Snakes, Suffixes and Skulls

Moments
Some of my favorite moments from each day are the authentic learning experiences that come from conversations among children. Today, as we used our meteorologist's eyes to watch for rain and snow, there were many of these conversations and moments of learning. 

Discuss: Snakes. 

A Moment to Discuss Snakes
Kieran started our day with an impressive Daily News Research Report. He has been anticipating the arrival of a pet brown snake. Together with his family he has researched the species, their home and needs in order to create the perfect spot for a new snake. You can imagine how many questions and comments this sparked among our friends. Please find his summary of Brown Snakes below: 


Brown House Snakes - A Summary
1. Their color is usually brown or terra-cotta (which, as Kieran informed us, is earth colors mixed togethers).
2. There are a dozen species of house snakes.
3. They are usually about three feet long.
4. They can live ten to fifteen years.
5. If they are tame, they will not poop on you. 


A Moment to Discuss Suffixes
During Morning Message our suffixes ran away! Just as the suffixes had done in Happy Endings: A Book About Suffixes by Robin Pulvar,  friends had to quickly determine which endings to write in order to read the Morning Message successfully. In this discussion we revisited the idea of sentences vs. paragraphs and that infamous word that we can never remember - indent. 


A Moment to Discuss Skulls

A Ram Skull

Finally, bringing his world into the classroom, Max shared a ram skull with us as well as the mandible of a eew. We were able to discuss the natural part of life in discussing disease and an abscessed tooth (which the ewe passed away from) and a coyote attack (the ram's death). From this discussion we visited about rams being boys and ewes being girls, wolves vs. coyotes and which species were apart of the Iowa Habitat. Friends wondered how they would save a ram from a coyote and Max explained to them that coyotes are natural predators of sheep. It was quite a discussion. Please stop by the science center in our room to see these fascinating skulls that we are so fortunate to learn from. Thanks Berger family!

A Moment to Ponder 

A Moment to Read a Poem

Another Racerunner Poem to get you ready for the Author's Cocoa event on Friday, February 24th at 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

On Valentine’s Day I sent love

To my Great Grandfather above.

On St. Patrick’s Day I threw a rock

From my very long dock. 

Author's Cocoa is this Friday, February 24th

Willowwind's Annual Author's Cocoa

Friends, family, and neighbors are invited to attend this special day of poetry and short story

 readings presented by our K-6 friends. 

We have been working on our writing all year .
Anxiously we await your arrival.

To end the afternoon we will have treats and cocoa or tea.

Please join us in the GD space on Friday, February 24th from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for this special event. 

A sneak peak at a Racerunner's Poem...

Green 

Green.

Green is the smell of soft trees.

Green is the feeling of a soft green leaf.

Green is the color of the soft green earth.

Green is what I hear in the night of crickets singing sweet songs.

Green is so sweet you can smell it in the wind.

Green is the color of the green grass that grows.

Green is as sweet as you.

Green is the color of the sweet smell of the rainforest.

Green. 

See you on Friday!

A Busy Week in February

The Birthday Boy deep in thought during math. 

It's Almost Friday ...  

We Have Been Busy!

Reminders:
Friday, February 17th Usborne Reading Challenge Packets are DUE. (Remember, your child has been reading at least 30 minutes per day at school. Did you include that in his or her total?) Also, Library Day!

Monday, February 20th - No School in Honor of President's Day. Your trusty teacher will be hard at work with teachers and staff creating the best learning community for your family.

Friday, February 24th - Author's Coco from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Racerunners can't wait to share their Cinquain, Quatrain, and Color Poems with you and their friends.

Thursday, March 8th - Our Community and Beyond Night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Plan to attend this great event where your child, a Prairie Racerunner, will be presenting about generations Past, Present and in the Future! The Wolves, Owls and Cottontails also will be presenting as we send the Wolf Pack off to the State History Fair!

Using a hand lens to observe pebbles.

Geologists at Work
Friends have been working very hard this week to separate, sift and identify a variety of earth materials including tuff, scoria, basalt, pebbles, gravel and sand. These hands on explorations allow friends to observe and discuss color, texture, and size. Next week we will experiment with water and clay to learn more about silt!













Secret Valentine Reveal

Check out this cool Valentine Gift - A Cape!

This was a huge success. Imagine an entire room full of teachers, staff, and friends K-6 readily waiting with the perfect gift for their "Secret Valentine." The 50 minute reveal was complete with squeals of "Cool!" and "It was YOU all along? I had no idea" or "I knew it had to be you!" What a beautiful lesson in anticipation, and thinking of another when choosing gifts, creating clues and making tokens with love.

Valentine's Day - Its Aftermath
On Wednesday WE WERE TIRED. Friends were exhausted from their 5 Day Secret Valentine Game and from all of the excitement surrounding this special February Holiday. Although Muriel had even more reason to be put off - especially after trying her Harry Potter Jelly Beans found in her Valentine Gifts. This morning in Daily News she described the horrid flavors: rotten egg, soap and ear wax! Her report had me wondering, "is this Valentine's Day or Halloween?" The jelly beans must have been true to their name as Muriel described her Mom's reaction to a family taste test.

Waiting to reveal your gift is the hardest part!

You're Awesome!
Thank-you again, families, for sending friends in with so much love and affection each day. It's as though every day is Valentine's Day at Willowwind! However, your great support of our traditions and curriculum expectations this month has been greatly appreciated. I love your children and feel very fortunate to learn alongside of them each day.

I love this moment.
 A math test in the warm February sun - under the easel. 

