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Please Print Pages 1-3 and staple for Monday's Class

Hey Meggie, 

I am praying for a smooth day for y'all.

Please Print Pages 1-3 and staple for Monday's Class

(Also, please check to make sure they are formatted correctly so they print well)

Thank you!

Peace,
Matty B

Parent Night Follow Up and Final Wolf Ridge Update

Good Morning Crow Wing Families,

Firstly, I hope you are enjoying your weekends together before our big Wolf Ridge trip.  As you are packing, and using the packing list please keep in mind the weather forecast.  It looks like it will be a lovely brisk fall week in Finland, MN, with some classic autumn moisture.  So, please help your child prepare for wearing layers and have some water-proof layers.

Secondly, thanks again to all of the families who made it to parent night- even in the impressive rainfall.  (And thanks to those families who reached out to connect even though you couldn't make it).  I have attached the main handout from that night.  As we discussed, over the next week I will send out a few emails with more details about classroom volunteering information and birthdays.  I will also be sending out more communication the first time that we have homework (after Wolf Ridge).

Thirdly, thank you in advance for helping your child pack in as compact and labeled a way as possible.  A few pro tips from helping run years and years of these:

1) Duct taping (or labeling in some other classier way) the student's first name, last name, and homeroom onto ALL luggage and jackets can go a long way in helping your child keep track of their things and stay happy and warm.

2) Students who bring a laundry bag or garbage bag for wet/soiled clothes protect their clean clothes from getting soiled in their suitcases.

3) Students are permitted to have a small bag on the bus (with water bottle, book(s), non-digital bus game, notebook/pen, and snack for our stop), please help them separate those BEFORE getting to school, and remember to label those things as well.

4) I almost forgot!  Please label everything.

Also, please help your child notice the signs as you pull in to drop off, their are a lot of moving pieces, and students should go to their assigned location right away.

So excited! See you at 7:30 AM tomorrow! 

Peace,

Matt B

PS- If your child has any final questions or anxieties- feel free to email them to me, and I will check my email tonight after I put my girls down, and reply. 

Host an AFS high school exchange student!

AFS is looking for host families for students who are coming to our area this fall. Host families provide a bed, food, & loving support. Students come with their own health insurance and spending money. Families of all types; married, single, single parents, young children, no children, can host. Families can host for a year, semester or as a welcome family for 6-12 weeks. Will you be that person, that family who makes a world of difference in the life of a young person?  Please contact Lisa Boynton at: lboynton@afsusa.org or651-356-1848 to learn more or www.afsusa.org/host-family

Thank you!

Dear Crow Wing Families, 

Thank you so much for your partnership, support, and generosity this year and in the past three years.  We are so grateful for the trust you have placed in us and have enjoyed working with your children immensely.  We look forward to seeing them in new environments and capacities in the future (volunteering, committee work, and on key experiences) and hope to continue building a stronger GRS community as we welcome new students next fall.  

Have a lovely and restful summer!  

Andrea and Cate

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https://crowwingriverclass.blogspot.com/

Update 5/23/18

Hello Crow Wing Families, 

The end of the year is upon us!  Please read below for several changes and bits of news:

All student belongings must go home by June 7th.  Please help you student plan to bring all materials home before the last day of school.

We will not have early Wednesday work for the last two weeks of school.  We have a flurry of meetings and cannot predictably be here for students. 

Students may sign up to host classroom plants over the summer.  They need to have a note from a parent saying they've discussed their plan with you.  When students bring in their notes, we will have them choose a plant to take home for the summer.  

We are packing up our classroom library.  Students should bring a book to school for afternoon reading time. 

Our sixth graders have planned a "goodbye gifts" exchange.  Students interested in participating will draw a name Friday and bring gifts for their classmate next week.  Tuesday, May 29th's theme is origami gifts, Wednesday the 30th's theme is hint poetry, Thursday the 31st is a baked gift, Friday the 1st is a compliment card, and Monday, June 4 is a gift valued at $5 or less.  

Our end of the year work share is next Friday, June 1st.  Please attend if you are able.  It's a lovely time to see student portfolios and end of year projects across upper el.  We will display work between 2 and 3pm.  Guests should come to the elementary south door and plan to park on the street or at Bandana Square.  Please be careful to leave our bus lane open. 

Upcoming Dates:

Elementary Field Day - May 31, noon-3pm

Crow Wing Crafternoon - June 5, 1-3pm

Como Pool Trip - June 6, all day

Crow Wing Field Day - June 7, noon-3pm

End of Year Ceremony - June 8, 11am-Noon

Thank you for your ongoing support! 

