Third Grade: March 4 - 8, 2024

March 8, 2024 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

Last week, our class began the Shelters Block. The students learned and discussed animals and the shelters they build for themselves. They learned about what different animal shelters are called and how animals use the materials around them in order to make shelters that keep them safe. They shared animal shelters they have seen around campus (ant hills, nests, burrows, dreys, and dens). The discussion then moved to the types of shelters humans have built for themselves in the past and the present. They listened to a story about the peoples of the Eastern Woodlands, who built tipis, wigwams, and longhouses. Inspired by this story, the students spent their recess building shelters in the woods, using branches, sticks, pine straw, bark, and leaves.

We have been busy with several Language Art activities. The students began reading The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich. This book follows the life of Omakayas and her Ojibwe community, beginning in 1847. The class also journaled about Charlotte’s Web, writing about their favorite character, favorite moment, and most important theme/idea of the book. This discussion led the students to read the script for our class play. We will read through the play together many times, giving every student an opportunity to practice every part and become familiar with all the characters.

For mathematics, we continue working on memorizing the times table in Circle time and through mental math games. The students also started working on double and triple multiplication problems.

This week, we will be visiting Etowah Mounds with the fourth-grade class. The third graders are very excited about their first field trip!

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:

3/14: Field trip to Etowah Mounts
3/15: Teacher In-Service (No School)
3/22: Field trip to AB Farms
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

With Gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: February 26 - March 1, 2024

February 29, 2024 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

The students came back to school last week after the break with great energy and enthusiasm for finishing our block. They recalled their lesson on letter writing and wanted to continue writing letters to friends and family. They also recalled the lessons about paragraph writing and the essential parts of a paragraph. The students took turns reading out loud their Chinese Lunar Year paragraphs as well as sharing their beautiful dragon pictures. Everyone has become much more comfortable with reading out loud in front of the class and sharing their observations. The class also finished reading Charlotte’s Web last week. We had much discussion about the story, including the meaning of friendship, love, and the importance of nature. The students truly enjoyed reading this book.

The class also recalled grammar from an earlier block and took a closer look at grammar and punctuation. A list was made on the board, and each student took a turn putting words under “Noun,” “Verb,” “Adverb,” and “Adjective.” Their handwriting and storytelling have truly blossomed so far this year, and their self-generated entries have become more verbose and interesting. The students also learned about punctuation and the importance of using it when writing. They continued working with a new set of spelling words by writing them out, correcting them, copying them in a penmanship notebook, and, at the end of the week, rewriting them again from dictation.

This week, we begin our next block: Shelters. This block will bring in hands-on, practical experiences, as well as a look at cultures from around the world. The students will be working on learning about and building their shelters at school, so a list of needed materials will be emailed soon.

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
3/14: Field trip to Etowah Mounts
3/15: Teacher In-Service (No School)
3/27-29: School Photos
3/29: Grandfriends Day Tea (12:30 Dismissal All Students)

With Gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: February 12 - 16, 2024

February 26, 2024 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

Before the break, we continued to work on paragraph writing. The students shared the paragraphs that each group wrote about the Southern Museum of History’s visit. The students enjoyed listening to the different things that their peers found interesting and fun about the visit. They reviewed the guidelines to follow to write a paragraph and begin writing a new paragraph, in collaboration, about the Lunar Year celebration and their performance.

The class moved on to learning about how to write a letter. They learned the different styles of letters, depending on who it is written for. Each student wrote a “Thank you” letter to the Southern Museum of History staff who came to visit our school. They then worked on writing a letter to Akasha. Finally, each student wrote a “Thank You” note to the person who had been leading their reading group. After writing the letter, each student received an envelope and learned how to properly address it.

The class continues to work on spelling words. They were given ten new spelling words this week. It is amazing how quickly they are able to spell words correctly as long as we review them daily. They practice by having mini spelling tests every day and writing the words in their penmanship notebooks several times.

The students continue to practice math facts during circle time, as well as mental math equations, and work on math calculations together as a class. This week, all of the students mastered and recited the three times table!

On Wednesday, February 14, we celebrated Valentine’s Day with cookies brought in by Ki Paulyna. The students were excited and very grateful for the treat. They shared things that they were grateful for, and we discussed how love comes in many forms, not just romantic, as is typically depicted in regard to this holiday. The class also worked on Valentines to themselves. They wrote things like what they love about themselves, things they are grateful for, things they are good at, and ways they make the world a better place. It was a lovely activity.

