First Grade: August 17-21, 2026
Dear First Grade Families,
As the First Grade class finishes their first Form Drawing block of the year, students are experiencing more challenging forms. They were introduced to running forms, a continuous line pattern that flows rhythmically across the page. After practice on paper and with a crayon, the students began to understand how to keep their chalk or crayon on the paper throughout the entire form. The focus of the forms this week has been to specifically help learn the motions needed for drawing letters and numbers. This entails ensuring that students are starting, moving, and ending in the correct places. The students practice many times, allowing them to have the rhythms down before putting their final product in the main lesson book. Students will continue to use the skills they have been working on when we start our first Language Arts Block next week!
Additionally, First Grade has become comfortable with their block crayons, traditionally used for Waldorf-style drawings. These crayons sweep color across the paper to create the atmosphere. They are also used to draw the border around paper. This border creates a boundary for the students to work artistically within. There are three different lengths on the crayon that students use: Blueberry, which is the small side, Apple, which is the medium side, and Watermelon, which is the large side. Each side requires students to hold the crayon with a different grip. This helps to develop each student’s will through perseverance, experimentation, and exploration. With these crayons, students work with light pressure at first. This allows them to build layers and mix their colors to create the environment.
Creekcess was a huge success, and the students are ready to go back. A popular activity while at the creek was to find clay at the bottom or along the banks and make sculptures. This reminded them of Earth Education with Ki Carson, when the students learned about clay, what it is made of, and its role in the environment. Also, while playing at the creek, the class was able to experience water as a force. The students enjoyed making a path in the sand for the water to follow, as well as building structures with the environment to examine what happens when water is poured on it. When the water affected their sand, they took what they learned and built something new for the water to interact with.
Class Reminders and Announcements:
Parent Conferences are October 8 and 9! Please sign up here to schedule a time to meet.
Conferences are for adults only and are an opportunity to come together to talk about your child’s experiences at school, celebrate their growth, and share any questions, observations, or concerns.
September 7: Labor Day (No School)
September 8: Early Childhood Curriculum Meeting, 6:00 pm. (adults only)
September 9: Grade Curriculum Meeting, 6:00 pm. (adults only)
September 12: Community Workday
Warmly,
Ki Sarah
