It's Project Homework Time!!!

Happy Winter Break Prairie Racerunner Families. 

I hope that you are staying healthy, getting some good rest and enjoying time together. Check out our 1st Project Homework of the Year! This balmy 45 degree weather is rare, but in case you forgot what snow looks like here is a glimpse from early December!

See you soon! - Ms. Brooke

The Bookmark is a great shield!

First Snowballs of the Season

Snow Angels 2011!

Project Homework: Generation Study

Prairie Racerunners – Winter 2011

This semester students have been studying their community. They have discussed, illustrated, read and pondered about who they are in their school, home and local community.  As apart of this exploration it is important for students to understand who they are and where they have come from – and how this influences our community today. Over the Winter Holiday you will have an opportunity to visit specifics from your family’s culture. Please choose one of the following areas (or all) to discuss. Then in January please work on a display for your child to share with the class. You may choose to make a poster, a photo book, a family written book or, if you are braver than me, a video!

Choose a topic:  clothing, sports, food, housing, travel, manners

Discuss what this looked like across the generations: child, parents, grandparents etc.

Create a display: poster, photo book, family written book, movie, or something of your family’s choosing

Due Date: Monday, January 16^th.

Mark Your Calendar: The first Friday in January please plan on coming to G.D. to read your child's partner book as well as the book they authored. It is sure to be a fun "read in" afternoon. 

Nutcracker Performance and Partner Book Display

Students prepared for their final spelling test this week! 

City Ballet of Iowa
During Morning Meeting Muriel invited all of her friends to a Free Performance of The Nutcracker at Iowa City West High School on Sunday, December 18th from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. 


Reflecting
I am looking forward to spending Monday and Tuesday with your children as we prepare for the Spring Semester. We will reflect on our discoveries from the fall, and set goals for the Spring.





Tuesday, December 20, 201

• Partner Book Exchange for Partners
• Holiday Sing Along with David
• Read Aloud with Carly
• Deliver Food to River Community Church - 3-6 Friends
• All School Recess

Partner Book Display

We are implementing a new routine this winter with our Partner Book Exchange. Students will share their books with their Partners, and then we will keep the books at Willowwind for our community to read and share throughout the month of January. On Tuesday afternoon you will have an opportunity to read your child's Partner Books as well as the book that they authored. In January we will invite families to G.D. to read the books with their children and partner families. This is a great way for our community to participate in the hard work children have invested in the last 6 weeks! We can't wait! What writers we have at Willowwind. 

Sharks, Goods and Boots - Oh My!

Shark Attack in Daily News

Enjoying the nice weather and writing on our "bookmark"

Did you know that The Great White Shark goes to the dentist? Well, in theory. Great White Sharks have three "destinations" in the ocean: nursery center (a shallow area where they give birth to their "pups"), feeding station (where they dine on dead seal etc.), and a cleaning station (where a special type of fish that are black with blue stripes, clean in between the Shark's teeth). This Daily News started our day in the Prairie Racerunner Classroom with a great discussion about how we and other animals are similar and different from sharks. It is one of my favorite parts of the day!

Donations
Friends have noted that they haven't donated to the Food Drive or the "Pages for Patients" book drive yet. Please help them contribute to the needs of their local community by bringing in a slightly used book and an item from your pantry. The kids pointed out that eggs, while yummy, would not be a good donation to the food drive.

Conversations at Home
In this chaotic time at the end of the semester, students have been pondering their own needs and wants. They are anticipating the gift of words with their Partner Book and examining how it feels to give with our charity drives as of late. This is a difficult concept, even for adults, so please help support these understandings with vocabulary and conversations at home.

Boots
It is muddy outside! Please bring boots for playing tag, rolling down the hill and perfecting our ultimate frisbee skills. Even though there is no snow on the ground, boots are essential.

Children's Authors Book Signing - Sunday at Prairie Lights

Studying the Desert and Inquiring about Cactus Plants

Check out this great moment as students make sensory observations of a cactus plant during our study of the desert habitat. 

Local Authors will be at Prairie Lights: Take a break for book signing date with your children!