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)

With Gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: February 05 -09, 2024

February 7, 2024 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

Thank you for attending our Spring parent-teacher conferences. It was great to spend time with each of you and share with you what your students have been learning and working on since we last met in the fall.

Last week, we began a new block, Language Arts, which focuses on paragraph writing, grammar and phonics, spelling, and letter writing. This block begins with learning about what a paragraph is and the important parts that make it up. The students learned about the Paragraph Hamburger and its different parts. They spent time, in pairs, writing paragraphs about The Southern Museum’s visit to our school in January. Together, the students worked on recalling and collaborating, as well as using verbs, adverbs, and adjectives to make their sentences interesting and engaging. They spent most of the week working on their paragraph writing with their partner before copying it into their Main Lesson book with a lovely train picture.

The class also worked on spelling and learning sight words. The students were given ten spelling words on Monday, and we reviewed them and spelled them every day. They gained confidence as they progressed through each spelling session. These words were then incorporated into their journaling and sentence writing. Instant recognition of sight words is akin to instant recognition of math facts. Mastery of both allows students to focus their energies on higher level skills.

This week, we will focus on letter writing: the proper way to address and write a letter, how to address an envelope, and proper letter-writing etiquette. The class will be writing a thank you letter to The Southern Museum and a letter to Akasha.

In addition to Language Arts, the class continues to work on math through daily multiplication games in Circle and daily mental math in the morning. So far, the entire class has mastered the 2 and 3 times table! Reading Groups continue every Tuesday and weekly journaling is part of our rhythm as well.

Next week is Midwinter Break! Have a wonderful, safe, and restful week off.

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)

With Gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: January 29 - February 2, 2024

February 1, 2024 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

Thank you for attending the All School Meeting on Saturday. It was wonderful to see so many families together to support our school. We appreciate everyone in our community.

Last week, Third Grade students finished up their Measurement Block. This block has allowed the students to integrate many different concepts: measuring, estimating, doubling and tripling ingredients, writing, cooking, and cleaning. They finished up the block by learning about weight. They made and measured balls of clay to be one ounce. The students then went around the classroom looking for other objects that weighed the same. Each used their body as a balance scale and measured and weighed different objects. The class learned about the importance of a standard for weight, particularly when cooking and in the medical field. They learned about ounces, pounds, and tons and the different ways objects and things are weighed. We all learned that blue whales are the largest animals, weighing an average of 190 tons. We then tried to imagine how much that would be by thinking of smaller things that weigh a ton, like a small car.

Our final day of cooking consisted of writing out a recipe, adjusting the ingredients for larger portions, and cooking. The students measured, cut, whipped, and ate French toast and homemade applesauce (thanks to Zara!) It was a wonderful and delicious way to end our block.

In addition to daily mental math, multiplication table, and division, the students continue their weekly journaling. Their entries are becoming more and more interesting, engaging, and colorful, and they enjoy sharing them out loud with the rest of the class.

This week, we begin our next block - Language Arts: Letter Writing, Paragraph Writing, and Grammar. The students will learn about how a paragraph is structured, the importance of writing creatively, the use of different parts of speech, the correct structure for a letter, dictation, and sight word practice.

Announcements and Reminders:

Thursday is HALF-DAY DISMISSAL (12:15 - 12:30).
Teacher Conferences are this February 8th and 9th. Please sign-up 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)

With Gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: January 22 - 26, 2024

January 26, 2024 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

Last week, Third Grade students began to learn about the ways we measure dry goods. We looked at pint and quart containers used when buying berries or fruit at a farmer's market. Then we talked about how fruits and vegetables at the grocery store are usually sold in pounds and discussed how that is a more accurate way to purchase what you need versus counting single items since they can be smaller or larger. We continued to work on writing out charts to show the conversion of units of measurement. The students worked on math equations to figure out how many ounces are in the different units, starting with a tablespoon. This has been a very hands-on block, and we have all greatly enjoyed being able to see and feel the difference in measurements. The class also listened to a story about the “Land of Gallon.” The story was told, and pictures were drawn on the board to show how many quarts are in a gallon, how many pints are in a quart, and how many cups are in a pint.

We also finished our cookbooks this past week! Thank you for working with your students at home to find and write down their favorite recipes. They made covers, decorated them, and bound their books with all the recipes inside. This week, Third Grade will finish the Measurement block with weight (ounces, pounds, tons.) The class will estimate how much we think things weigh and then use a kitchen scale to weigh them. We will also talk about how large objects, such as cars and large animals, are weighed.

