Lila Wants To Remind You To Read Over Vacation! @resvt @WeVideo

❤💛💜

Elise Has A Very Special Message For You! @resvt @WeVideo

Kate Wishes You Happy Holidays!!! @resvt @WeVideo

Enjoying Every Last Second Together! @resvt @BenWhiteEdu @Kdarling7112 @RESPEVT @1234singnow #Community

We have had an amazing week and awesome last few days together--a holiday concert, Pillow Polo Tournament, chess match, time with our kinder buddies, reading party and fourth grade movie!

Have an AMAZING break with your families!!!  I look forward to seeing you in the New Year! 

Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/elnHKsY1qw0HomRdXbtpSA

Justice Wants To Wish You All Happy Holidays! @resvt @WeVideo

The War That Saved My Life: A Book Trailer @resvt #BookTrailer #TheWarThatSavedMyLife #KimberlyBrubakerBradley #Read

Abby & Elise made an awesome book trailer!  This would be a great book to read over vacation!!!  Happy reading!

Practicing Yoga Every Day Helps Us Feel Relaxed, Happy & Focused @resvt @yoga4schools #Yoga

Two Of Our Preschool Buddies Shared Beautiful, Relaxing Music With Us They Thought We Would Like! They Were Right, We Loved It! @resvt #VTED #PreschoolBuddies #Yoga #Music #Community

We sat together and took in the peaceful music:

Strengthening Our Community By Meeting Our Preschool Buddies! We Practiced Yoga Together, Made Gifts Together & Ate Together! It was Magical! @resvt @margaretmather3 @BenWhiteEdu @yoga4classrooms

Link to video: https://animoto.com/play/O0tCPiaqRLLXIq5Scf53Fg

Some of Mrs. Girouard's Third Graders Surprised Us With A Publishing Party! We LOVED Listening To Their Books! We Can't Wait For Their Next Surprise Publishing!!! @tndnvt @resvt @margaretmather3

Rowan Used Her WeVideo Skills To Wish EVERYONE Happy Holidays! @resvt @WeVideo @margaretmather3

Can you tell where she used green screen?

We Are So Very Grateful! @resvt @ModMindfulness @CMLearning @yoga4classrooms @HangMassive #EmptyHands #NimoPatel #DailyGratitude #Mindfulness #Yoga #VTED

We relaxed our bodies as we listened to music & practiced yoga. As the music filled our hearts, we used mindfulness to visualize what we are grateful for. 


Then we watched and listened to this video as we continued to reflect on all we have to be grateful for, and discussed how feeling grateful makes us happy--and how when we are happy, we spread joy and make this world a better place.


Students then designed & created this tree to hold all we are grateful for.  We will continue to reflect on our feelings of gratitude and add to our tree, making it bloom with our joy & gratitude.

Here, you can see a part of this beautiful process:

Link to video: https://animoto.com/play/hlBCbQ68eZ3LAnHC2J7YSg

Thank You To Everyone Who Sent In Hot Chocolate, Marshmallows & Candy Canes! It Is The Perfect Way To Warm-Up On A Cold Day! @resvt

Roller Girl: A Book Review@JamiesonV @resvt @WeVideo #Read #BookReview #VTED # TechED

Izzy asked, "Mr. White, What Do You Do In Your Spare Time?" Find Out The Answer In Mr. White's First Vlog In Our New Vlog Challenge Series! @BenWhiteEdu @resvt @darcierankin #Vlog #Community #PrincipalVlog #VTED

Rick Ross Came In To Teach Us About The World Of Coding! It Was Awesome!!! @rickrossvt @resvt @MyWebGrocer @BenWhiteEdu @darcierankin @margaretmather3 @hourofcode #Code

Rick Ross codes for a living!  He took some time away from his work at MyWebGrocer to share his passion for creating codes with us! We learned so much and feel so inspired to code, to create things, and to follow our passions!


Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/b37H0nyij44cKbYjSlBNdg

We Published Our Narratives--And They're AMAZING!!!!!! @resvt @margaretmather3 #PublishedAuthors #Writer'sWorkshop #WeAreWriters

Thank you to everyone who sent in delicious treats and made the party so special!!!


Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/viA004AOO9QzlyNEqkmWfw

We Chose Our First Vlogger!!!!! We Are So Excited To Start Vlogging!!! @resvt @BenWhiteEdu @darcierankin @ReneeALangevin @ShaunLangevin @CaseyNeistat #StudentVlog #Vlog #StudentVoice #Community #VTED #TechED

Students are ready to vlog!!!!  When your child is chosen from the basket as the next vlogger, they will come home with an iPod, GoPro, tripod, wooden stand, chargers and screen cleaning cloth.  Students will spend the evening getting comfortable with the cameras.  They may also choose to get some footage for their vlog.  

The next morning, they wake up and start vlogging!  They will record videos and take photos of moments throughout their day, all the way to bedtime.  Again, there are links to all of the past student vlogs on my class blog and YouTube channel that you can reference.

Students return the following day (day 3) and upload all of their footage to their Drive and then to WeVideo.  

Students will then work on their vlogs at home as homework.  The assignment is on the blog, on the paper I sent home, and in Google Classroom.  Kids follow the given structure when putting their film together.  If kids do not have computer or internet access at home, I will give them extra classroom time to complete their vlogs!

Kids will also get some class time with me to work on their vlogs and 1-1 time with Mr. White.  In addition, Mrs. Rankin also offers morning times kids can work on their vlogs and get support from her.  Vloggers can also check in with me and ask questions along the way.  In the end, my goal is that kids become good at pushing buttons and problem solving their way through challenges that arise!  I am so excited to watch as they become more confident and skilled filmmakers!

Thank you for your support!  This is truly a magical, community and confidence building adventure!  

Let the vlogging begin!!!

Contents of the vlogging bag:  Kids need to take care of all of the items and return them back to school in the bag(s).

Link to Google Classroom Vlog Assignment: Kids type in their school e-mail and password to access Google Classroom!
https://classroom.google.com/c/MTUyNzQ0NzQ1ODVa/a/MjUxODQ4OTY2OTRa/details

Vlogging Assignment: Please Read!!! @resvt @BenWhiteEdu @darcierankin @margaretmather3 #Vlog #StudentVlog

Vlogging is really personal.  You're sharing your truest self with your community, but also with the world.  We've discussed the importance of being genuine and letting go of what others think.  We've studied lots of vlogs and learned how to create films using WeVideo.

We choose our first vlogger TOMORROW!!!  We are so excited to start vlogging!!!  When your child gets to vlog, they should just relax and simply film their day!  The more vlogs we study, the more we realize how uniquely beautiful they all are!  Being different, being ourselves, is what makes them amazing!!!

When your child is chosen as the next vlogger, they must go to Google Classroom to review the rules they need to follow when making and editing their vlog.  Reminding themselves of the vlog structure before they start is important, so they are sure to get the necessary footage.   

Vlogs are a homework assignment.  We will continue to study vlogs and have classroom time to work on our vlogs, but kids need to put most of the film together at home.  If you do not have computer and/or internet access at home, your child will be given extra time at school to complete the assignment.  When your student is working on his/her vlog at home.  Please remind them that their vlog must follow the below guidelines:  (Remember, Anything they might need help with can be found in Google Classroom.  They can search "Google Classroom" and log in using their school email and password.)

Know the rules:

Vlogs Must:

(Make sure to get the necessary footage!)

Each vlog must start with a hook video then the title and date-See below expectations:

1) Video of a moment in your life

2) Video of a setting (May do time lapse/fast or slow motion)

Overlay Title of Vlog   L4_Vloggers

With vlog number under title   Vlog_001
3) Video of a second setting--if possible (May do time lapse/ fast or slow motion)

*Then overlay the place Richmond, Vermont

With the date under the place December 20, 2018

*(Look at Casey’s Title and date as an example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU8AuQeB788 )

4) Vlog: Story of your day
5) End with a hold on your face

After the hold on your face, don’t forget to:

6) Site music used (Don’t have to site WeVideo music)

-Remember to use http://makerbook.net/ to get awesome music.  
The best sites for music on Makerbook are Bensound & YouTube!

