There is still time to be a mystery reader!!

The children have enjoyed our mystery reader appearances. Please let me know if you would like to be a mystery reader between now and the end of the year.

Our Poetry Journals

We continue to enjoy adding a variety of poetry and prose in our journals. Each month, we add a poem about the full moon from the book, Long Night Moon, by Cynthia Rylant.

Here is the poem for January:

In January

the Stormy Moon shines

         in mist,

              in ice,

                   on a wild wolf's back.

Find it

 And find your way home

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2–Books this good come along once in a blue moon. Rylant opens this radiant offering by explaining: "Long ago Native Americans gave names to the full moons they watched throughout the year. Each month had a moon. And each moon had a name.…" The two-page illustration shows a woman holding a baby and looking at the nighttime sky. Scenes of their house and the surrounding countryside accompany the 12 poems that follow, beginning with January and tracing the cycle of the year. To read the text is to be bathed in the magic of moonlight, magic extended by Siegel's luminous charcoal, pencil, and pastel landscapes. February's picture is stark and cold; a solitary stag, his breath a white cloud, stands by an icicle-shrouded bear den. The stag appears again in March as does the den without the icicles, and the painting glows with green tones: "a Sap Moon rises/over/melting ponds,/sleepy bears,/small green trees./It tells a promise/and a hope." The woman and the now-older child reappear at the end and again gaze at the orb from their garden gazebo: "And in December/the Long Night Moon waits/and waits/and waits/for morning./This/is the faithful moon./This one is your friend." Savor this thoughtful book, and pair it with Jane Yolen's Owl Moon (Philomel, 1987) for a lyrical bedtime read-aloud.–Kathleen Whalin, York Public Library, ME
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The following standard is supported by this work

Craft and Structure:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4
Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.

The Cutler Learning Commons

 We continue to enjoy our weekly time in the Cutler Learning Commons. Each week, the children choose to explore centers, play strategy games and use the iPads. On the Ipads, the children have been using Math Bingo and a simple coding activity.

Juggling-Mindfulness and Growth Mind Set

 On Friday, we enjoyed a juggling workshop with Jenny The Juggler. Jenny focused on how she learned to juggle by persistence, focus and use of feedback. Jenny shared how mindfulness helps you learn any new skill. The students had a delightful time practicing juggling with grocery bags. Also, we are excited to practice our not yet skills with our new classroom juggling kit. Our thanks to the Friends of Cutler for funding this experience with the new teacher grant program. I am working on another idea or two!

Did You Buy Your Tickets Yet??

Family Pajama and Games Night

Join Cutler families for an evening of community action and games on 5 February. We will be collecting new pajamas (one per family) to donate to children in need through the Pajama Project http://www.pajamaprogram.org/index. We will also be making Valentine’s for seniors on the North Shore and American Veterans. Everyone (grownups included!) is encouraged to come in pajamas.

There will be two sessions, 4:45-6:00 and 6:30-7:45. Cost is $5.00 per family, and includes, water, light snacks, craft supplies and games. Fifth Grade Bake Sale and Cutler Apparel will also be there on the night. There are lots of opportunities for parent volunteers as well!

Admission will be first come first served and ticket sales close February 1st. Sign up early! Information and order forms should have come through backpacks and room parent email. Contact Kristin at kmprocte@hotmail.com or Kris kristaveenema@gmail.com

NOTE: This event is a shift from fundraiser to community action. As such the focus is on helping others. There will be NO TOYS and NO PIZZA, but a TON of FUN!

Adding New Works To Our Classroom Library

This week, we began the work of publishing. The children are asked to review all of their finished pieces and choose one that they would like to publish. After choosing, the children reread their own work and make changes to give the reader more information. We then review the work together and make additional changes. Once the piece has been word processed, the authors gather at our publishing table to create the illustrations. All of the published books will become part of our classroom library.

The following standard is supported by this work:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5
With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.

ART On The Cart-Picasso

Last week, we enjoyed creating "Picasso" style self-portraits with he help of Jonas' mom and Ceci's dad. We look forward to trying the next STEAM cart activity.