements and Reminders:
Thursday is HALF-DAY DISMISSAL (12:15 - 12:30).
Teacher Conferences are this February 8th and 9th. Please sign up for your child’s conference here.
As has been our tradition at The Garden School, instead of sending cards from home on Valentine's Day, please save all card and gift exchanges for off-campus playdates.
Upcoming Events:
2/8 Half Day - Parent Conferences
2/9 No School - Parent Conferences
2/19-2/23- Mid-Winter Break (No School)
2/26- Teacher Inservice (No School)
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: January 22 - 26, 2024
Hello, First Grade Families,
Last week, we experienced the full scope of January weather. From sliding on ice in the forest on Monday, jumping in the mud on Tuesday and Wednesday, running through the rain on Thursday, and finally, a full day of fun spent outdoors on Friday. It feels like the only weather we missed was a day of sunshine!
On top of all the outdoor fun, we enjoyed a special treat on Tuesday as our indoor space was filled with model trains. The children watched as the trains switched tracks and picked up cars. Many children enjoyed sharing stories of times they had traveled by train. Thank you to The Southern Museum for visiting our school!
Last week, we began our study of the vowels. The class learned some of the sounds that the letters A and E make, wrote words together as a class, and even began reading and writing sentences! The children are so excited to jump into the world of reading, and many have begun to enjoy our new class library that is open for them to explore during their free time.
This week, we will continue our vowel study with the letters I, O, and U. As this will wrap up the entirety of our alphabet, we will have a special day on Friday, where we celebrate our achievements. We will also share a special snack of alphabet soup on Friday, bringing a fun and memorable close to our alphabet block.
Announcements and Reminders:
The first Community Work Day of the Spring Semester is on Saturday, February 3rd, from 10:00 - 12:00. Please come if you are able, and add to your volunteer hours! Children are welcome, and there are typically both indoor and outdoor tasks available.
Please also plan to join us for the All School Meeting following the work day at 12:30. A soup lunch will be served at noon, and the meeting should be around an hour to an hour and a half long. The meeting is a grownups-only event.
Teacher Conferences are just around the corner! This Spring semester, they will be held on Thursday, February 8th (half day) and Friday, February 9th (no school). Please sign up for your child’s conference here.
Upcoming Events:
2/3 First Grade Risers Informational Meeting - 11:15 a.m.
2/3 Community Work Day 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
2/3 All School Meeting 12:30 p.m.
2/8 Half Day - Parent Conferences
2/9 No School - Parent Conferences
2/19-2/23- Mid-Winter Break (No School)
2/26- Teacher Inservice (No School)
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: January 15 - 19, 2024
Hello, First Grade Families,
Last week, we ended our second Math Block with some cooler days spent indoors. We listened to stories about Moria Minus and Duke Divide, and we reviewed all four processes: multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction. The children enjoyed using their gems to find ways to solve equations. On Wednesday, we poured hundreds of the gems into a large pile, and the class was challenged to count them as quickly as they could. At first, the students counted by ones, but soon they were sorted into groups of fives and tens to help them count faster. Working together, the children were able to count to 200 by 10s.
This week, we are beginning our third Language Block, where we will study the vowels. This unit will be accompanied by a story about stars which give a boy and girl the sounds they need to read words. Each star will represent a different short vowel sound, and we will learn the sounds first and then the letter for each sound. This will allow us to begin building CVC words (such as sat, hat, can, top, and hug). We will also begin writing sentences as a group and review initial consonant sounds.
In these colder months, please remember to dress your child appropriately. While the main lesson will remain indoors when the weather is under 40 degrees, we will hold our morning circle outdoors when the weather permits. This allows the children a period of expansion, lightness, and play before we contract, focus, and sit during our Main Lesson time.
Announcements and Reminders:
Please remember winter coats and two water bottles are required daily.
The first Community Work Day of the Spring Semester is on Saturday, February 3rd, from 10:00 - 12:00. Please come if you are able, and add to your volunteer hours! Children are welcome, and there are typically both indoor and outdoor tasks available.
Please also plan to join us for the All School Meeting following the work day at 12:30. A soup lunch will be served at noon, and the meeting should be around an hour to an hour and a half long. The meeting is a grownups-only event.