*Credit/show our production company:

Orange Productions

Helpful hints:

*If your videos are out of order, go to the “lines” at the top right,

and organize your videos by name to get them in order!

*Organize the videos of your day FIRST!  

Then add in words and music on the other tracks!  
It makes editing so much easier!!!!

*You can highlight the different tracks and move them together if you need to!

Remember to:

*Be honest--don’t worry about what you look like or sound like or if your house is clean.

*Be thoughtful in your music choices--make sure we can hear the talking over the music.

*Site music used.

*Vlogs can’t be too long--Take out the unimportant parts. (Remember that transitions
are important!)

*Have fun!!!

Helpful FYI/EVERYTHING You Need:

Remember to go to Google Classroom for help!  You can access Google Classroom
through your school email--Look for the squares on the top right of the page.  Google
classroom has directions to help you upload photos & videos to your Drive and WeVideo
account, log in to WeVideo, & troubleshoot problems when making your film.

Remember to really secure the first part of your film, then the second, and so on.  It can be
hard to revise the first part of your film when you have a lot of footage that follows--So,
take your time and complete one part of your film before moving onto the next.  
Do your best and follow the above vlog directions/expectations closely.  
You do not want to have to make big changes/additions to the beginning of your vlog.  

Your school email is always: firstname.lastname@cesuvt.org

Your password is the one you use to log in to your Chromebook!

You can also search this information on the class blog when you need it!

Happy Fabulously Fun Friday!!! A Reading Party & An Exciting Story Told By Our Superintendent, Made The Day Extraordinary! @resvt @SuptAlberghini #read #celebrate #Vted #Storytelling

Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/4Ni9HkgWxK3GpTLEcyatsg

We Are Learning About Measurement in Math! Even I Got To Be Measured! @resvt @Inv3_Math #Math

Link to Video: https://schoolcontent.pearsoned.com/eps/schoolcontent/api/item/35d18483-112c-410b-b11f-1d02e9d4eee8/latest/file/inv3/sco/D0784318/player.html

Link to Video:  https://schoolcontent.pearsoned.com/eps/schoolcontent/api/item/49bd3999-f761-4c37-abf6-0132061e62bb/latest/file/inv3/sco/D0864583/player.html

Link to Video: https://schoolcontent.pearsoned.com/eps/schoolcontent/api/item/187c54a4-79bc-47f3-8df6-04bcdf7a2e6f/latest/file/inv3/sco/D0864585/player.html

Playing With All The Wonderful Features WeVideo Has To Offer! @resvt @WeVideo

Caleb, Summit & Noah created a film for fun!  They learned how to utilize green screen and other awesome tools!!!

A Student Made A Film For Fun!!! I Love That Everyone Is Diving Into Filmmaking! So Wonderful! @resvt #StudentVoice

We Are Going To Be Vloggers!!! @resvt @BenWhiteEdu @CaseyNeistat @MichaelBerryEDU @darcierankin @WeVideo #StudentVlog #Vlog #StudentVoice #VTED #TechED

Over the past few weeks, we have been learning how to make films.  Today, we started studying vlogs.  Mike Berry and I started vlogging with students in 2015 because we realized its value.  Vlogging gives students a voice and allows them to share the story of their day through videos and filmmaking.  
As a classroom teacher, I watched how vlogging strengthened my classroom community, while also building people's confidence.  Vlogging also allowed students to share the parts of themselves that we don't get to see at school, making us feel even more connected!
This year, Mr. White will be vlogging with us and meeting individually with each student to support them in the editing process!  This will be a time for them to connect with Mr. White and strengthen their skills as filmmakers!  Mr. White will also take on the vlog challenge by answering our questions by making vlogs himself!
Putting the film/vlog together will be a homework assignment for kids, but Mr. White, Mrs. Rankin and I will support them along the way!
As we study vlogs, it is clear that the best vlogs are those where people are honest.  Vlogging is about sharing your truest self--messy hair, messy house, just talking into the camera and being yourself! There is no pressure for everything to be or look perfect.  Kids should not plan things out, however, they may place the iPod down to record themselves coming inside or leaving the house, etc.
You can watch the vlogs we have made in the past by going to the links on my class blog.  We are so excited to start this vlogging journey together!!!

Why Vlog?  Casey Neistat is someone we study to learn the art of vlogging.  He is incredible at storytelling and creating beautiful, yet real, films.  You can watch the video below to learn more about the power and purpose of vlogging!

Mr. White is vlogging with us!!!!

Today we watched Mr. White's vlog and these two student vlogs to learn & to start getting excited!





Here are links to the many amazing vlogs students have made over the years:

Link to 2015-2016 Vlogs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoZVdex49RA&list=PLn7RvEY3TVTvb3Ut864-4UJB54Z403t0S

Link to 2016-2017 Vlogs:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNkYtHULN_4KIYhCw-flvFMQ20krwQ8if

Link to 2017-2018 Vlogs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BMnSCTsZoo&list=PLNkYtHULN_4JurBsQbUaAq5dRV1KO_cQ0

THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING!!!!!

Kate Used WeVideo To Create A Film That Makes You Want To Get Up And Dance And Celebrate Life! @resvt @WeVideo #Celebrate #Create

A Student Used WeVideo To Create A Slideshow Of His Family's Trip To Echo! @resvt @WeVideo @ECHOvt #Create

Learning About Multiplication Cluster Problems @resvt @Inv3_Math #Math

https://schoolcontent.pearsoned.com/eps/schoolcontent/api/item/36525b48-1316-49ad-946c-39d81e46bca0/latest/file/inv3/sco/D0864568/player.html

Tag Created A Film That Gets Us Psyched To Start The Day! We Are Having So Much Fun Playing With WeVideo! @resvt @WeVideo #Create

Creating Peace, Love & Happiness: Gabby Made A Mindfulness Video, It Was A Beautiful Way To Start Our Day Together! @resvt @WeVideo #Mindfulness #CreatePeace

Movement Breaks Make Us Happy, Focused & Relaxed! @resvt @yoga4classrooms @margaretmather3 @jratey #Movement Breaks

A Blast From the Past:  Movement Break Video I shared on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1049698830512517120

Revising The Dialogue In Our Stories By Strengthening Our Speaking Verbs! @resvt @TCRWP ‏#Write

We were so inspired to dive back into our narratives & keep writing & strengthening our work!

We're Learning How To Multiply With Multiples Of Ten! @resvt @Inv3_Math #Math

In math, we have been learning how to multiply with multiples of ten!

You can click on the image or the link to understand more deeply about the work we are doing in math class! 

Multiplying Groups of Ten

Rowan Used WeVideo To Create A Video About The Beautiful Hats She Makes! @resvt @WeVideo

Dress Like Your Favorite Character Day: An Extra Special Fabulously Fun Friday @resvt @WeVideo @VTPBIS @PBISRewards #PBIS #VTED

Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/NPdhcT1hSoVOShCYwPz07Q

A Student Used WeVideo To Create A Video Of Her Family's Vacation! WeVideo Has So Many Possibilities! @resvt @WeVideo #Create #TechEd

Noticing Delicious Words To Build Our Vocabulary, While Strengthening Our Reading & Writing Skills!!! @resvt #TeachingThroughTheArts #MultipleIntelligences

We Met Our Kindergarten Buddies!!! @resvt #VTED #Community

Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/5b1ryVaZvpEurx1Nm8aNOQ

In Science, We're Learning How We Use Our Senses To Understand The World Around Us... @MysterySci @resvt #NGSS #VTED

...And how using more than one sense at a time, can help us make sense of optical illusions--like seeing a "hole" appear in your hand!

Summit Made a Video To Help Us Practice Mindfulness! @resvt #Mindfulness

I encouraged kids to play with WeVideo at home and create films.  Everyday, we practice mindfulness together.  Summit created a film that we can use when we want to feel more calm and centered.  It was so peaceful and amazing!  We loved starting our day by using his film to help us practice mindfulness!

Thank You For Helping Us Celebrate Our Story Slam With A Publishing Party!!! @resvt #Storytelling #PublishingParty #community

The treats were delicious & the party was AMAZING!

We Started Making Movies Today! We Had So Much Fun Exploring WeVideo!!! @resvt @WeVideo #Filmmaking #VTED #TechED

We began by learning about everything WeVideo has to offer!

