Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto. School has been out exactly one week. I am excited to say that my team has already put in a great deal of time beginning our plans for the next wonderful year ahead. We will continue to study curriculum, gather resources, discuss various methods and strategies, and collaborate to keep things fresh, current, and engaging for students. I feel lucky to work with such motivated colleagues! My Summer Reading List...The Place ProjectWhat a wonderful final trip to Elizabeth Gardens to wrap up our Place Project! As I read student final reflections, I realize that there were so many intangible benefits to this experience that I did not plan for: exercise, appreciation for our natural surroundings, friendship building, the opportunity to be present and get some distance from technology, and taking time to notice change and wonder. Additionally, this project has facilitated positive developments in student writing, real application of data collection, reporting, and interpretation, and connections to our earth science curriculum. Students overwhelmingly raved about our year long adventure, and it will be my favorite memory from the year. Below are some final snapshots of student writing. My favorite part about my special spot is that it was right next to the very small waterfall. I like this place because it helps me concentrate. The creek is really smelly and dirty for the first time. In front of me there is a red log that has changed over time, which I expected. I am sadly writing my last reflection in this journal because this is the last time we are coming to Elizabeth Gardens. I had the best time of my life there. I felt free and alive! Some creek water is reflecting on my log. I hear birds tweeting, branches moving, and I can see shadows dancing. I bet a lot of people come here, and to those who don't, I would recommend it! The strong wind gust sounds like the ocean. It is sunny out, and a lot of things have changed! For the scavenger hunt, we were paired up. I got..... He knew where most of the rocks and flowers were and I knew where most of the unusual stuff was, so we worked well together! Last time it was cold, and this time it is warm. And let me tell you this: I like warm weather better than cold weather! I felt like I was in a ditch trapped with my friends, but the ditch had awesome stuff in it! I learned that in less than two months, there can be nothing on the ground but leaves, but later a lot of grass has grown. Some things I learned are: pick a place that is comfy, weathering and erosion are different things, and most importantly...when someone says that there's a pinecone on the top of the hill, DO NOT GO UP THERE! So I jumped the creek and headed to my cave. When I got there, it was hard to find. What I like most about Elizabeth Gardens is that it's messy and like an obstacle course. The creek is speaking to me. I don't know what it's saying because I don't speak creek. It's really pretty though! I think my special spot is awesome because it is hanging off the side of a wall. I call it....the U Tree! Every time I go to Elizabeth Gardens there is something different. Like, in the cold there were no leaves, but as it got to summer, it started to look like a jungle! I walked down to my spot and it is all green. It is actually quiet and the stream is really fast. I see a lot of bugs swooping in and out of the tree. It is really cool! One of the things I loved about going to Elizabeth Gardens is that we always got to explore at the end. Fourth Grade TOP TEN!Students were asked to reflect on their fourth grade year and create a Top Ten list. This list will function as the final blog post of this year. Be sure to login to Kidblog to read student entries! It was really fun to read about which events and activities were favorites. This serves as great feedback for me for next year! From reading these posts I was reminded that choice and belonging are so very important to students. I am grateful that each child was open to ranking and sharing what was most memorable! Fourth Grade End of Year PicnicThank you so much to all of the parents who helped to provide a fun afternoon of games and yummy desserts. The Fourth Grade teachers appreciate your flexibility as we moved the party back to school! The kids had a BLAST and we thank you for all of the preparation, time, and enthusiasm you brought to the celebration. THANK YOU! *My pictures from this event include students and parents who may not want or have permission to be posted online, so I am not posting them here. The DVD your child will be bringing home will include photos form this event. Student PortfoliosWe finished up adding our final pieces of work to our portfolios and they will be coming home next week! The class has enjoyed reviewing their body of work over the past year. I have loved seeing the pride on their faces as they add pieces to their collections. Signing Off...It has been a great year. I'm just so proud of how this group came together to support one another, challenge one another, and appreciate and enjoy each other. I'm proud of the growth I have seen in each child. This class has worked hard, become more independent, and has shown a love of learning. Thank you, parents, for all of your support throughout the year and for sharing your child with me. Teaching this group has been a pleasure!
Have a wonderful summer! Kim |
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