In addition to our Math Block, the students continue to journal twice a week, working on using verbs, adverbs, and adjectives to “paint” a picture when they are writing. They are writing more and more, and their entries are entertaining, delightful, and imaginative.

Friday was Akasha’s last day at The Garden School, so she had the honor of choosing our weekly recipe. She chose chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. The class enjoyed chopping, measuring, and making a delicious and tasty soup that we all had the chance to share together as we wished Akasha a happy transition to her new home in the Midwest.

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)

With Gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: January 15 - 19, 2024

January 18, 2024 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

The students were excited to have an extra day off last week, albeit with no snow. But everyone was ready to get back to school and continue our journey of learning about measurement. In the first week, the class learned about cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons. Last week we learned about ounces as a form of fluid measurement and how and when we use ounces versus cups. Together, the students worked on organizing an assortment of cups and jars of different sizes into what they guessed was the smallest to largest. They estimated how many ounces would fit into each of the items, and then we went to work to measure how many ounces it actually took. Visually, the students organized the items in the correct order minus two that we needed to swap. The estimations of ounce sizes were very varied, which again was an opportunity to see the importance of estimating and guessing when measuring but also of having a standard for measuring.

The students also wrote out the recipe for griddle cakes and worked on doubling and tripling the ingredients. On Friday, we all gathered and made the pancakes, taking time and care to make sure all the ingredients were measured out correctly. The class talked about the importance of measurement when you are baking versus cooking, and when you use ingredients such as baking soda and baking powder, it is important to measure correctly!

The Third Grade continues to work on the four math processes through games, songs, and movement. The class has made great progress in memorizing the multiplication table!

Next week, we will continue to work with gallons, quarts, and pints, converting to ounces. We will also begin to learn about weight, a brief history of why we need standards for measurement, and hands-on activities for measuring objects.

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

With Gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: January 8 - 12, 2024

January 11, 2024 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

The students had a wonderful first two days spending time with friends, sharing what they did over the break, and preparing for our next block. It was great to hear about everyone’s adventures, time spent with family and friends, and the delicious meals they ate. Everyone came back well-rested and ready to work and learn.

The first full week back at school brought us to our first block of the year - Measurement, Multiplication, and Division. During this block, the focus will be on learning about the different ways that we measure volume and liquid. The students will learn about tablespoons, teaspoons, cups, pints, liters, gallons, and scales. They will also work on simple conversion problems. We’ll start by discovering the relationship between different measurements to keep this concrete and active (not abstract). For example, the students worked on estimating and measuring how many drops of water are in a tablespoon and in a teaspoon. We then moved up to estimating how many teaspoons and tablespoons are in ¼, ½, and 1 cup. After writing their estimations down, the class moved on to measuring using pipettes, teaspoons, tablespoons, and cups. They wrote out the recipe for vegetable soup (thank you for sending in the ingredients!) and worked in groups on cutting, prepping, and measuring to make the soup. It was delicious and a huge success! The students were proud of their work and of being able to use mental math to convert measurements. Measurement in cooking is a fantastic foundation for fourth-grade fractions study.

The students continued their reading groups, finishing up the book Charlotte’s Web. They eagerly look forward to this every week. There has been steady improvement in reading fluency and comprehension. For writing, the class works on Main Lesson books and journals twice a week. The focus in mathematics remains on multiplication memorization through bean bag games, songs, and drawings. Instant recall of math tables is the key to success when working with higher-level math processes. This semester, we will also move to longer addition and subtraction problems as well as two-digit multiplication and division.

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.

With Gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: December 11 - 15, 2023

December 13, 2023 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

Our class just about finished our block on fibers. We completed our lessons learning about and working with sheep wool. Ki Ieva, our Handwork teacher, has a great deal of experience working with wool and, therefore, joined our class during the Main Lesson to work on wool projects with us. After the students washed and carded wool, they prepared it for spinning with drop spindles they made themselves with Mr. Matan. Ki Ieva will work with students to spin their wool into thread and dye it using natural materials, such as avocado pits, pokeberries, and onion skins, following Winter break. The students also worked on decorating burlap bookmarks, making beautiful designs on them by threading plant fiber threads (bamboo, hemp, cotton, and linen). Next, they moved to making wrist warmers using recycled wool pieces. The wrist warmers turned out beautifully, and everyone was very proud of their hard work and creativity. At the end of last week, we moved to silk. Silk was saved for the end of the block as we took care of and observed our classroom silkworms grow! While they have not yet spun silk cocoons, they are more than twice the size they were when we first brought them to class! We will continue with silk lessons once we return from the break during our Extra Main Lesson times. Thank you all for your support in making our Fibers Block a great success and a wonderful hands-on experience for our class.

