ELMORE School News

Dear Elmore School Families,

We had a great week back after our long December break! There was a buzz of energy as students were excited to see each other and be back together. It takes a bit of time to get back into the swing of our routines. Despite this, it feels like we have to hit the ground running as mid year benchmark assessments are due in the days that come. We also began a new writing unit this week, 2 of our grade levels started new math units, and we started a history unit with a focus on the the comparing the past with the present (then and now). With MLK day just a little over a week ago, we have been learning about the civil rights movement this week.

In writing this week we began a unit on explanatory writing. In this unit students will be focused on writing to explain how to do something they know how to do. First and second graders will choose their topic, while 3rd graders will be writing about how to be a good friend.

Phonics lessons this week were focused on adding suffix s and es to words for first graders. our second level of students learned the long /a/ sound spelled with ai and ay and when to use which. The third level had a focus on the short /oo/ sound with spellings oo (booklet), ou (would), and u (bushes). The fourth level had a focus on words ending with er, or and ist. What gets challenging, is remembering all the other rules we have already learned and applying them, too!

During math this week, first graders began a new unit with a focus on building fluency with math facts within 10. Second graders also began a new uit with a focus on measuring length. In the photo below you can see students using centimeter cubes to measure the length of a string during our first lesson. 3rd graders a finishing up their 2nd unit. This week they had to find the area of compound figures with unknown side lengths (by using the opposite side length to determine the unknown side).

We began reading a biography about Dr. Mr. Luther King Jr. this week. This has lead us to have some pretty in depth conversations about equality and justice. Students have been asking a lot of questions and have been trying to understand the injustice that so many people in out nation faced (and continue to face today). In your child's folder, you will also find a Scholastic News about Martin Luther King Jr. with a focus on service. In art this week, we made a paper quilt with a focus on civil rights. Students where each given a quote and then asked to draw and paint and image about the quote (pictured above).

Our Ski and Skate Program will begin on Wednesday, January 14th. It looks like for the first week everyone has decided they would like to ice skate. Therefore, please plan to send skates if you have them and a helmet. Ed Case or Meg Witherbee and Ben Many are our volunteers. Volunteers should plan to arrive at the school by 11:10 in order to ride the bus to the Mountain with us. If you wish to drive your own vehicle, please plan to park on the Mansfield side and take the over Easy lift (free) over to spruce. We will be ice skating on the outdoor skating rink by Spruce Base Camp.

We have a little field trip on Friday. We have been invited to the Morrisville Centennial Library to have a tour, listen to a story and do some activities. Please find a permission slip in your child's Friday Folder. These are due by Wednesday.

Our next family Hot Lunch will be shepard's pie offered on Monday January 12th (Ashley Kitonis). School hot lunch will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday this week. Snadwiches and salads are available Tuesday - Friday. Please submit your lunch orders by the end of day on Sunday.

In gratitude,

Diane Nicholls

Announcements:

Library - Monday. Remember to bring your books back!

Tuesday - School Banking

Thursday - PE. Bring your sneakers!

Ski and Skate: Wednesday January 14th @ 11:115 - 2:30

Field trip to the Morrisville Centennial Library - Friday, Jan. 16

Monday, Jan 19th - No School (MLK Day)

Friday, Feb. 6th - No School (teacher PD)

Feb. 23 - March 3rd -No School (Winter Break)