4th Grade Finales!

Class picture at Rock of Ages

The last couple of weeks have been incredibly busy for our class.  Below is just a sampling of what we have done, but I can guarantee we have ended our year with a lot of laughs and smiles.  From our ECO service in the park, to Shelburne Museum, a dance block party in front of UES and a hike up Mt. Elmore.  Of course in between all of that we squeezed in an incredible 4th Grade Celebration Night as well as sharing some wonderful Vermont projects.  I am incredibly proud of these students and the work they have done.  Thank you for sharing them all with me this year and here's to a great 5th grade year at Main Street Middle School!

Spirit Week with Shane and Steven

Kailey of the Bucket Brigade

Mira and Allie re-mulching trails at Hubbard Park

Hat Day- Amelia

Silly to even put a caption here. View from the tower of all our 4th graders!

Amelia, Rose and Kailey greet their "guest" teacher
as they step back in time at Shelburne Museum

Meala and Autumn making candles

Chay taking a turn at a hoop game

Steven and his grandpa both do this hoop spinning thing quite well!

A particularly bad day for Emma and Alllie

All school dance party!!!

Egg Drop fun....

The BOYZ (Payton, Maclay and Josiah) chillaxin' after a hike up Mt. Elmore

ECO and Other End of Year Adventures

Last Friday was the picture perfect day to end our 4th grade year of ECO.  All of the 4th grade students spent the day working in Hubbard Park to re-mulch trails and trees as well as clear weeds that were choking off some of the fruit trees planted by the tower.  We also got a chance to play favorite games like Camouflage and Coyote/ Deer.  Finally, we all posed for the picture above and a photo was taken from atop the tower (our class is the E....can you find your student?).

This week we will be going to Shelburne Museum on Friday.  Please make sure to bring sunscreen and wear shoes that will be comfortable to walk in.  Students should also make sure to bring their snack and lunch!  Also- same applies for our trip to Elmore State Park on June 10.


4th Grade End of Year Celebration will be next Thursday (June 9) from 6- 7:30.  Please come join us for our celebration of the kids UES years and light refreshments!

Homework has ended  EXCEPT students should be working on their independent Vermont projects which are due on June 9.  Ask your students to show you the guidelines or click the link I have in the homework section.

North Branch Alpaca Farm a.k.a Somerset and Mrs. Pierce's home!

Gathering for some learning...

Kailey and Autumn

Emma

Chay and Adrian

Somerset and Maggie

Mira

Payton

Shane and Reilly

Hard at play

Camoflauge!  Can you find Mama Duck?

Ken Benton- our fearless ECO leader!

Meala-  this is apparently how you dry socks....

Maggie 

Somerset and feathered friends....

Meeting the goats

May!!!!

Hello Families!
It is now May and time is quickly flying by.....  A few things you may want to take note of:

1.  Science NECAPS are being held Monday, May 9,  Tuesday, May 10 and Wednesday, May 11.  Science NECAPs do not happen in every grade however, grade 4, grade 8 and grade 11 do this test.  After that we are DONE with the standardized testing.  Kids have done a remarkable job of staying focused and doing their best on these tests.
2.  We have our 4th Grade Move Up night scheduled for Thursday, June 9 from 6 to 7:30 in the Auditorium and Cafeteria.  We are really looking forward to celebrating the kids transition from Elementary to Middle School!

Red Sox Dreams Come True!

We are back in action!  I hope all of our families had a wonderful, rejuvenating Spring break.  The kids shared some of the highlights of vacation this first morning back and it sounded like everyone found some fun ways to spend their downtime.

Right before break , Nate Groff got an opportunity of a lifetime down at a Red Sox game.....Here is his story:

So me and my Mom were taking a tour of Fenway.  We went on the field on watched the players warm up then we went to the Green Monster.  It was so cool, players were hitting the balls up!  Then the tour was over.  We had to leave to re-enter for the game.  When we got back we went to the bleachers to catch a ball, we didn’t get one though. So we left and checked out the virtual dugout and these goggle things and head phones, so I got started first. And an employee walked up to my Mom and asked is there your son?  She said “Yes.”  “Would he like to throw the first pitch?”  My Mom said “Really?”  The employee said “Yes.”  So my Mom did the virtual dugout thing then they told me. She said, “My name is Kali,” and to meet her in half an hour at Gate E.
So me and my Mom texted some people then we met Kali at Gate E so we met her there and she took us to the tunnels and a room to rest before the pitch. About an hour later, the organizer put us in a line with some other pre-game people.  Then they took us to the field.They told us not to go on the grass.  A little later on they let me take a picture with the Silver Slugger award.  Then two college girls came over.  They were in Red Sox uniforms and one of them was going to catch for  and the other was going to stand by the mound with me.  They said “Don’t step on the chalk lines or up at bat box.”  Then Wally and I were hanging out.  Later they announced me then me and one of the girls walked up with me and Wally to the mound, the other girl went down to the plate and went into the catcher’s crouch.  I pitched it.  It was a strike.  The crowd cheered.  Then we went to our seats.
Pitching this special ball was the best 20 seconds of my life.  I was nervous and excited.  I never imagined it would be possible for me to ever do anything like this.  This was one of my dreams.  I am very grateful to have had this opportunity.


Nate also got mentioned in the Times Argus for this accomplishment!  Here is his picture below!

Evelyn Glennie at the Barre Opera House

On Sunday, April 10 at 4 p.m, world renowned Grammy winning percussionist will be performing at the Barre Opera House.  Ms. Glennie participated in the Community Engagement Lab's summer workshop last year and offered inspiration for our Storytellers Artist Residency.  Since UES 4th graders were participants in the residency, they are being offered free admission to see her and families get a reduced price.  Please call the Barre Opera House to reserve these special discounted tickets.  We will have a display in the lobby showing off some of the work done during our Storyteller Residency.  

Storyteller Evening and Conferences

On Thursday, March 31, the 4th grade will be holding an evening exhibition from 6 to 7:30 in the gym and auditorium for the community to see the work that was done during our artist residency with Abenaki artist and ethnobotanist, Judy Dow.  Come see how our students explored the question of how stories of the past help us to understand our present and inform our future.

Also this week- Parent Teacher conferences will be held on Friday, April 1.  If you have not signed up yet, please contact me at kikia@mpsvt.org or call 225-8251.  

  

Field Trip this Thursday, March 24!

On Thursday, March 24 we are headed to Shelburne Farms along with Mrs. Pierce's 4th grade.  We will be participating in a workshop called Sugaring by the Numbers.  Students do need to pack a lunch that day as we will be gone for the whole day.  They should also dress in warm layers and wear comfortable mudboots.  If you are interested in joining us please call me at 225-8251 or email me at kikia@mpsvt.org.  

Mapping our Stories Art Residency

Last week our class had a very special experience as we worked with Abenaki Artist and Ethnobotanist, Judy Dow.  We spent time exploring the idea of how stories of the land and people can help us to inform our future stories.  We worked in mediums such as fabric, plaster, hide burning, and watercolor to create different maps of stories and went on some epic walks to learn stories of the land around us.  We also got an opportunity to try out throwing an Atlatl (harder than you would think!).  We look forward to sharing our work with the community at UES on Thursday, March 31 from 6-8 p.m. 

Also, parent conferences are coming up on April 1 so students will have that day off.  Here is a link to a sign-up sheet so that you can sign up online.  This conference is not a student led one so it is not required that your student accompanies you although it can be helpful for the student to be part of the conversation.  

Don't forget about the UPP Gala Fundraiser on Saturday, February 13!  A letter has gone home to families filling you in on the details of the event.  Music by the Dave Keller band as well as a live and silent auction promise for a fun filled evening!  Childcare coordinated by our own wonderful Katrina Phillips as well as Matt McLane and MHS will be available.

Class prompt #1:  Welcome to 2016!  Take a look at the goal you set for yourself at the beginning of this school year.  Where are you on that goal?  What steps do you think would help you move towards it?  If you feel like you have met that goal, what are new goals you have for youtself?  Make sure to write at least 3 full sentences and edit for spelling and punctuation!

Welcome to 2016!!!

Welcome back!  I hope everyone is coming back from this break feeling refreshed and rejuvenated!  As we look ahead into the weeks ahead I wanted to let families know that we will have a visiting artist working with our fourth grade in early March.  Judy Dow is an Abenaki artist and ethnobotanist. She will be working with our students in a study designed to help our students learn about Vermont, specifically Montpelier and it's land and people.  One of the projects that Mrs. Kane along with Mrs, Dow will be doing is making some very beautiful art.  In order to do so, we will be asking families to send in used large yogurt or cottage cheese containers (cleaned, please) along with scraps of yarn.  So- don't throw those containers out!  We will gladly take them!