DECEMBER 11 - GRADE 3 Holiday Concert - 10:00 a.m.

DECEMBER 12 - 1/2 day - Parent and Teacher Conferences

DECEMBER 13 - DECEMBER 19 - Holiday Shoppe

SPIRIT WEEK:

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16 - Grinch Day - Wear Green

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17 - Holiday Hair - Don't Care

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18 - Plaid and Flannel Anyone?

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19 - Pajama and Stuffie Day

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20 - Warm and Cozy - Sweats, hats, scarves!

FLYER BELOW.

Friday DECEMBER 20 - 1/2 day

All classes worked on their winter ornaments!

In PE class this week, Kindergarten students are learning the basics of hula hooping! They’re working on coordination, balance, and perseverance as they practice spinning the hoops around their waists and trying fun hoop challenges. It’s a great way to build motor skills while having a blast!

Meanwhile, in grades 1-3, we’re starting each class with a calming yoga warm-up to get focused and ready for activity. Afterward, students are playing an action-packed game called Snowman Down! This week, they’re competing individually to knock over other teams’ snowmen while protecting their own. The game emphasizes throwing accuracy and agility, keeping everyone moving, thinking strategically, and having tons of fun!

Thank you so much to everyone who donated books for Booksgiving! Most of our students were able to select three books to take home and add to their collection. It was a great way for our school community to share their love of reading!

Students are learning coding skills in library this week. The Hour of Code is coming and students are preparing by doing different coding modules online. Kindergarten is learning basic coding skills using Code Monkey Jr while first graders are using the game, Beaver Achiever. Second graders are learning more advanced coding using Minecraft’s Aquatic Adventure and our third graders are using Code Monkey Jump.

K-2: This week all classes in K-2 worked on learning what appropriate audience behavior looks like in preparation for the 3rd grade performance next week. Everyone also learned a fun Holiday song, and played unpitched percussion instruments!

3rd: The 3rd graders are working hard getting ready for their big performance next week. They will be performing on Wednesday, December 11th @ 10:00am in the AES gymnasium! Don’t forget all students should plan to wear pajamas for both dress rehearsal for the AES school assembly on Dec 10th as well as the performance on Wednesday, Dec 11th! Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

This week in kindergarten the students heard the story, “Claude the Dog,” by Dick Gackenbach. It is a sweet, simple story about two dogs and the spirit of giving. It was a great story to help the students understand why they were bringing in items for the Lakeville Animal Shelter. We also talked about sounds and discussed where we hear certain sounds. In math, the students were introduced to subtraction within 5.

This week in first grade, students are reading about animals that live together in different habitats. Our phonics focus is words with ending blends. In math, we are wrapping up our learning of doubles and near doubles. All classes are working hard to be the top earner in grade one for our school wide ST Math competition!! We are also beginning our learning about holidays and traditions around the world.

The holiday season is here. The second graders are beginning a wonderful learning experience called “Holidays Around the World”. Two days each week (until Christmas), the students will “travel” to one of the six second grade classrooms (one of the continents) to learn about a holiday celebration and a few traditions of one country on that continent. The students will learn how people all over the world celebrate different holidays. They will be creating a “souvenir” from each country to take home. “Holidays Around the World” is a learning experience that fosters cultural awareness and understanding.

The holiday season is already in full swing in Grade 3. The kids are excited and looking forward to many fun activities. In Science we are about to launch our weather unit; Social Studies will pick up again in the new year. In math we are still exploring multiplication and division, and we are wrapping up Unit 2 in Wonders.

Do you recognize anything?

Be sure to take a look at the LOST AND FOUND during the Parent Teacher Conference time.

Gift Giving Develops Social Skills

While children often think of the holidays as a time to receive gifts, this time of year can be used to help foster your child’s social skills development. Gift giving can help children develop empathy, build social connections, teach generosity, boost self-esteem and promote creativity. When choosing a gift, your child must think about what the other person would like which develops perspective taking. Creating gifts not only allows your child to personalize a gift and strengthen connections but also builds their own self-confidence. Finally, gift giving is an opportunity to start teaching your child that giving gifts can be a time to simply promote kindness without expecting anything in return.