Last week, the students also finished working on their holiday gifts for their families. They put so much time, dedication, and love into their gifts, and we hope all families love and cherish them. We wrapped up the fall semester with a pajama and stuffie party on Tuesday. We hope you will join us for our assembly tomorrow morning at 11:45 a.m. Finally, we wish Charlie all our best as she leaves The Garden School for exciting adventures at her new school. We hope you have a happy, healthy, and safe winter break, and see you back at school on January 4!

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

With Gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: December 4 - 8, 2023

December 6, 2023 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

Last week, we continued our block on fibers. We wrapped up cotton and linen by having a stuffie fashion show. Each student had taken home a piece of cotton fabric. They were to create some garments for a stuffed animal. The students were so creative, fashioning gloves, hats, masks, capes, and pants for their animals. We then made a runway where each student took turns showing their creation, explaining how and why they made it. It was wonderful to see all the creativity in our class! We even had a student make herself a piece of clothing that she wore to school. The students also discussed how time-consuming and challenging making clothes by hand is and why purchasing something made by hand can be expensive.

Next, we moved on to learning all about wool. The class spent extra time focusing on this fiber. Ki Ieva brings a full experience to the students as they experience the various stages this material goes through to become a fiber usable by humans. On Tuesday, the students washed wool with soap and warm water. They were surprised at how dirty the water was every time they dipped the wool in to wash and how many times they had to change the water. The wool was then dried, and the next day, the students carded it. They were able to experience the difference in color, texture, and even smell before wool was processed. Next, the students will use the wool they cleaned and carded to make thread with a drop spindle. This block has truly engaged the class with how we use the natural world and the materials that it provides us to be able to keep ourselves warm, cool, and covered. This week, they will continue to learn about wool, and they will finish the week by learning about types of wool, such as angora, cashmere, camel, and alpaca.

Our silkworms continue to grow and thrive, and the class is excited to see that they are slowly but surely spinning silk in their habitat.

In addition to our fiber lessons, our class continues to work daily on math facts, journal writing, and phonics. Journaling has become an important part of our class as students are able to express deeper feelings and thoughts through writing. They are developing critical thinking skills as they truly stop and think about a question and about their answer.

Thank you to those who helped set up the Winter Spiral! It was a beautiful event that the students will truly treasure.

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.
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.

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

With Gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: November 27 - December 3, 2023

December 4, 2023 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

Last week, we began our last block of the semester: Fibers. The students spent time learning about two fibers: cotton and linen. We began with cotton, given the history of its importance in Georgia. The students were able to listen to stories about cotton as well as have the opportunity to see the different parts of the cotton plant (seeds, boll, lint) and several examples of finished products. The students looked at their own clothing tags, were able to see the different kinds of fibers that cotton can be blended with, and could feel the difference between different knits and blends. The class is working closely with Ki Ieva during this block as we bring hands-on projects to tie in with the fibers presented. The students had fun as they made bracelets with cotton fiber and a craft with cotton balls.

After learning about cotton, we moved on to linen. The class heard a story about a boy in Russia who waited months for his family to plant, harvest, and process linen for a shirt. The students were very interested in seeing all the steps used to process this fiber. They again had the opportunity to touch and feel several samples of linen fabric, as well as different linen articles of clothing that parents let us borrow for the day.

Next week, we will be moving to protein fibers and will spend the week learning and talking about wool. The class will work with Ki Ieva washing, carding, and spindling wool. They will learn about the many different things that wool can be used for, as well as different ways to process it and work with it.

The class has also welcomed our new class “pets”-silkworms! The students have been thrilled to watch the silkworms grow and eat. Each day, a different student is tasked with feeding the silkworms. They eat a mulberry paste that the student has to “shred” into the silkworm’s container. This has been a fun and interesting task that they take very seriously. The silkworms should begin to spin silk cocoons right before the end of the block. Ki Ieva will work with the class in making something with the silk cocoons.

