Week 32

Weekly Greetings!

In-between our regular schedule, there are always other interesting experiences for the class each week. Last Wednesday, we participated in the March "Instant Challenge" and the students had to build a ramp using a limited amount of materials to roll a marble into an 8"X8" square. Ms. Ruth's class joined us as we competed with a number of other schools over the Internet to see who could build the longest ramp. You can see the groups working together in the photos to follow.

After lunch on Thursday, the whole school took a walk around the building to show that they "Choose Respect" and support efforts against harmful life styles.

The snow has quickly been melting, with all the warm weather, so for Art on Friday the students made painted paper flower garden collages. They turned out lovely and are displayed on a hallway bulletin board.

Please remember to send your child with appropriate clothing each day, as we are going outside for PE and recess. Some students have been coming back inside very wet and uncomfortable. Also, there will be Show and Tell on Friday this week, so watch for the reminder on Thursday with your child's homework.

Have a wonderful week!

Kind Regards,
Julie Brown

Week 31

Weekly Greetings!

I hope everyone has had a nice break and returns ready to press on with rigor for the last nine weeks of school. With only a two-day week before the break, we ventured to the border as we had just finished studying Geography in Social Studies to learn about state and country borders. We were given a complete tour of the complex that is completely self-sustaining.

We even got to see the underground tunnel system that leads to the staff housing and fitness center.  It is also nice to know there are trained responders and an ambulance available for emergencies.

Our group was allowed to go down the road and look at the Canadian border. Then we stopped for a picture at the Alaska sign when crossing into our state from Canada.

Before traveling back to Northway, we had a picnic lunch at Border City and returned in time for an afternoon recess. The next day was St. Patrick's Day, and most of the day's activities revolved around that theme. It was a short, but fun week to start the three-day spring break.

This week we will move back into our regular routine, other than on Thursday when there will be another "Instant Challenge". I should have pictures next week of that competition.

Enjoy the lovely weather!

Kind Regards,

Julie Brown

Week 30

Weekly Greetings!

Just two days this week and then it is Spring Break! With such a short week, and because we have been studying Geography in Social Studies to learn about state and country borders, it seemed like a good time for a drive to the border of our neighboring country. So, Monday will mostly be spent outside of the classroom. I will have pictures for next week's blog. Also, there will not be any homework this week. 

As we looked at sea creatures last week, it seemed like a good time for them to make watercolor posters with an underwater scene together using sponges on Friday in art.  We also had a birthday that day and we crowned a king for the day. You can see him working in the first picture to follow.

Later that day, we had a visit from Rita Abel to plant seeds with the class. Most recently, the reading curriculum had been using plants as a theme, so her preparation and hands on activities blended nicely with what the students had been reading about.

Please remember picture day on Tuesday and have a great Spring Break!

Kind Regards,
Julie Brown

Week 29

Weekly Greetings!

It is sure feeling like spring, and there is still a full week and two days next week before we all get a few days break to fully enjoy the beautiful weather. I am trying to organize a field trip for next Monday, but the contact person I was working with went on vacation last week so hopefully I can get the final arrangements in place by the middle of this week. I will send permission slips home at that time, if it all comes together as I hope. If it will not work for the Monday that we have a short week due to Spring Break on March 18-20, I will try again for another date later this spring.

In Science, we have been between the completed unit on "Solids and Liquids" and the up-coming unit on "Organisms" due to a delay in permits for the critters used in the new unit. I had planned a short unit on "Sea Creatures" for this week, and found out that Ms. Ruth class was studying oceans so I invited them in last week to share what they had been learning. Here are a few photos from that afternoon.

They did a wonderful presentation to help stir an interest in the younger students of my class for this up coming week as we explore "Sea Creatures".

Since we did art earlier in the week to complete pictures for the Federal Duck Stamp competition by the March 5 deadline, there was Show and Tell on Friday. The students always eagerly wait to see who has brought something to share. They are all getting so much better at speaking about their item while they show the class. In addition, the group that listened are getting great at asking good questions rather that just making a statement like, "I like ...."

  

We are just about at the end of the 3rd quarter and it is amazing how fast this year is going by! I will continue to send homework home nightly through Thursday and please look for you child's completed weekly class work on Friday as usual. It is wonderful to see how consistently most all of the students are at bringing their homework back each day!

Have a fantastic week!

Kind Regards,

Julie Brown

Week 28

Weekly Greetings!

All the extra work some of the students put in over the last two months really came together last Thursday when they competed in the district competition of the "Battle of the Books." Though all three groups from Northway came into the competition fairly strong, there were a lot of teams participating and the Kindergarten in particular got very shy and froze for the first few rounds of questions. After they relaxed, they did well and they will know more about the process next year.

The first grade really did well and took 1st place out of seven teams! They only missed two questions in the hour-long competition. The first picture is of the team just before starting and the second picture was just after they had won.

It was after lunch at the Tok School when the 2nd grade team had their turn at 12:30pm. The early morning departure and already long day, was catching up to them.  Even though they had worked hard, they were no match for Eagle and the Tok 2nd grade groups that took the top places.

Since the groups had been inside watching the competitions since 9:00 am, they got to go out to the Tok School playground to run around before the long drive back to Northway.

We also had a victory treat at Fast Eddy's, as it was getting later in the day and lunch had been earlier than they were used to at our school. The "Battle of the Books" was a new experience for the students and I am really proud of them all. Next year they will have a better understanding of how the process works and should do even better! By the time they get to 3rd grade, there is a state competition and by starting young, they will be very prepared.

On Friday, we had a special visitor to our class in the afternoon. Rowena from the local health agency, came in to read a lovely book about staying strong by not using tobacco. It had an Alaska theme with beautiful drawing to illustrate the animals of our state that were making good choices to not use tobacco.

Afterward, the class colored the books to take home as a reminder.

We have two more weeks before Spring break, and also next Sunday is the "Daylight Savings" time change. Please remember to turn your clocks ahead 1 hour. In addition with the warmer weather,  the class has been going out to snowshoe regularly and they need their snow gear daily.

Have a wonderful week!

Kind Regards,
Julie Brown