First Grade: October 23 - 27, 2023

Happy Halloween, First Grade Families!

Hopefully, you are all out having a fun night with your family when this messenger arrives!

This week concludes our Numbers Block, and what a fun ending to it! For ten, we did a scavenger hunt around the school to find something to represent each number. We carved eleven pumpkins on Monday, and on Thursday, we will draw a picture of the twelve students in our class to symbolize the number twelve.

Tuesday was a fun day in our classroom as well. The children loved the healthy treats and enjoyed singing special songs about Halloween and Autumn to the Second and Third Grade classes around the fire pit. Thank you, especially to the parents who provided healthy snacks. The First Grade parents always go above and beyond!

Next week we will begin our second Language Block and return to our letters. We will soon be hearing Little Red Riding Hood, Dragon of the North, Prunella, and Sleeping Beauty. The children are excited to return to their letter studies and continue taking the steps towards reading. 

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.

  • 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, Erica Sharifzadeh, if you are willing to help.

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

Warm regards,

Meredith

First Grade: October 17 - 20, 2023

Hello, First Grade Families,

The transition of autumn is fully upon us, and it is influencing our artwork and play! The cool weather has created a herd of dragons as the children watch their breath come out like smoke in the cold air. A popular spot for playtime is our leaf pile which grows a little higher each day. In our artwork, bright red, orange, and yellow leaves created pumpkin collages. Next week, we will be making bats out of pinecones to accompany them!

As our Math Block comes to a close, we continue to review the attributes of numbers one through twelve through play, discovery, and wonder. We heard the story of a man who experienced such strong emotions that he created all the colors of the rainbow and the story of a tired sea creature who wished she had more arms to take care of her many children. While the children know which number comes next in the sequence, it is fun to see their minds working to discover which element of our stories will become the next number. For seven, it was the colors of the rainbow. For eight, it was the arms of an octopus. 

Thank you all for coming to Kingdom of Halloween. It really was a joyful, magical night, and it was so fun to see everyone dressed up in their costumes! The children are still talking about their favorite stories from the Fairytale Walk; it seems The Giants were the most popular stop in our class this year. 

Announcements and Reminders:

  • 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 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

Warms regards, 

Ki Meredith 

First Grade: October 9 - 13, 2023

Hello, First Grade Families,

It feels like the First Grade class is sprouting up like bamboo. In the first week of school, we marked our heights in the outdoor classroom, and last week we checked how much we have grown. Some children have grown over an inch already, and it seems like someone loses a tooth every day! The children are growing in their capacities as well.

Jumping rope has become a favorite game, and the children love challenging themselves to jump a little more each day. One child reached 52 jumps this week, and another child learned to jump over the rope for the first time. Both achievements were celebrated with enthusiasm from their classmates. Games, such as jump rope, play a large part in our daily rhythm. In our numbers block, we play counting games in circle time and during the main lesson. The children created a lifesize board game on our platform last week, and we often practiced our numbers by rolling dice and counting through the game. Cards are also a popular activity among the class. To the children, they are playing a game, but from a teacher's perspective, they are reviewing numbers and recognizing which number is greater than and which is less than. When walking in line, we often sing ‘The Ants Go Marching’ and practice walking in groups of ones, twos, threes, fours, fives, and sixes. With a group of twelve children, the children found walking in groups of fives difficult. One remarked, “If two people were absent, this would be easy!”

It was wonderful to see all of you at Fall Conferences. Thank you to everyone who attended. It is always nice to engage in conversation with the parents, especially in this beautiful fall weather. We look forward to seeing you all at our Kingdom of Halloween festival THIS Saturday.  If you have not signed up to volunteer yet, we do need more help at our craft booth.  Please sign up here.  Thank you!

Announcements and Reminders:

  • 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 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

Warms regards, 

Ki Meredith 

First Grade: October 2 - 9, 2023

Hello, First Grade Families,

The First Grade class is continuing our study of the quality of numbers. Last week, we moved, played games, created rhythmic patterns, and drew colorful drawings during our close look at the numbers two and three. This week, we will focus on the qualities of four, five, and six. Our number studies are paced so that each number is met and reviewed over several days. In the Waldorf approach, we take our time in delving deeply into each number quality, as we do with all subjects in each grade level. The skills the children learn during this block are steadily building the foundation for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. 

Each lesson begins with a review of the story from the day before. The class collectively retells the story.  Through this experience, the students not only make deeper connections to the qualities of the numbers, but they also develop their imaginations and their ability to create images pictorially, practice recalling information learned, and learn how to summarize stories. In our second story, for example, the children made the connection to the knight's one large nose and two nostrils, and to one sun and two periods in each day: daytime and nighttime. The students then do movement-based and creative activities to understand the properties of the numbers. The students also write the numbers, practice making the shapes of the numbers with their hands and bodies, build the numbers out of manipulatives, and jump rope to numeric patterns, to name a few of the experiences they enjoy. 


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:

  • 10/11 - 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

Warm regards,

Ki Meredith

First Grade: September 18-22, 2023

Hello, First Grade Families,

It is so nice to be back after our Fall break!

Before the break, we began learning about the Qualities of Numbers. When teaching math using the Waldorf curriculum, we are not just learning about the quantitative properties of numbers, but also the quality of numbers, the feeling of life of numbers–one sun and one moon, day and night (two), clovers have three leaves, many animals walk on four limbs, etc. This quality of numbers brings number sense to the students and helps them understand mathematic principles in a deeper, often more lasting way. Before the break, we studied the numbers one and two, which was accompanied by the story King Maximo and his Twelve Knights. In the story, King Maximo's knights are searching to find the strongest number. The students discovered the idea of one is strong as all other numbers are made of ones.  We are each “one” person, and therefore we, too, are strong on our own. The class then discovered the quality of two, as many parts of ourselves come in pairs of two, such as our eyes, hands, and feet. The children loved tracing their hands and feet; some students even tried tracing their ears!

This week, we will continue our number block as we learn the qualities of three, four, and five. With number three, we will discuss how one and two together make three and how we often count to three before we start an activity or game. Four will be connected with the four seasons, the four legs on our desks and chairs, and our four limbs. We will begin learning the qualities of five on Friday by looking at the five points of a star. 

As each number is introduced, students collect gems, which we will use throughout the year in our math blocks. For now, these will be used for counting, but soon these will be used for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

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:

  • 10/11 - 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 date change

  • 10/21  Kingdom of Halloween

  • 11/1 NO SCHOOL - Teacher in-service

Warm regards,

Ki Meredith

First Grade: September 11-15, 2023

Hello, First Grade Families,  

Last week, we had our first main lesson outside and it was wonderful! The children were at home in their outdoor classroom, and the rhythm of our day seemed to fall quickly into place. In the future, we will utilize both our indoor and outdoor classrooms, however, we will primarily use our outdoor classroom in the mornings while the weather is still nice.  

We explored the letters C and R, and we reviewed the letters B and M. We played games by matching the sounds to words, drew pictures of words that began with C and R, crawled like cats, cobras, and caterpillars, practiced our writing using sand, created the letters with our hands, feet, and whole bodies. We even went on nature hunts for words that begin with C and R. The children may have already mentioned at home that they helped compose a song, Cool, Crumbling, Cracking, Clay, utilizing the letter C as frequently as possible. It is now a staple in our circle time. Our letter explorations were accompanied by the stories Rapunzel and The Raven and the Golden Cavern. 

This week, we have moved into our third block, which begins our number study. We will hear a continuous story where we meet the numbers one by one. This story will span over the next several weeks. We will explore the qualities of numbers and practice writing the numbers using Roman numerals, dots, pictures, and Arabic numerals. This block will build the foundation of our grades studies in mathematics. Our circle time will be utilized frequently in teaching our numbers. As we begin circle time promptly at 8:35, please have your child arrive at school on time.

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!

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

Warm regards,

Ki Meredith

First Grade: September 4-8, 2023

Hello, First Grade Families, 

Last week we continued our letter studies by finishing the story Simeli Mountain, The Blue Mountains, and The Cave of Beasts. We were introduced to the letter M, which we discovered after drawing a mountain scene. M is a special letter for our class because it begins with the name Mary, who is a student in our class! She enjoyed getting to wear a crown with a big M on it and hearing an extra story, Mighty Mary, in which she climbed to the top of the tallest mountain to save the macaw eggs from the peak. We talked about how M makes the sound “mmmm” and practiced saying it before our favorite foods that begin with M. The kids especially loved saying, “Mmm! Macaroni!” We also made the letter M out of clay, went on a hunt at the playground for Ms made out of mountains, and moved like macaws, moths, and monarch butterflies. 

Thank you also to those of you who were able to join us at Curriculum Night last week. It was a pleasure to see so many families and to share in discussion about the curriculum, the daily schedule, and things we do here at The Garden School.

This week, we will hear the story The Raven and the Gold Cavern and Rapunzel, and two more letters will be introduced to our class. We will work with these letters both through repetition in circle time, through movement throughout the day, through our artwork, and on treasure hunts around the school as we search for objects that begin with these letter sounds.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Please send your child in with bug spray; the mosquitos are active! The Repel brand seems to be the most effective.

  • Bring rain and creek gear, including boots, daily! These can be left at school and stored in the shed.

  • Hard-soled, closed-toe water shoes or old sneakers are required at Creekcess.

  • Please send your child with an extra, labeled sweater or light jacket as the days are turning cooler, especially in the forest.

