Dan and Ella's Blog
A Fourth Grade Experience

Dear Families,

Today was full of excitement! It dropped to 34 degrees early in the morning, causing dew to freeze. When we went outside for breakfast, the kids noticed that every blade of grass was coated in white ice and began fiercely debating whether it had snowed or not. After breakfast the whole class went on a hike up Fudd Hill which Julie described as “serious mountaineering.” Some thought they couldn’t make it to the top, but they all persevered–and even made it back down.

One of the sows gave birth to a litter of ten piglets today. All students either watched piglets being born or got to visit them within minutes of birth. The students were very curious about all the “slime” on the new piglets and many tried to empathize with the mama pig. It was a goldmine for quotable fourth grade moments:

• “I wish we could take one home! We could feed it a bottle… It could share the milk with my sister! And its easier than a dog. And who doesn’t love a pig?”
• “The boy gets the enjoyment of having a kid but he doesn’t DO anything!”
• “I didn’t stand on my own for the first time until I was one!”
• “One thing I don’t want to tell a pig is that we can eat you for dinner.”
• “I wish my mom had that many kids at once…”

But by far, the most exciting moment of the day was when Miles arrived! For those who don’t know, Miles injured his foot the night before we left and is on crutches. Until last night we were unsure whether he would be able to join us. But happily, he arrived this morning just in time to see the first piglets being born. The outpouring of emotion when the other students returned from their hike and discovered he was here was incredible and set the tone for a great day.

Like yesterday, students rode horses, baked bread, made butter, prepared meals, tried new food, fed the animals, milked cows, collected fresh eggs, and played in the hay bales.

And of course, no day at the farm would be complete without shoveling more manure than you can possibly imagine. We learned that the average cow poops 65 pounds a day–and there are dozens of cows on this farm. Some students decided, “In the future they should make animals that can wipe their own butts…Or potty train pigs.” Be sure to ask your child about “farmer’s gold” and “farmer’s art” when they get home. You won’t be disappointed.

Are we really going to end this update about our second day at the farm on this topic?
Yes. Yes we are.

Goodnight!
Dan, Ella, and Julie

Dear Families,

The farm trip is off to a wonderful start! Thank you all for making the students feel like rock stars during our departure. On the bus, students excitedly counted down how many minutes were left as they followed our route on maps. This culminated in one student crying out, “We’re almost there–oh my goodness!!!”

Upon arriving at the farm, we got right to work. Students unpacked the bus in what the farm staff described as a “chain gang” style of teamwork. Within 30 seconds of being shown their rooms, the students had made themselves at home. They were amazed at how large the rooms are compared to last year’s farm trip.

And then it was off to exploring the farm. The students explored the hay bales, met the farm animals, rode horses, herded cattle, cut wood, prepared meals, and made butter. Several students met a calf that was born just as our bus arrived this morning. Others got a chance to ride Brownie the Horse. Many took tuns hauling buckets of slop to the pigpen and visiting the new piglets. Students also enjoyed some free time – the farm has a fantastic park with tetherball, swings, a climber, and a large open space – perfect for Capture the Flag.

We enjoyed minestrone soup, salad, bread and butter, and apple crisp for dinner – all prepared by your children! Many students took “farmer’s tastes” of food that they at first were hesitant to try, and were surprised by how much they enjoyed it. One student exclaimed, “I don’t usually like salad, but this salad is really good!” Another, after insisting he didn’t like tofu, was overheard asking, “Can you pass me some more of that tofu?” Not everyone was quite ready to be so open minded just yet – at least two students made polite requests to eat only the “crisp” part of the apple crisp.

After dinner, students began to chorally plead for an early bedtime because they were tired from the day’s hard work. Churning butter is apparently more taxing than learning multiplication combinations! But before bed, students generated ideas in their writing journals for news stories about the farm that they will begin writing when we get back. They had already accumulated so many rich memories, it was hard to get some of them to stop writing. After everyone got ready for bed, Julie read from a special book she bought just for the farm. As we were settling down to sleep, one student remarked, “If you think back to the classroom this morning, it seems like three days ago.” Many others quickly concurred.

They seem so grown up and mature some days. But seeing them in their jammies with stuffed animals clutched to their chests, drifting off to sleep on the couch during read aloud, we were reminded of just how young they still are.

Have a great night,

Dan, Ella, and Julie

September 12, 2012

Dear Fourth Grade Families,

We’ve had a great first few days of school! We’re really looking forward to this school year. As you know, you are invited to attend Curriculum Night at 6:00 pm on Thursday, September 20, at which time we will provide you with detailed information about curriculum. For now, we would like to give you some general information about some procedures.

Dismissal
Dismissal is at 3:00 PM. Please let us know of any changes in dismissal arrangements either by having your child give us a written note, letting us know in person or by e-mail. If you need to e-mail us any changes, please try to do it before 12 pm. Please e-mail both of us any changes in dismissal. Our e-mail addresses are draphael@lrei.org and emoran@lrei.org. Please do not leave changes in dismissal in a voice mail.

Homework
Under normal circumstances, assignments will be given Monday through Thursday nights and should take about 30 – 45 minutes. Every child should also read at home every night for at least 30 minutes. This can include reading independently as well as reading with you. Your child should be able to complete most assignments fairly independently, so please only provide guidance and support but not too much intervention, and let us know if your child is experiencing difficulty. If your child is struggling with a concept please encourage him/her to talk to us first thing in the morning and we will find time to review the assignment.

This year, students have a weekly planner, which will remain in their homework folder and be updated on a daily basis.

P.E.
Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please make sure your child brings the appropriate footwear. We also have recess everyday.

Birthdays
As you know, children love to celebrate birthdays in school with their friends. Please let us know in advance of the special day if your child chooses to bring in a special treat. Please send in pre-portioned treats for the students (i.e. cupcakes instead of a whole cake or pie) as it’s faster and less messy, which makes treat-time much easier! Remember…no nut or sesame products.

We look forward to seeing you at the welcome conferences tomorrow and Friday.

Warmly,
Dan & Ella