On Tuesday afternoons students have enjoyed the chapter book, The Buddy Files: The Case of the Lost Boy  by Dori Hillestad Butler. She will be at Prairie Lights on Sunday, December 11 at 1:00 p.m. Students have expressed great interest in reading all of the Buddy File books and it would be a great opportunity to meet the author and ask her questions such as "Why does Buddy think every food is his favorite?"

Wendy Henrichs will be there to sign her copies of two picture books: I Am Tama, Lucky Cat: A Japanese Legend and When Anju Loved Being an Elephant.  This would be a great follow up to our Japanese Culture study from last spring.

Finally, our very own Katherine House (Caroline's Mom) will be there to sign copies of her book,  Lighthouses for Kids: History, Science, and Lore with 21 Activities.  This is a title intended for children 9 years and older, but would probably make a great addition to ANY library. 

This is a great time to check off that shopping list, or to pamper yourself with some great reads for your kids over the cold winter break. Hope to see you there on Sunday, December 11th at 1:00 p.m. at Prairie Lights Book Store. 

Taking some time to read books before Morning Meeting begins

December is already upon us and we are on our 74th day of school! 

Friends are deep in the throes of their Partner Book editing and illustrating. This is an evolutionary process for 1st and 2nd graders as they learn to put their own "favorites" aside to write a story using the likes and interests of their partners. This is also a time for us to discuss logical sequencing, writing transitions and descriptive details when writing a story. 

We are preparing for a lot of giving this month. 

Adding details is an important part of the Writing Process

                                                                       Friends will give of their time in creating a gift of words and art. They work in great anticipation of their partner's reaction as they read "their" book for the very first time. Have you thought about a place where you will keep this very special book?

We are giving thanks for a new friend, Kieran! Kieran joined our classroom on Monday. With 15 Prairie Racerunners we have  plethora of talents and passions to learn from.



We are also giving of our resources. 
Willowwind School is collecting Pantry Items for the River Community Church. We are also collecting Pages for Patients! Meg Richardson, a Willowwind Alum, is heading up this event as she encourages the community to collect NEW books for children who are in the hospital and gently used books (for readers of ALL ages) for the UIHC library. Please send in the donations by Friday, December 16th. 


Have you checked our website for an updated Newsletter and Calendar items?

Now that it is snowing (for awhile I thought Iowa City had forgotten its favorite ground cover) friends are welcome to bring in snow pants and snow boots. They may also bring sturdy slippers or easy slip on shoes to change into for dry feet in between recess. How cool is it that Iowa Kids get to play in the snow for 3 recess' a day??? It is a whole new time of imagination.

Scrumptious Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash Recipe 

Ready to Bake!

Cleaning out the seeds!

1. 6 Butternut Squash - halved and cleaned
2. Bake flesh side down for 45 minutes at 350 degrees
3. Scoop out the flesh and mash together in slow cooker (kids love both of these tasks!)
4. Add 1 stick of Dairy Free butter (real butter can also be used)
5. 2 pinches of sea salt
6. 2 pinches of Black Pepper
7. 4 shakes of cinnamon
8. 1 teaspoon of Vanilla
9. Brown Sugar OR Maple Syrup to taste
10. 2 shakes of Garlic Powder OR 2 gloves of garlic minced and mixed
11. Keep warm on low and serve when your family is ready to eat!

Great Feast and Families

Our Feast Squash.
Students made a sign to remind friends that the squash were not toys!

The seeds of 6 squash weighed the same as 107 cubes!

Thankful for You

 As we prepare for a few days focused on giving thanks, I simply want to say that I am so thankful to work alongside your children each day. Your time, commitment and energy to your children is evident in all that they do - especially their smiles. As a school are so grateful for each family that creates our Willowwind Family. Thanks to all who contributed food and time and for those who were driving and cleaning to make our FEAST successful. 

Birthday Fun

Birthdays, no matter how old, are special moments to celebrate and reflect. For 31 years I have been so blessed to celebrate with family, friends and yummy food. For four years I have had the privilege of spending my birthday with Willowwind Friends - participating in singing Happy Birthday in 4 

languages, Birthday Books and the best present of all...homemade birthday cards. It is the best way to celebrate - surrounded by my students and  teaching community. Thank-you for helping me feel so special.

