Making Holiday Crafts with Gwen!

Our newly upholstered chair!

Practicing "stunt jumps" at recess!

Thanks Carolyn!

Many thanks to Colin's mom (who owns a business called Carolyn's Custom Slipcovers) for helping us keep our beloved pink chair out of the landfill. We bought it last year at the ReStore so it's already had a few lives but is in desperate need of repair. The kids took it apart and will be fixing it with Carolyn's guidance.

The Recycling Center!

Relaxing during Literacy

Gabe, Colin, Luke and Will help each other with their Vocab lesson

Counting Crackers!

Here's Riley counting crackers with Mrs. Fraser as we learned all about packaging/cost/waste in our lesson today with Gwen and Sarah from the CVSWMD.

Extended Math

For folks who are interested in their kids having more/different/enriching/challenging Math at home - here is a website that has been used at our school for years.

http://nzmaths.co.nz

We hiked in Harrison Woods between our two NECAP tests today!

Read Aloud

We are reading A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle as a read-aloud book. AMAZING discussions are taking place in Room 219!

Our First Lesson with Gwen and Sarah!

We did an activity around what items can be reused, composted or recycled!

Upcoming Events

9/23 School Photos

9/26 CVSWMD lesson

9/26 First Chorus class

9/28 Trash Dump

9/30 Geo-Bee

10/3-10/6 NECAP

10/7 Mrs Pierce at Science training with Renee Affolter (and my 40th birthday...)

10/10 FIT begins

10/13 CVSWMD lesson

10/14 Geo-Bee

10/19 Open House

10/20 Teacher Inservice

10/21 Parent Teacher Conferences

10/25 CVSWMD lesson

10/28 4 WINDS

11/1 CVSWMD lesson

11/4 Geo-Bee

11/18 Geo Bee, 4 WINDS

11/23-11/25 No School

12/9 Geo-Bee

12/16 Geo-Bee, 4 WINDS

Service Learning Project

Here are the lessons we'll be doing with Gwen and Sarah from the Central Vt Solid Waste Management District. Our class is so excited!

CVSWMD School Zero Waste Program - MRS. PIERCE'S 5TH GRADE

Union Elementary Zero Waste Lesson Schedule

Monday September 26 - 10:45-11:45

• Intro to Soild Waste • Voyage of the Mobro – read and discuss • Recycling Review/ 3R’s activity

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 - TRASH DUMP!!!!

Tuesday October 4 – 10:45-11:45

• It’s a Wrap – into to packaging and activity

Thursday October 13 – 10:45-11:45

• Diggin’ it up! – Imaginary Archeological Dig

Tuesday October 25 – 10:45-11:45

• I want it! I need it! A lesson in overconsumption

What a wonderful start!

Here are Gabe, Luke and Willem discussing a Time for Kids article. Students - in the comments section, tell what you've loved about fifth grade so far!

It's Almost Time!

Dear Friends,

As I get ready to mail your summer letters, I am getting excited and anxious about the upcoming year! We will have so much fun together. See you soon,

Mrs P

Happy Summer!

It's been a wonderful, wonderful year.

See you in fifth grade!

Melissa

Playing with Dry Ice in Science!

Field Trip to the Pierce Farm!

Fabulous day! David Murphy from Splendid Oak Farm showed us around and answered many questions about their chickens and gardens. We then headed up the hill to my house, visited the alpacas and then had a picnic lunch. After popsicles, we spent the rest of the afternoon hiking our trails and cliffs. Great Times!!

What a Day!

We had a great day! First we visited the ReStore in Barre and had a tour and discussion with Tom Shea, the director. We got good information about diverting all kinds of items from the landfill. We then had lunch at Montpelier's latest local eating spot - Bagitos. Each student got a freshly baked bagel with spread, drink and a cookie. It's so important to learn about our town and businesses.

Antonia and Ruby playing with Bendominos

Upcoming Events!

May 26 - Elephant's Child Play - 7 pm
May 27 - Shelburne Museum
June 3 - 4 Winds
June 6 - Field trip to Mrs. Pierce's house
June 9 - 4th Grade Field Day

Upcoming Events!

May 13 - Egg Drop!
May 17 - Waterpalloozza (a day of learning about our local water system with trips to Berlin Pond, Dog River, Waste Water Treatment Plant, Water Treatment Facility) - We need drivers!
May 19 -Science NECAPs
May 20 - Rock of Ages
May 26 - Elephant's Child Play
May 27 - Shelburne Museum
June 3 - 4 Winds
June 9 - 4th Grade Field Day

EGG DROP!

The Egg Drop is this Friday at 1:30. Hope to see you there!

Nadia's Winning Poem

Pine, Palm, Maple, Beech Are Growing in Your Eaten Peach
What should you do when your milk goes sour? Or even if it’s pies? Fling them in the compost with great power But now you’ve got potato eyes!
If your eggs or cheese should spoil They’ll make a rotten smell Toss them in, they’ll turn to soil Your plants will think that’s swell!
Throw your food from yesterday In the bin, it’s there to stay Banana peels Will feel like eels Soon your food has gone away.
It could start out as burned up toast But in the end its rich compost!
Nadia Scoppettone, Grade 4 Union Elementary School

Poetry Reading!

