We did a lot in the first month of school. Getting started with managing our 3-ring binders, learning a new homework-recording system, adjusting to the expanded priveleges and responsibilities of being in the final 2-year "notch" of the school, meeting the classroom chicken flock . . . no two days were the same.

Here are a few pictures to let you know that we are always doing something -- even if your child comes home and answers "Nothing" in response to "What did you do at school today?"

We started learning to play pennywhistle . . .

We put the warp (vertical) strings on our looms -- built on our camping trip -- and started to weave. We'll be dyeing wool with natural materials in science class and in our home classroom during the coming weeks, just as the ancient Celts did. More or less.

 

We started a multi-topic mathematics project using Gro-Beast alligators. Made from a water-absorbing polymer, they "grow" in cold water and lend themselves to activities that focus on concepts of graphing and interpolation of data, area, linear measurement, mass, and more.

"Interest" posters brought out the usual variety of themes and approaches. We had some traditional research projects (such as city pigeons, cats, the history of our alphabet, and one variety of albatross), personal stories (getting a musical instrument, telling the story of an ancestor), original works (fantasy creatures), authors and actors, and much more. Children became quickly adept at moving seamlessly among internet pages, CD encyclopedias, print materials, and word processing software. They learned to cite their sources, re-size their images, choose typefaces suitable for headings and for text, and to glue neatly onto posterboard after making layout decisions. As I noted at Parents' Night, the posters don't begin to reflect the amount of foundation learning that went on -- as delightful as they all are. We'll be doing some in-group formal sharing soon.

 
 

We did our first lunch sale on September 26. This required a lot of good partner work and attention to detail. I believe this was the best-managed first-time lunch sale our group has ever done! There were a few mistakes, but they were easily addressed. Recording all of those lunch orders, checking the money, and packing each classroom's lunch tub required communication, focus, meticulous computation, and a customer-is-always-right attitude. We're off to a very good start!

We're learning about some of the history of ancient Europe and the Mediterranean world through our current study of the Celts. We also need to learn about modern Europe so we can understand a source that says, "The Celts of what is now France were known as Gauls." So where's France? What were/are its resources? We are using a computer game called Europe Inspirer and maps from the Geography Coloring Book to help us get to know more about this part of the world. And has anyone found Andorra yet?

Although our main focus in science with Tony right now is on our natural dye project, we have also spent a little time designing a leaf-pack experiment that is connected with the watershed workshop that Tony and Lynn attended this past summer. After filling net bags with leaves, our students decided to place them in the Miquon creek in some areas of still water and some areas of fast-flowing water. They took measurements of such things as water temperature. In a month, they'll see what kinds of life (mostly macro-invertebrates) have moved into each bag.

And Bill found a red eft while the group was putting their leaf packs in the stream -- what a pretty creature!

Finally, it's important to remember that we sometimes have a lot going on at once. Here some of us are weaving, reading, and finishing up a poster.

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