Dear Little Elk families,
Just a quick note before I see you on at conferences. We've been working hard to complete the Timeline of Life Projects. Students are gaining independence and confidence in research. The note-taking process and writing of rough drafts took considerably less time as they did in the December for the Geography fair. These would have been complete with finished dioramas and polished final drafts were it not for the MCA Testing this week. The MCAs threw a monkey wrench into my otherwise reasonable planning. Nevertheless, we will lay out what we have done work so that you can take a glimpse of it on Thursday and Friday.
On another note, last Friday we piloted a new feature of Upper Elementary in Little Elk. We call it Game Day. On alternating Friday afternoons, we will roll out a variety of strategic and cooperative games. Game Day will be a time to celebrate a week of hard work. Emphasis will be placed on working together, negotiating peacefully, and enjoying each other's company. Please keep in mind that students whose work is "late" or "incomplete" on Friday afternoon will not participate (teacher's discretion).
Our first Game Day went smoothly. Children worked together to determine who would play which game. I heard one child say, "Henry and Mikko can play first. I'll play the winner." A few of us played a logic game called Jumpin. Some played Uno, Battleship, and Checkers while Ryan introduced some of us to Backgammon and Cribbage.
If you are interested in donating, or going in for a group donation, three excellent games on my wishlist are…
Forbidden Island
Ticket to Ride
Settlers of Catan
These St. Paul stores sell great games. I recommend a visit with your family. Also, the restaurant between the Goat and Sixth Chamber hosts a monthly Family Game Night.
The Gaming Goat, 1326 Grand Ave (651) 690-4628
Sixth Chamber, 1332 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
Mischief Toy Store, 818 Grand Ave (651) 493-3307
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