First Grade: October 4 - 8

Dear first grade families,

 We had a wonderful week back after fall break! Last week we wrapped up our first language arts block, adding letters H, K, B, and G into our practice. To bring these letters to life, students heard a few different Grimm’s Fairy Tales featuring The Hut in the Forest, King Thrushbeard, The Willow-Wren and the Bear, and The Golden Goose. We worked with groups of fives during our number study and practiced skip counting with great success. We will begin our first mathematics block this week which focuses heavily on the quality of numbers one through twelve. We will also be exposed to the initial Roman Numerals this week.

We have been working on using talk moves during our whole class discussions. These involve nonverbal cues, mostly hand signals, to help conversation flow and keep the whole group engaged without talking over each other. Our first graders are mastering this practice and are enjoying how smooth the flow of discussions has become! It’s wonderful how our class is communicating in a whole group setting. Congratulations, first grade!

We celebrated our first birthday as a class last week- happy birthday, Charlie! The students shared what made Charlie a special part of our class. Some of the things her classmates admire are: that she is a good friend, makes us all laugh, and takes good care of plants!

 Thanks for your help always. Happy Monday!

Reminders:

  • Fall Conferences are fast approaching.  Please see the link in the main section of the Monday Messenger to sign up! 

  • Please bring boots for Environmental Education Class.

  • Scarecrow building news will be coming your way from our class rep, Debbie (aka Isaac's mom) soon. 

Sincerely,

Ki Hayley

First Grade: September 20 - 24

Dear First Grade Families,

I hope you are enjoying your fall break thus far! This past week, we continued with our first language arts block, adding letters W, C, and F into the mix. To bring these letters to life, students heard the tales featuring “The Fisherman and his Wife” and “The Lambkin and the Fish” from the Grimms fairytale collection, along with a Byelorussian folk tale titled “Pilipka.” During number study, we worked regularly with groups of four. 

Additionally, first grade spent extra time at the farm this week during environmental education with Ki Rachel. The students showed much responsibility in assisting with farm chores and loved seeing the animals. 

We celebrated “Day Of Courage” by wet-on-wet painting shields with Ki Fatima, sharing stories about moments in our lives when we were brave, and listening to a wonderful tale about St Michael and the Dragon. The children were delighted when this story ended differently than they had heard in previous years!

Reminder:

  • Unless weather or temperatures are extreme, first grade will plan to start each day down in the forest. Please remember to send warm clothes and layers of clothing with the students, as our days start a bit chillier. Hand Warmers for pockets can be helpful too.

  • Grades classes drop-off is from 8:20am- 8:40am. We will begin class promptly at 8:45 am. It is important that your child arrives on time so they start their day in the best way possible.

Thanks for your help with the above items. Have a lovely break!

Sincerely,

Ki Hayley

First Grade: September 13-17

Hello First Grade Families! 

We had another wonderful week of learning and playing in the forest. We began our first language arts block and worked with the letters M, V, S, T, W, their forms, and their sounds with great success. Next week, we will continue learning new consonants within our first language arts block. 

Students worked practicing groups of three’s during number study this week. They loved singing “Three is a Magic Number” and skip counting by 3’s, as well as 2’s as a class.

It was so exciting to play different instruments during music class with Ki Kathee this week! The students played the triangle, bongos, rain sticks, and so many more! The kids also wrapped up making their own knitting needles in handwork! 

Reminders:

  • This Friday, 9/24, is 12:30 dismissal for all students

  • Next week, 9/27-10/1, is Fall Break, there is no school that week

  • Please remember to send indoor shoes with your child if you have not already. We use these for mud-free bathroom breaks indoors. Thanks for your help with this!

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions at hayley@thegardenmarietta.org.

Warm regards,

Ki Hayley

First Grade: September 7-10

Hello First Grade Families! 

Week two of first grade was a blast for all of us! There is so much kindness and joy in our students. During recess, the entire class elected (without teacher prompting) to play a group game of tag several times. How special it is for our students to willingly choose to come together in this beautiful, inclusive way.

We enjoyed learning more forms during our form drawing block this week. We completed this block today and will be moving onto our first language arts block next week. We practiced skip counting by twos this week with great success, and loved figuring out how many groups of twos go into larger numbers.

The students had so much fun learning and playing during their special classes this week! They learned several new phrases in Mandarin class with Ki Cerina and explored what happens when yellow and blue are beside each other, and what happens when they touch, in their painting class with Ki Fatima.  Please read the summary below shared with us from Ki Leah, our handwork teacher:

In handwork this week, we continued finger chaining and finger knitting. A few students were confident in these skills; they helped their friends and then they moved on to our next project of making their own knitting needles! The students had lots of fun sanding the wood, and sharpening their dowels to make a (safe) needle tip. Friends who were still practicing finger knitting and chaining on Thursday will join their classmates in needle making next week, as we continue sanding, sharpening, painting, and waxing our very first knitting needles.

Some updates for this week are as follows:

  • Drop off for grades classes is between 8:20am - 8:40am. Your promptness is greatly appreciated as we have much to learn each day and will start on time.

  • Ki Rachel will be at the picnic table each morning to greet our students. Students will walk down in groups of two or more to our forest classroom each morning. If the table is empty, do not worry; your student may need to wait a few minutes during this transition. At 8:40, Ki Rachel will leave the morning drop-off and join our class.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions at hayley@thegardenmarietta.org.

Warm regards,

Ki Hayley

First Grade: September 1 - 3

Welcome back to The Garden School of Marietta! 

The children were happy to be together and had a good time learning together and playing in the forest their first few days of school. This school year has brought exciting changes for our rising first-grade class with a new classroom platform, and Nora and TJ joining the school. The transition from experimental play in kindergarten to a more structured full day of learning in first grade can be challenging, but our class rocked it out!

During class, we practiced form drawing, skip counting, and began a new story together called “The Wind Boy.” We drew self-portraits to have a record of how the students looked at the beginning of the school year. This week during handwork, the students learned how to make pom poms. They were so excited to see their colorful end products. Friday afternoon was spent in the creek until it was time to go home for the Labor Day Weekend. After easing into our routine this week, we will be ready on Tuesday to dive back into our first form drawing main lesson block.

Next week, please remember to label and bring:

  • practical, rubber-soled indoor shoes to keep at the school

  • sunscreen and bug spray

  • a second set of clothes

  • two water bottles

  • a snack and a lunch

  • a happy smile

Warm Regards,

Ki Hayley

First Grade: First Week of School

Dear First Grade Garden School families,

Welcome to the first grade! I am so excited for all the learning, friendships, fun, and growth we will see this year!

First grade is a magical year where students begin to learn to read and write, as well as wonder and learn about the world around them. In our class, we will explore letters and numbers, spark our imagination with fairy tales, celebrate the seasons and festivals of the year, work and play, make new friends, and wonder at the beauty of nature in the forest and garden of our school. Our forest classroom is such a special gift, and I am so joyful to start working with our students in the enchanting outdoor spaces we have here at The Garden School!

Each day the students need to bring:

  • two water bottles

  • bug spray

  • extra clothes

  • rain gear (jacket/pants or full cover-up and boots)

  • 2 cloth face masks (for indoors)

  • proper footwear for outdoor play

  • a pair of hard-soled slippers (to keep at school)

  • lunch and snack

Please label everything! :)

If you need to contact me, please send me an email at Hayley@thegardenmarietta.org.

I am so looking forward to being together with you beginning on Wednesday!

Warm regards,

Hayley Rothenberg