Feeling the Love! Happy Valentine's Day!

Hi Everyone,
We SURVIVED!  Okay, okay, so it wasn't that cold out for winter survival but it was a perfect 35-degree day.  It was incredibly wet though so it was hard to start our fires.  However, students had an excellent time finding kindling, making fires, cooking over our fires, and eating yummy food.  What a great day of teamwork and fun! Check out the class photos to see our winter adventure!


KLEENEX NEEDED - PLEASSSSSE!
ACHOOOO!  If you haven't heard already, the flu and cold have been rampant in the last few weeks and still hitting us hard especially in the classroom.  We are completely out of Kleenex.  PLEASE consider sending in some.  We are desperate need of some!  Thank you for your support!


Healthy Heart Field Trip Program at St. Joe's 
Tuesday- March 3rd A.M. - PARENTS NEEDED!  This program begins with a cardiologist narrating a video of an open-heart surgery and answering student questions. Students then go through several hands-on stations where some animal organs will be displayed and available to touch. This trip also has an “OPT-OUT” option. If students (with parental agreement) are uncomfortable and do not want to attend, they can stay home for the morning. We do need parent chaperones. Please let me know ASAP if you can come with us!!!  A background check form must be on file in the office.  Thanks!


A Note from Ms. Rubin - Student Intern
Dear Families,
I am super excited that we will be starting our Traditional Literature Reading Unit. Starting March 2nd, students will be challenged to think about a point of view and multiple perspectives as they read well-known fairy tales such as the 3 Little Pigs, Peter Pan,  and  Cinderella.

Students will be placed into small groups and each group will focus on one of the selected fairytales. These groups will be subdivided into “prosecution” and “defense” teams because at the end of the unit they will be going on trial!

In groups, students will be working together to develop opening statements, arguments, and closing statements, and then all the groups will participate in a mock trial. Students will be challenged to picture the heroes and villains of fairy tales with new perspectives and deeper understandings.

Our mock trials will take place during the last few days of the unit. I would like to ask parents to come in and play the role of our jurors!  We are planning on holding the trials during my last week of lead teaching, which will be the week before spring break. I will be sending out more information about when each book group is going on trial so that you can come when it is your child’s turn.

Along with the parents, students not participating in the trial that day will also play the role of jurors. As part of the students’ summative assessment, they will have to actively listen during other groups’ trials to give their opinion on if the characters should be found guilty or innocent!

Please encourage your children to practice their roles at home during the unit. The goal is for students to feel ready and prepared!

We are going to have a lot of fun working on this unit and I look forward to working with all the students as they prepare for our fairytale trials.

Sincerely,
Ms. Rubin


Will you be my Valentine?
What a fun Valentine's Day Celebration we had!  Students enjoyed our classroom party.  A HUGE thank you to Anu Palapattu and Jenn Monk-Reising for putting together a splendid bash!  Thanks to all the parents who came and helped out today in the classroom as well! You made our party so much fun!  Thank you for all the nice valentines too!  Check out the classroom photos page of all the updated photos from the week. :0)


Have a great weekend!

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