Then we started to think about all the possibilities! 

And finally, we got to play!


Kids can access WeVideo at home!  They can make films for fun & build their skills!  Encourage your child to play, press buttons, make mistakes, learn & have fun!

We Love Reading & Writing!!! @resvt

We love to share our writing so we can receive compliments and feedback that help us revise our work & become better writers!


What are we up to in reader's workshop? Snuggling up with a great piece of fiction, of course!

We Are Kind, Happy & Hardworking! Movement Breaks Help Us To Be More Successful! @resvt @yoga4classrooms @VTPBIS #PBIS #MovementBreaks #Yoga

We were so excited to light the final bulb!  When the "RES" sign gets lit a second time, we will celebrate by dressing up as our favorite book characters!  We can't wait!

Movement breaks, especially student-led movement breaks, help us to be even more successful!

Link to Video: https://youtu.be/OUcSQ5_lheA

Understanding Arrays And How to Use Them When We Multiply @resvt @Inv3_Math #Math #UnderstandingArrays #MathematicalThinking

We are learning about using arrays to solve multiplication problems.  Students will use arrays for years to come and need to deeply understand them and how to manipulate them.  Watch this video with your child to understand how we use arrays to solve problems!

Click on the video:

Or try the link:
https://schoolcontent.pearsoned.com/eps/schoolcontent/api/item/6b3c03f6-fec7-4f2c-a27d-10a60e58be39/latest/file/inv3/sco/D0864562/player.html

Did You Know That Our Superintendent Is A Gifted Storyteller? We Were Lucky Enough To Hear One Of His AMAZING Stories! @SuptAlberghini @margaretmather3 @resvt #Storytelling #Writing #FindingYourVoice #BuildingCommunity

Experience the magical morning we spent with Mr. Alberghini:


Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/5gzJd8fL75f3s0nify97dw

Reading & Talking About Books On Fabulously Fun Friday... Is Just A Little More Snuggly & Wonderful! @resvt @LucyCalkins ‏@TCRWP ‏#ReadersWorkshop #Read #VTED

We Played "Bus Stop"!!! Building Community & Confidence Through Improv @resvt #ClassroomCommunity #Confidence

Last week for Fabulously Fun Friday, we played a favorite improv game called "Bus Stop".  The afternoon was devoted to building confidence and community while nurturing creativity!  It is so important for kids to learn how to find the inner strength they need to stand up and speak in front of their peers!  We also had a really awesome time!


Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/W8Y9KgPQUooykcANAEWoiw

Learning About Structures of Organisms & Their Functions for Survival @resvt @BirdsofVermont #Science #NGSS #VTED

Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/PYXHZD7S0rFUu1MvFC90Hw

Social Media Can Be A Very Powerful And Positive Thing--Like When You Get To "Talk" To One Of Your Favorite Authors! @kaaauthor @resvt #Connect

Katherine Applegate is the author of many beloved books, such as, The One & Only Ivan, Crenshaw, and Wishtree (A DCF book this year!).  This week, something magical happened!  We got to have a conversation with Katherine Applegate through Twitter!  Social media can be an incredibly powerful and amazing tool!

Katherine Applegate shared this on Twitter:

I had the pleasure of getting to know Jodi Carrigan, Ivan's former caretaker, as I was writing my book. I'm so thrilled that she's been helping with the film, and I'm delighted that she continues to share the real Ivan's story. https://t.co/CPhNRy4XeG

— Katherine Applegate (@kaaauthor) October 6, 2018

Of course, I celebrated her incredible news!  I was amazed when she wrote back.

This is so exciting and wonderful!❤️ #TheOneAndOnlyIvan had a deep impact on me, my children and my students! Thank you for all of your wonderful work throughout the books you write @kaaauthor #write #MakeADifference https://t.co/6U2unWHeRU

— Katie LeFrancois (@kblefrancois) October 6, 2018 

Katherine Applegate responded:

Thank you for your kind words, Katie. It means so much to hear that. ❤️

— Katherine Applegate (@kaaauthor) October 8, 2018

I shared this exciting news with my students.  And they decided that we had to send her a written & video message, because we love her!