What an amazing job the students did at the class Poetry Reading yesterday - students, please comment (with your name) on how you felt about it!

Poetry Contest!

The two winners from the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District Compost Poetry Contest both came from OUR classroom! Congratulations to Sam and Nadia!
Here is a link to the website to see their winning entries -
http://www.cvswmd.org/2011-school-composting-poetry-contest.html

More Events!

Upcoming Events -

April 14 - Walking trip to Hubbard Park
April 15 - 4 Winds
April 18-22 - Vacation
April 27 - VT State House tour
April 28 -Willy Wonka at Opera House - 9:30/ Class Poetry Reading - 1:30
May 3 - Williston Recycling Center field trip - We need drivers!
May 6 - Day for Strings
May 13 - Egg Drop!
May 17 (tentative) - Waterpalloozza (a day of learning about our local water system with trips to Berlin Pond, Dog River, Waste Water Treatment Plant, Water Treatment Facility) - We need drivers!
May 20 - Rock of Ages
May 26 - Elephant's Child Play
May 27 - Shelburne Museum
June 9 - 4th Grade Field Day

Friday's Field Trips

We had a blast on last week's trips, both at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library for VT Jeopardy and at VT Compost, Moretown Landfill and GrowCompost. Pictures to follow soon!

Counting Bake Sale $$!

Class Newsletter

Hi Families,
Many thanks for the wonderful contributions to our bake sale. We haven't counted the $ yet but we surely raised enough to pay for some spring field trips for our Service Learning Project. We have been talking about Sustainability and Environment all year and are hoping to visit many local spots to highlight our work. We hope to investigate the trash vs. recycling at UES and we also hope to sell Lunchskins, the reusable food bags to further reduce waste at Union. We have lots of work to do so it's a good thing we are looping together for fifth grade!
April 8 is the date I have set aside to go to the Recycling Center in Williston and the Moretown Landfill. I'm hoping that we have enough parent drivers at that point. I am also hoping to reschedule the ReSource and Vt Compost trip.
* Could you please let me know if you have completed the paperwork to be a driver so I can plan for the day?
I've made a commitment to the class to take one walking field trip each week for the remainder of the school year. We enjoyed seeing and learning about the Desch family sugaring operation this week. Next week we will head to the Kellogg Hubbard Library for a game of Vermont Jeopardy. Families are always welcome to join us!
I have reserved a Village Life history kit through the Vermont Historical Society, starting after April vacation. I'm looking forward to having new materials to explore for 3 weeks.
We continue to go outside daily so please be sure your children have gear appropriate for mud!
Have a terrific weekend!

Upcoming Events -
March 30 - VT History Museum
March 31 - Mrs Pierce scoring writing pieces in the afternoon
April 1 - Strings Day in Rutland
April 5 - Walk to the Lane Shops
April 7 - KH Library for VT Jeopardy
April 8 - Williston MRF and Landfill
April 15 - 4 Winds
April 28 -Willy Wonka at Opera House / Class Poetry Reading
May 13 - Egg Drop!
May 20 - Rock of Ages
May 27 - Shelburne Museum
June 9 - 4th Grade Field Day

Parent - Teacher Conferences

It has been great to see and connect with so many families during conference time. Please know that you can always call or email to schedule any follow up meetings with any questions or concerns.

Assignment for Friday, March 11

In the Comments section, write your name and one thing that you have learned or that you find interesting about The Captive of Pittsford Ridge.

Snow Day!

Welcome Back from a lovely snow day! I told the students that we will be taking a walking field trip once a week for the remainder of the year. We will go to Hubbard park, the library, the State House, the Lane Shops, etc.

Assignment for Friday, March 4

Students,
In the Comments section - write your name and what you like about Chorus, the best thing you did over vacation, and what you thought about Everest by Gordon Korman.

Assignment for Thursday ~ Technology Class

Hi Students,
In the Comments section, answer these four questions -

1. How long have you lived in Vermont?
2. What do you like about Vermont?
3. Which Vermont season is your favorite and why?
4. Who is our new governor?

Land and Water

Dates to Remember

January 26 - Reading to End Racism
January 27 - Mrs. Pierce at a Writing Workshop meeting for the morning / Abenaki essays due
January 28 - All school assembly / Spelling tests / Report cards go home
February 7 - NAEP testing
February 18 - 4 Winds
March 4 - VT Compost Company and ReSource field trip
March 18 - 4 Winds
April 8 - Williston Recycling Center and Moretown Landfill field trip
April 15 - 4 Winds

Happy Cold Day!

Snowflakes with 1st Grade Buddies!

Working on our Abenaki essays

Here is Elizabeth working on her Abenaki essay.

Student Assignment

Kids,
Please write two sentences about Vermont history. It can be anything you know OR want to know about the Abenakis, early settlers, Ann Story, etc. Be sure to write your first name in your comment.

Inauguration Day at the State House

We helped to welcome Peter Shumlin by eating sugar on snow by Morse farm and sliding down pipes with Sugarbush dudes!

Happy New Year!

A wonderful and happy new year to all!