Pioneer Fun!

Ms.Friscia has been hard at work teaching your children about what life was like during pioneer times as compared to today!  She has been teaching about transportation, homes, clothes, entertainment, and more!  The students have been reading Josephina's Quilt Story and Wagon Wheels in small groups, discussing the chores of pioneer children, and researching about pioneers on the computer.  The pictures shown are of the students working together to build a pioneer home- either sod houses or log cabins.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We enjoyed yummy food and lots of visitors today for lunch!  (Sorry I forgot to take pics of our yesterday visitors- please forgive me!)  Take time over the holidays to enjoy spending time with each other and being thankful for all your many blessings!  I am thankful for each of your children and the opportunity to teach them every day!

Pioneer Village at the 4H Center in Columbiana, AL!

We enjoyed learning about life back in the 1800's- Pioneer times!  We visited a one-room schoolhouse, a olden times church replicated from one in Newbern, AL, a log cabin, and a general store and grist mill.  We learned how to make butter and how to play games like pioneer children.  I am wondering if you can remember these things..... What is a chamber pot?  How much did a man's shave and haircut cost? What is a johnnycake? and What is the game we played with pinestraw?

We had a loooong, but informative day full of walking and learning! We missed you Gage!

Ewwww....Owl pellets and very talented little artists!

 Talented artists work on watercolor renditions of The Sleepy Owl by Marcus Pfister.

Not only is this class full of awesome readers and writers, authors, illustrators, and mathematicians, but it is full of scientists who love to explore, investigate, observe, and wonder!  We started by pulling apart the owl pellets.  Using magnifying glasses and bone identification charts, the students sorted and identified bones and decided what animal(s) each owl may have eaten.  Very cool stuff.....

Flat Stanley Has Returned!

We have two Flat Stanleys that have returned from long journeys!  Emily's Flat Stanley returned from her Great Uncle John and Aunt Darlene from Portland, Oregon!  He got to see the Pacific Ocean!   Jordyn's Flat Stanley ventured to Wisconsin and Illinos!  We are enjoying finding these areas on the map and can't wait for more Flat Stanley's to return!

Meet Ms. Friscia

Ms.Friscia is our student teacher from the University of Alabama.  She will be with us through December 3rd.  She will be teaching a unit on Pioneers very soon!  She is a great asset to the classroom- so glad to have her!

Mystery Book Club Cafe'

To celebrate our mystery book study, we had a Mystery Book Club Cafe where we discussed mystery stories in small groups- we discussed favorite parts, plot, characters, and of course enjoyed refreshments as well!  A good time was had by all! 

Owls..............Whooooo is ready???

Ladies from the 4H Club in Columbiana visited our area last week to share a special program for the 2nd graders called Raptor Trek.  This was a really cool presentation as we got to see daytime and nighttime raptors that have been rescued and are now cared for at this 4H center- they catch meat with their feet, and tear it apart with their beaks- Meat,Feet,Beaks....

The owls were especially cool since we are learning about those now!  Ask your child about the pellets the raptors "cast" that day....gross and intriguing....

Pumpkin Carving Time!

Gage's dad (Chad Frith) helped us carve a pumpkin just in time for Halloween.  We decided on a peace sign pumpkin.  Everyone got to help scoop pulp out of the middle, sort seeds, estimate the pumpkin's weight , number of seeds, and circumference.  Those brave students even tasted toasted pumpkin seeds!  Thanks, Chad!