Veteran's Day

  We second graders sure took those songs seriously and sang our hearts out on Veteran's Day!

 

 

 The Construction Team did an amazing job using their resources to create a sports arena!

 Our wonderful and faithful volunteer practiced math with dominoes this week.

 Our Math Spark Station is learning about area and perimeter.  They created shapes and counted.

 Art this week was twirlies.  It was cool to see our art work animated.

We've been practicing all week to be ready for our Biography Tea.

We can hardly wait to share with you!

November Doings

We took advantage of the beautiful afternoon to take a look at our chosen conifer and deciduous trees.
They look very different than they did in August.

Mrs. Campbell was so kind to share her expertise of the cultural practice known as Day of the Dead with us. 

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A Mrs. Paris Perspective
Since rain and much colder temperatures were in the forecast, along with the need for a long afternoon of Veteran's Day practice, we headed to creek on Wednesday for a big visit, just in case it was our last trip for a bit.

I really don't know that I can adequately put into words my love of the creek for a learning environment.
Here are a few statements that have nary a time been uttered in our creek.
"Can we go back?"
"It's too cold/hot/green/wet/weedy."
"I'm bored."
"There's nothing to do."
"He won't play with me."
"She hit me."
Instead, I hear things that are music to my ears.
"I am taking the bark off this stick. I'm about one fourth of the way done."  And he was.
"Look, this did not make the color red I was hoping for. I like it, but I like the dark red better."
"I'm using my resources to  make this hatchet."
 

"Mrs. Paris, smell this leaf. It smells good."
"Don't you think this rock has an unusual shape?"
"Look at this."  Yes, that is lichen and moss.
 
I love how our study of Native Americans and their amazing skills becomes evident as they try to use the creek resources to make every imaginable thing.
I love how, as time goes on, they find more and more to look at and explore instead of less.
Some of my kiddos are not natural naturalists, so along with nature love, we have very worldly entertainers using their sticks for flags and microphones, coercing their friends to the mic with leaf money, and singing loud and proud, no one to tell them to stop.
The Von Creek Family Singers are quite the creek sensation, and led their parade with a creek crafted cross in addition to their flags.


 
No one has ADD, a processing problem or a behavior issue in the creek.
No one is the smartest, or not.
 
When you have a chance, be sure and say a big "Thank You" to a school principal who is as concerned about emotional health as a test score, and allows these experiences for our children.

Speaking of Native Americans, our visiting art teacher, Mrs. Engle shared with the students the theory of how people came to be in the New World.  We talked about the ice bridge and why the people might have crossed it.  She brought dolls to share that were handmade by Native American Peoples.
 

 


 
We continue to study birds of prey and today got an up close look at owl pellets, which sounds so much nicer than owl puke, doesn't it.

We've learned so very much history this week. We are ready for the Veteran's Day Program. 

 Now we'll start preparations for our biography tea.

Saying No to Drugs in Style

It is a very good thing to celebrate saying, "NO!" to drugs, which we've done all week. Then there is Halloween to go with it.  What could be better?
In addition, we've experienced just about every kind of weather this week.
Mrs. Paris believes in being out and moving, if the weather cooperates and if it doesn't. The rain did not stop us from taking a little spin around the parking lot.
Please keep that in mind, so I have gloves, hats, etc. when it gets cold. We will be going out.

 

 In our favorite team shirts and  ribboned up!

 Our Drama and Craft Spark Station had wrapped up their production of the Giant Turnip!

 Mrs. Paris was so amazed at the props and the way everyone was in sync, even in their costumes.

 You can see the thespians had a captive audience.

 The day ended in all kinds of fun with yummy treats, crafts and games. Thanks to all the Moms who provided the fun.

 Friday wrapped up with Game Day!  A good way to end a crazy, wild and busy week!

 We couldn't leave without a shot of our lovies.   Hugs, not drugs!

 We've been working on a special fall art project for over a week, but they sure came out beautifully!
Mrs. Paris isn't going to want to part with them.

Next week, we'll head back to what was happening in the New World when the Old World arrived.

Best Week Ever!

Thankfully, we all returned happy and healthy from fall break with a need to spend some time in the creek.  We found all sorts of interesting things.
 

 
 

 











 We are creating some very fancy houses in this Fairy Village.

 

 Mrs. Paris went to Vermont and brought back some yummy treats to share with us.

We started our unit on Birds of Prey and began new books this week.  We are learning how to write an exciting opening for our paragraphs, even though it is a  non-fiction book.

We've changed up Spark Stations a bit and are enjoying some new activities.

We are learning about South America and Christopher Columbus.

Our long awaited field trip finally arrived.  We had the best day ever !  We rotated through eight different stations, learning all about pioneers.
We square danced, played hopscotch, marbles and kick the can!

 

 We found out what school life was like in a one room school house.

 Father Steve was so very kind to fill in for our pastor, who had a funeral, and teach us about the first priest and churches in Floyd County.

 Mrs. Paris' daughter shared about plants and medicines in pioneer times.

 We had yummy snacks like beef jerky, dried apples, dried fruits and nuts.

 We watched a real woodworker, working on a handmade chair.

 We learned about farm animals and lanolin.

 Then we had a fried chicken lunch with pie.  We were blessed with beautiful weather and wonderful array of parent helpers.
No time to rest as Friday was our day being teachers in our beautiful little garden.  We did such a great job sharing our knowledge of plant cycles and how seeds are dispersed.
Get ready for a bunch of pictures.

This was Mrs. Paris' favorite picture. So. Much. Joy!

 It just seems unreal that the tiniest seed could produce such a huge plant.

 

After this wild week, next week is going to seem kind of boring. Nah, we'll find a way to make it exciting!