Andrea and Cate

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https://crowwingriverclass.blogspot.com/

Our dragon, Puff

Hello Crow Wing Families, 

We have some sad news.  Our bearded dragon, Puff, died yesterday.  He appears to have suffered either a stroke or a heart attack.  His symptoms match those described for a cardiac incident exactly, and heart problems are very common for dragons in captivity.  Students noticed his distress yesterday and were concerned he was choking.  We will make it clear to them that Puff did not choke and that nothing we could have done would have been helpful to Puff.  Even rushing him to a vet would have taken too long to make a difference.  Puff was quite old, was a steadfast member of our community, and will be greatly missed.  

We will bury Puff in the garden this morning and have some community time to help students say goodbye.  

Thank you for your support, 

Cate and Andrea

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https://crowwingriverclass.blogspot.com/

Update 5/9/18

Hello Crow Wing Families, 

We are in need of summer homes for our dragon, Puff, and for our finches.  The finches have a large aviary, but could also go to a home that had multiple smaller cages.  All of our animals have to leave campus this summer due to our construction work this summer.  Please respond to this email if you are willing to house our beloved critters!

We will be off campus the afternoon of May 31st.  The senior class is planning a field day for elementary students at McMurray Field.  We will leave around 1:30pm and return at the end of the day.  Students should have hats or sunscreen, water bottles, and sneakers.  As the weather warms, student should plan to have water bottles and sun protection for recess as well.  

Please read the update below from elementary admin:

Dear Elementary Parents,

The end of the year is quickly approaching!  Many classrooms are planning off campus adventures and we want to make sure that families are aware of a safety protocol that was developed in elementary this year to ensure the safety of all students.

In order to participate in off campus activities, students must follow community norms.  If a student demonstrates a significant challenge to follow adult instructions that could lead to safety concerns, the student will remain on campus doing an alternate activity.

 If there are safety concerns regarding your child, you will be contacted by your child's classroom guide.  Additionally, if behavior challenges happen while off campus, parents will be notified that there is a concern and the possibility that they will need to pick up their child.

We look forward to finishing off the year in ways that are joyful and safe for all students!

Projects We're Working on this Week:

Fourth and Fifth grade students continue to work on their human body systems models and reports.

Fourth grade students are working on explorers projects.  

Fifth grade students will start leading projects honoring our graduating sixth years.  

Sixth grade students should be wrapping up Imaginary Island work and moving forward with their government study projects.  

Thank you for your ongoing support!

Andrea and Cate

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https://crowwingriverclass.blogspot.com/

Upper Elementary Homework Due May 22, 2018 - Community Work

As you know, being a part of a community is a huge part of our work here at Great River.  We work to support each other in our classroom community, build connections with other levels, and go out into the larger community around us to learn new things.  

We are approaching the end of our year and many students are very focused on crafting big work to show their learning.  Alongside this academic work, we would like to give you time to do community work as well.

Plan some work to do in your neighborhood, city, or larger Twin Cities community.  This work should support those in need, improve the environment, or somehow make your community a better place for others.  Examples might include: organizing a neighborhood trash clean up, planting flowers for a neighbor, serving food at a free meal organization, collecting supplies needed for an animal shelter, cutting buckthorn with a local public land trust, or even visiting your local city council, representative, or other elected official to advocate for a cause about which you care deeply.  

Write an essay describing your experience.  Give details about what you did and why you chose that work for yourself.  Include who you believe your work benefitted and how doing the work affected you.  Please include photographs if you can. Quotes from others you worked with or served would make your work more engaging - consider interviewing others as you work.  

This is our final homework of the school year.  You have two weeks to organize and carry out your work because you may need to coordinate with your family and involve others.  Please take time early to make a plan so you are not rushing at the last minute to do this work. Well planned and thoughtful community work is usually more beneficial to others and more satisfying to the worker.  

Essay Basic Requirements:

Your essay must be edited for basic grammar, spelling, and mechanics.  It is okay to ask an older student or an adult to help you with these edits.  Your essay must be organized into paragraphs with topic sentences, and it must be legible.  

Fourth grade students should write at least three paragraphs, fifth grade students should write at least four paragraphs, and sixth grade students should write at least five paragraphs.  

Class photos from last fall!

Upper Elementary Homework Due May 8, 2018 - Twin Cities Festivals

Three large, annual festivals take place in Minneapolis and St. Paul every year on the first weekend in May - the May Day festival and parade with Heart of the Beast puppet theater, the Cinco de Mayo festival and parade in West St. Paul, and the Festival of Nations at the St. Paul River Centre.  These cultural celebrations draw large numbers of Minnesotans and showcase a wide variety of art, history, food, and community in our neighborhoods.

Options:

-   Attend the May Day Parade or Tree of Life Ceremony at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis.  The event starts at noon and continues throughout the afternoon, concluding with the Tree of Life ceremony.  There are puppets, jugglers, amazing floats, drum lines, dance troops, and food vendors. For more details about the event, go to: https://hobt.org/mayday/

-   Attend the Cinco de Mayo Parade or one of the many other related events on the West Side of St. Paul.  There are crafts, dances, a car show, food vendors, and even a jalapeno eating contest. For details about the event, go to: https://www.cincodemayosaintpaul.com/parade.html

- Attend the Festival of Nations event at the River Centre.  This festival is a four day long series of art, dance, music, and other performances from every culture of people living in the Twin Cities Metro Area.  Many of our students have performed here in the past with dance or music groups! For more details about the event, go to: http://www.festivalofnations.com/

-   Hold your own Cinco de Mayo or May Day celebration.  Research how these cultural holidays are usually celebrated.  Cook food, make decorations, and invite guests. Write about your planning and party, and please include pictures!

- Make May Day baskets for your neighbors!  Research the tradition of gift giving for May Day and distribute small gifts to at least five of your neighbors.  Include photos!

Requirements:

Write about your experience - what did you see, hear, eat, notice, participate in, and learn?  If you have attended the event before, what stood out to you as new or unusual? Did anything surprise you at the event?  Think about the fundamental needs. Which fundamental needs did you notice people meeting at the cultural celebration you attended?  

All essays must be edited for grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  It is okay to ask an adult or older student to help you with this work.  Fourth grade students should write a minimum of two paragraphs, fifth grade student should write at least three paragraphs, and sixth grade students should write at least four paragraphs.   

If you are unable to attend an event or host your own, please propose an alternative homework that addresses similar ideas to your guide by Friday, May 4th.  

No early work this Wednesday, 5/2

Hello Crow Wing Families, 

We will not be available to receive students early this Wednesday, May 2nd.  Please send students at our normal arrival time, 8:15-8:30.  

Thanks, 

Andrea and Cate

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https://crowwingriverclass.blogspot.com/

Update 4/25/18

Hello Crow Wing Families, 

Happy World Penguin Day!  Two students in our community are very excited about this day emphasizing conservation and education about penguins and climate change.  They have asked us to wear black and white today and will offer a penguin-themed lesson today.  It's a nice opportunity to reconsider our use of single use plastic products like sandwich bags and straws as well.  

With the sudden onset of warm weather, we're seeing many children with light sunburn after recess and park times.  Please encourage your child to wear sunscreen and bring a hat to school if they are at risk for burning.  

The fourth and fifth graders are in the midst of a project on human body systems.  Students are working in pairs to research a system, prepare a model, and teach their peers about that system.  We will head to AxMan next week for students to buy supplies for their model.  The project is also an economics exercise - students must keep to a budget of $10 at AxMan and may use only a limited number of supplies.  We will have a trading day for supplies as well.  Cate will notify you by the end of the week with details about when your student will be away from school next week.  

Fourth year students are also writing biographies about chosen explorers.  While we have a number of resources in the classroom to assist, they may wish to visit a library to gather additional resources.

Thank you to the parents, friends, and faculty members that attended the Sixth Grade Immigration Project share Monday!  Students worked hard and stretched themselves to use primary sources, and the A1 faculty had many positive things to say about their efforts!  Sixth graders are starting on their final UE project - a study of the US Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Civil Rights Amendments.  Their challenge is to balance this work with finishing up Imaginary Island.  We're encouraging students to use their calendars to plan deadlines for each week so they do not procrastinate!

Thank you for your ongoing support!  

Andrea and Cate

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https://crowwingriverclass.blogspot.com/

Upper Elementary Homework Due May 1, 2018 - Natural World News

Scientists recently discovered that some deep ocean fish, like a species of Pacific dragonfish, have skin that is raised in complex geometric patterns in order to trap the few photons from the sun that make it to their depth like a ball in a pinball game.  Trapping the photons makes the fish essentially invisible in the ocean - they appear to be the darkest black, darker than pigments we can manufacture. There is a bird of paradise species that is a tiny bit better at absorbing light (99.9% effective vs. 99.95%), but their feathers use a different formation to absorb photons, making the deep sea fishes’ strategy completely new to science.  You can read about it here if you’re curious: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/04/fish-black-oceans-deep-sea-animals/

For your essay this week, find a news article about the natural world that fascinates you.  

