Mask-Making, I Love EM Day, and More!

We continued working on our scripts for our animal group plays this week.  It has been impressive to watch students learn how to share their ideas, make decisions about what information to include, and to decide the format for their short play.  On Thursday afternoon, we started making our animal masks for the play.  Students looked at photographs, illustrations, and diagrams in the non-fiction texts they have been reading to help them make decisions about color, shape, and texture.  They also had to think about the special features of their animals.

We celebrated I Love East Montpelier Day with a special lunch on Friday.  Earlier in the week, each student wrote a sentence on a paper heart explaining one (or more) reasons why they love East Montpelier.   The Student Leadership Team also surprised students with a special message taped to every student's coat area.  The messages were very thoughtful!

Our class ended the week with a class party and card exchange.  Thank you to families for supplying the food, drinks, and supplies for this event!  A big thank you to Guili for organizing!!!

Also, thanks to everyone who contributed food for our school food drive.  Students were excited to see how much food we collected!  We have currently filled up three boxes with food.  Our next job is to build a sculpture using all of the cans and boxes before the food is donated.

The EMES Celebration of Learning is on Wednesday, February 17th from 5:30 to 7:00 pm.  We will share the scripts and masks for animal projects and other ways that we have integrated the arts with literacy work this year.

Stay healthy and warm this weekend!

Spirit Week!

EMES SPIRIT WEEK! 

February 15-19 2016!

Show your school, spirit by participating in these special days! REMEMBER all clothing choices, hairdos, hats, etc. must be examples of safe, respectful and responsible behavior!
“When in doubt don’t wear it out!”(Or to school!) :-) 

Monday : Class color Day- Show your class spirit by dressing in the color your class picks!  Our class color is RED.

Tuesday : Sporty Day- Wear your favorite sport jersey or even dress as your favorite team player! 

Wednesday : Country Day- Yeehaa! Wear your favorite flannel shirt, and may- be even cowboy boots! Dress as a western. 

Thursday : Crazy Hat Or Hair day- Choose a safe, respectful way to show your spirit with crazy hat or hair! 

Friday : Sweats Day- Not comfy cozy day but sweats day. Wear you favorite sweat pants and or sweat shirt, and be comfy all day!

Classroom News: Animal Group Projects

During our Literacy time, we have been working on a literacy/science/arts integration unit that focuses on animal groups, adaptations, and life cycles!  In groups of four, students have been enthusiastically reading non-fiction texts about their animal groups.  The groups are:  mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, and insects.  To demonstrate note-taking and other skills, I am using books about spiders.  So far, students have been finding fascinating facts and information about the characteristics of their animal group.  The groups will create a play that teaches others what they have learned.  Students will also participate in other arts activities.  Ask your child what he or she has learned so far!  We will share some of our ongoing arts integration, literacy, and science work at the upcoming Celebration of Learning on Wednesday, February 17th from 5:30 to 7:00 pm.  Hope to see you there!

Bruce and Hobbes Anti-Bullying Presentation

Here are some photos from the Bruce and Hobbes Anti-Bullying Presentation today.

Food Drive

Food Drive!

The EMES Student Leadership Team is sponsoring a food drive to benefit the East Montpelier Community Food Shelf. The drive will take place from February 1-12, 2016. All students and their families are welcome, and encouraged to donate food to this important cause. 

All non-perishable foods are acceptable.  Some of the most needed items are: rice, tuna, peanut butter, boxes of pasta, canned soup, and applesauce. 

There will be classroom competitions for the most creative sculpture built out of food donations. There will also be a contest for the highest number of items donated.