Friday is New Release Day!

Each Friday during literacy we have New Release Day. This is a time when students have the opportunity to share their writing with a group of peers. They may choose to share a piece in progress or something they've recently published. It is a great opportunity for peers to give one another compliments, feedback, and ideas.

Here are a few photos from this morning's New Release Day...

A Symbol of Freedom

This week in Social Studies we have been continuing our study of freedom. We've been asking, "What does it mean to be free?" and "What makes our freedom possible?" On Monday we read The Flag We Love by Pam Munoz Ryan and discussed how the American flag is a symbol of many things: patriotism, freedom, individuality, unity, etc. The last line of the book says, "When you see the American flag, remember that it does not represent one cause, but many causes; that it does not represent on person, but many people; and that it does not represent on ideal, but many of America's hopes and dreams."

After our discussion we made our own class flag. Each student drew a design to represent what is important to them as an individual. Then, the class shared ideas for what symbol would best represent our school. Ms. Howle drew a symbol based on several of these ideas: An apple to symbolize knowledge, a book to symbolize learning, children to symbolize students, and stars to symbolize Stephens College. Our school flag represents each student as well as the class as a whole.

Last Week's Gardening...

Here are some great photos from the garden that didn't make it onto the blog last week.

Important Date Changes for K-1 Showcase and Presentations for Groups 3 & 4

When we return from Spring Break, the junior class of education students will be coming into the classroom to teach. They will begin Thursday, April 7th in the afternoon and continue for two weeks. Therefore, we have some dates changes for Independent Inquiry presentations and K-1 Showcase.

Independent Inquiry Presentations for Group 3 has been moved to Thursday, April 7th

K-1 Showcase has been changed to Tuesday, April 12th

Independent Inquiry Presentations for Group 4 has been moved to Thursday, April 14th

Tune In....

SCCS Elementary Classroom will be featured on Ron Widbin’s segment at the following times:

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 5:00 p.m. ABC and 9:00 p.m. FOX

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 5:50 a.m. ABC

CCUA

Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture came this afternoon to plan out the SCCS spring garden. The students learned about the vegetables we can plant this year, which vegetables can be planted next to each other, and where each vegetable should be planted in the garden. CCUA taught the students about the height and origin of each plant and its unique growing needs. The students took that information and decided where each should be planted in the garden in order to grow the best vegetables possible. We will be continuing to work with CCUA throughout the rest of the year. Here are some photos of this planning process:

Kathy Long visits the Elementary Classroom

Today the students had the very unique opportunity to meet a real published author of children's books! Kathy Long is the author of several amazing children's picture books, including Fix it, Grandma, Fix it, A Surprise for Mrs. Dodds, Hallelujah the Clown, and Runaway Shopping Cart (she gave us a signed copy!). Kathy shared with us how she gets ideas for her books, and how she goes through the writing process, from an idea in her head to a published book. She has written over 200 books, and she says she is always going back to her stories to revise them and make them even better. We learned about what it takes to get a book published, and how she has never given up her love for writing, even when she was faced with rejection by publishing companies. Kathy taught the students that no matter what happens, it is important to never give up on your dreams.

Check out Kathy's books here.

Here is a picture of Kathy reading Runaway Shopping Cart to the class: