Upcoming Learning

Reading:  

• Continuing to work on story elements - character, setting, problem, solution, and plot
• This week we will continue with spelling patterns that go along with the final e rule, next week we will have a tricky phonics pattern.  The pattern in called the c train and the g train (also known as soft c and g).  The rule is that when c or g is followed by an e or i it changes its sound to hard c and g to soft c and g.  

Writing:

• We have been doing an author's study on Mo Willems.  We have been reading through a number of his books; now, this week we will each decide which is the best, in our opinion.  After everyone picks their book they will be working on an opinion piece about the book and why they think it is the best Mo Willems book!
• We are continuing to work on trying to add adjectives into our sentences, end sentences with correct punctuation, and capitalize the beginning letters in our sentences.

Math:

• This week we are working on adding 2 digit numbers.  This is also helping us to practice our understanding of place value.
• We are continuing to work on addition and subtraction fluency.

Social Studies

• This week we are starting a new unit, mapping.  We will be learning about different types of maps, how to label maps, directionality, and map keys.

******************Reminders**************

Spring Pictures - Tuesday, March 22nd

Report Cards Come Home/Open for Viewing - Friday, March 25th

Reading Challenge!

Songo Locks School Reading Challenge

February 26 – April 8

Research shows that students that read 20 minutes a day at home are better readers. We want to improve the reading skills of students at Songo Locks School, so we are challenging them to read 3540 hours as a group.

Why so many hours? Maine has just over 35, 000 square miles. Each hour we read will cover 10 square miles. Each classroom teacher has received a copy of the book Nicholas: A Maine Tale, written by Peter Arenstam. We will be reading the book aloud during the month of March.

What do students have to do?

*Read outside of school

*20 minutes or more 5 days a week

*Fill in the reading log

*Return reading log to school on Friday

(return Thursday, March 3, Teacher Workshop Day on Friday,

March 4)

What do parents/guardians have to do?

* Help children time their reading.

* Sign the reading log

* Participate in Family Reading Week, March 4 – 11-  keep a log for the whole family

Reading includes:

*Read to self

*Read with a buddy

*Listen to a read aloud


Special Events:

*March 15 Maine Day, earn 196 reading points - wear something that promotes a Maine location

*March 31 Special Visitors, watch for more information

*April 8 A very, very special guest speaker

*April 14 Book Character Day, dress as your favorite book character


We have until April 8 to complete our hours. All students and staff will help to complete the

challenge. At the successful completion of our challenge we will celebrate with a Book

Character Day! Students and staff can dress as their favorite book character. Last year, we held our own mushers race with the teachers pulling the sleds.  We have a new challenge planned, Mrs. Cline and Mrs. Peavey will need a beach towel this year!  Do you want your teacher to be on the team this year? Read more minutes than the other classes in your grade to put your teacher on the team!

Read! Read! Read!

Important March Dates

4th - No school - Teacher Workshop

13th - Daylight Savings - Spring Ahead!

25th - 2nd Trimester Report Cards Go Home

31st - Science Night

Valentine's Day Fun

Friday was a very fun filled day.   It started off with everyone mailing their cards to their friends.  Then, in math we did a mystery Valentine picture on a number grid.  Everyone suspected that it was a heart, and they were right!  In the afternoon we had our cookie walk.  Thank you to all the parents that helped make this fun activity possible.  I'm sure you are all reaping the benefits with a yummy array of cookies this week!  Finally, it was time to sort through our Valentine's bags.  To end the day we were able to watch Snow Buddies in our PJ's.  It was the perfect way to celebrate Valentine's Day and kick off winter break.

I hope everyone has a fabulous break, and that it gives everyone a chance to rest up and get healthy.  Please don't forget to read over break, practice your addition facts, and practice learning to tie your shoes!  Happy BREAK!!

Let the cookie walk begin!

Hmm, it smells so good in here!

Everyone is scoping out their delicious treats.

Celebrating 100 Days of Great Learning and Fun!

On Tuesday we had our 100th day of school!  It seems to be going so very fast, and there has been so much growth, learning, and fun that has happened in those 100 days.  In celebration of 100's day we invited students to dress up as 100 year old people.  There were quite a few students that took us up on dressing up to celebrate the day, and the teacher's of Learning Lane were not about to miss out on the fun!  Along with our fun dressing up we had a full day of 100's day activities planned.  However, the weather didn't participate with our plans, and we had a 2 hour delay.  This however did not stop us from celebrating!  We however made up the activities we missed Tuesday on Wednesday.  Here are a few pictures highlighting our fun celebration day!  Thank you for helping your kids dress up for the occasion.

Oh no my students turned 100 over night

Happy 100th Day!!

Doing some 100 day writing

Learning Lane multi age groups!

Writing about 100 things!

What happened to the teachers of Learning Lane?

Granny's with attitude

I Make 100 Look Good!

It's time to make some memories!  Please help your child dress up like they are 100 years old for our 100th day of school on Tuesday, February 9th.  If it happens to be a snow day it will move to Wednesday, February 10th.

Think glasses, baby powder in the hair, canes, suspenders, pearl necklaces... Be creative!

Have fun!  We can't wait to meet our "new" 100 year old students!

Cookie Walk

Valentine’s Day Cookie Walk

For our Valentine's Day celebration next Friday we will be having a cookie walk.  Children will bring a plate of cookies to share with their classmates.  Please send 17 cookies (one for each student).  We will put the cookies out on a table and the children will go through the line and take one of each cookie.  They will pick one to eat at our party, and bring the rest of the cookies assortments home in a zip lock bag for February break.

Thank you for your help with our Valentine's Day celebration!  

End of January/February Important Info

Here are some upcoming important dates for the end of January into February!

January

22nd - Mid Trimester Ends

25th - Early Release Day

29th - Mid Trimester Reports Go Home

February

1st - Early Release Day

8th - Early Release Day

12th - Valentine's Day Celebration (More info to come)

13th-21st - Winter Break - No school

22nd - Early Release Day

29th - Early Release Day

Arctic Animals

Starting this Monday during early release days we will be starting to study nonfiction and fiction texts around Arctic animals.  This will be done as a Learning Lane, multi age grouping activity.  Each grade level in Learning Lane will be studying a different animal.  In the kindergarten classroom's they will be learning about seals.  In the 1st grade classroom they will be learning about polar bears, and in the 2nd grade rooms they will be learning about penguins.  In the classrooms working on nonfiction text students will learn about the different parts of a nonfiction book, and then they will reach passages to learn about that Arctic animal.  In the other classrooms they will be learning about the different parts of fiction text, such as the characters, setting, problem, and solution.  They will also be doing a special activity to go along with that Arctic animal.  Everyone is very excited about learning about this amazing Arctic animals!

BRRR It's Winter

As the temperatures drop and winter really settles in please make sure to send your child to school with their winter gear.  Most days we will be going outside, as long as the temperature permits.  In order for us to allow students to play in the snow we need them to have the proper clothing.  Students are expected to wear boots, snow pants, a winter coat, mittens, and a hat/head warmer.  Also, sometimes their clothes get wet while having all that fun in the snow.  Please send your child in with an extra pair of socks and an extra sweatshirt.  Thank you for helping us have winter fun!!

Christmas Celebrations!!

The last week of school was extremely busy.  The excitement of the week was kicked off with our very special and fun Christmas concert.  Everyone was so very excited to dress up and perform for their families!  Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for that very special moment!

Everyone is so excited

Do you hear those Jingle Bells?

Snow is falling

To close out our week together we finished it with a PJ day, gingerbread decorating, and a movie and popcorn.  Our week was a lot of fun, thank you to everyone who donated yummy treats to help make our celebration possible.

Decorating our cookies according to
our Glyph questions

Looking Good!

Looking ready to eat

Can't wait to each that yummy gingerbread

PJ's and gingerbread, what a fun day!

Gingerbread Loose in Learning Lane!

Over the last week of school before break Learning Lane did a week of Gingerbread themed activities.  To kick off the week Learning Lane had a meeting to explain how the switches would be organized by each classroom in Learning Lane, and how it would be in a multi age group of k-2 students.  Then, we read the original Gingerbread story.

Mrs. Flanagin reading the original Gingerbread
 story to Learning Lane students

Each classroom in Learning Lane read a different version on the Gingerbread man.  Students traveled to each room with a gingerbread book.  In this book they were to draw or write their favorite part of the story that was read in that classroom. Then, students received an item to glue onto the cover of their book to remind them of that story.  Also, students were able to do an activity that went along with the story in that room.
At the end of the week Learning Lane met again as a whole group to compare and contrast the stories that were read over the week.  It was a great learning opportunity for all grades!

Working together to fill in our
Gingerbread compare and contrast
chart!

Here are the Gingerbread Man books that we compared, contrasted, and enjoyed over the last week of school before break.

P.J. Day!

We have finally filled our marble jar!!! So, as a reward we chose to have a p.j. day tomorrow!!! Please make sure your child has extra clothes, just in case they want to change at some point during the day.  Also, because of safety reason we are not allowed to wear slippers.  We are all super excited about earning this reward!!

December Dates!

December Important Dates!