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 11:40 a.m. in the sanctuary. Families are welcome to watch their child’s class walk the spiral.

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.
It is time for our annual TOY DRIVE for MUST Ministries. Please see the Main Message 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

With Gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: November 13 - 17, 2023

November 27, 2023 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

The week before Thanksgiving break, the students continued to work with money more practically, learning to count with different denominations, make change, price things, and how much things cost. The class was divided into groups. Each group created a “shop,” decided on a name for their shop, and made items to sell at their shop. The students were very creative in making objects from items in the forest and with paper. There was a snack and drinks shop, a vegetable and fruit shop, a home goods shop, a health essential items store, and a clothes and shoes shop. Students had a specified amount of bills and coins to “shop” with. They visited the shops, inquired about items, made their purchases, worked through making payments, and making and receiving change. So far, this has been the biggest highlight of the year! It was wonderful to see them learn how to graciously navigate the aspects of both shopping and selling goods, working through the math, and enjoying the process of hosting a shop.

This week, we are moving into the last block of the semester: Fibers. We will work closely with Ki Ieva, our Handwork teacher, to bring this block to life through practical projects and hands-on experiences. The students will be learning about protein and plant fibers (wool, alpaca, angora, cashmere, silk, cotton, linen, bamboo, and hemp). We are happy to be back together once again!

I hope everyone had a restful and relaxing break!

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. 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

With Gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: November 6 - 10, 2023

November 10, 2023 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

This past week, our class moved from learning about the practical concept of measuring time to focusing now on the use and values of money. The students were enthusiastic to see and explore coins and bills up close. We began with a brief history of money and bartering and talked about different items that were used as a form of currency, such as salt, shells, and gems. Next, the students spent time looking at each coin (pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters) as well as coins that are not as commonly used, such as half dollars and silver and gold dollar coins. We learned about the different people and buildings that are depicted on coins and bills, looked at the dates they were minted, and at different variations of the backs of coins. We then moved on to counting the coins and figuring out how many of each coin it takes to make a dollar. We also played a math game where the student with the “Start” card would count how much was depicted on their card (in coins) and ask who had the next amount shown on the card. We played this several times during the week and the students quickly learned to count in different denominations.

This week, we continue to work on money. We will set up a “market” in our classroom with students “selling” different items. They will work on pricing items, figuring out how to pay with bills and coins, and how to give change. This will bring awareness to the students on the value of items we purchase, the value of the money to the seller, and math skills as they work on paying and making change.

When in a Math Block, we continue to weave in Language Arts lessons. The students build and practice their spelling and phonics skills with weekly spelling homework. They are completing the writing of a poem about the months of the year and the days of the week in their Main Lesson books. Additionally, grammar and spelling skills are being reinforced as they write in their journals and in their Main Lesson books.

Thank you to all who came out to the Lantern Walk on Tuesday. It was a beautiful and reverent night and we appreciate you supporting us in making it a night of reflection and peace for all.

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 a.m. - 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

With Gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: October 30 - November 3, 2023

November 6, 2023 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

This past week, our class continued learning about time. The students listened to stories about how human beings created tools to use to tell time and how we still use some of those tools today. Each student made their own clock and spent time learning what the different hands mean (hour and minute) as well as where the numbers go on a clock and how they mean different things depending on what hand is pointing at them. The students listened to a clock chime and learned about how towns once had one large clock in the town center and eventually, these clocks became bell clocks so all townspeople could hear them toll and know the time. The class also learned about how much time we spend doing certain activities, such as lunch and snack, and how long certain classes last. This has been an extremely entertaining hands-on block, and everyone has truly shown their enjoyment for the lessons.

The students continue to practice math skills in this block as we move through larger and longer equation sequences using addition and subtraction. Students also continue to work with multiplication equations through oral math problems. This week’s spelling words were dictated on Monday. Then they took their folders home to continue working on these words for their homework. Practicing these developing skills at home sets the students up for academic success. By prioritizing homework now, you are helping your child build habits that will last through their school years.

On Tuesday, we celebrated Halloween by sharing a bonfire as well as some treats with First and Second Grade. It was a chilly day, but everyone stayed warm by the fire and enjoyed popcorn made over the fire, as well as some roasted treats. On Thursday, several students brought in pictures of loved ones and pets that had passed on. They also listened to a story about remembering those who have died and we spent time in class enjoying Pan de Muerto and sharing stories and memories of those who are no longer with us.