We started our day by reading your tweet! Thank you for taking the time to respond! You made our day! Thank you for all you give to the world through your work!❤️ @kaaauthor @resvt pic.twitter.com/bO5lVMogZK

— Katie LeFrancois (@kblefrancois) October 9, 2018

And then... Katherine Applegate responded to my students!!!!

Oh, my goodness! Fourth grade, this absolutely made my day. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the movie when it comes out. In the meantime, happy reading!

— Katherine Applegate (@kaaauthor) October 9, 2018

Now, all we want to do is read her incredible books and connect with our favorite authors on Twitter!!!  We are so grateful to Katherine Applegate for taking the time to connect with us!

Find out more about Katherine Applegate through her website: http://katherineapplegate.com/

Did We Just Learn How To Tell Stories From A Professional Storyteller? Yes We Did!! The AMAZING Sue Schmidt Came Into Our Classroom And Taught Us The Art Of Storytelling!!! @sschmidtcomedy @resvt @TheMoth #SayItForward #Storytelling

Last year, I had the honor of being asked to be a keynote speaker at Dynamic Landscapes, a tech conference in Vermont.  I was told  that I would be coached by a professional storyteller in how to tell a story about using technology in my classroom.  Little did I know, that accepting that request would lead me to make some very special friendships.  One of those friends was Sue Schmidt!

My students had the honor of meeting and learning from the INCREDIBLE Sue Schmidt, a professional storyteller & comedian!  We have taken all that she taught us to heart!  We can't wait to finish our stories and show her how far we've come!

To learn more about Sue Schmidt and all that she offers the world--(and how you can see her in action)--Check out these links! 

Link to Sue Schmidt's Website: http://www.sueschmidtcomedy.com/

Here is a link to a beautiful article & video about Sue and the incredible work that she does:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-storytellers-of-vermont/

Here's a glimpse of our awesome morning with Sue:

Link to video: https://animoto.com/play/ukomKVMXd9DC3sTWVJEvdw

What Is It Like To Run... When You Can't See? Building Trust With Our Writing Partners @resvt #VTED #Trust #BuildingCommunity #WritingPartners

So much depends upon our ability to trust!  For Fabulously Fun Friday, we did an activity that would help us build trust with our writing partners.  Students took turns being blindfolded while their partners challenged them and kept them safe.  We started by walking together holding hands, that lead to skipping and running, and then finally reaching a place where we could let go and run through the darkness.

This experience was so powerful, we decided to do it again and again with different friends!

After this experience, students shared how they started off feeling nervous and maybe not trusting their partners fully.  But now, on such a beautifully deep level, they know they can trust one another.

All year, we will rely on each other for support and encouragement.  The trust we now have will enable us to work together in more meaningful ways.  The trust we gained is something we will always be able to hold onto.  It was a beautiful way to end our week together!

Watching the kids encourage & support one another was magical!


Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/YB3yc4ygeSM0KRuZcZWqdw

Parts of Speech & Sentence Structure: Getting Verbs Into Our Muscle Memory @resvt #FramingYourThoughts #MultipleIntelligences #Verbs #WordStudy @WeVideo

In word study, we reviewed how to write a complete sentence.  Because every sentence needs a verb to be complete, and because understanding how to use strong verbs to make our writing more deliciously descriptive is so important, we decided to act out verbs! Now we know what verbs are and how to use them in our sentences!

Subject predicate.

Also known as: Noun verb.

When we learned about verbs, of course we went outside and acted them out!  Now verbs are in our muscle memory!  We have been learning & having so much fun in word study!!!

 

Link to Video: https://youtu.be/NwCbxhbnRQY

Making Our Poetry Anthologies & Celebrating Our Incredible Writing!!! @resvt #Poetry #PassionateWriters #PublishingParty #Write #VTED

I am so proud of this incredible group of writers!  They have come so far so quickly!  Feelings of pride & accomplishment filled the room during our entire publishing party!  We are so excited to dive into our narrative unit! 💛💜💛

Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/lILo0jrgpP3fNIwPTSVi0Q

We Lead The All School Morning Meeting! @resvt @yoga4classrooms @mmmusdcesu #PBIS #SchoolCommunity

I loved watching our amazing fourth graders shine as they lead the All School Morning Meeting!  They prepared what they wanted to do and say with our awesome new guidance counselor, Mrs. Spaulding!  What an incredible way to start the day!



Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/cJ0TdNYmoN6hQEVa0RTaiw

Connecting With Friends To Learn More About Data: We Got To Measure Mrs. Hackett's First Graders! @Hackettb @resvt @Inv3_Math #VTED #Math

On Wednesday, we collected data about our heights and organized the information onto a line plot.  Today, we got to measure Mrs. Hackett's first graders!  It was so fun to compare our heights while learning how to share two connected sets of data!



Link to Slideshow: https://sharalike.com/s/rpDj

Poetry in Motion: Finding Inspiration Through Music & Art @resvt #Poetry #Write #Mindfulness

It was so wonderful to see you at Open House last night!  Many of you noticed the colorful art and poems on the wall.  The art and poetry came from a mindfulness exercise that we did.    
We listened to music.  We illustrated what we heard, felt & saw in our imaginations.  Sometimes we closed our eyes to better connect with the music, and just let our art flow from our bodies.

When the music stopped, we walked around and described each other's art using deliciously descriptive words.  Then we used the inspiration from our art, and the words before us, to write poems!  What we ended up with was pure magic!  We can't wait to do this mindfulness exercise again! 

 

Link to Video:  https://animoto.com/play/1Lsi6SOdwVZjEmIol02NJA

Focused Movement Breaks Help Our Bodies & Our Brains, While Also Building Community! @resvt @jratey @EvolutionYogaVT @yoga4classrooms @HemmettHealth #VTED

Why move? As John Ratey discovered, movement brings us joy, gets our blood flowing, strengthens our bodies and brains, and makes us ready and able to learn!  We take movement breaks everyday, throughout the day.  

Two years ago, Hemmett Health generously donated sitting balls to my classroom so that every student could have the option of using a ball to help them sit up straight, move, focus and learn--all while building core strength.  Alli Bologna, from Hemmett Health, also designed exercise routines to get our heart rates up while also working on balance, two things that strengthen our bodies & brains.  

This year, our staff is being trained in how to utilize yoga in our classrooms.  We love how yoga makes us feel confident and strong and ready to learn!

Link to Video: https://animoto.com/play/1SOvM334FZMY0nFnOIU0bA

Making Our Mark And Celebrating Our Creativity! Happy Dot Day! @darcierankin @kkidsinvt @ShaunLangevin @resvt @peterhreynolds @dotday @mmmusdcesu #CreateArt

"Just make a mark and see where it takes you!"
           -Peter H. Reynolds, The Dot


Link to our video: https://animoto.com/play/KuwB3MdIEa6eIsFj4VWf1Q

We had so much fun singing and dancing to "The Dot Song" with Mrs. Davison's kindergarteners!


Our classroom door reminds us who we are and what we stand for.  When you enter our room, you are reminded of the fact that our community celebrates & encourages making mistakes, while also nurturing one another's creativity!  We can't wait to make our mark!

Expressing Ourselves: Learning How to Write Powerful Similes! @resvt #Writer'sCraft #Write #Create #VtEd

I am so deeply impressed by the growth students have already made as writers!!!  Their words are powerful and create images in your mind.  Their ability to take hold of newly learned crafts and make them their own is inspiring!
A writer's craft we have studied is similes.  We noticed how they add depth and meaning to an author's words.  We took time to go outside and write similes of our own.  Then, we created AMAZING poems!!!

Here are some of our wonderful words:

Watch in full-screen: https://sharalike.com/s/rnSn

A Butterfly Is Born! Welcome to the World Bob! @resvt #Nature #ExperienceLife

This morning, Elle noticed that her butterfly was preparing to exit its chrysalis and enter the world.  She thoughtfully brought Bob into the classroom for all of us to enjoy!  Elle kept a lookout so we wouldn't miss this deeply magical moment!  When Bob's moment came, we gathered together to experience the magic! 

Setting Bob Free!

Exploring her chrysalis!