Marybeth and Elena's Class Notes

In like a lion, out like a lamb! Indeed, as the snow falls outside today, it's hard to believe that we are on the cusp of spring.

Inside, however, signs of spring abound. The construction paper mittens and books about winter are slowly being re-

placed with colorful flower collages, books about leprechauns and March winds, and our most recent poem, Sometimes

Spring, by Douglas Florian. The poems we learn as a class give us a chance to leam new sight words, explore word fami-

lies, and practice reading strategies.

Upon retun from the winter break we resumed our study of indigenous peoples. The children have been constructing

simple corn-husk dolls just as children did hundreds of years ago. Through their own research the kids discovered that

children of long ago didn't attend school but leamed alongside their elders and through storytelling. We have begun read-

ing some of those very stories. We compared and contrasted several versions of the "Raven", and are presently reading

and discussing "The Rabbit Dance" and "The Deer Dance",

, which invite us to consider the many gifts humans receive

from animals.

Over the course of the year, the children have been writing books about topics of their choosing. We are presently select-

ing our best work to bring through the writing process. In three short weeks, we will submit our published writing to the

Hampton Library as part of their annual Budding Authors event. To that end, the children are busy drafting, revising and

illustrating their books for submission