Apprentices are....Readers! Artists! Writers! Mathematicians! Friends!
That's right, folks! The Apprentices have been hard at work learning the tools necessary to learn, grow and create!

Reading:
We have reformed our reading groups to ensure every student receives the attention they deserve.  We are now four groups instead of three, which is proving to be just right. With our new four day rotational plan, students spend three days each week at the Teacher table in guided reading groups. This is followed by reading comprehension and phonics -based seat work and finally, quiet reading time.  To complete the plan, each group spends one day practicing story writing as a fun bonus!  Fridays are dedicated to self selected quiet reading and offer the chance for students to share their individual reading skills with me!  Is your kiddo a Striped Skunk, Pine Martin, Long-eared Bat, or a Flying Squirrel?  I'm sure you have noticed  "At-Home Reading Logs"  attached to your child's Homework Folder.  Please encourage your child to read to you at home.  Sign and log the minutes you read each night!  Apprentices are working toward a peek in our treasure chest.  For every 100 minutes read, your child earns a treasure.  This is a fun way to motivate emergent/beginner readers and create a lasting habit of reading at home.  Reading brings it's own treasures such as enjoyment and learning.  Our treasure chest is a small tool to help foster these realizations and build lasting habits!

Art & Writing:
Claire Emery will begin her artist residency next week.  We will begin with lessons in basic field sketching techniques.Claire's magical approach is sure to inspire your child's confidence as an artist!  Our young authors are busy creating illustrations for their Ecology-inspired "What Do You See" books.  The use of field guides are always helpful when illustrating plants and animals found in our natural world.

Math:
In addition to daily lessons and exercises in Singapore Math,Kiddos have been contributing to our daily weather graph and just finished their second monthly recording sheet. We learned that October's high and low temperatures were quite diverse.  Believe it or not, October's high temperature was 79 degrees Fahrenheit, while 11 days dipped below freezing. We all agreed that the trends show it is getting colder out there!

Community-building events have included a fun-filled morning of apple-picking with TJ and the explorers, and a meaningful field trip to Caras Park where we helped to create a sawdust mandala for Missoula's "Dia de los Muertos" celebration.  Apprentices are clearly connected to one another, Clark Fork School and Missoula.  They take pride in themselves as a part of this wonderful community!  Thank you for making those connections possible.  It all starts at home and ends at home and I am honored to be a part of the lessons that fall in between!  
With Love,
Kim