Friday, April 8th: NO SCHOOL for students
Grading/Staff Development Day
Thursday, April 14th: NO SCHOOL for students
Student Led Conferences
Friday, April 15th: NO SCHOOL for students
Staff Development Day
2021-22 School Year Calendar
A message from Art Teacher Stephanie:
Yearbook is on sale now for $20.
To purchase a yearbook please go to www.treering.com/validate and enter the number 1016052158063632. Students are now creating the cover of the yearbook. A yearbook is a great way to remember their time this year. If you have any questions please email Stephanie at [email protected]. Thanks for all your support!
What’s happening in the Puffin Nest?
The Oregon Trail: Our Unit Overview
Using a strategy called Storypath, our students will form family groups and join a wagon train, which will help them build an understanding of the journey across the U.S. in the 1840s. Students will learn why emigrants formed wagon trains and moved west. They will confront difficulties such as illness, food shortages, and broken wagons. Encounters with Native Americans will set the scene for examining the views of the period as well as the ethical issues surrounding westward expansion. The culminating activities will involve a celebration and presenting plans for their new life in Oregon.
In class, we continue our Storypath journey!
Episode 7: A Wagon is Wrecked!
The wagon train winds its way through the Rocky Mountains. Students discover that one of the wagons has been destroyed. They discuss how they have handled previous problems to prepare them for handling this one.
- Students meet in character to solve the problem.
- Students respond to the events in their journals, share their ideas and decide as a group how they will solve the problem.
Because the emigrants faced many hardships along the trail, they often became discouraged. The dream of a better life, however, kept them moving ahead, even under the most difficult circumstances. Up next, students will complete projects to express their hopes and dreams of a new life in the Oregon Country
Backyard Garden Out & About
While much of life for pioneer children was challenging and focused on helping their families, there was still time for fun and games. The games that children played were simple, and required few materials. If they did require any, the materials were often naturally-derived and used things like hoops, balls, strings, rocks, and burlap to play. In the garden this week, students got to play a few commonly played pioneer games like potato sack race, 3-legged race, marbles, hopscotch and jump rope. So much fun!
Class Read Alouds
Our latest novel-study class read-aloud:
The award winning Flora & Ulysses
Daily Life in a Covered Wagon
This historical adventure follows a typical family from Indiana traveling to Oregon in a covered wagon. It shows how they really lived: how they dressed; what they ate; what they saw; how they survived the hazardous journey.
Rachel's Journal: The Story of a Pioneer Girl
Rachel and her family travel by covered wagon following the Oregon Trail from Illinois all the way to California. The terrain is rough and the seven-month trip is filled with adventure and Rachel's handwritten journal chronicles every detail.
A Reminder about Level 2 Homework:
In Level 2, our homework is on the honor system. We ask families to develop and sustain this important practice at home in a way that works best for you. Having a regular routine (time/place/materials) will ensure that your child will be prepared to tackle their required homework in Level 3 more easily.
Math: at least 30 minutes (or more) of math practice each week.
Practicing multiplication math facts at home is a GREAT way to support your kiddo!
- 3rd graders should work on: 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's and 6's
- 4th graders should work on all multiplication facts for 2-12's.
We also recommend that students engage in 10-15 minutes of a math activity (math website or game) and then complete one page in their math workbook at least 2 days per week.
All level 2 kiddos brought home a math workbook (or packet) for homework practice in November. Let us know if they are ready for a new book!
For computer practice, take a moment to set up a free account for your child:
- Khan Academy: instructional videos and problem solving practice
- Prodigy: answer math questions, complete quests, earn rewards
- SumDog: solve math problems while playing video games
- Math Game Time: no account set-up required, select grade level & play!
- The public library is a great resource. Make sure your kiddo has access to lots of “good fit” books that they are excited to read. Check out our Level 2 Book Recommendations HERE.
- Read-alouds and audio books work too! Also, listen to your child read out loud, and ask them questions about their reading & thinking.