Ms. Brooke was honored with handmade cards and books
from her students. Thank-you!

A Busy Month

Ms. Michelle takes a break at the
library to read with our K-2 friends

These next few weeks will be busy as students work to illustrate and publish their Partner Books, finish their math unit and continue to learn about Habitats. It will also be a time of working closely together as the weather turns colder and we spend more time in our cozy classroom - reading, writing, working and learning how to be contributing members of any community. The December Newsletter will be available at the end of next week.

Thankful for ... Volunteers!

Thankful
We are thankful for ... the opportunity to eat outside on November 15th in Iowa City, Iowa. It was a great day for a picnic.

We are thankful for ... a new friend in the Prairie Racerunner Classroom beginning on November 17th!

We are thankful for ... kind 1st and 2nd grade friends who made sure our new friend knew our love and welcoming hearts.

We are thankful for ... very successful conferences!

We are thankful for ... the awesome write up about Ms. Michelle in the Press-Citizen on 11-16-11

We are thankful for ... the opportunity to go to Puppet Shows! Please bring $2.00 for admission by Monday, November, 21st!

We are thankful for ... volunteers!

Volunteer Opportunities

There are a few great opportunities for you to volunteer with the Prairie Racerunner Friends before Thanksgiving.

• 6 Butternut Squash (preferably from your garden or a midwest grower) for our Feast on Tuesday. Please bring squash by Monday morning before school
• 1 more driver! - Monday, November 21st from 12:00 to 3:00 to help drive to West Liberty for a Puppet Show
• 2 volunteers - Monday, November 21st from 2:00 to 3:00 - Help the Office Staff set up the scene for our Feast. 
• 2 volunteers - Tuesday, November 22nd from 11:45 to 1:30 to help serve our food!
• 2 volunteers - Tuesday, November 22nd from 1:30 to 3:00 to help clean up from our feast. 

There is a lot of fantastic writing happening in our classroom! It is a wonderful time of year as students are engaged in their academic growth and looking forward to celebrations with family and friends.

 Happy Thanksgiving!

What's in a map?

Today students worked together to create maps of Willowwind School in order to identify how the school building meets their needs. It turns out that Willowwind does a remarkable job of providing light, water, shelter, and oxygen. We even have a food source in our garden! 

Labeling the classrooms on our map

Identifying the NORTH door

We enjoyed identifying our Green Roof as a source for oxygen, our water fountains as a spot to quench our thirst, and the doors and windows to shelter us from extreme temperatures. Students discussed how lunch boxes and kitchens, although we may think differently, do not grow our food! So we discussed how food gets into our kitchen and into our lunch boxes (or snack bags). Based on our rich discussions this year in GD and with Chef Gaby, students engaged in a great talk about buying locally and the process of food consumption. 

Drawing the windows on our map

Using the Burrowing Owls map to get ideas for our own map

Tomorrow students will work together to differentiate between needs and desires. Until then, check out some great cooperative work together as students spent their morning making the most fabulous detailed maps of Willowwind School. 

Gluten- (and Dairy) Free Apple Crisp

Before you read on... please visit the NEWSLETTER tab for a November update on curriculum happenings in the classroom. Also, enjoy the PHOTOS tab where you will find pictures of our recent celebrations, kitchen science and community building activities. 

On October 31st Willowwind Friends enjoyed a Costume Parade, Preschool Reading Buddies, Sugar Skull Decorating, a Prairie Animal Pumpkin contest and some delicious Apple Crisp. Chef Gaby worked with Kindergarten through 2nd Grade Students to bake this community dish. Please find the recipe below. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Apple Crisp (and Dairy Free Too!) 