The grades classes will be reciting the Haudenosaunee Address of Thanksgiving at the Thanksgiving Luncheon on Friday, November 17. This week, they worked on reciting and memorizing the first of four paragraphs. Please practice with them at home. A copy of the address was sent home this week, and it was also emailed to you all.

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 (finally). Layering clothing is essential for students to be comfortable throughout the day. We will spend every day outside, enjoying this weather, so please help your child dress accordingly!
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

With gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: October 23 - 27, 2023

October 31, 2023 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

This past week, our class began a new block: Time and Money. We began by discussing things that do not rely on the passage of time to exist, like mountains, sand, and rocks. We then moved to plants, animals, and humans. The students learned about millennials, centuries, decades, and years. We discussed how humans use these measurements to make sense of how much time has passed. They then learned about seasons, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds. The class listened to stories about the months and how they correlate to the seasons, as well as a story about the concept of telling and using time to comprehend when things begin and end.

The students continue to use math in this block, as we have moved to vertical and multiple number addition and subtraction equations. They continue to work on multiplication and division with manipulatives through oral math problems. This week the language homework was a little different as the students had the words dictated to them. Each student wrote them down, corrected them, and then took the list home to write again and also to have someone at home dictate it for them. This presents a wonderful opportunity for students to stretch their spelling and phonics skills and practice dictation skills as well. Practicing these developing skills at home sets the students up for academic success.

We also began the second session of Reading Groups. Every group is led by a parent helper, Ki Sara, or Ki Paulyna. We have two book selections this time around: Charlotte’s Web and My Father’s Dragon. If you would like to help out, please reach out. The grades classes will be reciting the Haudenosaunee Address of Thanksgiving at the Thanksgiving Luncheon on Friday, November 17. This week, they worked on reciting and memorizing the first of four paragraphs. Please practice with them at home. A copy of the address was sent home this week, and it was also emailed to you all.

Thank you to those who sent in tea for our tea time. The students have really enjoyed it. This coming week will be extremely chilly, so we will be drinking tea every day from Tuesday to Friday. Thank you as well to those who sent in currency to share with the students for the money portion of this block.

Announcements and Reminders:

The autumn weather is here (finally). Layering clothing is essential for students to be comfortable throughout the day. We will spend every day outside, enjoying this weather, so please help your child dress accordingly!
Please label clothing!
Send two full water bottles daily.
We are looking for two volunteers in our class to bake gingerbread and bring it to Lantern Walk. We have a standard recipe and individual bags for pre-portioning that we will provide to all volunteer bakers. Please coordinate with our class rep, Patiah Crow, if you are willing to help.

Upcoming Events:

11/1: NO SCHOOL: Teacher in-service
11/2: Dia de los Muertos celebration
11/1: Joyful Beginnings and Kindergarten Parent Night: 6 pm - 7 pm
11/7: Kindergarten Lantern Walk: 6 pm
11/7: Grades 1 - 3 Lantern Walk: 6:30 pm *Please note the new date for grades
11/17: Thanksgiving Luncheon 11 am: Half Day

With gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: October 17 - 20, 2023

October 23, 2023 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

This past week, our class began learning about and working with adverbs (words that describe actions). We continue to work on using words to create pictures and images through writing. The students worked on creating adverbs of all sorts and then used all that they learned in this past block (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs) to write beautiful, intriguing, and/or entertaining sentences in their Main Lesson book. It was wonderful to see and hear their creativity and their hard work as they wrote and then read out loud. We also worked on new word families and sounds. This was the final week of spelling homework-thank you so much for encouraging and helping them with this new rhythm.

Thank you again to our volunteer parents (and Ki Sara) for leading us on our first Reading Group session. The children looked forward to it every week! We will begin our second, four-week session beginning this coming Tuesday, October 24, from 2:15 - 2:45 PM.

This week the children practiced their nine times table, and we explored the different ways that the nine times table is magical through patterns and repetition. The students truly enjoyed being able to see the different ways to come up with the answer for this timetable, and it led to great mathematical discussion.

This week begins our new block: Time and Money. The children will learn about time through seasons, years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds. For money, we will work, learn about, and identify currency and learn about the broad history of money and how it works. If you have currency from other countries, I would love to be able to borrow it for the day to show to the children so they can see how different money from all over the world looks! Please contact me if you do!

