Thanksgiving Feast this Friday!!

Hello Everyone, I hope that you all enjoyed Veteran's Day and a nice 4-day weekend with your family.  As you know, we are having Report Card Conferences this week.  There will be no school on Wednesday for the conferences, and then two half-days on Thursday and Friday as we finish our conferences.  Students will again get out at 11:40am and the Kinders will be waiting at the front of the school, either under the flagpole with me, or inside the gate at the Kinder playground with Mrs. Laurie ( I have afterschool yard duty by the bus area). 

On Friday, we will be learning about and celebrating the great american holiday known at Thanksgiving.  We will do some Thanksgiving activities, watch a video about the Pilgrims coming to the "New World", and end with a nice feast in our classroom.  I hope that you have all thought about helping your child participate in this activity by bringing something yummy to share at the feast.

According to traditional legend, the First Thanksgiving brought the Pilgrims and the Native Americans together to celebrate the harvest.  The Pilgrims shared with the Native Americans their hunting and fishing skills (mainly the tools the "White Man" used to help with hunting and fishing), and the Native Americans shared their knowledge of farming and gathering (using fish to help enrich the soil when growing corn, identifying which plants/berries were edible, etc.). 

I know that our class feast won't be as monumental as the first Thanksgiving was, but I do believe it is a great way for the students in our class to make stronger connections with their classmates and learn about other cultures.  We've discussed the idea of America being a "melting pot", where many different people come to live and share in the ideals of freedom and equality.  I try and use the Thanksgiving Feast as an opportunity to expand your child's views of what Thanksgiving means in today's America by allowing families to bring their favorite family dish to the feast.  We can stick with tradition (turkey, gravy, corn, etc.), but we can also introduce new ideas that our students may have never had (lumpia, foh, sushi, paella, etc.).  If your family has an authentic dish that is special to your family's culture and heritage, please consider sharing it with our class on Friday at the Feast!!

Signups have been up on the door in front of the classroom, you do not need to feel obligated to bring only what is listed, talk with me and we can work out arrangements for other ideas not already mentioned.

*Please note anything in your dish that may cause allergies.  We have 4-5 students in our class with food allergies, mainly nuts, but I want to be careful with everything we serve so we don't have any unfortunate reactions.  Also talking to your child if they have allergies about what to stay away from will greatly help.  You know their condition more than I do, and would be better prepared to remind them what foods they can and cannot eat.  Thanks again!!

Have a wonderful week and I will see all of you at the Conferences!!
-Mr. Linnet

Do Your Children Truly Know Why They Are Out of School???

Veteran's Day is upon us, and in our District, that means a nice LONG weekend to celebrate.  We're not sure why this holiday has grown in popularity within our District, rewarding not one, but two days off, but we are happy to receive it.  Our class took some time out today to learn about Veteran's Day (or Armistice Day as it was formerly called).  A short video helped us learn about the origin of this holiday (the end of WWI on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month in 1918), as well as what a Veteran, or Vet, is (no, not the people that take care of pets, as a couple of students thought).  We learned about the sacred gift these individuals gave protecting our freedoms and defending our country.  We learned about various ways Veteran's Day is celebrated across our country.  And we ended our lesson on Veteran's Day by making our own Veteran's Day posters and cards.  If your child hasn't shown it to you yet, please take a moment to look at it and discuss the importance of this holiday.  It's not about religion, or beliefs, or politics, or sides.  It is about people, extraordinary people who offered up their lives to give all of us the freedom to make our own choices and celebrate life in our own ways.  Help your children realize the significance of this holiday, and the people being honored on this day, and use the extra time off to allow them opportunities to see you honor Veteran's this holiday in the manner you see fit.  Remember holidays are not just about taking time off from school or work, it's about taking time out of our routines to honor and celebrate the people and things that we hold dear in life!!  Please pass on the traditions your family holds dear in this and all other holidays.
-Mr. Linnet

Sorry for the extra noise...

...I'm sure by now you have been introduced to the "maracas" or "shakers" that we made in class today.  It was a following directions activity that followed one of the stories in the 1st grade unit where children made instruments to be in a band.  We read the story as a class and discussed how you can make instruments from everyday materials.  Following the story was a nonfiction piece on instruments and rattles from various parts of the world.  After that, we followed the directions in the book to make our own fun rattles.  The kids had a lot of fun making and decorating their rattle, then when everyone was finished we danced around the room singing songs and shaking our "maracas".  We glued the lid to hopefully avoid any unnecessary messes arising from beans flying all over the room while your child dances and sings.  I know they can get loud, but please take an interest in their creativity and use it as a discussion to retell the story we read in class.  Ask your child what the story was about (kids in a band), what special characteristics did the children have (Beth was in a wheelchair), what kinds of instruments did they make (drum, symbols, shakers), etc.  Use the activity as a teaching tool and help your child see the relevance the project had to their learning (it's not just for fun!!).  Thanks again to all who brought in water bottles, and for all your continued help in and out of the classroom.
-Mr. Linnet

Get Ready for a CRAZY MONTH!!!

Well, we made it through Halloween and all the fun that comes with it.  The kids looked great in their costumes and were very busy with Halloween-themed activities at school.  The Kindergarten class got to eat pretzels hanging on string at recess, and the 1st grade class got to make their own caramel apples.  Despite missing two days of school this past week, I was able to complete assessments of all my students in preparation for the 1st Trimester Report Cards, which we will start putting together in 2 weeks.  Which brings me to my main revelation:  WHAT IS OUR DISTRICT DOING WITH CALENDARS????

I don't know if any of you have taken the time to look at the new calendar for this year, or if you are playing it week-to-week, but this next month makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE!  The first week is normal, then the next week we only have 1 full day and 2 half-days for Report Card Planning and Veteran's Day (2 days off of school for this?).  The third week consists of 2 full days, 2 half days, and another day off for Report Card Conferences.  Then there is no school for the whole week of Thanksgiving.  For those of you keeping track at home that is only 10 teaching days the entire month (8 full days and 4 half days = 10 full days of instruction). 

Now I am not unhappy with the extra time with family, I love my family and look forward to spending more time with them.  But seriously, 10 days in the month of November, and probably less in December (we get 3 weeks off for Winter Break).  How does all this extra time off during the school year make education better for kids (or help their families who now have to pay for extra daycare or make changes to their work schedules)?  This crazy schedule adoption with the weird breaks is the reason we start school in mid-August and get out in late-June.  Why can't "Traditional" schedules mean what it used to mean?  Was there really anything wrong with starting school the week after Labor Day and getting out the first week of June?  Maybe it is just me, but I've felt that has been a pretty "tried and true" schedule for most of America.  I guess I just like simple routines too much!!

Anyway, now that I've shared my thoughts on this matter, I would love to hear from all of you reading this.  How will the schedule effect your family over November and December?  This is not a request made by the district, just something I personally would like more insight on.
*Does your family like the new schedule?
*What academic/personal benefits does the extended breaks in Nov/Dec have for your family?
*What changes, if any, would you like made for future school calendars?
*Does your family welcome the trade-off of more time with family in the winter rather than more time together in the summer?

As your child's teacher, I am a voice for you and I want to best serve your family's needs.  I do what I can in the classroom for your child, and if I know your feelings on matters like this, I will be your voice in conferences and meetings where these kinds of decisions are made.

Stay warm and healthy this month.  Enjoy the time with your family.  And take some time out to tell the people in your life what they mean to you.  That is the spirit of Thanksgiving!!

-Mr. Linnet
(I am thankful for my beautiful family, kind friends, and all my amazing students who inspire me and fill my heart with joy!!)