Teacher Conferences are just around the corner! This Spring semester, they will be held on Thursday, February 8th (half day) and Friday, February 9th (no school). Please sign up for your child’s conference here
Upcoming Events:
First Grade Risers Informational Meeting - TBD
2/3 Community Work Day 10 am - 12 pm
2/3 All School Meeting 12:30 pm
2/8 Half Day - Parent Conferences
2/9 No School - Parent Conferences
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: January 8 - 12, 2024
Hello, First Grade Families,
It has been lovely to see all of the happy faces return after our time away in December. The children all seem so much older and taller upon our return to school and as we enter the second half of the school year!
Last week, we continued our math block. We revisited the four processes with the help of our math gnomes: Percival Plus, Moria Minus, Tamara Times, and Duke Divide. The children worked hard to solve new equations each day. On Thursday, we enjoyed the beautiful weather by going on a scavenger hunt around the school. We visited the farm, the creek, our fire pit, and the dome. The children loved working together to find the different clues and solve the equations at each location.
Last week also brought some stormy days, and the children thrived indoors. On Tuesday, the children created a stormy day and a rainy day painting. For the stormy day painting, we used only blue paint and enjoyed experimenting with adding more layers of blue in certain areas to create different shades. The children also created a giant board game during indoor playtime. The children created individual games first, then they put all of their games together to create a game that nearly fills our classroom!
Finally, on Sunday, Mary turned 7-years-old! Mary is a kind friend, and brings light to our classroom with her beautiful singing and lovely personality. Happy Birthday, Mary!
Announcements and Reminders:
Please remember winter coats and two water bottles are required daily.
Please join us on Wednesday evening from 6:00 - 7:00 pm for an overview of the Spring semester. Additionally, we will brainstorm together for an idea for our class auction project!
Upcoming Events:
1/16 Early Childhood Curriculum Night (via Zoom) 6:00 p.m.
First Grade Risers Informational meeting - TBD
1/17 Grades Curriculum Night (on campus) 6:00 p.m.
2/3 Community Work Day 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
2/3 All School Meeting 12:30 p.m.
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: December 11 - 15, 2023
Hello, First Grade Families,
Today we held our winter celebration. The children enjoyed a sweet treat of hot chocolate and looked at their favorite picture books. They had fun creating a winter craft and exchanging cozy winter socks. Tomorrow, we will hold our grades assembly in the sanctuary at 11:45. The children are excited to share some of their favorite songs and poems with you! Tomorrow will also be an early dismissal after the assembly. We wish our friend, Asher, and his family all the best! We will miss seeing him at school each day!
Last week we started our second Math Block and began learning the four processes: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The class has enjoyed our journey into Numerica, a magical land where the gnomes Percival Plus, Tamara Times, Moria Minus, and Duke Divide live. The students are using the set of colorful gems they each collected during our first Math Block to help them solve our math equations. The children were so excited they completed an addition problem that one child asked if we could stay in longer before playtime to do “just one more.” Learning math through stories enlivens the lessons, helping the students engage more readily and allowing the new concepts to live deeply within them. The class has also enjoyed playing math games in the afternoon using decks of cards to reinforce new concepts. We will continue our math block after the winter holiday before moving into our study of the vowels.
Announcements and Reminders:
Have a wonderful Winter Break!
Please remember to clean out and repack backpacks and check that rain boots still fit before the new semester.
Winter coats are required daily.
Upcoming Events:
12/20 Grades Assembly - 11:45 a.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day
12/21 - 01/03 Winter Break (No School)
01/04 First day of Spring Semester
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: December 4 - 8, 2023
Hello, First Grade Families,
These cooler last weeks of fall have been filled with creativity in the First Grade class. A favorite activity with the children was creating salt dough ornaments. Each child took a turn mixing, kneading, and rolling the dough. Then, they each cut their dough stars and hearts. This week, we will complete our ornaments by painting them. Another favorite craft was creating snowflake paintings by adding salt onto our paper before painting. This created a beautiful crystal effect on the paper.
On Saint Nicholas Day, the children were surprised to find wooden gnomes and bells in their shoes after they returned from Spanish class. This year, the children have heard a story about a gnome who lives in the school and likes to play tricks by turning out the lights in the hallways. The children decided the gift must have come from the gnome, and they enjoyed painting their wooden gnome in the way they imagined him to look.
Last week, we concluded our study of the consonants with the letters F, Y, and Z, and this week we are beginning our second Math Block. In this block, we will introduce addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Announcements and Reminders:
Please continue to send water-resistant heavy coats, hats, gloves, snow pants or rain pants, and insulated boots daily. Please also continue to dress your child in layers. Wool socks are highly recommended on days under 45 degrees.
Please arrive on time at drop off (8:20-8:30)
Help us support Tweens and Teens this year for the MUST Ministries Toy Drive. Please see the Main Message in the Garden Messanger for more information.
Upcoming Events:
12/19 Class End-of-Semester Pajama Party
12/20: Grades Assembly - 12:00 p.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day
12/21: Teacher In-Service (No School)
12/22 - 01/03: Winter Break (No School)
01/04: First day of Spring Semester
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: November 27 - December 3, 2023
Hello, First Grade Families,
We have penny whistles! The First Grade class is excited to learn their new instruments. The children love playing their instruments each afternoon in our forest classroom. Beginning next semester, we will incorporate penny whistles into our morning circle. Your child may leave their instrument at school or take them home each night. I will have a place for the children to store their instruments in the room. The children will use their school instruments with Ki Ben on Mondays and Fridays.
This week, we will conclude our study of the consonants as we hear the story The Fisherman’s Wife, which will accompany the letters T, F, Y, and Z. Our letter study will resume in late January with our introduction of the vowels. As we learn the vowels, students will begin lessons that support reading as they practice reading and writing CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words.
Next week, we will begin our second math block and introduce the four mathematical operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The students are excited about the return of our numbers. They are especially excited about the many games they enjoy playing during our math blocks.
This week, we will also hold our Winter Spiral on Thursday. Walking the spiral with a lighted candle is symbolic of each of us sharing our light with the world and how together we can help guide each other through the dark. Our walk will begin promptly at 10:20 a.m. in the sanctuary. Families are welcome to watch their child’s class walk the spiral. Thursday is also Rémy’s seventh birthday, which we will celebrate on Friday afternoon.
Announcements and Reminders:
Help us support Tweens and Teens this year for the MUST Ministries Toy Drive. Please see the Main Message in the Garden Messanger for more information.
The winter weather is coming, and it is much cooler in the forest! Please dress your student(s) in layers. Winter coats and rain gear are required every day.
We need Greenery for the Winter Spiral on Thursday. Please consider asking for extra clipping from tree lots or donating trimmings from pruned evergreens in your yard. Greenery can be left alongside the fence in the field area. Thank you!
Upcoming Events:
12/07 Grades 1st - 5th Winter Spiral
12/08 Kindergarten Winter Spiral
12/20 Grades Assembly - 12:00 p.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day
12/21 Teacher In-Service (No School)
12/22 - 01/03 Winter Break (No School)
01/04 First day of Spring Semester
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: November 13 - 17, 2023
Hello, First Grade Families,
Last week, we celebrated Thanksgiving, and we hope this break was a peaceful time for your family and spent with those who bring you happiness. Now, we find ourselves fully in the holiday season, and it will be a particularly exciting month in First Grade. This Friday, we will celebrate the first birthday of the year as Snow turns seven! The following week, the school will hold our Winter Spiral. The Fall Semester will conclude on December 20th with a half-day and our Grades assembly. The children have been preparing songs and recitations for the assembly and are excited to show what they have learned.
This week, we will hear King Thrushbeard, The Twelve Months, and begin The Fisherman’s Wife. These stories will introduce the letters W, K, Q, J, and F. Next week, we will finish our reading block and complete our introduction to the 21 consonants. We will also celebrate Remy’s birthday.
Announcements and Reminders:
The winter weather is coming, and it is much cooler in the forest! Please dress your student(s) in layers. Winter coats and rain gear are required every day.
We need Greenery for the Winter Spiral. Please consider asking for extra clipping from tree lots or donating trimmings from pruned evergreens in your yard. Greenery can be left alongside the fence in the field area. Thank you!
Upcoming Events:
12/02 Prospective Family Open House: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
12/07 Grades 1st - 5th Winter Spiral
12/08 Kindergarten Winter Spiral
12/20 Grades Assembly - 12:00 p.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day
12/21 Teacher In-Service (No School)
12/22 - 01/03 Winter Break (No School)
01/04 First day of Spring Semester
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: November 6 - 10, 2023
Hello, First Grade Families,
What a beautiful fall the past week has brought us. Our routine has become influenced by the changing temperatures that surround us each day. Frost-covered picnic tables greet us on lucky mornings, and the children enjoy scraping the ice crystals into little snow piles to throw in the air or build tiny snowmen. During playtime, several children have begun building a fairy kingdom to keep the fairies warm at night. As the sun rises, layers of clothing begin to shed. We finally feel the full heat, almost as if summer were back, each afternoon at dismissal. Please be aware the cooler temperatures are back, and all layers are still needed.
This week, we will hear the stories Laughing Eye, Seven Swans, Chair in the Water, and begin King Thrushbeard. These stories will accompany the letters G, H, V, S, and X. This brings us to our halfway point in the alphabet. Over the next three weeks, we will complete our consonants and take a deeper look into the initial sounds of words. We will begin our study of the vowels in January. Once we have completed all of the letters, we will begin to learn medial sounds and begin learning to read words with basic patterns, such as consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words.
This Friday, we look forward to celebrating the Thanksgiving Luncheon as a shared meal together. Next week, we will not have school in celebration of Thanksgiving. We hope you enjoy a restful time spent with those who bring you happiness.
Announcements and Reminders:
Please remember to continue practicing the Haudenosaunee Address of Thanksgiving with your child for the Thanksgiving Luncheon on Friday, November 17.
We hope you will join us this Friday, November 17 for the Thanksgiving Luncheon. We will begin in the sanctuary at 11 a.m. Following the opening in the sanctuary, you will check out your child at the picnic tables and then proceed down to the playground for the picnic. Please plan to bring lunch for all family members. Desserts are provided by the school. To ensure there are enough treats for all, children must be accompanied by an adult to choose their dessert. Please bring blankets and/or camping chairs.
Upcoming Events:
11/17: Thanksgiving Luncheon 11 am - Half Day
11/20 - 24: Thanksgiving Break (No School)
12/02: Prospective Family Open House: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
12/07 - 08: Winter Spiral
12/20: Grades Assembly - 12:00 p.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day
Warm regards,
Meredith
First Grade: October 30 - November 3, 2023
Hello, First Grade Families,
We are in the midst of our fourth block and are moving through the remainder of our consonants. To accompany our letters, the children will hear the stories Laughing Eye, Seven Swans, Chair in the Water, and King Thrushbeard. While we have not yet moved into writing words as part of our curriculum, the children are excited to write and have begun asking for the opportunity to label items in and around our classroom. They are also creating signs for imaginary play. Some of the students have begun “growing a farm” in their playtime using the seeds collected from items in their lunches, and every day they ask to use paper so they can label their plants. It is a joy to watch the children so eager to begin writing and organically incorporate it into their games. Allowing children time to play, focusing on developing their skills creatively, including those skills taught in our many specialty classes, gives rise to students who are excited and eager to do and learn. It is the gift of time, the gift of an extended childhood, that helps build students who are intrinsically motivated to learn and who, in turn, become lifelong learners.
Because of the unpredictability of Georgia weather, we will be utilizing both our indoor and outdoor classrooms in the coming weeks. When the weather is very cold, please continue to dress your child for the outdoors. Morning Circle will remain outdoors most days, however, we will often move indoors for the Main Lesson. Please dress your children appropriately in layers with labeled warm coats, hats, gloves, and shoes.
Announcements and Reminders:
Please join us for the Lantern Walk TONIGHT at 6:30 pm (the story will begin promptly at 6:30 pm in the sanctuary). At the end of the walk, your child will return the electric candle and take their lantern home to keep. If you are unable to attend the walk, lanterns will be sent home the next day your child attends school.
The autumn weather is here. Layering clothing is essential for students to be comfortable throughout the day.
Please label clothing!
Send two full water bottles daily.
Upcoming Events:
11/07: Kindergarten Lantern Walk: 6 pm
11/07: Grades 1 - 3 Lantern Walk: 6:30 pm
11/17: Thanksgiving Luncheon 11 am - Half Day
11/20 - 24: Thanksgiving Break (No School)
12/02: Open House: 10 am - 12 pm
Warm regards,
Meredith