It was wonderful seeing you all at Kingdom of Halloween! Thank you for coming out to support our school, and to all of those who spent time and effort to organize and make sure it ran smoothly, we say a special THANK YOU!

Announcements and Reminders:

The autumn weather is here (finally). Layering clothing is essential for students to be comfortable throughout the day. We will spend every day outside, enjoying this weather, so please help your child dress accordingly!
Please label clothing!
Send two full water bottles and bug spray daily.

Upcoming Events:

11/1: NO SCHOOL: Teacher in-service
11/1: Joyful Beginnings and Kindergarten Parent Night: 6 pm - 7 pm
11/7: Kindergarten Lantern Walk: 6 pm
11/7: Grades 1-3 Lantern Walk: 6:30 pm *Please note new date for grades
11/17: Thanksgiving Luncheon 11 am: Half Day

With gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: October 9 - 13, 2023

October 16, 2023 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

This past week, our class began learning about and working with adjectives (describing words). This was another wonderful lesson as the students continued to build their vocabulary and write in more descriptive forms. They continue to work on journaling every week, implementing the new lessons. We focused on how language can become more beautiful, interesting, and engaging through the use of adjectives to describe nouns (naming words). The students continue to take spelling homework home on Mondays, to be returned on Wednesdays. In addition, the children continue to work on memorizing multiplication facts through songs, stories, and games. Thank you for supporting them in making sure they complete their homework, they return it on time, and for continuing to practice their writing and math at home.

Next week, adverbs will be introduced and that will conclude our Language Arts Grammar block. As the students build their understanding of the types of words used to create beautiful writing, they gain more control over how and why they write. We will revisit all these concepts over the year and in the coming grades as well. Our next block is Time and Money and it should be great fun for all as we explore the value of coins and bills, and work with adding and subtracting values.

It was wonderful seeing you all last week at our conferences. It is an honor for me to spend, lead, and love your children and I am looking forward to continuing to grow together!

We are looking forward to seeing you all at the Kingdom of Halloween THIS Saturday in your costumes (costumes are optional, no masks please)! If you have not signed up to volunteer yet, we do need more help at the Troll booth. Please sign up here. Thank you!

Announcements and Reminders:

The autumn weather is here (finally). Layering clothing is essential for students to be comfortable throughout the day. We will spend every day outside, enjoying this weather, so please help your child dress accordingly!
Please label clothing!
Send two full water bottles and bug spray daily.

Upcoming Events:

10/21 Kingdom of Halloween: 4 pm - 8 pm
11/1 NO SCHOOL: Teacher in-service
11/1 Joyful Beginnings and Kindergarten Parent Night: 6 pm - 7 pm

With gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: October 2 - 9, 2023

October 9, 2023 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

This past week, our class began learning about and working with verbs (action words). This lesson has been great fun as the children have experienced verbs through charades and explored what actions are. They continue to work on their journaling, building up vocabulary, sentence structure, and creative writing skills. It has been wonderful seeing the children express themselves through writing and seeing them think about the how and why of things they enjoy or things they hope for. They continue to build on word families through double consonant blends and final consonant blends. Word families and spelling words are the basis of their weekly homework. The children have eagerly welcomed their weekly homework and are enthusiastic to complete it and return it. Practice at home helps to support and reinforce all they learn during the school day. Thank you for helping them as they get into this new rhythm.

The class continues to work on memorizing and building on multiplication facts through songs, games, and math drills. They also continue to work on mental math and mathematical riddles, which have been great fun for all. The students also continue to gather with their Reading Group, led by a parent volunteer, and work on strengthening reading skills.

This past Friday, our class gathered under a sukkah, lovingly constructed and decorated by parents in our class. Thank you all so much for your time and effort in putting it together and in sending in treats so the class could enjoy the harvest celebration. It was a wonderful gathering.

Announcements and Reminders:

If you have not yet signed up for conferences, please do so here. It will be lovely to meet with each of you.
Please note Third Grade’s Workday was CHANGED from Saturday, October 21 to Saturday, October 14. Please join us as we work to keep our school and grounds in shape.
The autumn weather is here (finally). Layering clothing is essential for students to be comfortable throughout the day. We will spend every day outside, enjoying this weather, so please help your child dress accordingly!
Please label clothing!
Send two full water bottles and bug spray daily.