Ingredients

Chef Gaby works with students to prepare the Apple Crisp 

1. 6 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and chopped
2. 1/4 cup of water
3. 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
4. a little brown sugar
5. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. 1/2 cup PURE maple syrup
2. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3. 3 cups old fashioned gluten-free oats
4. 1/2 cup cold Earth Balance (Dairy Free) butter (real butter may also be used)
5. 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup craisins (optional)
6. 1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Crumble

• Mix together maple syrup, cinnamon, and oats (you may also add pecans if you choose)
• Cut in butter (go ahead - use your hands)
• Put in refrigerator until apples are prepared

Crisp

• Add apples, water, cinnamon, and a little brown sugar to large sauce pan with lid 
• Cook 10 to 15 minutes until NEARLY soft.
• Stir in vanilla
• Spread into bottom of 9X13 pan
• Sprinkle OPTIONAL craisins here 
• Top with oatmeal mixture (recrumble as needed)
• Bake at 375 degree for 40 to 45 minutes
• If your oatmeal is turning too brown, cover with foil for 1/2 of baking period. 

Serve warm. 

If you would like you may serve with Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped Cream,

 but that of course, would not make it Dairy Free. 

It is not crispy the next day, but is still delicious served as a snack.
The Recipe Author suggests experimenting with Flax Seed as well!

Original recipe found by Chef Gaby from www.inthekitchenwithjenny.com
We tweaked it a bit to meet the needs of our students.

It was delicious! 

An Afternoon of Writing, Baking and Diwali

Reading and Writing on our classroom "porch"

There is no doubt about it - we have been so fortunate with the kindest weather this October. We have been playing outside, reading under the Willowwind Tree, going for walks, exploring the garden, and even reading and writing on our "Classroom Porch." As we prepare to say hello to November, we have a great deal to be thankful for in all of our 51 days of school.

Measuring the Gluten Free Oats

Last Friday sums up all of the reasons that I so adore working with your children at Willowwind. It was a crisp Autumn day at the end of week full of runny noses, achy heads and scratchy throats - we had made it to the end (most of us anyway). After a morning full of Spelling Tests and practicing the art of regrouping with triple digit subtraction, students enjoyed working alongside their Partner Families for Prairie Animal Pumpkin Designs (pictures to be posted later). Then as we rolled into the afternoon - all the sounds and smells came together to form a fabulous Friday afternoon. While Chef Gaby and Mr. Max (our Practicum Student) worked with small groups in the Project Room baking gluten free, dairy free Apple Crisp for our Halloween K-6 Costume Parade on Monday, the rest of the Racerunner Friends worked in the classroom. There was a lot of reading going on as some were working in Literature Circles on Chapters 1-4 of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, others read in partners Lilacs, Lilies and Ladybugs, and a few had time for Halloween Books in the Library. Meanwhile, I was working with individual students as they edited their Short Story Fantasies. Jared played his Halloween Music as we worked quietly and Erika popped open the Classroom Door, grabbed a clipboard and headed to the "the porch" to finish her Final Draft. Addy, Nolan, and Muriel followed suit - enjoying the warm sunshine and crisp afternoon air.

Diwali Celebrations with the Racerunner Family

We ended our day with Dr. Laroia visiting our classroom and working with Himani to tell us the story of Diwali. My favorite part of their presentation is explaining to the students that they are Himani's family because she spends so very much time with them each day. So it is only appropriate that she invite them to join in Diwali - The Festival of Lights - with her. Students made Diva Lamps, colored brightly patterned designs and enjoyed a small sweet treat and balloons all in recognition of Diwali. Thank-you Archana for a wonderful Diwali celebration with the Racerunner Family!

On Monday we will enjoy the K-2 Apple Crisp as we Parade for the Preschool Friends, read with our Buddies, decorate Sugar Skulls and guess our Prairie Animal Pumpkins. Thank-you to all of the families who contributed (or offered to contribute) supplies for our Apple Crisp. It was a wonderful opportunity for Chef Gaby to engage the children in a baking activity that contributes to our community celebrations.

Tomatoes, Pirates and Books

The Prairie Racerunners have been up to quite a bit throughout the month of October. Our recent community project includes building a rural, suburban and urban community mural that represents the space and central necessities in each area. Stop by the wall outside of our classroom to check out the Golden Retrievers walking in Central Park, the traffic jam heading to a  Hawkeye Football Game and many gravel roads surrounded by a corn field! The biggest question: What is Iowa City? Is it a small city, a rural community or a suburb? See below for other highlights from our month!

