Little Elk Addendum: Valentine's Day

I forgot to include this notice about Valentine's Day in yesterday's newsletter:

Valentine's Day: In Little Elk we do not have any structured activity that revolves around Valentine's Day. However…

• we do encourage using the special day as an opportunity to reflect on what we appreciate about our community as a whole. To this effect, students may create a single handmade gift, card, artwork or poem for the class that expresses this sentiment. These we will share with each other and display.
• We ask that any card exchanges—which are optional, of course—include all members of the class. 
• And as always, do not bring candy to school.

Thank you,

John

--

John Albright

Homework (due Feb. 19)

Here's the homework that was sent out last week, in case you haven't been able to get a peek at it.

--

John Albright

Little Elk River Update, Feb. 10. (It’s-Winter-in-Minnesota-Again Edition)

Dear Families of Little Elk River,

Had enough shoveling yet? Ya, me neither.

And no, I did not find the medallion, but I certainly got my fill of suspense and adventure for a few days.  I'll be back out there next year. 

In class we are wrapping up our lesson series on Humans, Water and Maps. As you may already know, each student participates in one of these groups, which last about 6 weeks. In Humans we studied the evolution of hominids. We learned about the main species within the two genera, Australopithecus and Homo. Students were also asked to examine their own ancestral lineage over the course of three generations, and to find out how much they resemble their great grandparents. We also studied the fundamental needs of humans. 

The Water group learned about the chemical and physical properties of water, from polarity and crystallization to phase changes. We also studied the taste of water, the scarcity of the word's fresh water, and began studying the Mississippi River watershed. And that's about when Polar Vortex hit. Lastly, the Maps group studied different kinds of maps, both two and three-dimensional. We practiced reading an atlas, making map keys, and culminated our work with topographic salt dough maps of states.

Next lesson series will feature the Story of Writing, and Weather. 

• Hot Lunch is coming (Feb. 19). Order now! Here's an easy 5-min video tutorial for how to use EZ Lunch. If you have any questions about the lunch program, please feel free to email lunch@greatriverschool.org.

• Notecards needed! We are in need of 4x6 lined Notecards (as opposed to the 3x5 kind, which are too small) for student research. Please send a pack if you are able to donate to the community. Thank you!

• Library Thursday: We will likely go to the library this Thursday. Please send your child's library card. Last week we went to the park and had a blast playing in fresh snow. Know that Thursday will continue to be our off-campus day, so proper winter gear is especially essential. 

• Model United Nations: On Tuesday we look forward to sending off Emmett, Mikko and Henry to the Montessori Model United Nations. This amazing trip is the culmination of months of hard work and practice, and we wish them a successful diplomatic mission to New York City. 

• The Pigs: Thanks for keeping Hazel and Cinnamon well cared for! They want you to know that their stock of food and bedding is full and won't need any more for 3-4 weeks.

• Donations: We are, however, accepting donations of vinegar, embroidery cloth and used buttons.  We also like unique papers to use for cards and art projects, such as wallpaper samples or paper with different textures. 

As always, thank you for your partnership,

Seth, Elizabeth, and John

--

John Albright

Fwd: L.E.R.U.: Lice (and a little homework note)

And about that homework I was going to attach....

L.E.R.U.: Lice (and a little homework note)

Hello All,

I don't usually send you homework in pdf format because I want your children to develop the habit of caring for the paper that I hand them (every other Wednesday). For the most part, they have been doing a great job bringing it home and turning it in 2 weeks later. For some, they've done 

a good job asking me for another copy if they lose it. This is what I prefer. The homework is their responsibility, and they will profit from accepting it. 

However, if for some reason you would like to see it in digital form, please don't hesitate to shoot me an email.

And... we learned today that one of our classmates has lice. Please check your child's hair and treat accordingly!

Thank you and stay warm! I will be out looking for the medallion, but only because somebody has to do it.

John

 

--

John Albright

A Quick Hello from Little Elk

Hello Friends of Little Elk,

It was great to see the wonderful, supportive turn out for last week's Work Share! I hope that, for those of you who could attend, you were able to get a meaningful glimpse of our work. Please let me know if you have any questions about what you saw. 

It looks as though I am not going to have the time, this week, to complete an update worthy of the term "newsletter." However, I wanted to ask those of you who donated anything to the classroom in the last 2 months to send me an email listing what you purchased. We received a great outpouring of generosity from our Amazon wish list to paper towels and guinea pig supplies! But I can't keep track of everything that came in. They did not come with notes attached, and for many of the items Heather cannot tell from the wishlist. We would like to send you a 'thank you,' but we need to know who you are! Thanks so much. 

I look forward to writing you more next week.

Sincerely,

John

Little Elk River Update (Jan. 9, 2019)

Dear Families of Little Elk River, 

 

It's great to be back in groove again after a greatly appreciated two-week break! Well, let's just say that sleep patterns are almost re-aligned with the rhythms of the work week.  There's a lot going on. Hopefully you will get a taste of that at next week's Work Share.

• Library Cards Wanted Tomorrow! We will be walking to the Hamline-Midway Public Library tomorrow, Thursday, January 10. Dress your child warm! Also, please send your child with their library card to ease their ability to explore their interests. If you would like me to help your child get their own library card, please send me a separate email and I will start the process. Thank you!

• Upper El Work Share on Tuesday, January 15, 1:30-2:30 pm.  This year's UE Work Share is divided into two days. Little Elk will be sharing on Tuesday, January 15 from 1:30-2:30pm. After the end of work share, children will clean up and finish the day to dismiss at the regularly scheduled time. You are welcome to relax in our newly opened cafe space while you wait!

 

The January work share is an opportunity for children to share their learning process with you. During this time your child will teach you about one or more of their favorite works. Guides will be present, but will intentionally stay in the background, in an effort to make space for your child to lead and shine. We have one afternoon for our whole class to participate in Work Share, so we ask you to observe the following guidelines:

• Please choose one adult to accompany each child. 
• Please do not bring any siblings. This will help give space and attention to the work your child is sharing. 
• While it is tempting to connect with the other parents, or guides, please try to keep your focus on the children. 
• While it is tempting to record for posterity, please leave your phone or camera outside the classroom. Be present with your child. 
• If your child should ask you to do something for them, first ask questions like "what would you do if I wasn't here?" or "I would love to see how you do it, yourself." Remember that your child strives to be independent in their work here at school, and can ask another child for help.

• Gym-Appropriate Indoor Shoes are Required:  This is a reminder that children need to wear tennis shoes for Physical Education in the gym starting Monday, January 14. If your child already wears tennis shoes as their indoor shoes, no adjustment is needed. If your child wears something other than a basic "tenni" or athletic shoe in class—such as a moccasins, Ugg boots, or slippers—please help them find a pair of tennis shoes for gym.  Little Elk has gym every Monday afternoon, and it is required. If you need help finding a pair of tennis shoes, just let us know and we can help out.  

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday around 1:30!

In partnership,

John, Seth and Elizabeth