Upcoming Events:

10/11 - 10/12 Sixth Grade caving field trip
10/12 HALF DAY - Parent Conferences
10/13 NO SCHOOL - Parent Conferences
10/14 Community Work Day 10 am - 1 pm *Please note the date change
10/21 Kingdom of Halloween
11/1 NO SCHOOL - Teacher in-service
11/1 Parent Night for Joyful Beginnings and Kindergarten classes, 6 pm - 7 pm

With gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: September 18-22, 2023

October 2, 2023 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

This past week, our class began the third block of the year-Language Arts. In this block, in addition to reviewing material previously introduced, the students will learn about nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. Nouns (naming words) were the focus of the first week. The students worked on listing nouns around the classroom, the campus, and anywhere nouns are found. Word families (i.e. bland, sand, grand) were re-introduced and will be part of the children’s weekly vocabulary/spelling homework. The students also reviewed consonant and vowel sounds and consonant blends (bl, st, str, etc.).

There was much excitement as we began journaling. Each child received a journal and, twice a week, will work on writing skills as the students write independently based on a journal prompt. This exercise helps the students work on sentence structure, vocabulary, and creativity in an engaging manner. The journal entry also includes an opportunity to draw a picture for each entry. In this way, all students can engage with the process as they build their writing stamina.

The Day of Courage was again a lovely time for the Second Grade class, as our class remembered last year when they were in that role. In addition to sanding and polishing the wooden swords they “find” in the forest, each student in second grade receives a handmade gift from students in another class to help them ready themselves to meet the metaphorical dragon within the cave. This year, our class presented beautiful gold crowns that they finger-knitted with Ki Ieva. It was a beautiful day, the weather was perfect, the children sang beautifully, and they held space for the Second Grade class as they made their courageous journey to the cave and faced their metaphorical dragons.

Announcements and Reminders:

If you have not yet signed up for conferences, please do so here. It will be lovely to meet with each of you.
The autumn weather is here (finally). Layering clothing is essential for students to be comfortable throughout the day.
Please label clothing!
Send two full water bottles and bug spray daily.

Upcoming Events:

10/12 Half Day - Parent Conferences
10/13 No School - Parent Conferences
10/14 Community Work Day 10 am - 1 pm *Please note date change
10/21 Kingdom of Halloween
11/1 NO SCHOOL - Teacher in-service

With gratitude,

Paulyna

Third Grade: September 11-15, 2023

September 18, 2023 Gabriele McPeek

Dear Third Grade Families,

Last week was our final week of our Linear Measurement block. The children continued to work on estimating distances. We discussed the best forms of measurement and tools for measuring different things, such as long distances (miles), room measurements (yards), and small objects, like glasses and pencils (inches). The students also spent time learning the seven times table through song, drawing, movement, and recitation. The children will continue to work weekly on memorizing the multiplication table. Memorization of math facts supports a student’s ability to work successfully with the higher math processes that are learned in the upper grades. Please reinforce these lessons through at-home practice. Playing cards, board games, dice games, and even flashcards are all helpful ways to support your child’s retention of their math facts.

The students are continuing to work on sewing their felt dragons. The pieces were pre-cut and given to the children to sew together, and each student then created their own patterns for the wings and the spine of the dragon. The class was delighted to work on this project as they all enjoy Handwork, and dragons are a class favorite for third grade. The dragons will tie into the story they will listen to this Friday for the Day of Courage.

On Friday, the students learned about and celebrated Rosh Hashanah. We had a special visitor, Mr. Josh join our class to share with the students about the Jewish New Year, share family traditions, and enjoy challah and apples with honey with the class. A special thank you to Ki Holly for the challah bread, Ms. Kristine for the apples, and Mrs. Debbie for the allergen-friendly bread. It was truly a wonderful and culturally enriching experience for the students.

Next week is Fall Break! What a wonderful way to welcome the autumn season by taking time to breathe, enjoy nature, and relax. Wishing you all a restful and fun week off!

Announcements and Reminders:

Please wear red or gold for this Friday’s Day of Courage festival.
This Friday is also a half-day.
Next week is Fall Break, enjoy!
No School Monday October 2 Teacher In-service

Upcoming Events:

9/22 Half Day - Day of Courage
9/25 - 29 Fall Break (No School)
10/2 Teacher In-Service (No School)
10/12 Half Day - Parent Conferences
10/13 No School - Parent Conferences
10/21 Community Work Day 10 am - 1 pm
10/21 Kingdom of Halloween

With gratitude,

Paulyna