Tomato Sauce is reading for canning!

Tomato Taste Test is a success!

1. Making Tomato Sauce with Chef Gaby. We learned all about canning to preserve fresh ingredients to eat throughout the winter. We are anticipating a warm pasta snack in the winter, but we loved our taste test of toasted bread and yummy sauce!

2.Reading Buddies with the Marblewing Friends is an event that we look forward to each Wednesday afternoon. Not only do we practice our reading skills, but our book choosing and conversation skills as well.

Preschool Reading Buddies

 

Don't you wish you could eat lunch like this?

3. Indoor Lunch: As some of our fall days have grown cooler and a bit windy, we have enjoyed picnic style lunches in the G.D. space - perfect for catching up with our friends about the day and world events.
4. Hunting for micro-organisms to create mini habitats. The garden, compost bin and bios wale had the most ants, roly ploys and caterpillars!

Pause for dancing...

Digging for microorganisms in the WW garden

5. Dancing to our favorite Sing Along songs and others including Tonight, Tonight by Alvin and the Chipmunks.
6. Do you know that the Willowwind Play Structure transforms to a great ship during recess? There you may discover Sea Monsters, pirates, and tidal waves. The moments of creative play and friendship are most precious as these last few days of Autumn linger...

Play Structure or Giant Ship?

Live, Work, Sing

Here's the deal. I love to sing. In the car, while making coffee, to Buckley as he burrows in the crunchy leaves. I started in a duet at the young age of 4 years old while riding in the passenger seat of my Mom's car as we would make the drive from Storm Lake, Iowa to my cousins house in Cherokee. We would snap our fingers to Bad, Bad Leroy Brown or use my ever present hair brush to sing Patsy Cline's Crazy. Secretly I was hoping that Mom and I would be the next Mother/Daughter Country Duo - just like the Judds. Fast forward 25 or so years later and I still love to sing! However, now I get to sing with the most talented group of 1st and 2nd graders. We Opera Sing our Morning Number Count, we clap and sway to our Morning Exercise Song, we sing transitions, Find your table spot, find your table spot, find it now, and we sing our way through numerous Wiggle Songs. However, last week we found ourselves beating a few new beats.

Diggory and his Mom came bursting into the classroom on Wednesday morning anxious to share one of their favorite songs. As it turns out Diggory and his Mom were not the only Racerunner Friends singing Alvin and Chipmunk's version of Tonight, Tonight. As soon as we found the tune on YouTube I had 13 little bodies gathered around the computer wiggling their tails, waving their arms and giggling from depths of their bellies. It was a departure from our usual routine and it made for the most cheerful morning of working together.

Then on Thursday, late in the morning, as students were working away on their communities there was a brand new lull in the classroom. Students were singing their community song "LIVE, WORK, PLAY" as they eagerly designed gravel roads through rural corn fields, manicured lawns among suburban driveways  and a plethora of dogs walking in the city's Central Park.

Finally, we kicked off our Friday sing along with nothing less than Eye of the Tiger which was, as Caroline described, "a huge 1980's hit!" Head bopping, air guitar and drum rolling were in full force as we wrapped up our brand new song as introduced by Caroline's partner family. Each Sing Along, every other Friday, will host a different partner family as they introduce a song of their choice.

Check out our latest edition of Prairie Research photos to see how well our Partner Families worked to create root systems.

Keep on singing families!

We Love Being Racerunners

What do we love about our classroom community?

Warm fall days are great for  soccer games at recess!

• We get to play on the playground. – Diggory
• We learn math. – Muriel
• We love P.E. and Art. – Luca
• We make up stories. - Himani
• We like to hear Daily News. – Melissa
• We learn about science. – Erika
• We learn spelling. – Sumner
• We love the Treasure Box – Jared
• We play chase! – Nolan
• We have Group Discussion. – Muriel
• We learn music. – Addy
• We go on field trips. – Caroline
• We all have important jobs like Attendance Helper. - Emma
• We love math. - Max