Poetry Workshop-Lyn Littlefield Hoopes

We are looking forward to participating in a poetry workshop next Friday. Our thanks to the Friends of Cutler for sponsoring this wonderful event as part of our Big Read program.

"In my workshops, students imagine deeply and learn to listen for their writer’s voice.

They look closely for details that hold meaning for them.

Before writing, we create a poem together as a class, brainstorming vivid verbs, details and similes to capture the spirit of the moment. As we draft, students learn to listen for the voice of the poem, discover its rhythms and patterns. Then, working across a large piece of art paper, they write their own poems, edit, revise, and share aloud with the class.

Our sparks for creating are always new, evolving out of my own writing and travels. Often, I work from photographs I take in nature – close-up images of creatures we find just outside our door, or landscapes that convey a mood, emotion, or state of mind. I enjoy creating workshops to tie with the curriculum, recently Yosemite, Acadia, and Rocky Mountain National Park to link to the study of landforms and United States geography. Other workshops are inspired by artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Vincent Van Gogh, or Claude Monet. Wherever possible, I find it wonderful to collaborate with the art teacher so students may write from their own paintings"

Composing And Decomposing Shapes

The students worked with a set of pattern blocks to compose new geometric shapes.  The students worked with a partner to count sides and vertices and to solve shape puzzles.

Outdoor Classroom

 The students spent some time soaking up the sun rays and sketching in their nature journals. It was the perfect day to add detailed sketches. After, we spent some time comparing and contrasting plants and trees using a Venn Diagram. We are eagerly awaiting the first sprouts from our marigold and pumpkin seeds that we planted with Mrs. Hambelton.

Our 3rd Grade Buddies- A Community Project

 We had a wonderful time meeting with our 3rd grade buddies and creating bookmarks to raise money for the Acord Food Pantry.  The bookmarks will be for sale at Green Meadow Farms, Jolie Tea Company and at Family Fun Night!  The students attended an all-school meeting that focused on hunger awareness.

Thank You To The Hamilton-Wenham Garden Club

Our thanks to the Hamilton-Wenham Garden Club for their gift of a maple sugar sapling for each first grader in our school district.  The students were delighted to meet Chlorophyllis and wrote some wonderful thank you notes.  Just think in ten to twelve years, you might be able to tap your tree and make some maple syrup.

Building Our Independent Reading Stanima

Have you been lost in a book? Each day, we are using our strategies of effective effort to increase our stamina for independent reading. As a reading community, we have increased our independent reading time from 10 minutes to 20 minutes. WOW!! We have used focus, time and persistance!!

Flat First Graders Travel The World!

The students had a delightful time creating their flat first graders to send off to a friend or relative for a fun filled adventure. My thanks to all of you for the addresses and stamp money. Donna, at the Hamilton Post Office, was so kind and patient as she weighed and stamped the 17 important envelopes. The children wrote some great friendly letters and are excited to receive news about their traveling flat first graders. Stay tuned for updates!