True Gifts from the Heart

Geo Board Math Explorations on Friday

True Gifts from the Heart
There is something truly magical about the fall of fresh snow and the magic associated with Secret Valentine's Day. Our Morning Meeting was all a buzz with questions about the Big Reveal, and squeals of delight about treats and clues. What I most admire about your children is that their work and heart in preparing clues and tokens for their Secret Valentine have been much more important than the surprise waiting in their own Valentine Envelope. Thank-you, families, for all of your hard work associated with creating handmade Valentine Surprises.

Sorting, Counting, Planning

The Gift of Time to Discuss YOUR Child!
Thank-you, as well, for promptly responding about conference times. The afternoon and evening spaces are filling up quickly so please let me know if you have a specific time request.


Looking Ahead...
This week we made a list of all that we are looking forward to! Valentine's Day, Diggory's Birthday, Sing Along, Gnocchi with Chef Gaby and the Library!

Prairie Research, Valentine's Day and The Reading Challenge

Reading Challenge

I'm not sure about that plant - it needs too much water.

On Friday, Prairie Racerunners spent 30 minutes preparing  and then reading with their preschool reading buddies! These minutes may be used toward the Usborne Reading Challenge. Please see information below and get on the reading challenge train!

Willowwind friends are excited to begin a reading challenge!! Are you ready to read?!?!
On Friday, February 3rd, your child took home a bright orange packet of information that highlights this reading challenge. Students are challenged to read at least 300 minutes during the challenge period which ends next Friday! 

 In addition, students can find sponsors to pledge money to support their reading challenge. 

 Each child and Willowwind benefit 100% from each pledge your child receives!!! Half of your child's pledges will buy your family books at the upcoming Usborne Book Fair and the other half will bring in new books for our classroom library and our school library. Pledge checks can be made payable to Usborne Books. To kick off our Reading Challenge, Willowwind friends were able to sample some of he books they can purchase from Usborne through our upcoming book fair. Your child began a Wish List of books, found in their orange packet. 

Helping partners use the computer to research!

Each day, have your child use the orange packet to record the minutes they read or minutes that you read to them. You can automatically enter in 30 minutes each day for your child's school reading that takes place during Quiet Reading Time. On Friday, February 17th return your child's signed reading log, full pledge envelope, and wish list to Willowwind.

Students will then be able to shop the Usborne Book Fair which will take place February 28th through March 1st.





 Valentine's Day Traditions
Our Secret Valentine Reveal is a great way to show love from our heart. Today we enjoyed making Name Poems as an example of a gift for another without having to buy anything extra!

There it is!

There is one more day of Secret Valentine Gifts which is Monday! Then on Tuesday it is the BIG REVEAL. Please send in a small token, no more than $5.00, for the Secret Valentine Reveal. As a low sugar environment please be sure that the Reveal Gift is not a treat. Thank-you.


If you would like to send in classroom Valentines, I will send a list of student names to your e-mail so that friends can address Valentines to their classmates. They are also welcome to address Valentines for their Partner Family Members if they so choose. 


On Valentine's Day we will celebrate with Math Games and Valentine's Day Writing. We may not get to open Valentines in class, so I will send all sweet notes home for sure so families can review together. If you have questions please e-mail me. 

Don't worry - I'll look it up. 

Prairie Research
Today was Day 2 of our Prairie Research with Partner Families. We spent time researching flowers and grasses that we want to plant in our own Willowwind Prairie. Each friend chose 3 or 4 plants to  to the brainstorm, and then as a group we will decide which seeds and plants to grow. This is all possible because of our Seed Savers Fundraising. Thank-you!


Mark Your Calendars
Friday, February 24th - Author's Coco from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Plan on spending the afternoon.


Tuesday, February 28th - Parent Teacher Conferences


Thursday, March 8th - Our Community and Beyond Night from 5:30 p.m.  to 8:00 p.m. All K-6 friends and families should plan to attend.

February is a Busy Month

Summer Birthdays are important to celebrate!

February is a busy month!

Today, Wednesday, February 8th kicked off our Secret Valentine Week. Friends enjoyed their homemade poems, snowflakes, envelopes and most importantly, clues! Please spend some time brainstorming creative ways to make hand craft something at home for each Secret Valentine.

Here is a list of some items friends brainstormed today:
1. Handmade coasters, pillows, or other fabric items
2. Home made cookies, muffins or cupcakes
3. Poems posted on a doily
4. Glitter snowflakes
5. Paper Dolls
6. Crossword Puzzles
7. Paper Puzzles
8. A list of funny riddles

Thanks for making Secret Valentine Week a success. Remember, on Tuesday, February 14th friends are to bring a gift to share during the Big Reveal. This gift may be purchased, ($5.00 or under), but can certainly be something handcrafted as well. It should be a keepsake like gift as opposed to chocolate or food.

Gray Wolf Diner
This week is also the Grand Opening of Gray Wolf Diner. You may purchase food cards on Mondays and Wednesday!

An Afternoon with Poetry
Author's Coco is coming up on Friday, February 24th. Please plan to be here from 12:30 until the end of the day for a K-6 Poetry Reading afternoon!

Brainstorm Web as we prepare to author Birthday Books!

Leap Year and No School Days
Lots of NO SCHOOL DAYS: 2-20, 2-27, 2-28. Don't forget Parent Teacher Conferences on February 28th. 

We also had a lot of fun celebrating Clara's very special Half Birthday today with Birthday Books, Fruit Salad and Circle of Wishes.


Thanks for all of your patience while I was away. After a very difficult week it was so heart warming to return to a hearty helping of hugs, and small tokens of affection such as paper hearts and dogs. Friends were busy while I was gone and they were excited to show me all of their great work! If you have questions about Secret Valentine or other February happenings, please see our website newsletter. 

Happy Wednesday Racerunner Families!