Summarize the article: describe the main idea of the story, include at least three supporting details, and make sure to emphasize why this news is important to science and our understanding of the natural world.  Write about why you chose this article, what surprised you about it, and what you learned.

These websites might be helpful to you as you search:

National Geographic News: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/latest-stories/

National Geographic Kids: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/nature/news-bites/

DOGO News for Kids: https://www.dogonews.com/

Smithsonian Magazine News: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/

Expectations:

Essays should be edited for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and clarity.  An adult or older student can help you with editing if needed. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence.  Please cite your source, including the title, author, website/publisher, and date of publication.

Fourth graders should write at least two paragraphs, fifth graders should write at least three, and sixth graders should write at least four paragraphs.  

Remember to write your name on your work, please.  

Upper Elementary Homework Due April 24, 2018 - The Return of Winter

As northern climate residents, we must be prepared to experience long winters.  The latest I personally recall seeing snow in the Twin Cities is May 18. However, the heavy snowfall last weekend was unusual.  According to the National Weather Service, it was the first time since 1983 that both Hennepin and Ramsey counties were under a blizzard warning.  While shoveling upwards of a foot of snow, I wondered what ancient peoples would think of such a late, severe snowstorm. I also thought of Will Steger’s current expedition - a solo trek into Canada’s Barren Lands, a place known for high winds and harsh landscapes.

Options:

1. Research an ancient culture’s ideas about winter.  You could look into the Norse myths about Jotuns and Ullr, the Greek myths about Demeter and Persephone, the story of Jack Frost, how Coyote stole summer, or the Anishinabe story of Biboon, the spirit of the North Wind.  Summarize the myth and how it explains winter, then write how you think that culture would explain our current long and snowy winter.

Helpful links:

Norse Mythology - https://norse-mythology.org/

North American Native Peoples’ Winter stories:

http://www.native-languages.org/legends-winter.htm

History of Jack Frost:

https://writinginmargins.weebly.com/home/a-brief-history-of-jack-frost

2. Research a bit about Will Steger’s current expedition.  Map his intended route, summarize what his goals and challenges are for this trip, and provide a bit of information about his big trips in the past and his current work for climate education.  

Helpful links:

Steger Climate Change Education Center:

https://www.stegerwildernesscenter.org/

Star Tribune article about Steger’s current trip:

http://www.startribune.com/minnesota-explorer-steger-will-take-unprecedented-solo-trek-in-canadian-arctic/475559763/

Expectations:

Edit your work for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and organization.  An adult or older student may help you with this. Use topic sentences for each paragraph.  Your work should be neat and legible. Fourth graders should write at least two paragraphs, fifth graders should write at least three, and sixth graders should write at least four.  Cite your sources!

Math MCAs today and Wednesday

Hello Crow Wing Families, 

I hope you have all successfully shoveled, plowed, and played your way out of the snow!  We will continue with our scheduled MCA math tests this morning and will finish Wednesday.  Please try to have your child at school on time - having kids come in late disrupts others and makes getting everyone online challenging. 

Thanks, 

Cate

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https://crowwingriverclass.blogspot.com/

Upper Elementary Homework Due April 17, 2018 - Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month.  We’ll be doing poetry lessons in class, but this homework is a way for you to explore some poetry on your own.

Options:

- Keep a poetry journal.  It can be themed (write poems about the weather, a color, an animal, or a person in your family each day) or you can write poems that are unrelated.  You must make at least five entries in your week’s poetry journal. Illustrate your poems and do not repeat forms. For instance, you cannot turn in five free verse poems or five haiku.  You need five different kinds of poems.

- Find a poet you like.  Try to make it someone new to you, not an old favorite.  Record at least five of his or her poems in a small book and illustrate them.  I like the Poetry Foundation’s online poetry library: www.poetryfoundation.org

- Memorize a longer poem that you like.  The poem should be at least 5 stanzas long.  Let us know if you’re willing to recite it to the class, otherwise, plan to recite it to a guide.  The Poetry Foundation is a good source for this option as well.

- Analyze a poem.  Write a short essay about why you think the author chose to write the poem, the main point or message of the poem, and the images in the poem you think are most impactful.  If you use a source to help you in your analysis, please remember to cite it.

Expectations:

As always, anything you write and turn in for homework should be neat, organized, and checked for spelling, grammar, and punctuation.  The rules of poetry are a little looser on punctuation, but you should still have proper grammar and spelling.

Upper El Homework Due April 10, 2018 - Meal Planning

Please plan a meal for your family.  It should be something you want to eat, but also something that your other family members would enjoy.  Please include a main dish and a side dish. Dessert and salad are optional.

