Minnesota River Newsletter

Dear Minnesota River Families,

Happy February to you all!  We wish you well.

The big news this week is our upcoming field trip to Dodge Nature Center.  We'll be bussing there on February 12 for our annual all-day event, with both indoor and outdoor learning.  Here is the itinerary for the trip.  The bolded items are the outdoor classes.

First Years: Animal Tracks AND Reptiles and Amphibians

Second Years: Meet the Milk Makers* AND Life in the Cold (Adaptations)

Third Years: Bones! (Owl Pellets) AND Season's Hike

Thank you for all the offers to help with chaperoning.  I wish we could take all of you along!

The life of the community has been full of excitement and enthusiasm over the past few weeks.  The room is literally full of work during the day, and we're all getting better at tiptoeing around work rugs as we walk through the room.  A number of children have begun projects of their own device, and it's wonderful to see them turning out.  We are giving "special lessons" geared specifically to particular students, to supplement the regular curriculum.

Here are the academic lessons given over the past two weeks:  All levels have been working on a poetry unit with the first years looking at rhyme and the different types of rhyme.  Second years have been learning about structured vs.free verse poetry and rhyme scheme.  Third years have been learning about alliteration, assonance, simile and metaphor.  Math is still being done in a highly individualized way, so ask your student what they have been working on.  For Geometry, the first years continue to explore how triangles make all other shapes.  Second years are learning about the relationships of angles and third years are finishing up their in depth study of triangles. The first years have been identifying the states of the different regions of the USA for geography and the second years have started a unit on biomes.  Thirds years are reaching the final stages of their research paper on a country of their choice.  Biology includes the study of stems for the first years, names of the leaf shapes for the second years and parts of seeds and seed dissection for the third years.  Finally, for history, the first years are learning about the different ways the calendar year is divided, the second years are beginning their study of the fundamental needs and the third years are studying the timeline of humans.

A closing request: If anyone has a knack for repairing book bindings, we have some well-loved books that could use some TLC.  Also, some students are requesting shoe boxes for dioramas.  If you have some to donate, please send them with your student.

Thank you all so much for your continued support!

Our best to you,

Erik and Patrick

-- 

Erik and Patrick

Co-Guides Minnesota River Classroom

Great River School

St Paul, MN