5th - PTC Craft Workshop

11th - Report Cards Go Home

16th - Christmas Concert @ 10:30

23rd - Jan. 3rd - Christmas break

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

On the last couple days before Thanksgiving we enjoyed one of my favorite Thanksgiving stories, Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving.  After hearing this very fun turkey story we got to work making our own turkey stuffed shirts.  On the shirt we wrote a persuasive writing piece for fun.  The writing piece was trying to convince others to eat something besides turkey for Thanksgiving.  When we were done our activity and writing everyone was able to paint their stuffed shirts/feathers.  I hope everyone had a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving!

Putting our shirts and feathers together

Hard at work

Don't forget the feet!

Almost to the writing part

SARSSM

This week we had a special presentation done by SARSSM.  The information concerning this presentation was sent home in your child's folder last week and on the day they presented this past week.  To find out more about the presentation at SARSSM, please go to their website at http://www.sarsonline.org/our-programs/education-programs/elementary.  If you have any questions concerning this presentation please contact our guidance councilor Amy Saunders at amy.saunders@lakeregionschools.org.


Here are a few pictures of the presenters putting on the puppet show portion of the show.

Fundraiser!

Student Council is sponsoring a new holiday fundraiser this year!  Two of our teachers, Mr. Gasbarro and Mr. Elder, have agreed to shave their beards in a design voted upon by our student body!  For $ .50 or more, students can place a vote for the teacher and design they would like!  Students can vote as many times as they want to get the teacher they want to shave the design they want!!!  The teacher and design that raise the most money will be shaved and shown on November 20 for each teacher.  Students will have the opportunity to vote every morning during the week of November 16-November 19 when a student council member comes to their room.   Please support local families and encourage your child to participate in this fun fundraising event.  We plan to end the week  with a “crazy hair” day (Friday , November 20) so that Mr. Elder and Mr. Gasbarro won’t be alone in the fun!!!!!

November Dates

It is strange to think it is already November, before we  know it we will all be making our holiday plans and celebrating with family and friends!
Here are a few dates to keep in mind as you make your plans this month.

November

11th - Veterans Day - there will be no school this day, we look forward to honoring our veterans this week through letters.  We also were excited to write why we were thankful for our veterans on our Learning Lane bulletin board.

25-29th - Thanksgiving Break - This past week we started to learn about life long ago, during pilgrim time.  Over the next couple weeks we will be studying the first Thanksgiving, and all the pilgrims had to overcome as settlers.

30th - 1st Trimester comes to a close - Student's report cards will not be coming home until Dec. 11th

Harvest Day

   On Friday Learning Lane had a harvest celebration.  Each grade level had a different activity in their room.   The 6 classes were split into k-2 groups, and they traveled to each grade level together.  This was a great opportunity for older students to mentor younger students.  The activities were approximately 40 minutes long.
   In the K classrooms the students read a story about skeletons and did a craft to make their own skeleton.  In the 1st grade classrooms they read a story about a scarecrow and created a scarecrow.  Finally, in the 2nd grade classes they played Halloween bingo and pattern blocks.
   Everyone had a great time, and the day was ended with watching the movie, Spookly the Square Pumpkin.
    It was a great day, and everyone was excited to wrap up red ribbon week by dressing up like super heros, even the teachers!

Enjoying the day too!

Parent - Teacher Conference Week

This week is parent - teacher conference week, and I am very excited to meet with everyone and talk about how their child's transition to 1st grade is going.  Due to these late night meetings, Learning Lane doing a Veteran's Day project, and also having our Learning Lane harvest celebration we will not being having our spelling test this Friday.  This will help students to have more in and out of class time to work on these words.  The test will be Friday, November 6th, please work on these words over the next couple weeks with your child.

Schools across America will be celebrating Red Ribbon Week next week, Oct. 26 to Oct. 30.  Red Ribbon Week is a reminder to stay drug and alcohol free.  Student Council is asking Songo Locks staff and students  to “Respect Yourself …..and your health…. Stay Drug Free!”  

To represent our commitment to remaining drug and alcohol free, please dress up next week in the following:

MONDAY - Oct. 26 is “TOO BRIGHT for drugs”  Wear your neon and bright colors!!!

TUESDAY - Oct. 27 is “SOCK IT to drugs”  Wear crazy, mismatched socks!

WEDNESDAY - Oct. 28 is “RED-y to say ‘no’ to drugs”  Wear as much red as possible!

THURSDAY - Oct. 29 is “Say 'PEACE OUT' to drugs!  Wear tye-dye!!

FRIDAY - Oct. 30 is “Be a superhero.  Have the power to say “NO” to drugs!  Dress up as your favorite superhero!!!

For more information on Red Ribbon Week, please explore http://redribbon.org/theme/