The Blue Jays Weekly Newsletter
E-Learning Half Day
Students have an E-Learning half day this Friday, February 17. There will be no Zoom meeting for students to attend, as teachers will be in professional learning trainings that morning. Instead, students will have a project to work on at home. Information regarding this project will go home with students this week and it will be due the following Friday, February 24.
Birthday Walk Around the Sun
We celebrate our students’ birthdays with a “Walk Around the Sun.” The child holds the globe in their hands and walks around a candle placed on the floor. One trip around this “sun” for every year of age. You can prepare for your child's walk around the sun by writing down important events from each year or making a timeline with your child. If you choose to make a timeline, you can keep it and simply add a picture for their celebration the following year. Students may also bring in a healthy snack to share with the community. Birthday celebrations will take place the afternoon of your child’s birthday or another day that is agreed upon.
Timelines
Timelines are used in the Montessori classroom extensively in the cultural and cosmic curriculum, first seen in the Great Lessons. This preparatory activity of creating their personal timeline readies the students to work with the extensive timelines that are presented throughout lower and upper elementary.
Example of a personal timeline. It does not have to look like this!
Personal Timeline:
1. A timeline can be as short as one page or as long as a wall.
2. To make a short timeline, draw a vertical line down the middle of a sheet of paper.
3. Write your child’s birth date on the left side of the line at the top of the page. On the right side of the line, write the corresponding event. (“I was born!”)
4. Add other important dates and events, such as when your child started to walk and talk, when siblings were born, when your child started preschool, when you took family trips, and so on, in chronological order.
5. To make a long time line, cut a length of paper from a large roll or tape several sheets of paper together. Draw a horizontal line across the middle of the banner.
6. Write the dates and events of your child’s life from left to right.
7. Glue on photos or let your child illustrate each event.
Family Engagement
Valentines Project
Class List
Celeste
Esther
Remy
Ny’Saunte’
Evan
Emma
Lucas
Alice
Sophia
Amelia
Lennon
E’mon
Maisie
Dorian
August
London
Leila
Addison
Aisia
Joah
London
Grayson
Noah
Delilah
Beacon Volunteer Program
We are looking for volunteers to come in and work with students weekly. Are you interested in working with our class? All volunteers MUST be approved through the SCCPSS Beacon Volunteer Program. If you are interested in being a volunteer at Ellis, visit the SCCPSS Beacon webpage to apply.
Snack
Our third year students are making the shopping list for snack each week. They are using coupons and finding organic items to be purchased within the $30 weekly budget. If you have a third year student, talk to them about this weekly assignment. If you'd like to volunteer to have your family go to Kroger and purchase the weekly snack items please let me know via Remind or email.
Homework
The lower elementary classes have the following homework expectations:
Read for 20 minutes each night, either independently or with family members.
If you have access to technology at home, your child can follow their i-Ready learning path.
Math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication or division)
It is very important that all families sign up for our community Remind! Please text @ac3c9 to number 81010 or if you are having trouble with 81010 try texting @ac3c9 to 971-239-4842 (Please sign up!)
Dates to Remember
February 14- Valentine Exchange
February 17- E-Learning Half Day
February 20- Staff Planning-No School
February 24- Donation Dress Down
February 25- Family Engagement
February 25- Savannah Bananas Ellis Night