Check your recipes.  Make sure they will feed the right number of people.  You may need to double a recipe or cut it in half in order to have the correct amount of food.  You may need to ask an adult to help you with this planning. Write your recipes down in the quantities you will prepare.

Next, make a list of ingredients you need to get.  Make a trip to the store to see how much they will cost.  Record a cost for each item and then total up your spending.

Please turn in your recipes and your ingredient list with costs.

If you are able – please cook the meal for your family!  Send us pictures!

Optional steps to consider:

-    Make menus or invitations for your family members

-    Make place cards for each person

-    Budget and plan multiple meals

-    Dress up and serve a fancy meal for your family members

-    Take photographs and make a small book

Update 3/23/18

Hello Crow Wing Families, 

It was lovely to have time to talk with all of you last week.  Thank you for taking time to attend conferences.  And thank you to those of you that donated food to the faculty potlucks!

We are working hard to help several students get caught up before spring break.  We will have a "Read In" on the Friday before break.  Students that are caught up on work can bring in books, blankets, and pillows and can read the day away!  This allows students to have a relaxing entry into break and gives us a great deal of time to focus on students that need additional help.  

Containing mud is a constant challenge now that spring has arrived.  Please make sure your child has indoor shoes so they don't have to wear muddy boots into the classroom.  

On the Wednesday following Spring Break, April 11, we will not have early work for students.  We have a meeting to attend.  Please do not send children early - there will be no one in our room to let them in. 

We will do our math MCAs on April 16 and 17.  We have completed reading MCAs and the 5th grade science MCA.

Things We're Working On This Week:

4th Grade:

- Drafting state reports

- Explorers

- Introduction to Algebra

5th Grade

- Play writing

- Engineering

- Colonial America

6th Grade

- Cities (Imaginary Islands)

- Wrapping up research and interviews for Immigration Study

- Tibetan Immigration

Thank you for your ongoing support!  

Andrea and Cate

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https://crowwingriverclass.blogspot.com/

UE Homework Due 3/27/18 - Women’s History Month

Essay Options:

Interview a woman in your life that you admire.  Summarize her early life, her accomplishments, and the challenges she overcame.  Include how you know this person and what you admire about her.

Research a prominent woman in history.  Summarize her early life, her accomplishments, and the challenges she overcame.  Cite your source! Include why you chose this woman and what you admire about her.

If you would like a more challenging option: Check out the primary sources available at the National Archives website: https://www.archives.gov/research/women

There are many photographs, speeches, newspaper articles, advertisements, and pieces of art from history.  Choose a theme from the listed collections (Women in the Civil War, Women Explorers, Women in World War I) and explore the sources.  What do you notice about how women are represented? What are the jobs women did or the roles they played in the period of history represented?  How do you think women’s lives have changed between that period and now?

Essay Expectations:

Essays should be edited for basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  It is okay to ask an adult or older student to help you edit your work.  

Fourth graders should write at least 2 paragraphs, fifth graders should write at least 3 paragraphs, and sixth graders should write at least 4 paragraphs.  

Homework due 3/20/18

UE Homework Due 3/20/18 – Signs of Spring

Several students have expressed excitement about our warming daytime temperatures, but I'm busy scraping hard frost off my windshield every morning.  We've been discussing whether spring has arrived or not. To get a more specific and scientific idea of whether this is true, please chart the week's weather.

You should:

-    Record each day's high and low temperatures (minimum of 5 days)

-    Graph each on the reverse side of this page

-    Make a short note about what the weather was like that day on a separate chart/log

-    Compare it to at least one previous March's weather:

o   http://www.weather.gov/mpx/mspclimate

o   http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/climate/historical/lcd.html?loc=msp

o   http://www.almanac.com/weather/history/MN

You could also add:

-    Multiple years of comparisons, graphing each with a different colored line on your graph

-    Wind speeds for each day on a separate chart

-    Sunrise and sunset times for each day on a separate chart

Remember to label your axes, title your graph, and use different colors to mark each day's high and low temperatures.

Alternatively,

You could research the upcoming vernal equinox.  Many cultures around the world and throughout history have marked the equinoxes with celebrations and monuments.  Describe and compare at least three of these cultural celebrations and monuments.

Expectations:

Graphs should be neat and well organized, drawn with a straight edge and clearly labeled.  Please ask for graph paper if you do not have any at home.

Essays should be edited for basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  Fourth graders should write at least 2 paragraphs, fifth graders should write at least 3 paragraphs, and sixth graders should write at least 4 paragraphs.  

All students should cite their sources.

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https://crowwingriverclass.blogspot.com/