Welcome Back to School!

We've been busy during the first three days of second grade. Students learned what 3-D is and made their own 3-dimensional art. They are excitedly learning about the books in our classroom library and have met our new gym and music teachers. We even wrote our class mission statement. It's going to be a great year!

Spring Meadow Field Trip

Today we went to Spring Meadow Lake to release some trout into the lake. We also created rubbings of different textures, examined items close-up with a magnifying glass, and found items for a scavenger hunt. We had a blast making fish sculptures in the sand with our fourth and fifth grades buddies.

Exploration Works

Today we went on a field trip to Exploration Works. The current exhibit is about weather and the kids learned that hot air or water goes up and cold air or water goes down. They also learned about turbulence and played with exhibits showing clouds, tornadoes, bubbles, wind and waves. Upstairs the kids used blocks to build, flew an airplane, used enormous Tinker Toys and compared brain waves. What an amazing experience!

Guest Artist

We are very fortunate to have a guest artist work with our class every day this week. Today we drew action figures with charcoal. We also sketched a butterfly and a bird. What fun!

We've Been Busy!

The first graders have been busy this month. We've finished another art project that has been posted to Artsonia.com. The students earned a popcorn party a couple of weeks ago and we have plans to publish our own hardback book before Christmas. Last week we read about pumpkins and this week we've been learning about bats. Our Halloween party is this Friday and all family is welcome. We look forward to a spooktacular time!

Flower Paintings

For the last three days students have been working on flower paintings. They've used two different kinds of paint, tried the wet-on-wet technique, and used vegetables to stamp images of flowers. All of the students' artwork will be posted on Artsonia.com. Check it out!

Fabulous Firsts!

Today we celebrated Fabulous Firsts. Two guests came in dressed as story characters to read the class a story. We heard about Tacky the Penguin, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, and The Giving Tree. A local organization donated books and students got to take home their very own new hard backed book to keep. Keep sharing the joy of books with your students!

First Day of School

We had a busy first day in first grade. Students learned all about the rules and classroom procedures. We completed our First Day books which were sent home. Students also got to meet "Share Bear". It's going to be a wonderful year!

School Will Be Starting Soon

The first day of school is Wednesday, August 27th. Students and parents are invited into the classroom Monday, August 25th from 4:30 to 6:00. Stop by and introduce yourselves, take a look around the room, and drop off all your supplies. I look forward to meeting you. A newsletter will be mailed soon with more details. Welcome!

May Day Baskets and Photography

We enjoyed delivering May Day baskets this morning and this afternoon students worked with a guest artist to make their own photography. Students learned how cameras take pictures, got to be inside a camera, and watched their own pictures develop.

Mrs. Branting's Has Created a Blog

Mrs. Branting is branching out and beginning a classroom blog. Check back often for news about classroom events.

Earth Day Cleanup

Today our class, along with all the other classrooms at Central, cleaned up garbage on our playground. We enjoyed popsicles after all of our hard work at the end of the day.

Reader's Theater

Today students in Mrs. Branting's Prime Time reading class performed their water cycle reader's theather. What a great job they did! The rest of the first graders in Mrs. Branting's and Mrs. Reese's classes enjoyed learning about the water cycle. What is it called when water turns to water vapor?

Weaving pom poms

The first graders got to work with a local artist today on a weaving project. They each created a yarn pom pom. What fun!