Upcoming Events:

  • 9/16 Community Workday 9 am - 12 pm

  • 9/22 Half Day - Day of Courage

  • 9/25-9/29 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


Warm regards,

Ki Meredith

First Grade: August 28-September 1, 2023

Hello, First Grade Families,

Last week we welcomed Zileana into our class, and she has made a wonderful addition to our class family. Zileana was a part of our Golden Knights class in kindergarten, so she was already a familiar face to several of our students. We are so excited to have her with us! 

Last week was also a big week for our class as we began learning our letters and took our first steps toward learning to write and read. We were introduced to the letters ‘B’ and ‘M,’ which were revealed to the children through the stories Snow White and Rose Red and Simeli Mountain. The children then completed artwork of the bear and the mountain, which transformed into these same letters. The process of hearing the stories and watching the letters form from their artwork was magical. The children are eager to hear the next story and see the new letter. 

This week, we are hearing the story Tall, Broad, Long, and we will work through two additional letters. We will also continue working with watercolors and clay this week. Working with clay, we will continue to work through our letters as we sculpt them and create animals and objects that begin with the letters introduced. In this way, learning is not only fun and memorable, it also touches all senses and meets different learning styles. As we meet each letter, letter formation skills and phonic instruction are gently woven into each lesson.  Learning becomes an artistic and holistic experience which is a primary and beautiful component of the Waldorf curriculum.

This Wednesday evening is our Grades Curriculum Night at 6 pm. We will do some activities and take a deeper dive into the curriculum and what parents can expect for the first grade year.  We look forward to seeing you on campus for this adults only event.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Please send your child in with bug spray; the mosquitos are active! The Repel brand seems to be the most effective.

  • Bring rain gear, including boots, daily! It can be left at school and stored in the shed.

  • Hard-soled, closed-toe water shoes or old sneakers are required at Creekcess.

Upcoming Events:

  • 9/5 Joyful Beginnings and Kindergarten Curriculum Night 6 pm (adults only)

  • 9/6 Grades 1- 5 Curriculum Night 6 pm and Sixth Grade 7 - 8 pm (adults only)

  • 9/16 Community Workday 9 am - 12 pm

  • 9/22 Half Day - Day of Courage

  • 9/25-9/29 Fall Break (No School)


Warm regards,

Ki Meredith

First Grade: August 14-18, 2023

Hello First Grade Families,

Last week brought many new adventures for our class, and it has been a joy to watch the children form new friendships and deepen those made in Kindergarten. We are becoming a class family, and the children have been eager to engage and learn in each lesson. 

We finished the story 'The Magic Pencil' and 'The Four Skillful Brothers,' which accompanied our form drawings. The children showed pride in their work in Main Lesson, Mandarin, Earth education, Spanish, and Music. Of course, their favorite time is still playtime. 

This week, we will hear the story of 'The Dragon Bridge' and complete our first block before we begin our reading block next week. We will also do our first watercolor lesson this week, which the children have patiently awaited. 

 The children in this class bring beauty to our room; they have grown so much already. As we form deeper bonds and move further into the curriculum, it is exciting to see where each new day will take us.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Please send your child in with bug spray; the mosquitos are active!

  • Bring rain gear, including boots, daily!  It can be left at school, stored in the shed.

  • Hard-soled, closed-toe water shoes, or old sneakers, are required at Creekcess.

Upcoming Events:

  • 8/26 Community Work Day 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

  • 9/4 Labor Day (No School)

  • 9/5 Joyful Beginnings and Kindergarten Curriculum Night 6 p.m.

  • 9/6 Grades Curriculum Night 6 p.m.

Warmly, 

Ki Meredith  

First Grade: August 9-11, 2023

Dear First Grade Families, 
It was an honor to welcome twelve wonderful children into the First Grade class last week. There is a feeling of joy and excitement each day with being given the privilege to teach and learn with them. The children in our class each have beautiful strengths. It feels like the pieces of a puzzle coming together when watching them interact, play, and learn together.

This week, we are working on form drawing that is accompanied with the stories “The Magic Pencil” and “The Four Brothers.” We will also be working with beeswax and clay, and (weather permitting) holding our first Creekcess this Friday! 

The beginning of this year has been a joyous experience and I am filled with eager anticipation to see where our journey leads us next. 

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Bring 2 full water bottles and bug spray every day.

  • Bring rain gear every day.  It can be left at school, and stored in our shed.

Upcoming Events:

  • 8/26 Community Work Day 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

  • 9/4 Labor Day (No School)

  • 9/5 Joyful Beginnings and Kindergarten Curriculum Night 6 p.m.

  • 9/6 Grades Curriculum Night 6 p.m.

Warmly, 

Ki Meredith